Crew is really this animated. He chews on anything and everything. He laughs and crawls away during diaper changes. He pulls on hair and yanks glasses off our noses. He stands next to the furniture and tries to reach phones and remotes and laptop computers. He takes only 2 half hour naps- one at around 10:30 am and another between 5 and 7 pm. Sometimes he skips that late afternoon nap. Which is why I rarely blog these days.=)
The other kids in the family keep me hopping almost as much as Crew does- they are just as animated. Sometimes even more animated than him. Which is why I rarely blog these days. To think I am considering getting a Boxer puppy on top of everyone and everything. I may never blog again! =)
If you have any reasons to talk me into or out of getting a Boxer pup, please feel free to leave your comments here. My mom appreciated all her birthday wishes earlier this week. Thanks to all of you who not only wished her happiness, but made her feel young with all remarks about her looks. Yes, she does look young for her age. She acts less than 60 too. =)
I was moved by many of you commenting on me when it was her birthday! Thanks for those remarks as well. Really though, if you could see inside our lives and home each day you would not necessarily find me as inspiring as you think I am. Somedays the dishes pile up in the sink and they're still there when Chip gets home from work at 10 pm. I also have never blogged about the times when my kids are so loud or driving me crazy at the dinner table that I tell them to go outside and yell for at least 2 minutes. When they are done I let them come back inside... they are usually laughing by then and finish the meal more calmly. But by then my neighbors think we're nuts. I've never blogged about the memory foam mattress we had for 10 days or so and the "drama" that came with that purchase. So, to anyone that finds me inspiring- thank you. I'm truly grateful that you can find anything worthwhile in my stories- it's humbling and yet affirming for me to at least try to blog when I get the opportunity. I hope you know that we're all just a really average, normal family that occasionally has some unique circumstances to go through, and in the ordinary and the challenging moments we see God work in extraordinary ways, and that's what keeps us going each and every day.
Maybe getting a puppy isn't such a good idea afterall. But I think it might make for some good blog stories. Or at the very least some more cute pictures around here!
23 comments:
I'm not going to try to talk you out of a puppy, but I will try to talk you into rescuing/adopting! I am sure there is a boxer rescue league in or near your hometown-if you really want a boxer. They're great dogs, but they do require a lot of work and discipline, and a lot of time! They tend to be pretty rambunctious, but are great family dogs. Good luck and keep us posted!
get the boxer puppy!! they are AWESOME with kids... we've had two.
I would say the only down side for us is that they both passed away at around 8 years of age (typical life span for them) but other than that, they are incredibly loyal, lovable and gentle with children.
Love the pictures of Crew, he is adorable and looks like so much fun!
Please blog when you can. Your words bless...
And if the posting suddenly ends mid-sentence... well, we will understand!
P.S. get the puppy! Any challenge it might bring (and it will!) will be over shadowed by the joy of the combination of pups and kids together. They are a great combination.
If your house is nuts already . hey I say go for the puppy :)
Blog whenever you can even if it's sporatic ...I love reading and your pictures, well they're great!! Crew is a little charmer....thats for sure
You definately need the puppy! I am a firm believer that little kids need big dogs.
Just be sure you take the time to really train your puppy. It makes all the difference.
Go for the boxer! We have two and they are fabulous pets. You've got lots of good help with the kiddos, and it'll surely keep them busy. Plus, my husband's name is Chip too, so you know it's meant to be. ha!
We have always had Boxers and they are the BEST dogs!! We got each of ours, however, (we've had 3 so far) from Boxer Rescue which is a much better idea for us than getting an expensive puppy. These dogs are in deperate need of loving homes and usually, are already trained, kid-tested, healthy and up-to-date on their shots. Our most recent one even came micro-chipped!! Ours is rambunctious, but only for about 10 minutes at a time and then he poops out and sleeps!!
I would think hard about choosing a boxer if I were thinking about getting a puppy. Granted, there are probably many who have had good experiences with them, but all it would take for you to get the wrong pup out of the litter . . .
We had one next door to us, and everyone in the neighborhood was afraid of him. They left him in the yard (unfenced yard) 24/7, and he just stood and growled and barked and looked menacing at all times, until I was afraid to go out in my own yard and didn't want my son to play with their kids. The last straw was that he actually bit our son. The neighbors had 4 small kids of their own, and they insisted Duke was perfectly harmless, but in truth they were just unaware, until we went over to tell them he'd bitten our son, that he was chasing and biting their two youngest boys on a regular basis (their oldest son made that confession as they were protesting to us that Duke was great with THEIR kids). Next thing you know, Duke was gone. And all I can say is, "THANK GOD!"
My husband's dad was a vet, so dh knows a lot about dog breeds from listening to his dad talk about them. And I guess the scoop on boxers and certain breeds like them is that they are considered good family dogs because they are very protective of their families. But that can make them horrible neighbors for the families that live around you. Duke, our neighbor's dog, was apparently so protective of his family that he tried to control the littler kids in the family by chasing and biting. And if a neighborhood kid surprised him by walking into the yard, there was no assurance that the kids would come out of it unscathed. He was probably an extreme case, but I would worry about it. It would take a lot of work to get a boxer and make sure it had the discipline and socialization that it needed to have to be a great dog and not a problem dog. And you're the one who'd end up doing most of it, because you're the one who's home all day. Maybe you should call a vet in your area and ask some questions about boxers and about other breeds that would be good for a family with small kids. That seems a nice reasonable way to go about deciding!
I think you have enough cute pictures in your house! Puppies are SO much work. You won't have time to run around after the puppy to teach, and potty train them with your little man being so active! Take it from a girl who is a vet tech- puppies are WAY too much work, not to mention expensive with vet bills, food, etc. Maybe an older, trained dog is the way to go. I don't have kids, and I get a headache just thinking about having to train a puppy. :) Dogs are a wonderful addition to the family, I just don't want you to get in over your head. :)
I am a bit biased maybe, but I think Golden Retrievers or Goldendoodles are the best family pets. Our recent litter of Goldendoodles are all going to homes with children or grandchildren. All of the people getting our puppies said they had done their homework and these were the best breeds for families with kids. My husband grew up with Boxer's, his family bred them for years. He was bit once and my mother-in-law was bit by one of the mother boxer's. (96 stitches!)
Husbands brother and wife had a boxer and it was VERY VERY rambunctious. It took 4 years for it to settle down. Could have been poor training though.
I would highly recommend looking into a Goldendoodle! I have not heard anything negative about them! Much less shedding and few allergy problems from owners. Or a Golden Retriever. We had our old guy for 12 years and our Bailey is now 2 1/2. Nothing but the best from them. GREAT dogs! Whatever you decide, getting a dog is a lot of work. (Which I am sure you already know.) But the benefits far outweigh the work!! The kids will love the dog.
Just saw Dogs 101 on Animal Planet, Boxers have highest cancer rate... if you are going to get a Boxer expect high vet bills as prognosis is almost a given.
olivia
Housebreaking a dog is ALOT of work. You need to have nothing else on your plate while you train them.You have to learn to know when they need to go out and be able to do it right then!! We have had many dogs while the kids were growing up and still do. You may want to consider an already trained dog.One that your son would be able to help you with by being able to take it out and walk and play with it. Dogs are the best pets if you have the right kind and the patience to train properly.They are cute as puppies but don't forget a boxer becomes a big dog!!!
Reality check... you may want to wait until potty training is over and then celebrate with a puppy purchase.
April
That's why I like you so much... real life! Keep writing!
Wow. You opened a bag of worms with mention of a puppy. I say ..."get one". We have 3 girls (5,2 &1) and we're getting a pup in 2 weeks. It'll be a ton of work, but so rewarding. There may be moments that you regret it, but in the long run the love of a dog far outweighs the tough times. There's nothing like having a sweet dog around. Good luck. I look forward to your puppy posts when and if you take the plunge.
Well I "IF" a puppy I would go the Goldendoodle route rather than a boxer. I was chased by "two" of them one time while I was riding my bike. Scared me half to death as one did bite my ankle! Don't know where they came from and I peddled away as fast as I could!!
Goldens are wonderful animals! I for one wouldn't have a dog that sheds...what a pain!! We had a small poodle years ago and she was wonderful with our family! The combo of a poodle with a golden--priceless!! I've heard nothing but good about them AND I doubt they shed!!
I'd do ALOT of homework for making a decision!!!
Your photos of Crew are so precious! What a delightful little boy!! Oh...and yes your mom does look "very" young!! What a blessing for her and for you!
WSL
Hey Bloggy friend! I am a boxer momma- have been for 20+ years now. BUT I do throw in a word of caution- HIGH energy- HIGH inteligence = lots of work. I am sitting here typing as my "baby" Maverick (2 1/2 years and all 90 pounds of him) snores contently in my lap. YES-he still thinks he can FIT in my lap. Anyway- I got Mav after I had to put my knight in furry armor, Sampson, down 2 years ago due to cancer. It was horrible, as he had been through a horrible divorce with me (nothing like a sweet boxer to comfort you in the middle of the night, he always seemed to know JUST when I needed extra company) and my son had no memories before Sampson. So, in my grief, I found MAVERICK. He and his 8 other siblings were born just 2 days before I had to put my Sampson down, and when I went back in a few weeks later to pay off the vet bill- there was this adorable pic of these pups. Yep, I was hooked. I love the MAV, but let's just say he is NOTHING like my Sampson. Again, I have been around boxers for many years and NONE of them are equal to "the MAV". he is brilliant- which is 90% of the problem- the other is that he is VERY stubborn- thus the reason the 6 week dog obiediance school lasted 16 WEEKS!- and he still only minds when he wants to. He is wonderfully potty trained and has his own doggy door to come and go- which is GREAT- but, for some reason the dog insists on bringing EVERYTHING that belongs outside, inside AND taking everything that belongs INSIDE- out. he goes to doggy-day care twice a month- and they all batten down the hatches when they know that the Mav is coming! Lovable to a fault- he is just a HUGE lug with LOTS of energy and a VERY STRONG will!- oh--- and LOTS of slobber!!!! He is a wonder all of his own. Just make sure and spend lots of time with the pup before you decide. They are GREAT with kids, and have a loving heart- but lots of work! I say go for it!!! crate training and obediance training a must though! enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Get a boxer!! We have one that is 7yrs old and is incredible with our boys (4,2,1). Gentle and protective.
I agree with Nicole C. Rescue groups are great for trying to find a particular breed. That's how we found our basset hound, she's so amazingly sweet! And there are ALWAYS plenty of dogs/pups ready for a home at your local humane society. Adoption is great b/c you've given a homeless animal a chance at life outside a cage. So rewarding. Puppies are almost as much work as a newborn baby! Try petfinder.com.
Crew is SO cute!! Isabelle had those monkey pajamas, well, in pink of course! They are the cutest!! :) Love watching him grow!
Boxers are the best! Consider getting a rescued one - twice the love!
DO NOT GET A PUPPY!!!!!!!! YOU WILL REGRET IT!!!!! WAY TOO MUCH WORK!!! THE KIDS WILL TELL YOU THEY WILL HELP BUT WE ALL KNOW THEY WON'T AFTER A WEEK. ALL OF THE WORK WILL FALL ON YOU!!! DON'T DO IT!!!!!!
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