Animal control officers notice an increase in the number of abandoned or surrendered Boxers. Many of them show clear signs of having been used as bait to train fighting dogs.
During my own frequent visits to animal shelters to evaluate dogs for possible rehabilitation, I also notice more and more Boxers in shelters. Some shelters have more Boxers than others. It is quite apparent that the number of Boxers in shelters is somehow related to either an irresponsible backyard breeder in the area or to criminal activities of cowardly dog fighters.
Pit bulls and other bull breeds still are the most common dogs in shelters. Scars indicate that the dogs were used for fighting. It appears that the proliferation of pit bulls is cutting into the money one can make by either fighting or breeding them. At the height of the pit bull craze, a puppy from “champion parents” could bring $ 1,000 and more. I guess such prices are harder to achieve nowadays. Pit bull fatigue is taking hold.
In addition, numerous communities have tightened laws regarding dangerous and vicious dogs. Many do no longer allow pit bulls.
Boxers always ranked among the most popular breeds in the US. They appear to be rebounding after almost dropping off the list of ten most popular. With this increase in popularity and a reduced interest in pit bulls comes, of course, increased abuse of these fine dogs. Consequently, they end up in shelters in greater numbers than before.
That is bad for the breed and even worse for the individual dog caught up in the vicious cycle of abuse, abandonment and death in a shelter. Because of their stellar reputation as excellent family dogs, most Boxers get adopted from shelters or are rescued by rescue groups. This may very well change.
As more and more Boxers are used for fighting, more of them will turn vicious. More complaints about aggressive Boxers already prompted some insurance companies to put Boxers on the list of biters. They will not insure Boxers any longer. In the past it was easy to get insurance for your Boxer. That is beginning to change. Not because the breed is changing, but because of the actions of irresponsible dog owners.
Careless breeders and dastardly dog fighters are not the only ones to blame for the Boxer's increasing troubles. Well-meaning dog rescue groups, I hate to say, carry a big, if not the biggest, responsibility for giving Boxers a bad rap.
Bull breeds are hard to place. But Boxers almost place themselves. Thus more and more dog rescue organizations call 'Boxer Mix' any brown dog with a relatively short nose. I have seen 'Boxers Mixes' that had absolutely no resemblance to a Boxer – none whatsoever. Boxers do not have medium long coats and bushy tails! Only a misguided, irresponsible and sentimental dog rescuer can dupe the unsuspecting public into seeing a Boxer in such an animal.
It is much easier to mistake a pit bull with a relatively short nose for a Boxer Mix. The two share at least similar body types. It is also easy and common to mistake an American Bulldog for a white Boxer. Those are honest mistakes. But declaring herding breeds Boxer Mixes is pushing it too far.And it is the trademark of many a rescue group!
As a Boxer lover, I am concerned about the future of the Boxer. Though descendants of a tough little dog that was meant to assist hunters to bay wild European buffalo, Boxer have evolved into kind, friendly family oriented dogs and guardians of children and couches.
Let's leave it that way. We do not need to ruin another breed because of greed and pure cruelty.
It is a most unpopular suggestion but I believe that communities and cities should require licenses for any dog breeder – pedigree kennel or backyard.
More throw-away dogs are the last thing we need.
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