Mans best friend moves on
It is a week today that our Boxer left the family and its still a huge gap in our lives. However, we made a decision to have another one as soon as possible.
Unlike our last boy we are looking at getting a young one from a rescue centre. I am amazed and at the same time appalled at the number of Boxer dog rescue centres in the UK alone. Why attempt to have a Boxer and then shortly after wish to get rid of it. I appreciate that peoples circumstance do change but there are just too many in these centres for other reasons.
Boxer are an intelligent breed, powerful and can be strong willed if not given reason to change. They are very sociable dogs in a family environment and as such need to be included in the family. They are not very good ” back yard dogs”.
All of the rescue centre we have looked at over the last week are run by dedicated volunteers who rely on contributions and good will to help these dogs.
Whilst searching for a Boxer I did come across an organisation that I think is brilliant, it’s called Canine Partners. It’s focus is on the pairing of a specially trained dog to assist a person with specific disabilities to lead as normal life as possible. Have a look at their web site here these dogs and the organisation are doing a fantastic job in helping people to do things the majority of us take for granted.
We are being assessed this weekend both as suitable owners and the house for a Boxer from one of the rescue centres. I will let you know how we get on. If all goes well we will be getting a 2 year old white Boxer with one eye.
White Boxer often suffer from deafness which can also be found in all Boxers, especially males. Our red had selective deafness when it came to certain things? My wife believes this is also common in males in general!
We now have one and a half Prime Ministers and a coalition Government so at last things should start to happen. I wonder what our boy would have thought of all this. If you take a look at his blog wooshus-boxer-dog-blog you will find he had quite a lot to say about governments and humans in general.
I will keep you posted on the outcome of this weekend as soon as possible after the check has been done and we know what comes next.
Hi Jon,
Great post! I hope you are coping with your loss, I am sure you will have some many great memories so your dear friend will never be forgotten.
I am sure that it is not only in the U.K. that there are so many rescue centres for animals, if only people would stop breeding animals and give a rescued animal a home it would save the lives of many homeless animals. Good on you for going to a rescue centre, we did the same thing for our cat 12 years ago and he has had a very happy life with us but it was so sad to leave so many sad faces behind.
Good luck with your assessment, I am sure you will pass with flying colours.
Take care.
Robyn
http://www.robyn-campbell.com
P.S. Don’t worry about the selective hearing I am sure all males suffer from it, children, male and female also suffer from selective hearing as well.
Hi Jon, very good luck for the new family member. It leaves a big gap when one of them leave us, but their lives are considerably shorter than ours and it is wonderful to be able to offer a home to a rescue dog, truly admirable.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Well said you. I totally agree, boxers are a beautiful breed and I will never understand anyone who turns their back on them, or any other animal come to think of it. We got our dog from a rescue centre, she had been there 5 months after someone had dumped her and 5 sisters in a bus shelter. How do they sleep at night?
Anyway i wish you all the best and I’m sure the rescue centre will be more than happy to rehome a dog in need with you.
Kind Regards
Kerry
Hi Robyn,
Thanks for your words. I agree if people would stop breeding for money then hopefully people would go the rescue centres and give an animal a good home. Simplistic I know but one way of reducing the number of unwanted animales in the world.
Regards
Jon M
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for the good wishes. Strange how in a short space of time that they have such an effect on out lives. Henry, our new Boxer is fantastic but occassionaly both my wife and I have a moment when our eyes fill with the memories. But then the one eyed white bolt of lighting appears and we just smile.
Take care
Jon M
Hello Kerry,
I hope that your dog is doing well. Henry, our new Boxer has only one eye so he does have his moments when we are glad that he had a hard head. He was in kennels for 18 months, partly I think because he has only one eye, but even with one he is able to be very expressive.
I look forward to coming home again in the evenings now as there is a warm welcome waiting.
Regards
Jon M