Nosey question regarding boxers!

[ChocDee]

I went for a walk with a potential new dog walking buddy today (though she left her boxer dog at home because she was not used to walking in the country side?).

We walked for about 50 minutes is my guess and she was adamant that her dog would not be able to walk that distance due to over heating. Now it was a rather chilly day out today and I was under the impression that boxers are high energy dogs? I know that they have some problems in that regard but I was surprised to hear that it would have such an impact. My dog is a short arse - think dachshund legs and Labrador body and she normally stomps around for a good hour and half no problem and with her stumpy legs it would be twice the distance compared to an adult boxer!

So... Is she a precious owner or is that he norm? I have only seen one of her two boxers and he was rather on the large size... they previously lived in a very hot climate before moving here and I fully understand it would be an issue in a heatwave.

I would really like to be able to explore long walks with another dog and human to mix it up a little bit.

Odd to go on a walk without the dog.

Dogs do not have the same kind of sweat glands as us . They pant and they have some sweat glands on the bottoms of their paws.

Bracecyphalic dogs, like Boxers, have a shorter nose, and often, additional
flesh inside their mouth and throat which makes their respiration less
efficient. (also some breed standards have encouraged this but that is another thread)

So Boxers can overheat more quickly than many other breeds of dogs.

Hmmm well I have seen a boxer quite regularly on the beach here (in the Middle East) in 35 degree+ heat and he was just fine! As are all the pugs and other breeds which traditionally overheat. I think perhaps dogs are a bit tougher than we give them credit for and it does make me laugh when people worry about the heat in an English summer, knowing what the dogs tolerate quite happily over here (and I'm talking about British dogs which have been brought over to the Middle East to live, not 'local' dogs). Yes there is a risk of heatstroke, but as long as you know your dog and his limits it can be avoided, and I am sure a walk of less than an hour in cold and rainy Britain in November would not pose any kind of risk at all!

If I waited for it to cool below 30 to take my dog out for a walk, the poor thing would be waiting an awful long time!

I'm sure this lady knows her dog, but maybe she is being a leetle bit on the paranoid side?

But.... But.... But..... It was COOOOOOooOOoooLD!!!!!!!

But I bow to your experience! I knew that it was an issue, but I never realized it was such a cotton wool issue if you see what I mean?

Thank you for letting me know!

Thank you for your input feeesh! I really hope that she bites the bullet and tries it out.

I was just stating the physical facts. Personally I would need to have my boxer fit and active but I guess she knows her own dog. (although does seem very odd in November in the UK)

Maybe look for a more equal walking buddy

I don't like to draw conclusions but the fact that she said " she was not used to walking in the country side" very weird

One of my staff breeds boxers and is one of The Boxer Club's queen bees - her dogs all walk for at least 1 hour every single day and if she can take them out for longer she does.