Living with a Boxer

Living with a Boxer

A Boxer is one of the most friendly and beloved family dogs. They are known for being great family pets, especially with children, but they require significant exercise and attention to prevent destructive behaviours. However, I should research this carefully before my family adopts a Boxer puppy.

Once upon a time, my kids decided they wanted a puppy. And somehow, as if by fate, one of our friends suddenly sent us a photo saying that their Boxer had just had a litter of puppies. They said that if anyone was interested in buying one, we could come and have a look. We looked at the photo, and of course they were all incredibly cute, so we decided to go and see them in person. There were ten puppies, each one different from the others. But one little girl stood out. She had such kind, gentle eyes completely different from the rest, and her energy matched mine perfectly. I don’t know how to explain it, but I felt a very strong connection. When I closed my eyes, I could already see her grown up, sitting in our home. And I knew then that she was meant to be with us. Something was pulling me toward her, and it was clear that this was the puppy. My daughter Sophia, who was ten years old at the time, instantly knew the puppy’s name. We called her Nala.

So, we brought Nala home. She was three and a half months old very cute and beautiful. But from the very first day, we faced a lot of challenges. Our lives changed completely. It’s not exactly like having a baby, but it comes very, very close. Moreover, for the first two weeks, she cried every night when we left her to sleep in her own little bed. Also, we were lucky to have two floors in our house: we slept upstairs, while we kept her in the kitchen downstairs. The kitchen has no carpet, just a regular floor, which was important because she went to the toilet very often. She wasn’t trained to go outside yet, so during the night she would go many times, and every morning we had a lot of cleaning to do. It was quite difficult to train her. We began teaching her different commands right away. I even have a lot of videos on YouTube showing how we worked with her from the day we brought her home. I can say that during these five months at home we have faced many challenges. We changed our lifestyle completely. We started traveling with her, and now we always have to book only dog-friendly hotels. The choice is very limited, and you often have to pay almost double just because a dog is coming with you. We also can’t go to every restaurant anymore. We have to choose places that allow dogs, or leave her in the car. Luckily, we have a Tesla, so we can use Dog Mode, which keeps the temperature comfortable for her. That allows her to stay safely in the car when needed. I can honestly say that our life has changed entirely. She is a very active dog. She needs to walk at least three kilometers every day. She also needs to run throughout the day. If she doesn’t get enough exercise, she will jump, bark, and beg to go outside. You can’t just sit down and have dinner peacefully because she’ll be running from corner to corner, full of energy. Moreover, we also still face challenges with toilet training. However, at nine months old, she still goes to the toilet in the house at night. She can’t stay dry through the whole night yet. Yes, she uses a puppy pad, but still.

Another challenge is food because she doesn’t like dry food or store-bought dog food, so we have to cook a special homemade meal for her daily. Moreover, even that doesn’t guarantee she’ll actually eat it. Sometimes we cook her a meat soup, and she enjoys it and eats it happily. Therefore, other times, she refuses it completely. Sometimes she wants baked chicken nuggets from the oven, or even a bit of barbecue. However, plain vegetarian vegetables she usually won’t eat them, or only a tiny amount. She is definitely a meat lover, and the meat has to be soft, tasty, well cooked only then will she eat it. She also loves bones. We boil special bones just for her, and she can chew on them for the entire evening. I never knew that dogs could be this picky with food. It was a total surprise for me that a dog can refuse to eat simply because she doesn’t like what’s offered. As a result she will wait until she gets the food she wants.

Another, the most important part is the benefits we’ve gained since she came into our lives. She is incredibly kind and loving Nala adores cuddles, kisses, and affection. Moreover, Nala is like a true friend will follow you everywhere, all day long. Also sits next to me no matter what I’m doing: whether I’m cooking, watching TV, going into the garden, or doing anything else. She’s always by my side and her face is so soft, and she is unbelievably cute and gentle. I can hug her forever, Nala is the best family dog, and she absolutely loves my children. She runs, barks, jumps, and brings so much joy. However, every day I come back home and she is always excited and happy to see me. Her tail never stops wagging, and Nala makes you feel loved every single day. This puppy has become a huge part of our family. With all the challenges, the mess, the noise, the training, the sleepless nights, and the constant attention she needs, she still gives us so much more in return. As a result, she brings laughter, energy, happiness, and unconditional love into our home. However, I can no longer imagine our life without her. Love you for every, Nala.

Written by Alina Polkova.

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