I'm really sad you guys. r/o

kcgal · #1 30th September 2010, 12:29 PM

We've looked so hard for an ethical breeder w/ just the right boxer baby. Tess died July 3rd and all we can find is BYB's and I'm just sick about it. I'm really frustrated at how many there are out there. The pups are simply adorable, but when we dig deep, we find bad breeding practices. I'm at my wits end. Is it really too much to ask for a wonderful baby that's not $150 or $500 dollars, is healthy, and comes from a great heritage? I could just sit here at my desk at work and cry!

darwinsmom · #2 30th September 2010, 03:07 PM

When we were looking for a second boxer, it wasn't easy to find a reputable breeder. I contacted my local breed club but no one in our local area was active at the time and I started inquiring out of state. Choosing an ethical breeder takes patience, energy, and money. Boxers are a popular breed so you will find a lot of BYBs. You absolutely don't want to support a BYB, so if you can't wait or afford a well-bred puppy, consider adopting. There are plenty of boxers out there in need of homes. In the midst of our search for a puppy, a 16 m.o. boxer girl needing a new home came into the picture and once we met her that was that.

BxrMommieNAZ · #3 30th September 2010, 03:56 PM

Have you thought about looking for a breed specific rescue? There's usually at least one Boxer rescue in a state and they get all ages from younger to seniors all colors, shapes, sizes, etc. My rescue Boxers and rescue GSD have been FABULOUS dogs (and I also have a small child and we've had no issues). Just something you may want to consider. Plus hwen you adopt from a rescue, they're already vetted with shots and spay/neuter many times are microchipped and possibly also come with a collar and leash.

EAO76 · #4 30th September 2010, 04:44 PM

I totally agree about the rescue suggestion. I do a ton of volunteer work for boxer rescue and there are SO MANY WONDERFUL dogs that come through our doors. There are all ages (we get puppies too), colors, temperaments, etc. And as BxrMommieNAZ already mentioned the dog will be UTD on shots, spayed, microchipped, etc. There are SO MANY boxers being euthanized in this country. It’s heartbreaking. I always encourage adoption because you truly are saving a life. If you are worried about behavioral issues just work with a rescue that uses foster homes. When a dog is living in foster the rescue has a lot of knowledge about the dog. Good rescues work very hard to match the right dog with the right family. However I have seen some amazing Boxers rescued directly out of shelters as well!

bhboxer · #5 4th October 2010, 09:49 AM

FWIW, we looked around for about 6 months, determined to get a healthy dog, and not support the BYB industry. We finally settled on a "retired" Cdn champ (1.5 yrs) from a breeder that was 9 hours away.

Initially, I contacted the head of the national boxer club and asked them to recommend a few breeders (they also recommended some breeders to stay away from). I contacted various breeders and waited. We went to see a few dogs but it took a while to find one that suited us.

In Cda most every pup from a breeder that shows will have a pedigree with medical checks, etc., everything that is suggested on these forums. These dogs will cost $1200 to $1800 and typically have a 2-3 year health replacement guarantee.

A lot of it boils down to a simple concept, experienced, ethical breeding.

RockyRocks · #6 23rd October 2010, 06:02 PM

I was unable to PM you for some reason... But I know of a possible reputable breeder in Iowa that might still have two 4 month old male puppies. This is an older lady that has champion boxers and performs all heath testings. I do not know her personally, but was given her info for the future when it is time to add another boxer to my home. I can not say she is 100% reputable because I do not know her.. so you will have to do some digging to find out for sure... I'm unsure if I am allowed to give you this info publicly on the forum.. so I have no idea how to get it to you. It also depends on if you are willing to travel as well.... I was told the price of her pet puppies is super reasonable.. Which leads me to believe she is very picky on who she homes them to since she may have two left at 4 months old.

Althea · #7 24th October 2010, 09:24 AM

Well-bred boxers are pricy. My first girl -- her brothers and sisters when for $1800+ a piece. I only got her for $400 because she was white. My second girl was $500, because she was white. Both came from good breeders with colored siblings going for over $1000+. It depends on what you want. Rescuing is a wonderful option, because you can skip the puppy stuff. But if you want the puppy stuff, you either need to be prepared to pay top dollar, or consider a white pup.

RockyRocks · #8 24th October 2010, 09:57 AM

I have to respectfully disagree. All the boxers in these puppies pedigree is indeed a champion, except one great grand Dam. These puppies have a strong pedigree and this breeder isn't asking anything close to $1,000.00... I have not talked to the breeder personally, but the information came from a reliable source. I agree that most breeders are going to be asking a high price, but this is an older lady that isn't making any money off the pups and only wants to find good homes for the non-show prospects. There are replutable breeders out there that do not charge an arm and a leg for a pet puppy.. It just takes some work finding one.. and it depends on if you are willing to travel.

RockyRocks · #9 24th October 2010, 10:57 AM

I found out that the website hasn't been updated for quite some time since there haven't been any recent litters.. so the puppies that were listed are grown up now LOL..
Seems that their sibling is doing well in the ring though.

I don't even know if you are still looking, but if you want her info PM me and I will give it to you.

Caney Creek · #10 24th October 2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyRocks

I don't even know if you are still looking, but if you want her info PM me and I will give it to you.

No one on this board has the ability to PM.

ehayes21 · #11 24th October 2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyRocks

I agree that most breeders are going to be asking a high price, but this is an older lady that isn't making any money off the pups and only wants to find good homes for the non-show prospects. There are replutable breeders out there that do not charge an arm and a leg for a pet puppy.. It just takes some work finding one.. and it depends on if you are willing to travel.

And I have to respectfully disagree with you, here.

Reputable breeders, who are breeding dogs for all the right reasons are not making any money either. Do you have any idea how much it costs to train, show, health test, whelp and raise a litter? If you did, you wouldn't be making statements like these. Most of them barely break even.

larrygs · #12 25th October 2010, 02:02 PM

We recently got Jack from a reputable breeder. It was a long search for a variety of reasons. I recall looking around and thinking about what it takes to be a reputable breeder. It goes well beyond the direct costs, which are significant. Just think of the personal time and disruptions. Then add in the costs for occasional offspring to become champions. I realized this was a mission of love and dedication, not income.

Many kudos to reputable breeders!