Opinions on boxer x lab

fine_and_dandy

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Asking on behalf of someone else who isn't a member of the forum.

They have been to a few local rescue centres and one dog put forward was a 3 year old boxer x lab who was a stray. Lovely looking boy (think mostly lab head with boxer forehead and facial markings, smaller boxer body with a lab tail!).

He is a very sweet boy, eager to please and likes the attention given to him. He needs some training and the idea is to take him to dog training classes. He appears to learn quickly but isn't what I would call "hyper intelligent" like I have known some dogs and breeds to be. He is a lovely boy and I think, given time and consistency, he will be a cracker.

I'm aware the cross here isn't usual! But wondered if there were any members with experience of this cross, good or bad, before a final decision is made (pending the cat test).

Thanks!
 

s4sugar

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Most likely a staffie cross. I have met a few lab x boxers and they were all chunky and lab sized with shorter faces.

As a stray theres no way of knowing what he is but if he seems a nice character and isn't "of the type" which can be problematic in some areas then why not take him on?
 

fine_and_dandy

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Hi, thanks for the reply.

He is definitely boxer x not staff (hard to explain but have to see him to understand! ) and came in with his mum who is pure boxer. Believe the rescue said they came to them from a pound in Ireland. Beyond that I don't know a huge amount more.

He is lovely. Nice personality and temperament, just needs a bit of training and consistency.

When you say not of the type, are you referring to boxer x or staff x? Out of interest, what is it in particular that is of type that would potentially put you off?
 

Dobiegirl

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Sadly these type of dogs do seem to get overlooked in rescue but make wonderful pets, Im sure if your friend is going to training classes he might well surprise her and it will build the bond between them. My male Dobe who we have all laughingly said only had one brain cell has surprised us in an intelligence test, the crafty s** is just stubborn and those blank looks were carefully perfected by him.
 

s4sugar

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Strays do not arrive with their Mums.

Was he a stray or a hand in?
Personally I won't deal with dog shippers as so many dogs are being PTS in pounds around the country.
 

fine_and_dandy

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Strays do not arrive with their Mums.

Was he a stray or a hand in?
Personally I won't deal with dog shippers as so many dogs are being PTS in pounds around the country.

Don't shoot the messenger. I am passing on what dogs trust told him. They said he was a stray. How or why he came here from a pound in Ireland, I don't know. I will ask.

I'm aware of situations where strays have cone in with their mums, so it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I would think it odd for an organisation like dogs trust to mislead on this information, but to err on the side of caution, I'll pass on the comments so appropriate questions can be asked.

Thanks for the explanation regarding being of type. Dogs trust have said he isn't of type, but I'm intending to have a closer look at this for my own knowledge more than anything.

I appreciate that a lot of dogs across the country are being PTS. There has been no intention to deal with dog shippers (I was unaware of such a thing). By going to the local rescue centres, the hope was the right thing was being done in being able to provide a home for a dog that needed one. Hopefully, the cat tests will come back ok and he can get settled.

Thanks for the comments.
 

Elsiecat

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While not the answer to your question, a lab and boxer were found wondering the streets together. Lab was adopted and that left the boxer. Along we went to foster him until he got adopted and we fell in love with him.
The third night we had him someone tried to break in and he went mad. Running at the doors and barking and growling. The police took forever so we went outside with him, whoever it was quickly ran! We couldn't send him back after he saved the day :)
My nephew rides around on him and George absolutely adores it.
Boxer and boxer crosses are fab
 

Clodagh

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As a crossbreed he will take on to a greater or lesser extent his parents traits, so most labs are trainable so he might be trainable...most boxers make a block of wood look intelligent so he may be more like those! I think your friends should just go with what they see, tbh. Dogs Trust should have people willing to advise them on settling him in and so on. Most dogs, unless they are irretrievably scarred, are willing and want to work with people and learn about life, I should think he will be fine.
 

weaselwords

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There's a young one that I see down my local park. Looks like a black boxer. Seems a very happy and pleasant beast.

My sister has had three boxers and all have been very well trained. I think this is a breed that has the rep for being dumb but I disagree. All of my sister's boxers have been far better behaved than my supposedly trainable asbo weimaraner.
 

RLS

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As a crossbreed he will take on to a greater or lesser extent his parents traits, so most labs are trainable so he might be trainable...most boxers make a block of wood look intelligent so he may be more like those! I think your friends should just go with what they see, tbh. Dogs Trust should have people willing to advise them on settling him in and so on. Most dogs, unless they are irretrievably scarred, are willing and want to work with people and learn about life, I should think he will be fine.

I beg to differ...my boxer boy is very, very intelligent. Yes, he does often run head first into closed doors....but who doesn't? He never forgets what cupboard holds the dog biscuit tin. And my boxer girl...well, she has just been re-invented as the super hero "Miss Direction", due to her super-power ability to lay the blame (of stealing the cats' food/ lounging on the sofa & covering it with white hairs - only white animal in the house/ pinching tins out of the recycle bin/ farting to make your eye balls melt/ etc.) at someone else's feet. So, most certainly not stupid dogs.
 

CorvusCorax

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It could have been that the pair were straying, collected by the dog warden, and then surrendered as unwanted.

'Of type' doesn't mean it has to be genetically proven to be an American Pit Bull Terrier, as there is no such breed recognised by the UK Kennel Club so therefore no DNA database....brilliant. All a dog has to do is look like one, measure up like one, and display the breed characteristics to be considered 'of type'.
 

Jesstickle

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Presumably dogs trust would not readily rehome something of that type as they are aware of the potential fall out?

Or is that hopelessly foolish of me?!
 

CorvusCorax

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There are tonnes of dogs out there that 'look of type' - if your dog does nothing to draw attention to the attention of the authorities and behaves like what it is, a lab x boxer, it can live a long and happy life.
If your dog does do something to attract the attention of the authorities, fits the measurements and in assessment, acts, ahem, 'game', is when you have a problem.
Some councils are more vigorous than others in their implementation of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

I've gone way off topic here and this is no reflection on the dog in question or the rehoming organisation, was just trying to explain what 'of type' means.
 

Tammytoo

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Boxers are lovely dogs - not stupid, but complete clowns! I know of two boxer/weimeraner crosses and they are lovely affectionate dogs. I would certainly give a home to a boxer/lab cross and I think yoiur friend should give the dog a chance.
 

fine_and_dandy

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Thanks for all the information, it makes for interesting points.

Dogs trust have said that they and the vet believe him to be boxer x lab due to the way he looks and his markings, as opposed to anything else - although aware that as a stray his background won't be fully known.

Apparently the vet believed the boxer who he came in with could be his mum due to similarities between them. I understand they were picked up from two locations in Ireland within a couple of miles of one another, so nothing definite by any means.

Dogs trust apparently collect dogs from a number of places where the dogs are at risk of being destroyed if not claimed within a certain time period, and Ireland is one of them which is how he has ended up over here.

Thanks for the info re being of type. I have to admit that what appears to be the subjective nature of it concerns me - do they have pictures they go by to define it falling in type? Dogs trust have said that he isn't of type and does not fall under the dangerous dogs act, and I would hope that the vet etc who assessed him and made that call would be very certain about that kind of thing given the possible repercussions for the charity if there was any doubt. I'm putting my belief in that anyway! I'm a naturally cautious person so I'm probably being over paranoid about someone saying he looks like a dog under the act.

As I said before, his personality is fantastic. He is very very friendly, eager and keen to please, and very affectionate. Clearly he hasn't had the best of starts - as an example, he heard someone swear and he cowered and whimpered. He cuddled up for reassurance. He did the same when walking past another dog, which was muzzled and barked aggressively at him. In the 3 times he has been seen, he hasn't shown any ounce of aggression, cockiness or nastiness.

Would it help to refer you to his page on their website to see what you think?
 

Mrs. Jingle

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Strays do not arrive with their Mums.

Was he a stray or a hand in?
Personally I won't deal with dog shippers as so many dogs are being PTS in pounds around the country.

What a ridiculous and totally untrue and misleading statement that is. I can assure you that it is not uncommon to find a stray dog and her pups roaming loose over here. In fact I have one nestling at my feet right this minute. Her pups were happily rehomed and her future is assured with me. Please get your facts right, and welcome to the reality of a dogs life in Ireland.
 

MyBoyChe

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My boss has this cross. When I first met him he was 4 (dog,not boss) and I would have sworn he was a small rottie, black and tan, rottie face markings and a really solid little dog. My boss met both sire and dam and so knew he was a straight x. Dog is now 11 and has been the most brilliant dog, he used to come to the office every day and was as daft as a brush, never bothered when anyone came in, loved a fuss and would often wander into the neighbours garden for a spot of afternoon TV and a biscuit. Since Boss's wife had baby he has been a stay at home dog, along with their staffie x gawd knows what and has taken to being a proper family dog like a duck to water. I woudnt hesitate to recommend this x as a good one assuming both parents were typical of their own breeds.
 

CorvusCorax

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A dog has no worse a life in Ireland than it would do in England, there are the same problems everywhere.

Fine and Dandy, the legislation is completely flawed (see - the American Pit Bull Terrier is a banned breed - but they are not recognised by the Kennel Club...when is a banned breed a breed when it is not a breed) and it is up to individual authorities to implement.

I'd say as long as you don't call him a menacing name, don't let him strain on the end of a chain lead and studded harness gobbing off at all and sundry and have him microchipped, insured etc, you should be OK!!
 

fine_and_dandy

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The legislation is ridiculous. How on earth can it be applied properly if it makes no sense? The mind boggles at how ludicrous that is. A law needs to be in place, but surely it should clear.

And yes, I agree that there are problems in any country. I wasn't saying his treatment, whatever it has been, was because of being in Ireland; just that he has obviously not had the best start from the way he reacts to certain things as I outlined above :)

As I say, he doesn't look like an of type dog (imo) but the discussion has already been had in terms of suitable names and equipment. He'll have a harness but not anything menacing! He will also be names Dexter :) the rationale being that there used to be a cartoon called Dexter's laboratory; he has lab in him, Dexter's lab etc. Tenuous link but it suis him! He has another cat test to go through which should know the results from tomorrow.

Thanks all for the help.
 

s4sugar

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My boss has this cross. When I first met him he was 4 (dog,not boss) and I would have sworn he was a small rottie, black and tan, rottie face markings and a really solid little dog. My boss met both sire and dam and so knew he was a straight x. Dog is now 11 and has been the most brilliant dog, he used to come to the office every day and was as daft as a brush, never bothered when anyone came in, loved a fuss and would often wander into the neighbours garden for a spot of afternoon TV and a biscuit. Since Boss's wife had baby he has been a stay at home dog, along with their staffie x gawd knows what and has taken to being a proper family dog like a duck to water. I woudnt hesitate to recommend this x as a good one assuming both parents were typical of their own breeds.
Labs can carry the "and tan" gene but boxers don't so this dog can't be a boxer cross lab - not to say he can't have these breeds behind him.
 
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