Good with Men: Needs time to warm up to strangers
Good with Women: Was more apprehensive with female evaluator
Good with kids: Very protective of children and family; older kids who understand his personality and can help train would be ideal.
Good with dogs: Will need selective and proper decompression
Good with cats: Yes
House Trained: Yes
Location: Lincoln, NE
Neuter/Spay: Yes
Current vaccinations: Yes
Medical issues: None
Characteristics: Every once in a while we get a really really striking or unique mix in here at MARR. Buddy is now exception. The graceful shape of the boxer combined with the markings of a rottie, finished with really gorgeous brindle points makes this boy a total looker! He is a very healthy and fully vetted, at 4 years old and a lean and trim 60 lbs. Buddy has the most expressive face you may ever see in a dog. His big eyes are a window to his soul, and his face mirrors everything from concern, to insecurity, to joy, to mischief. Unfortunately, Buddy has a little bit of baggage from his past, so sometimes the shades on those windows are hard to open. Buddy is like an adorable, handsome, wiggly onion…So many layers on this boy! The first one is harder to peel back but flaky. That’s the ‘don’t come near my kennel! I don’t like you! Get away now, I’m doing all the scary things I know even though I don’t mean any of it!” layer. It doesn’t last very long, and then you get to the next solid but somewhat softer layer. “Okay, fine. Come near me but I don’t have to it. I will sit in my corner and growl and side-eye you and hope you go away, even though I don’t really mean it.” That layer eventually falls away, revealing a curious, but still very cautious Buddy who may approach to sniff or maybe take a cookie (BECAUSE COOKIES ARE LIFE!) but will quickly retreat. Then those softer layers start to come down…soft sniffs, maybe a quick kiss, lingering nearby. Then offering his tricks for treats…a little playful body language…then the real sweet boy in the middle of all those hard layers emerges! Let’s get the ball, I want to play! More kisses? How about we cuddle? I love you!!! It takes a bit…but once Buddy loves you, he LOVES YOU. and he also loves kids. He is highly food motivated and eats up training exercises, he is bright and catches on very quickly to new things. The sky is the limit with what Buddy could learn. He already know the basics- Sit, Down, Wait/Stay, Shake/Paw, Kiss, Come. Buddy is perfectly potty trained and also crate trained, but is defensive once the door is closed for a bit. He does eventually settle. Buddy struggles with strangers, and also his interactions with other dogs. He unfortunately has developed a very negative association with dogs from some poor training practices and environmental factors in the past. He may eventually learn to tolerate certain dogs again, but he would be best as an only dog. We unfortunately do not know how Buddy does with cats. He would do best in a quieter home- loud noises startle him and he tends to become timid when he is unsure. But, with further positive experiences and training with lots of “right” answers, he will blossom. Buddy longs for a person of his own who will be gently with him, understand him, protect him and help him grow more confident. He needs a ball thrower, a snuggler, a friend, an ally. He deserves all those things and more.