Wooo-Wooo! We're on the list!

Tuff Love · #1 21st January 2011, 12:42 PM

For those of you who aren't familiar with my story, we lost our 5 year old boy Tuff the day after Christmas to GME. It was a difficult and heartbreaking 4 month battle, and he held on as long as he could for us. We knew in our hearts that weekend that he was tired of fighting and made the decision to give him the gift of peace.

DH was so bruised by the years of health problems Tuff had and fought me tooth and nail about the idea of getting another boxer for years. When he finally caved last week I nearly burst into tears of joy. The void left behind by my boy has been just tearing me apart, and while I knew I wouldn't be ready for a new addition in the near future, I knew that THIS TIME I was going to hunt down a responsible breeder and give our future pup the best start in life possible. Those puppies usually have a waiting list, so I thought I'd start the search now. Little did I know I would find the perfect breeder so fast!

I found a guy through the American Boxer Club's list of clubs, and while I won't say who, I'm sure some of you may know who I'm talking about, if his reputation is as impressive as it sounds. The club is local to my area, but the man I was directed to is out of NJ. I called the guy Monday night after work and was on the phone with him for nearly 2 hours, barely getting a word in edgewise. He's been training and breeding boxers for over 60 years now (he's almost 80) and had some impressive and entertaining tales to tell me. Evidently he's trained dogs in the presidential kennels under the last 4 presidents and most of the club members boxers come from his lines and dogs he's put together. He gave me the rundown of his practices and the health tests they do and a history of practically every dog he's ever had. When he told me that all of his dogs lived to 12-13, and a couple that lived to 16, I was absolutely floored. I was seriously starting to think that boxers never made it past their 8th birthdays, as we all have heard the sad stories, and me... I've been there.
As it turned out, he has a litter due next week, but the puppies were long since promised, so he told me about the next 2 litters coming up and sent me pictures of the parents after I got off the phone with him. So I called him again the other night and he had me on the phone again for another hour lol. He's a real character to chat with and has the most refreshing enthusiasm about his dogs. When I eventually managed to squeeze a word in, I told him DH and I would love to be considered to be put on the waiting list for his next litter (they'll be fawns), so he told me to send him an email with our gender preferences and such. So seconds after I got off the phone with him I did just that, and patiently waited for a response. Didn't hear from him at all yesterday and it was just driving me crazy. I didn't want to pest but I didn't want to miss out because I didn't follow up (knowing the soonest we could have a pup is towards mid May). So I called him on my lunch break at work and he goes "oh yeah, i got your email and you're on the list" (YAY!) He said we're high enough up that we should get the pup of our choosing (DH wants a female this time). The mother is located in NJ, so we'll have a little driving ahead of us, but an hour or 2 is no big deal. The mom and dad are GORGEOUS and I can't wait to see what the pups look like. I'm so excited that I found this guy

I feel really confident about him. He said as we get closer, he'll send me more photos, along with the family tree of the parents and the health testing stuff. EEEEEEEEE! I'm so excited!!!

Gatorblu · #2 21st January 2011, 01:16 PM

I am so happy and excited for you! I know how much your heartbroke when you lost Tuff. I'm glad your hubby came around. If he is anything like my DH he'll still be worried about all the stuff that happened in the past recurring. However I'm also sure once he see the pup, it will all be put aside.

Mid-May is a long wait, but it will give time to come up with the perfect name. It also gives you time to puppy proof the house. It's amazing how much more attention to detail a puppy can cause! Again, I am so happy for you! I am actually smiling a big smile right now!

Sansal · #3 21st January 2011, 01:29 PM

That's great! I'm so happy for you!

Tuff Love · #4 21st January 2011, 01:44 PM

Thank you both! I know you followed our sad story and I don't know how I would have held onto my sanity without the support I had through it all. My whole world just turned upside down without my boy by my side. My neighbor has a hmm... 5 months maybe? boxer girl that she got because of Tuff. Every time I walk outside and see her I just think of my boy. She's just got so much of his character.

4 months feels like FOREVER! But I am still recovering from losing Tuff and getting my life back in order, so I'm glad I will have a little bit of time before welcoming a new girl into our lives. And YES, the puppy proofing! I don't know how I'm going to break the news to my yard that it doesn't even stand a chance of growing anything this year, lol! I haven't had grass since we got Tuff and the only flowers that survived the boxer burns are the ones on the perimeter. Shortly before Tuff got real sick we got this gorgeous hibiscus that produced these vibrant red flowers the size of dinner plates. I adore it but I'll have to dig it up and move it to safety if it stands a chance at all.

Now... names names! I like Daisy, and Ava, and Thora so far

Tuff Love · #5 21st January 2011, 01:47 PM

this is mom & dad: stormy and tess

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...StormyTess.jpg

BostonGeorge · #6 21st January 2011, 02:06 PM

I'm so excited for you!!! Thats fantastic news! 4 months will feel like forever...but worth it!! I love daisy!! so sweet!

Mom and Dad are gorgeous! I can't wait to see this little girl!

Tuff Love · #7 21st January 2011, 02:27 PM

i was really hoping to adopt our next boxer, but starting fresh was one of DH's stipulations. he's afraid of adopting a dog and going through what we went through with Tuff all over again. i'll have to work him over a bit yet for when we're ready for a 2nd dog

djheitz · #8 21st January 2011, 02:32 PM

Congratulations! I know the next four months are going to crawl by for you

I have a suggestion that may make the time move a little faster...have you thought about fostering while you wait? There is always a need and you could then get a taste of the rescue experience while waiting on your little girl's arrival.

Tuff Love · #9 21st January 2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djheitz

Congratulations! I know the next four months are going to crawl by for you

I have a suggestion that may make the time move a little faster...have you thought about fostering while you wait? There is always a need and you could then get a taste of the rescue experience while waiting on your little girl's arrival.

ya know, i've never floated the thought by DH, but it's always been in the back of my head. it was hard enough getting him on board with another boxer though lol. definitely something i've been thinking about though.

Cami · #10 21st January 2011, 04:11 PM

Having just gone through this I can say with 100% certainty that the time will FLY. I don't know how it does but I think I needed that time more than I knew after losing Cami.
I loved waiting on the delivery day and hearing about how everything went. Truth be told I also had to wait on the day they bred the dogs too! I loved checking my e-mail daily for updates on if the mom was pregnant or not and later pictures of the pups. Then I got to pick out Raine.....and almost didn't get her! Counting down the weeks until we could go and meet her and BEG the breeders to let her come home with us.
We were told we were at the top of the list however top of the list for a pet puppy. There were others at the top of the list for show ones! We didn't know there was a difference but when that circle of people (breeders) know of the behind the scenes stuff they get the first picks!
I am so happy for you! Both parents are gorgeous.

Tuff Love · #11 23rd January 2011, 06:52 PM

I know the time will fly, but right now it seems like so long! I'm glad we didn't get on the first litter though (this weeks). I had a bad dream about my boy last night and woke up in hysterics... clearly i need time. Having an empty household- DH and I have been spending a night at friends houses the last couple of weekends- all have dogs. I find myself finishing off my martinis with a dog in my arms each time

thank god for them! A great dane named Quinn and a pitbull (sweetie pie!) named Benson have gotten me through the last few weeks.

We're #3 on the list... and all are for females as it happens. So I'm a little nervous. What if it's an all male litter?... or only 2 females? He has a second litter in march from another pair, but my mind is already in love with the parents to be. I guess it's just nerves. To be honest, i don't care about the gender. I grew up with male dogs, DH always had females. Tuff was the best dog both of us have ever had, but I think DH wants a pup that looks so much different than Tuff so he doesn't feel like he's replacing him. It was his stipulation that we get a female... but me... I just want a happy, healthy pup!
I'm going to call the breeder again this week and see if we can schedule some time that we can go visit mom. The guy I've been chatting with handles all the litters in the boxer club, but this litter isn't his and we really want to go meet mama.

Cami · #12 24th January 2011, 06:55 AM

If the litter only has males and you are (or hubby) is set on a female then it wasn't time yet. At least that is what I told myself.
I thought I wanted the exact opposite of Cami as far as looks go. She was a flashy fawn and I decided I wanted a flashy reverse brindle. Finding a breeder with an upcoming pairing that would even be capable of producing that pup was challenging. The fact that it was possible still didn't guarantee that one of the pups would come out that way!
Then I got honest with myself and admitted that my first love was a flashy fawn. I love them all of course but there is just something TO ME about that combination.
Hubby wanted a male but I prefer females. Males are great as well, but working with dogs all day I see things in males that I would rather avoid. Not to say that females don't come with their own set of issues but I am more used to them and feel more capable of living with them.
Then the pups were born. There was a gorgeous flashy reverse brindle....and then there was Raine who had a pretty much identical twin.
I fell in love and that was that!
Don't be overly surprised if your boy has a hand in helping your new pup finds its way to you. Cami surely helped us.

My friend has a white Boxer that is Cami's cousin (same grandpa). She moved into a new house that doesn't have AC. Sugar wasn't doing so well in the heat over the summer so she pretty much stayed at our house as a "favor" so she didn't suffer. More like we kept telling the friend that it was too hot for Sugar and she should come stay with us. She spent weeks at a time with us after we lost Cami. She helped us so much. I know what you mean about being around other dogs after losing your own. Very therapeutic.