This page is not probably what is expected, we unfortunately no longer breed boxers and have no intention of having a litter of Newfoundland's for quite some time !  This page is designed for guidance only, to hopefully point you in the direction of what to look for when purchasing a puppy, what to avoid and whether or not a puppy is really for you.  First of all please decide where a dog is really for you, in all honesty do you have enough time to look after a dog, puppies in general take a great deal of time (and money) 

BOXERS ARE:

Big, hairy, clumsy, enthusiastic, hungry, usually slobbery, frequently wet, often muddy, sometimes naughty, invariably in your way, generally ‘deaf’ to your commands and always demanding of your time and affection. 

BUT with both breed they bring  joy to the lives of those people daft enough to be devoted to them.  If you are house proud, lead a busy life or are out at work full-time, these are NOT the breeds for you.

As with all dogs they need love, attention, good food, regular grooming, more love, basic obedience training, space to run and a loving ‘family’. These are not a breeds to live in a kennel or be left alone, either shut outside or in another room. They demand the company of humans and are happiest living as one of the family – but with all the doors wide open please. 

          BE WARNED they can become addictive, and many people have more than one !!

      WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING A PUPPY

Now that you are still reading I am presuming you are still looking to buy a puppy.  First of all consider how much these breeds can cost.  Boxers are sold for around £600 whilst Newfoundland's are sold for around £1200.  

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Probably the best thing to do before buying any breed is to do your research, especially about hereditary problems both breeds have.  Be fully aware of the right questions to ask.  An honest and genuine breeder will be happier if you did ask these questions as not only does it show that you have done your research into the breed you are also looking for a sound and healthy puppy and not happy to settle for the first thing which is available.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE A LITTER

   After speaking to the breeder always arrange to see a litter of puppies, personally we feel that this should not be done before the puppies are at least 4 weeks old to give the puppies the best start in life.  When you arrive at the breeders home have a quick look around, ask to see the puppies with their mother and see where the puppies have been brought up.  You can tell a lot about a breeder by the condition of the mother and how/where the puppies have been brought up.  Ask questions about the mother, i.e.: how long have they had the bitch, how many litters she has had, has she been heart tested etc.  Be wary of anyone who has just acquired a bitch and mated her straight away (think £££) or if she has had several litters (if this is the case always ask she had her last litter as there LEGALLY should be a 12 month gap between any litter).  Ask to see proof of health testing & never take someone's word as face value.  Question the breeder if they have any other dogs/bitches and how many litters they have had and check the ratio of bitches to dogs.  

Move your questions to the stud dogs and whether they have been health checked (and passed), always avoid dogs who have not been health tested as this could lead to unending problems.  Again ask to see certificates.

ALL health tests (hearts/hips/cystunuria) should be carried out by an approved veterinary surgeon who 'specialise' in this field.  A list of approved vets is available from either breed club.  When a dog is heart tested correctly a certificate is produced, a copy of which is retained for breed records.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ANY INFORMATION YOU ARE CHECKING CAN BE CHECKED BY THE KENNEL CLUB AND IF A REGISTERED BREEDER (See your local council regulations) SHOULD HAVE A BREEDER LICENSE.  

One thing I would also suggest is to do some research in the breeder, it is amazing what the worldwide web can show you.  Most breeders have a kennel name (or Affix), run this through a search engine and see what you find.  I recently did this on a kennel just out of interest and was amazed to see the number of dogs (both puppies and adults which had been sold in a very short period of time)  and their 'stud dogs' advertised on anywhere and everywhere that they could, and I quote from an advert;  'no heart murmurs' (obviously self detected as the said stud dog does not appear on any of the Breed Council or Kennel Club records as ever being checked by a qualified heart specialist), 'Crufts qualifiers' (the said dog has never attended a Championship Show and has never been awarded a BIS, RBIS or BPIS at an open show ?!?).  It may also be worthwhile noting that a Best in Show award can only be obtained from a Kennel Club approved show - NOT a training class, there is a huge difference between the two !!

Avoid anyone who is breeding just for the sake of money.  These people are quite easily spotted - desperately advertising for studs breeding from the same bitches every six months etc.,

Be aware that anyone who breeds a litter out of Kennel Club registered dogs will have their dogs registered through the kennel club but this does not mean that they are part of the Kennel Club Accredited Breeders Scheme, and believe me their is a huge difference ! (See http://www.thekennelclub.co.uk for more information).

Please do not be put off by breeders only offering for sale dogs which have had Kennel Club endorsements restricting the dog from breeding & export, and also offering contract of sale for their puppies.  This is done to protect the breed.  By closely monitoring the breeding of dogs this will help the breed significantly in the future, eradicating health problems and hopefully fighting the increasing number of puppy farmers.

We all  know puppies are all very cute and cuddly but please be very cautious before handing over your hard earned money.

Good luck in acquiring your puppy and I am sure if you do your research and take the right steps you will have a very happy healthy dog !

Copyright Michelle Mould 2008 - No images or wording from this website without the prior consent of the owner who maintains the copyright for this information.  Any misuse of this information will lead to legal prosecution