Finding the perfect Stud for Lexi has been a bit of a task to say the least. Lots of telephone calls and advice from professional breeders, who also have a competition interest. Advice from those who breed for the love of Boxers.
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Co-efficient Calculator Kennel Club
It has been very useful to use the co-efficiency calculator as my guide to see who are the most likely candidates, all breeders I contacted were happy for me to check out the dogs first before taking the next step, which was to arrange a visit. Seeing the dogs in question was one of my better decisions as not all were to what I had in mind at all. For me, a boxer has to look a certain way. If the dog had any characteristics I didn't like I was immediately put off. I suppose this is in the eye of the beholder and I should not care about this so much but unfortunately I do - I want to breed the perfect looking Boxers with no health issues. Different looks of the boxer you will find here - Breed types - I favour German. Alongside this, I want a pups that will carry the bobtail gene forward, which will result in somebody hopefully taking one of my pups to show.
I also checked back from my own dogs co-efficiency and she is 2.9%
Note. follow the link for the calculator above. Choose breed, then add sire and dam and this will give you the score. 7.1% is the breed average, so my aim is to keep below this with a potential mating.
This was a score from a potential mating
This is the sort of score I am trying to achieve and using the calculator has been an eye opening exercise.
Lexi at about 2 years
A boxer should stand proud and be faithful, yet be friendly and tolerant; especially with children.
Any signs of aggression, good looking or not, I would have walked away from, but with all the dogs I went to see the boys were really friendly and perhaps a tad more loving than my Lexi (well us boys do like a cuddle).
One observation when seeing these dogs was how, in all instances, the dog put itself between the owner and I - just keeping me where he wanted me I suspect.
What to expect from the breed
I might have been critical with some of the dogs features, but all the dogs had wonderful temperaments and this is the other thing that I was looking for.
I might have been critical with some of the dogs features, but all the dogs had wonderful temperaments and this is the other thing that I was looking for.
The story of how we found the milkman sat on the kitchen work top one day: A man who knew Mandy and never had a problem with her until the one particular day. A note was left to read 'let yourself in and collect your money from the kitchen', as my mum was upstairs with the vacuum and feared she would not hear the door knock. Mum comes down to find him sat on the kitchen work top and asks what he is doing. He replies that Mandy met him at the gate as usual and together came in to the house as requested by the note, but as he retrieved the money and turned to leave, Mandy was in the doorway bearing teeth and growling and was not going to let him go. He demonstrates when mum finally finds him but Mandy just goes up to him for a stroke and with wagging tale. We have only his word for this but it has to be true because I have heard similar tales.
The last story is during the winter. My dad used to take us all sledging, all kids on one sledge, but as soon as dad jumps on the back and sets off, Mandy chases the sledge, grabs dad and pulls him off. Mandy had to spend that occasion in the car. Happy days.
Mandy and Mum
I have lined up some potential mates but we are waiting for Lexi to come into season.
I think she is edging her bets but Im sure she cant hold out much longer. We are in November now and she should have had a season in October, Still learning.
Chapter 4 will be, my chosen Boy.
