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2 female boxer puppies

19 15:58:58

Question
My wife and I are getting 2 female boxer puppies within the next couple of weeks.  They will be at least 7 weeks old when we pick them up, and from the same litter.  We plan to feed the pups Purina Puppy Chow.  The puppies will also go puppy classes starting at 8 weeks.

We also own a 3 year old cat.  

My question is this... I have been around dogs all of my life, but never owned a boxer.  What can expect?  Are there any foreseeable problems that may arise that you could advise me of? Is there anything that I should know?
 
I would really appreciate the "heads up" information that you could provide.  Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hi Ron,

Really jumping in with both feet aren't you?  :)  

Not sure what kind of breeder you're purchasing these puppies from but a reputable breeder certainly wouldn't sell you littermates and especially not 2 females. Your going to have your work cut out for you.  I'd love to be able to talk you into changing your mind but I doubt that's possible.

I'm going to number things just so I can keep them straight in my head, ok?

1.  Don't use the Puppy Chow.  Purina is fine but go with either Purina One or Pro Plan...both are a better quality than the Chow.  Boxers are typically prone to food allergies and you need to get the best quality food you can afford.  Preferably w/ no corn or wheat.  One and Plan both contain them but, again, the foods are of better quality than Chow.

2.  Well, I don't know what kind of dogs you've had previously but unless you've had a very hyper Labrador, nothing is going to have prepared you for these 2.  :)  People either love Boxers or hate 'em.  I love them, obviously.  You can expect to have 2 puppies in your house for the next 8 years.  A Boxer puppy can go from 0 to 60 in a blink.  Obedience training is a perfect idea!!

3.  As far as problems, yes...there are a couple foreseeable  problems.  Firstly, 2 littermates.  It's usually not a good idea if you're not experience with the breed, multiple dogs, and/or multiple puppy rearing.  You want to be sure to train each one of them away from the other, do things with them separately as well as together, etc.  What happens with littermates is that they bond with each other rather than the owner.  You have to be very vigilant about this.

4.  Get them spayed.  Some females can live together and never have a problem.  Most don't.  Once 2 females fight, that tends to be it as far as peace and harmony go.  If you have them spayed you'll lower the risk of fights as hormones won't be flying about.  Keep in mind, some female pairings are great for a few years and then one day things just turn.  You may never have problems, you may have major problems.  It's really a coin toss.  We always advise people not to put 2 females in the same house right off...but we also advise not to bring 2 puppies home at once.  :)

5.  If your cat is socialized with dogs, you won't have too many problems.  If not, you'll want to make sure she has an area she can run to.  Most cats do fine as long as there's an escape route.

If you'd like more advice, you can visit us at Boxer Dog Planet.  There are a couple of us there that have littermates (one woman having a pair of sisters).  http://www.boxerdogplanet.com

And if you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to e-mail me!  Nicole@boxerdogplanet.com