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HELPFUL INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

NEW TO THE BOXER BREED? LEARN MORE!

Are you and your family new to the Boxer breed? Learn more from the AKC Meet the Breed video link below. These dogs are great for family and protection. They can be quite the family clown and have huge personality. 

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https://akc.tv/watch/6/3025/episode/boxer-2/?ctx=/watch/3/783/breeds/boxer

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AKC.ORG

Learn more about the Boxer breed, register your puppy and more! MerBar Boxers is also part of the Bred with H.E.A.R.T. Program through the American Kennel Club.

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www.akc.org

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AKC GOOD DOG! HELPLINE

The AKC GoodDog! Helpline (GDH) is a live telephone service subscription that offers  training advice specific to your puppy for all owners and their dogs, from puppies to seniors and assists you in correcting unwanted behaviors.

 

https://www.akc.org/products-services/akc-gooddog-helpline/

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CANINE GOOD CITIZEN

The AKC Good Citizen program is a fantastic training program and is a solid foundation if you plan to work with different agility, tracking, and performance events or just want your puppy to have great obedience. 

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https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/

WHY BUY FROM US?

We take great pride in our Boxers and they are each part of our family. We make calculated breeding decisions to make sure we pair the right bitch and stud so we produce beautiful puppies that are in accordance with the Boxer breed standard. We are also part of the AKC Bred with HEART Program,

 

We also health test. Each our of dogs has been DNA tested for DM and ARVC through Animal Genetics or Wisdom Panel. They also have a passing holter and echocardiogram. Why is this important? It is because our breeding decisions can be swayed by those results and it gives new Boxer puppy owners, and ourselves, information that could affect the puppies and future lines. 

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Prior to breeding our bitches are seen by a veterinarian to ensure they are healthy enough for another litter.  Once bred, they are put on a pre-natal regimen to ensure the healthiest puppies possible. In addition, when we are not available to be with our new mother and her puppies, we have a puppy nanny come stay with and assist our mothers and ensure the safety and proper feedings of everyone. 

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You can get a Boxer puppy from anyone at prices that widely vary. We caution against getting just any Boxer from anyone as you want a properly bred puppy that grows up to look like a Boxer. Just because someone tells you that a Boxer is AKC Registered doesn't necessarily mean that at the end of the day you will end up with a dog that actually looks and acts like a boxer.  All puppies are cute, nobody can deny that, however once your dog starts to grow and mature their features will become more prominent. A boxer is fully mature by age of 2, but typically by a year of age you can generally tell what you are going to end up with. Keep in mind that a boxer that is built incorrectly will not move properly and overtime may develop joint aches, arthritis, back problems and other issues. Also if there hasn't been any health testing on the parents, you have no clue what type of genetics your dog has and could die of ARVC or SAS (common heart conditions in boxers) at a very young age leaving families completely heart broken. Typically if someone is advertising a boxer for under $1000, that would be a huge red flag to me. Your initial price may be lower, but keep in mind that you will most likely have a lot more vet bills over the life of the dog due to other problems because you get what you pay for. At MerBar Boxers we take careful consideration for each of our breeding choices and do the required health screens that typically plague boxers. Our pricing reflects this additional health testing, higher quality food, socialization, care and maintenance that our boxers receive. At the end of the day we want our families to have the healthiest, most well bred boxer as possible.

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Finally, after your purchase we care about the lives of our dogs. We want to hear from you and we love to see our babies grow with your family. We are here for any questions you may have and offer a one year health guarantee against specific genetic diseases.  

HEALTH TESTING

The links below can help you further understand health testing.

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Boxer Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

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American Boxer Club - Requesting Genetic Testing for the ARVC-1 Gene in Boxers

North Carolina State University - Boxer Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

Degenerative Myelopathy by OFA

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Degenerative myelopathy (DM)

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American Boxer Club - Understanding Degenerative myelopathy (DM)

Degenerative Myelopathy Testing

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Thyroid Testing

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Canine_Diagnostic_Testing_Interpretation_and_Dosing

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Heart Testing

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Holter Monitor

Echocardiogram "Echo"

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Controversies in Health Testing

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ARVC & DM Tale of Two Tests

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EAR CROPPING

Whether or not to ear crop your Boxer puppy is a very personal choice. If you do plan to crop you Boxer puppy we recommend you research veterinarians in your area and find one with ear cropping experience. If you live in and around the Houston area we recommend www.eartrim.com. They are very reasonable and you can purchase insurance to cover future procedures if your Boxer puppy's ears do not stand. 

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http://www.eartrim.com/index.html

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EAR TAPING

If leaving your Boxer puppy ears natural you made need to tape the ears so they fall correctly. Please use the links below to ensure proper taping.

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Taping Natural Ears

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Training the Natural Ear

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