Boxer or greyhound?

[looneylou201]

Anybody have either breed? We have 3 Dc and now is the right time to add a pup to our family narrowed it down to these two breeds.. any help or advice appreciated xx

Well you couldn’t get two more polar opposites dogs tbh! So really it comes down to lifestyle and what sort of temperament you’re after? How much time have you got for training. Boxers are lovely but my god everyone I have known needs ALOT of work they’re quite a handful IME.
Greyhounds are wonderful and I think make fantastic family pets. I have a lurcher and he is very easy and chilled out.

Well, that’s an interesting choice! Apart from being a similar size, there’s that in common, they’re very different in energy level and temperament. Although of course individual dogs vary.
How old are your children? Have you ever owned dogs before?

They are 10,9 and 5! Husband has always had boxers and all his family still do but we've never had a dog together, I would love a greyhound but have no knowledge or experience of the breed, like my husband has with boxers x

Boxers are very dribbly and challenging to train. (also they don't live very long sadly but are lovely dogs). Greyahounds are easier to train , don't need as much exercise as you imagine. Make great family dogs. (I have had both )

You've basically narrowed it down to two dogs who are polar opposites of each other

Boxers are very energetic, generally hard to train and are basically giant puppies their entire lives. They are super friendly but they drool like nobody's business and are incredibly strong. They're not a breed I would recommend with small children, especially if you've got no experience. A boxer that jumps up could very easily knock a small child to the floor - not through aggression, just through sheer excitement.

Greyhounds are generally very placid and don't require huge amounts of exercise. They're surprisingly big dogs but fold up small and are generally very calm in the house. Would you be getting a puppy or looking to adopt an ex-racer? They do have quite very high prey drives and can be impossible to let off the lead as a result - they can cover huge distances in short periods. Though obviously some owners do let them off with training or in secure fields.

Personally, out of your choices I would go for a greyhound with young children, though I'm not sure they're the most playful of dogs which may be something to consider with children in the house.

You s chosen the opposite end of the spectrum.
Echo comments about boxers and small children.

Greyhound puppies are very hard to come by but rescue centres are brimming with them. Lovely placid dogs, but not ones that would play with children.

I’d also look at the more traditional family dogs - retrievers, CKCS, Staffs etc.

Boxer. All day every day.
They're fab family pets but do need a lot of exercise. Greyhounds are quite lazy in the main.
Greyhounds you're more likely to get from a rescue, boxer would more likely be a breeder and puppy

And I've had boxers and had no trouble training them 🤷‍♀️

You need to think about how the dog would suit your lifestyle not just pick two random totally dissimilar breeds.

Do you want a stubborn, high energy, boisterous slobbery breed that needs a lot of training/exercise or one that in more fragile, relaxed and low maintenance?

I’d go for a boxer, I think at your dc’s ages they are old enough to cope with it. Greyhounds are quite lazy in the house. Boxers will play with the kids all day. I do wonder if you’ve completely thought this through though as I agree with everyone that you’ve chosen complete opposite breeds when it comes to energy and temperaments. What do you honestly think will suit your family? Hyper dogs like boxers are not always a bad choice when it comes to young children, I’ve got two hyper breeds and 3 children but I’m home most of the day and they get played with all day

I have had both - They are very different breeds. Our boxer-x is bombproof as far as being played with by the kids etc, but is also clumsy, giddy and basically still, and will always be a big energetic puppy. She steals shoes, eats things she shouldn't and gets lost if she can't see us (even on walks we have done every week for years). The grey was a gentle giant who slept most of the day taking up an entire sofa. He would not have appreciated being disturbed to play with children/chase a ball etc! I have 3 young kids and the boxer-x fits in with our (mad) lifestyle best. When the kids are older I will probably get another grey!

I’ve got no experience with boxers but have 2 greys. They are magnificent. You’ll struggle to get a puppy though.

I got one of mine at 2 and one at 3. Both are wonderful family dogs.

I would add, both me and DH have always had dogs - I'm not sure I'd recommend a boxer as a first dog- ours is not the brightest spark and took quite a bit of work with her to master the basics and we have another dog who gave her some pointers too!

Greyhounds are amazing family dogs. They aren't cuddly like a boxer but they slot right in! They are pretty lazy unless out for a walk or zooms (just stand still they will go around you!)
We find having our girl to be the best of both worlds she is content to sleep on something comfy and ignore the chaos or come for a neck rub and is very gentle for such a large dog (we have a toddler about)

They aren't cuddly like a boxer

My greys are absolute snuggle monsters. They love a cuddle.

@Sexnotgender

They aren't cuddly like a boxer

My greys are absolute snuggle monsters. They love a cuddle.

Mine loves a body lean and a fuss (especially a neck rub) but not cuddles like my parents dog who would practically sit on your lap if allowed despite being heavy (not a greyhound)

It’s funny how different they all are! One of mine tries to get on your lap. She’s nearly 30kg of elbows.

We have a boxer - wouldn't have a different breed after having her. She's been really easy to train, is great with our kids (who are older than yours). She gets loads of exercise- walked fir prob 2 hours a day.

We have a just turned 1yr old boxer and he is absolutely amazing! Affectionate, easy to train, great recall. Our children are 14 and 9 and he would play with them all day, he’s equally happy to curl up and sleep on them for hours. Excercise wise he’s happy with a few hours a day or as little as 45mins. He would need brain games/home play if only having a shorter walk. Things that are still a work in progress with him is lead walking and not pulling like a steam train and not behaving like a giddy idiot when people come round. Though he will now calm after a few minutes which is major improvement! We did work hard from day 1 with him on not jumping up but he still loses his head with that sometimes!! He is just a wonderful addition to our family, and he was our first dog!

Oh and they really are the most hilariously funny breed, I could watch his facial expressions all day. He’s not every ‘barky’ but he does love a good howl and a moan if he’s been told off

Entirely your choice , but I'd definitely go for a greyhound - from a rescue. There's hundreds of them and they're usually very lazy and easy to look after. You'd easily be able to find a young greyhound in rescue. I'm not sure what the requirements are though for children's age, so in that regard you may be forced to a puppy.

Our next door neighbour had a bulldog, it was always escaping and ended up getting killed. I'd have a greyhound over a bulldog any day but I'd also suggest considering a whippet, just like a greyhound but more reasonably sized :-D