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

Oh I'm just getting more confused now!
Our big concerns now are over health and possible separation anxiety. I will be at home most of the time, but obviously can't be there all the time and really need to be able to leave a happy dog for a couple of hours at a time. After googling we have scared ourselves!
This is very hard!

Our Boxer never had separation issues. DH worked from home 2 days a week when we got him and we were worried he would get used to it and not cope on the days he was in the office, but actually he did. Now DH works from home all week but at weekends doggy is fine being left.

All dogs can develop separation anxiety, but you can train a dog to be on its own for short periods and build it up. I know one GSP, and he is lovely, but he is worked. He is very driven and never seems to get tired. The boxers I know are generally soppy, comical creatures who trip over their own legs I know one with dog aggression issues, but the poor thing was used as a bait dog before he was rescued so I can't say that I blame him :( His owner is excellent, walks him for hours on lead in all weathers, and is working hard on getting him used to other dogs in the vicinity. When I first saw them, they would turn and run away as soon as they saw you coming. Now, the Boxer goes into a sit and we give them a wide berth. I really want to go and give him a fuss, but he's still very wary :(

We have a lab-pointer cross that we got from the Dogs Trust. They had her billed as a lab cross, but every pointer owner who has met her, has instantly labelled her as a pointer-lab cross.

She is a very energetic dog - she loves running, and spends all her time off the lead chasing birds. She has never caught one, though - they cheat by flying away! She is quite a neurotic dog, who needs to be with her people as much as possible - and if she is stressed about something, she climbs onto the back of the sofa to sit on my shoulders (some sort of wierd, panic get-to-higher-ground, Mum will keep me safe thing - luckily I don't mind wearing 30kgs of dog as a collar/hat). We do think that a lot of her issues are due to her history - she was a breeding dog (had at least two litters), then lived with a family with small children in a flat, which wasn't really suitable for her, then went to the Dogs Trust rescue place, and finally came to us - I think it is pretty understandable that she's a bit of a neurotic bitch, in the circumstances!

She does have the lab traits of being able to switch off and go to sleep when there's nothing happening - she's a good mix of very energetic and very comfort-loving, dozy dog. And she is very bright too - so she learns very fast indeed.

I agree, I think that all dogs can have separation issues but you can train them to be able to be left. Are you thinking of a puppy? That would be easiest in terms of training to be left I think, rather than a rescue. NOT saying don't get a rescue (!), just commenting for this specific question.

Don't be too scared by the internet etc. There's all manner of scare stories.

We got our Springer nearly a year ago now, from a puppy, he's our first dog. When we said we were considering a Springer, most people thought we were daft, as most Springer's they knew were 'nutters' and would tear up our house if not given 10000 hours of exercise a day. Dogstrust told me they wouldn't rehome this breed as they were not an ideal first dog.

Our dog is nothing of the sort! I have no idea if it's just temperament or the fact we take training and walking him seriously, but he's been a dream, he really has. The internet said much the same in terms of separation anxiety etc, true, he likes being near us if we are in and will tootle behind me where ever I go, but he's fine being left.

He's not been walked for four days now as he has a poorly paw and he's just as chilled as ever. I did notice though that, when he went back to our breeder, who had him when we went away at half term (non uk, he comes with us otherwise), he was far far busier and needed a lot of consistency to re-establish the 'rules'. Her house is chaos though, as she's a child minder and curtain maker too, and more relaxed re training, being upstairs, on sofa's etc. which made me wonder about 'nature and nurture' a bit tbh.

The thread is interesting though, as I have just agreed to another puppy, a GSP

One of my best friends has a lovely boxer. As a puppy she was fairly high energy, and she can be a little funny with other dogs, but in general she is absolutely delightful. Very well trained as well - but they are very competent owners. Her major downside has been health related, she's had an awful lot of problems many of which are long term and managed conservatively to keep her as comfortable as possible. I don't think she will make old bones sadly :(

My parents are on their second pointer - English rather the German. The first was a family dog when my sister and I were teens, the second they got much later when they lost the first. First one was a little unruly, but fitted in pretty well. There were reports of some snappy behaviour with kids when I was away at Uni but

Oops! Hit send too soon! Anyway, yes, both pointers have been nice, but fairly high energy and a bit unruly, but equally, my parents aren't the most disciplined and especially the current one is a bit of a spoilt child who can 'do no wrong'!

Totally outside the box... We have a Portuguese Water Dog, who would fit your criteria perfectly. He is 9 months old, incredibly easy to train and literally the most fun dog you will ever meet. He absolutely adores kids and I can confidently let friends' older dog savvy kids (say 8+) disappear off across the fields with him and his toy, and be utterly confident they will all come back safe and sound having had a lovely time. If you google their pictures, you get a huge variety of 'looks' as they have a hypoallergenic coat which can grow, and grow, and grow.... Or, be clipped, and not smell doggy or shed at all! Ours has a coat about 1/2 inch long at present and he is so low maintenance it's great. He's fairly high energy but he's more than satisfied with a game of fetch, the Chuckit is a great invention.
Anyway, unlikely to be a breed you have ever considered but worth a look - he's honestly the coolest dog I've ever known, and their popularity is increasing - apparently a few are now being used as working gundogs although we're originally bred as utility/working dogs.

We are looking at a puppy I think, as we have young children most re homing places probably wouldn't let us.
It's one of those things that the more research you do the more you get confused! I suppose every dog has it's pros and cons, it's just such a big decision and commitment we don't want to get it wrong. We have found ourselves considering a black lab as there is obviously a reason they are so popular, we just wanted something a little bit different.

Noodles-they look like very interesting lovely dogs! And seeing as we live by the coast that might be great!
We're down south, and a quick google didn't show many breeders especially not down here! Can I ask you where you are roughly? How difficult was it to get your puppy (waiting lists etc) Are they very expensive?

Gah - wrote a great long reply and battery died!!
Mine would be in heaven if he could go in the sea every day!! Long story short, we chose the breed probably December last year, spent jan getting on as many breeder waiting lists as we could, and he was born in a litter 6th feb. So apart from then having to wait to collect him for 8 weeks, it wasn't too bad! We are west of London, he was in Newark, Notts, so not ridiculous. He wasn't cheap, but not that much more than a lot of pedigree dogs I don't think - and I have seen many 'designer dogs' (shudder) advertised at similar prices! Happy to send you a couple of pictures of him in his 'go faster' hairdo if you message me your email r something - also happy to tell you how much his actually cost in a message, don't particular want to encourage wider speculation over whether I paid over the odds ;) on an open thread, but to me he is worth every penny and more.
In fact, they are much more common in the states - the Obamas have two as one of their daughters is allergic to dogs!
This description is very accurate for ours:
m.dogbreedinfo.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dogbreedinfo.com%2Fportuguesewaterdog.htm#2908
Except he wasn't much of a chewer! He is high energy but very play driven and 20 mins with a Chuckit and tennis ball in a field is brilliant. He's very very rarely on a lead, aced his puppy training to the point they promoted him straight past beginner class to intermediate (at 4 months old) and we are hoping to do either agility or flyball with him when he's old enough.

Hi noodles, I've pm'ed you! Thank you x

I have a pointer cross puppy we got from a pound that has a constant supply of them (must be some very irresponsible dog owners nearby). She's only 15 weeks old so I have nothing to contribute to this thread apart from pointers are gorgeous
She enjoys barking in my face when she's pissed off though, which won't be adorable in a few months time....

Oh god, puppies are seriously seriously hard work. Are you sure you want one?!
They're a newborn, who's also teething and potty training all at the same time. And tantrums. And they don't speak English. I speak as the besotted owner of a puppy, yet I think I have a constant haunted look in my eye and bits of piss and chewed up possessions on me at all times.

www.manytearsrescue.org/display_mtar_dog.php?id=9069 Some lovely pointer crosses at Many Tears if you are thinking of taking on a puppy ....

I have a boxer, she is 3 now.
Good parts: amazing with children, loves to play but also would sleep all day too, easy to house train, doesn't wake up early, loving, doesn't slobber
Bad parts: tail whips us all the time, poos for England, chases cat all the time, too playful for other dogs

I have a 5 month old English pointer who is nothing like those described . He is the best behaved at puppy class , has excellent recall , lives with our Ds 9 and dd 8 and interacts with them and their friends beautifully , never mouths or jumps up .
He does have three good walks ( 45 mins each) a day and when old enough will be my long distance running partner .
Everyone we meet comments on what a well behaved puppy he is .