The following list is meant to help you prepare for your new pup. There are a few things that you may like to have on hand before your new boxer pup comes home. I hope this checklist will help to make the transition period go a bit smoother.

General

• Paper Towels (Lots and Lots)
• Old Towels (For bathing, new pups are always making a mess of themselves)
• Old Blankets (For first bedding, don’t use your new pup bed until pup is fully trained as they don’t wash very well)
• Cotton Balls (For cleaning ears)
• Nail File (Very fine fake nail type file for smoothing nail tips)
• 100% Pure canned Pumpkin (from the baking isle of your grocery store)
  Pumpkin is a good source of fiber. When puppy has diarrhea or constipation, a tablespoon or two with every meal for several days should help alleviate symptoms. Freeze excess in ice cube tray for later use.
• Baby Gates (Check the baby area of Walmart, gates from pet stores tend to be really expensive. Take care not to get horizontal bars as pup will use them as steps to climb up. Also take note of the spacing, you don’t want the pup to get caught in the gate so pick one with very small spacing.)
• Bleach (You will want to be disinfecting the pups area daily. Also immediately disinfect any picked up stool spots.)
• OutDoor Play Area (You can build an area or setup an outdoor dog run. Be sure to put your fencing into the ground so the pup doesn’t dig out.)
• Outside Watering Dish (You can either keep this filled manually or You can get a great watering system at your local feed store, they have ones for watering cows that have a floating device in it that will keep the water dish always filled. You hook it up to your hose or outside tap.)
• PlayPen (Some people like to have a playpen on hand so the pup can be close to you when you are unable to attend them. Example: Cooking supper or doing paper work, the pup can be close by and stay out of trouble.)
• Peroxide (For small cuts that need cleaning. Do NOT use Neosporin!)
• Digital Thermometer (You should get a pack of covers and some KY as well. Normal Temp is 99.5f to 102.5f. If temp is above 103F or below 99F, consult your vet.

Pet Supply Store

• Pooper Scooper and Bags
• Food and Water Bowls (Stainless Steel or Ceramic)
• Storage Bin (For dry food)
• Collar and Leash (We send these home with pup)
• Training Lead (Long leash for training about 12-15 feet)
• Kennel/Crate (If you are going to kennel train - I suggest the large kennel at Walmart, it comes with a hard plastic removable liner that you can easily clean.)
• ID Tags (You can get these at the pets store for around $10. Get your pups name and your contact info engraved and have it ready for when the pup gets home. It is better safe than sorry.)

Food and Treats

• Pedigree Puppy Kibble (I’d stick with this for the first year then gradually switch to Pedigree Active Kibble)
• Pedigree DentaBone (Great for chewing and helps teeth)
• Puppy Biscuits (Milk Bones are great)
• Training Treats (These should be small chewy treats that are for training rewards only! You could use small cut up hotdogs NOT CIRCLES hotdogs cut in circles act as plugs and get stuck in a pups throat. Cut into circles then cut each circle in to 2 or 4 pieces.)
• Canned Milk (For the first little while you may like to give the pup some warm milk before bed to help him/her sleep. Mix 1 part canned milk with 3 parts warm water. Only offer this if you really need to as you want to get the pup off of milk.)

Chews and Toys

• Kong Toys (Kong toys are perfect, other toys may not last long with a boxer)
• Stuffed Dog Toys with Squeakers (Check these over for any parts that can be chewed off and choked on. You should always check toys regularly to ensure they are safe.)
• Rope Toys (Boxers love a good round of tug-a-war. Kong makes a nice rope toy.)
• Balls (Tennis balls are ok but when the pup gets bigger these will not last long.)

Grooming

• Soft Brush
• Fine Comb
• Puppy Shampoo
• Puppy Conditioner (Spray kind is ok too)
• Ear Wash Solution
• Dog Toothbrush and Paste
  
• Puppy Nail Clippers with Guard (If you cant get puppy ones I find cat ones work well for pups.)
• QuickStop (This is a powder septic that will stop bleeding should you cut the pups nail too short. This also works for small injuries, great to have one hand when you are out with your pup should they step on something sharp.)
• Small Scissors (For trimming around pads.)

Additional Items

• Bell for the backdoor (Hang the bell on the backdoor, use only the backdoor when taking pup out to potty. When you goto take pup out ring the bell each time. The pup will then learn this and ring for you when he/she needs to go pee ect. - When going out to play ect use the front door.)
• Book Vet Appointment (Get your appointment set for the pups 8 week booster. At this time you can get some Sentinel to treat the pup each month for all types of worms, parasites, fleas, ticks ect.)
• Obedience Classes (You may like to look for upcoming classes for you and your pup.)

I will add more items to this list as i think of them.

Week 1-2

You may notice your dog nipples becoming enlarged.

Day 32 (Approximately)

Your dog should be eating much more than normal. You should be providing her with puppy kibble rather than her normal adult food. She will eat 50% - 100% more than normal.

Exercise like daily walks are very much ok, however intensive exercise or heavy training should be stopped.

Day 35

You may want to take her in to have Blood progesterone levels tested to confirm pregnancy. If pregnancy is confirmed you may be able to have an ultrasound done to see how many puppies you should be expecting.

You may notice your dogs abdomen getting bigger now. However some times if the dog is having a small litter you may not see any abdomen growth at all.

Day 45

You should take the dog in to your vet for a check-up. The vet should be able at this point to palpate the puppies and give you an indication of how many to expect.

Pre-Labor

Delivery will happen at approximately day 63 (Can range between 56 - 69) you will see the signs of pre-labor. Now small toy type breeds can deliver a week early, where larger breeds with bigger litters may go up to a week later.

Starting two weeks before the due date you should begin taking her temperature once a day rectally. Her temperature should be between 101 and 102.5 Fahrenheit. When her temperature drops to 100F or below, labor should begin within 24 hours.

Stage One

The first stage of labor is easily spotted. She will become uncomfortable, start pacing and nesting, panting and shivering. She will stop eating and maybe even vomit. Be sure you provide her with a calm, dark quiet place. She may want you to be with her or she may want to be left alone.

The cervix begins to dilate and contractions of the uterus begin. You may not be able to actually see the contractions at this point. This stage of labor is the longest of the three and may last anywhere from 6 - 24 hours. At the end of this stage the cervix should be dilate and ready for puppies to be born.

Stage Two

During this stage the contractions will come on in force and you will most likely be able to see them happening. Her abdomen will seem to tighten and loosen. The placenta sacks will break and a green/brown color fluid will be passed.

Each pups will be born inside a sack. The sack must be removed so the pup can breathe. The mother normal takes care of this and eats the sack and licks the pups face clean. However, be prepared to do this yourself if she doesn’t. The mother will also bite of the cord, this is normal so don’t freak out!

After the pup is clean, it should start to breathe and make a bit of sound. Now if you notice the pup is not breathing quickly take the pup in a dry towel and ever so gently rub it vigorously taking special care to do this softly. Most times this will help to bring the pup around, however there are cases where pups just don’t make it.

The next pup should appear within 30 minutes after 10 minutes of straining. It can take up to 4 hours for the next pup to appear. The mother may also take rests between pups, this is normal.

If you see the pups legs coming out first you should help the mother by grabbing the pups rear leg gently and pulling it out in a downwards smooth motion. Be very careful when doing this.

Now if 4 hours have gone by and you feel that there are still more puppies to be born you should take your mother to the vet. You must also take the already born pups with you. Be sure they are warn and safe from the wind and from chill.

Stage Three

The concept of a third stage of labor is borrowed from human labor terms. It is a very indistinct period in dogs. Once all the puppies have been born the dog enters this third stage of labor during which time the uterus contracts fully, expelling any remaining placenta, blood and fluid.

A boxer litter can range from 2 to 10 pups. However the average litter size is 6.

Boxers can live up to 14 years if loved and cared for properly. Some boxers however live only to the age of 10. It is a known fact that if your dog is happy and loved they will live longer.

Some major concerns are:

• cardiomyopathy
• sub-aortic stenosis
• hip dysplasia

Sometimes prone to epilepsy.

From age eight on boxers are more likely to get tumors than other breeds.

There is a tendency for allergies and some have been known to have heart problems.

Boxers may drool and snore, some have excessive flatulence.

Some white Boxers are prone to deafness.

With any breed there are always health concerns.

Could you imagine the list of health concerns for humans?

Best

Big yard, fenced in, lots of room to run and play.

Ok

Apartment, personal space like an always open kennel, daily walks and play time.

Poor

Small apartment, busy family.

Boxers do not do well with extreme weather, they chill easy and have trouble cooling down if they get too hot.

Height:

Males 22-25 inches (56-63 cm)
Bitches 21-24 inches (53-61 cm)

Weight:

Males 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg)
Bitches 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)

Boxers jump because it is in their nature. They are excellent guard dog, police dogs and protectors. Boxers are a brave and noble breed that will jump on an intruder or “Bad Guy” and restrain him by putting pressure on the forearm, much like a Bulldog.

Boxers like to jump on you to give you a “Hug”. They see you hug other humans and this makes you happy, so they want to do the same thing.

What you want to do is teach him the command “Off”. When he jumps up on you, take his paws in your hand and firmly (Not too firm) and hold him up, look away and count to 5 in your head, he will try and pull away and maybe even whine, ignore this and once you have counted to five release him and say in a stern (not yelling) voice “Off”.  Continue in your normal happy voice until he tries this again, then repeat the steps.

This is only if you have a problem with the jumping, in our home we encourage the jumping and hugging. This is a great show of affection and a great way for him to play and wrestle. Boxers are a very playful breed and love touch and interaction.

NEVER!

When you were a child and messed your diaper .. did your mother out your nose in it? I think not. And if she had, what do you think this would have done to you emotionally?

Never and I mean NEVER put your pups nose in his mistake. This is cruel, pointless and teaches him nothing but to see you as a bad person. And people wonder why some dogs turn on their owners? Ugh.

Should your pup mess in the house you simply show him the mistake and use a low voice and say “Thats ok” then immediately take him outside and say in a happy voice “Pee Pee”.  You should be saying “Pee Pee” each time you take him out to use the washroom. He will soon learn the words and realize his mistake.

Firstly you need to realize that if your puppy messes in your home it is YOUR fault, not the puppy’s.

Puppies are much like babies, they need time to grow and learn how to control their bladder and to understand when it is time to go outside. You need to be paying attention to your puppy and realizing when it is time for him to go out. You should be taking him out each time he wakes from a nap, and especially as soon as he wakes in the morning. You should also be taking him out after he has eaten his meal. When you are house breaking you don’t want to give papers on the floor, what you are doing with this is telling him its ok to mess on paper - to the dog this means anything that resembles paper to him. Use a kennel for bedtime and this will help him learn to hold his bladder; dogs do not like to mess where they sleep. Pay attention to your puppy, get to know him and his actions. As children do the “Pee Pee Dance” when they need to go, each dog has his own way of showing his needs.