Pointer and boxer owners-please tell me the best and worst bits about your dogs!

[TiredMule]

We're looking into getting a dog next year after we've moved house and settled in. I would love a pointer, dh would love a boxer. We're at a bit of a stalemate at the moment!
I'm a sahm, we have dds 7 and 4 and are an active family.
I'm thinking a German short haired. Dh is worried that on walks pointers roam too far away but to be honest I think that's his only concern.

Please can you give us all the pros and cons of each breed so we can make a decision and start researching breeders

[DeathByLaundry]

Boxers have many health problems. They are often great with people but less so with other dogs (this is simply because their short muzzle means other dogs can find it difficult to interpret them and may as a result show aggression towads them, leading the boxer to become dog aggressive as a form of defence). They are very bouncy and slobbery, but generally charming!

Pointers are incredibly energetic dogs, with huge stamina. They are a working dog and will quickly become unmanageable if they don't receive sufficient exercise and stimulation. They are also very slow to mature so the giddy puppy phase seems to go on forever. Not a good choice for novice dog owners - people often underestimate just how much time these dogs need. In terms of roaming, they are a hunting breed but good recall is largely up to the work put in by the owner. A well trained dog has no reason not to show good recall provided the owner exercises common sense about the situations in which the dog is allowed off lead.

[BonTemps]

Boxers are very loyal dogs, my boxer is not at all aggressive with other dogs, and she was 5 when i got her. My border collie and her got on from the start. She loves kids, but as with all dogs I don't let them jump about, or pull her about. She loves walks, and food, usually she is to be found fast asleep in her bed snoring her head off. True they can have a few health problems, mine has a heart murmour but doesn't need medication, her vet just keeps an eye on it. I would not hesitate in having another, i can honestly say she is the best dog I've ever owned.

[DeathByLaundry]

Sorry if I wasn't clear - I was speaking very generally. Of course there will be many many boxers which get on famously with dogs they meet socially, but dog-dog problems is definitely a theme I find common among them as a breed.

[thewizenedone]

I have had boxers for the past 20years and love them. Currently have 5year old bitch we rehomed aged 4. Shes lead reactive but usually ok off lead. When there has been any problem she comes off worst (usually gets tagged teamed by yorkies for context)! She will happily snooze 14-18 hours a day. Like most pedigrees they get quite a few health issues hers is the old anal glands which means she scoots for England its like hsving a fur covered dalek! Great dogs though ours lived with children and is slways making friends with kids when we are out.

[nancy75]

We had a wonderful boxer, he did have lots of health issues - he did something that meant he had to have operations on both his back legs.

if you get a boxer make sure you have a high fence in the garden - our dog used to jump over ours and take himself to the golf course behind our house.

character wise he was about the soppiest animal you could meet, the yorkie from next door would come and eat our dog's dinner while he sat there crying. He was lovely with people and never had a problem with other dogs.

He did have an awful lot of energy and needed lots of walking.

We don't have a dog now but if I were to get one it would be a boxer.

[out2lunch]

pointers are gorgeous - there is one that lives over the road from us.my only experience of him is having to pull up in the car and watching him run down the middle of our road one evening being chased by his owner.he was fast but he did run straight home.:)

[mrslaughan]

Why do you want a pointer?

My limited experience of them, is that I would not recommend them for a novice dog owner, I think they would take a real strength of character to successfully train, plus a lot do exercise and work.

There were 2 German pointers in our puppy class - they were unrelated, and they were by far the hardest dogs to "train" ......and one in her teenage phase, actively challenged her female handler.... Think sullen teenager telling you to get f**cked, I don't have to listen to you..... And then when you don't give up, jumping up and mouthing. Her handler said she practised every day, she didn't appear to do anything different from the rest of us. The 2nd in the class, well it wasn't quite as bad.....but still a real handful. So if it's that you like the look of them, I would say, look for something else. I think, in the right hands, they are probably great dogs, but I wouldn't have then with young children.

[TiredMule]

It's very interesting to hear everyone's experiences.
By the sound of it maybe a pointer isn't the best idea.
My reason behind wanting a pointer is partly based on looks-they do look lovely, short haired and long legged (good as it's generally very muddy round here). But also I grew up in a family that always had gun dogs (we had golden retriever, several flat coats, cocker spanial and my mum has a Hungarian wire haired vizsla now, my grandparents had golden retrievers and pointers (and a boxer long before I was born) and my sister has a flat coat. DH had 2 collie cross and an old English.

We obviously want a fantastic family dog as we have 2 dds, I am around most of the time but will always be in and out so we need a dog that will be ok with that. We're active, live in the country by the coast so there are loads of great walks, we have a good sized garden. Dh would like to run with the dog, but not to have to iyswim as I don't run so if he couldn't we'd be stuck. We want a large (or medium to large) dog as that's what we're all used to and are really set on short haired.

So we're open to suggestions if anyone can point us in the right direction!
Boxers sound like maybe they'd be a better choice for us?!

[waikikamookau]

pointers from what i read recently love to run, i think the pointer is for you, they just run and run and the only pointer i have experience of was extremely well trained, and very loving. i would go for a pointer. an unusual dog as well, so thats a good conversation starter.

[DeathByLaundry]

Have you thought about a greyhound? They're big, short haired, fantastic family dogs, would gladly run but likewise are happy to conk out on your sofa and snooze. IME there are few homes unsuitable for greys :)

Oh and if that seems like an out-there suggestion and they don't seem like the dog for you, I'd urge you to find a local greyhound rehoming organisation and go and meet some. You wouldn't be the first person to be surprised by them when you get to know them!

[HaveToWearHeels]

We have a Boxer who is 8, he is fantastic with DD who is 4. He was a bit mad until he was about 2 and was a bit of a chewer until this age, but I really can't remember the last time he chewed anything. He has two walks a day and spends the rest of the time mooching around or snoring and farting in his bed.
He is a life support system for a stomach though and will eat just about anything.
No health issues apart from a torn cruciate ligament when he was 3, now on supplements for arthritis but no real issues.
He loves people and dogs, never shown any aggression to anything, apart from a plastic carrier bags.

[LadyTurmoil]

How about a dog like Smile? I would have thought a setter/spaniel cross would be active enough for the sort of things you've been talking about. It's been in foster and therefore you can get a good assessment of how he's been with other dogs/children/humans in general. The fosterer has talked about him on the Action Aid FB group and he sounds like a fantastic dog.

[ihatethecold]

I have a pointer (hungarian Vizsla) who is 9 months old now.
he is a fantastic dog, he was also our first!
He has been very easy to train, always eager to please.
We have him off lead most of the time. obv not by the roads.

The one thing i would say is he needs lots of exercise and stimulation.
2/3 good walks a day.
He is also very strong and lively so not ideal if your kids are very young.

He comes to school with me everyday and loves the attention he gets from the kids.

He is a very handsome dog.

[littlemissnormal]

We've got 2 GSPs and they're lovely natured dogs, great with my kids and super friendly.

BUT they are hard to train, full of energy and our 7 year old still bounces about like a puppy!

[GemmaTeller]

We have two boxers and these are our second set.

Boxers are big and strong, bouncy and giddy, they can sometimes overwhelm small children so you do need to teach them to keep all four paws on the floor.

Ours play very well in the garden, zooming around, playing football with us and bouncing on the trampoline.

They are also lazy, sleep for ages, don't like going out in the rain and give the best cuddles.

Healthwise, boxers are prone to tumours, our previous female had eight operations in six years (she died at 6 1/2 ) and our current male who is 5 has had one cancerous lump removed.

I would definately get boxers again.

[shoutymcshoutsmum]

My GSP is absolutely gorgeous. He pulls like a train but I blame me for that, not him! His recall is superb. He runs with me and my DH every day and it makes every run better as a result. He was bought when my kids were 5, 3 and 1 and he has been amazing - he cuddles up with them when they watch TV. He loves them to bits. He HATES being on his own - it limits my life but I wouldn't give him up for the world.

[littlemissnormal]

Jasminum, I think I might be wrong in that I compare our boys training wise to our cocker who was an absolute doddle so I appreciate that it may not be a fair comment!

[belizabus]

We have a male Boxer. He is without a doubt the best dog I have ever owned. Fantastic with my DCs (3, 5 and 12), he is loyal, playful, mad and hilariously funny. Someone on here once called Boxers "the comedians of the dog world" and I think that is quite true. I wouldn't hesitate buying another.

[HotPanda]

We were considering a Boxer, a pointer or a setter, but ended up with a Dalmatian.
Body shape very similar to the pointer and still high energy. All the books say hard to train and you have to be consistent but we haven't had any major issues.
Only downside is the shedding!

[thezoo]

Ive had boxers most of my younger family life they were wonderful with myself and brother when we were young
The two bad points i will point out are mine both suffered from epilepsy just make sure you research your dogs history epilepsy is by no means limited to only boxers my GSD had it in his line but shown no symptoms yet and it can develop later in life neither boxer had it till over the age of 6
Gums, not sure how common this is but the last one had to have them surgically cut every 6months or so as they grew over his teeth constantly

and a funny bad point my last boxer if he was in the boot of the car and sneezed he could hit the front windscreen with snot

If i had the choice i would have had a boxer again as they are amazing family dogs but the lab was a family desision and the GSD my partners x