Jag

As indicated on the home page, my introduction to Boxers with Jag was not an easy one. There were definitely times when I thought I must have been out of my mind to have wanted a dog like him. Even at eight weeks of age, he was full of himself, and I was definitely a novice in the "how to bring up puppy properly" area. All of my previous experience with dogs was as a child (translation of course, is that Mom and Dad got left with all the work), and only with much smaller Breeds. It really did not take me long to realize that if we had any hope of surviving each other we were going to require help from someone who knew what they were doing. This of course led to a whole host of poor training experiences and a whole new set of problems.

If there was mischief to be had, you can pretty much guarantee Jag was right there in the thick of it. Looking back now, I can see the humour in almost being bested by a pup, but at the time it all felt very traumatic. Jag seemed to be the perfect angel of a pup for everyone else, but he was like the devil incarnate where I was concerned. I did not realize at the time that the problem lay with the mixed signals that he was receiving inside the family. I was determined that he would grow up to be a well-mannered dog, while everyone else was set on spoiling him. At one point it had gotten so bad that walks were to be dreaded, and any attempts at discipline or training became a battle of wills. I was sure that in my ignorance I was going to ruin my pup. Obedience training with an excellent trainer was what changed the future for both Jag and myself. We learned to respect each other and how to have fun together.

If anyone had suggested in the beginning that Jag would turn out to be my best friend and "heart-dog", I would have suggested that they seek some serious professional help. How glad I am that I was wrong. Jag is my best friend and heart-dog, and I simply can not imagine my life without him in it. Never far away, I can always count on Jag to make me smile and laugh at his typical Boxer antics. He has turned out to be everything anyone could want in a Boxer, and I like to think that I have turned out to be everything a Boxer could want in an owner. Regardless of what life might hold in the future, I know one thing to be true, there will never come a time where I will be without a Boxer in my life.

If you wish to add a purebred Boxer, or any purebred dog to your family, please take your time selecting a reputable Breeder. While it might take more time than you would like to bring home your new puppy, the wait is definitely worthwhile. If you would like assistance in finding a reputable Breeder you can always contact members of the various Breed clubs like the Boxer Club of Canada or the Northern Ontario Boxer Club . If they do not have any puppies available at the time, they might be able to put you in touch with a Breeder who does. Of course, we would always be willing to provide what assistance we can here at JagRun.

Dolly - Crossed the Bridge 08/18/2008 - We miss you Boo Bear

Dolly's introduction to our family was anything but dull. I had taken great care to go through the recommended steps of introducing a new dog to the household, but Jag was so excited to see a potential playmate that he exhibited no signs of resentment. As far as Jag was concerned, Dolly's arrival was a complete hit, and the sooner we let her out of the crate the better. The rest of the introduction to the family did not go quite as one would have thought or hoped. Immediately upon leaving her crate, she ran straight into the nearest bedroom, and proceeded to "mark" her spot on the middle of the bed. Amid loud shouts of NO and gales of laughter, Dolly had "arrived" and she meant to let everyone know it.

It did not take long to realize that her life before she joined our family was not a great one. She ate ravenously, cried to be let in almost as soon as she went out, had no idea what toys were for, startled very easily, shied away from feet and became very agitated and vocal if anyone raised their voice above a certain decibel level regardless of tone. However, despite all that she must have endured, she proved herself to have a rock-solid temperament and a very loving if albeit vocal personality.

In recent times Dolly had a lot more grey on her face and had slowed down a fair amount, but was a very loving girl. She could at times be extremely aggravating, grumpy and just plain stubborn, but she could also just about melt your heart when she was being a love bug. At times it would almost break my heart to think about what her past must have been like, but then I would see what progress she had made, and things seem a lot brighter. Regardless of which Dolly crawled out of bed in the morning, there was not a day that went by that I regreted making her a part of our family. Watching her learn to trust, to play with toys, and even on occasion play with me, had been an extremely rewarding experience. While Dolly would never completely be the Boxer she might have been, and she always attacked her food in a manner that suggested she was afraid there would be no more, we know that in her heart she knoew she was home and safe.

If you are interested in adding a Boxer or any dog to your life, and just do not have the time required to teach a puppy all the things they need to know, please consider a rescue. Rescues like Dolly, have a lot of love and life left in them to give to a new forever family, and they come without all the usual trials associated with puppyhood. There are many Rescues like Ontario Boxer Rescue that would be happy to help match you up with your new best friend.