How fortunate we are to own a breed that is cheerful, tolerant and so giving in devotion. The love and joy given to children by our Boxers are not deterred by the many hours of rough and tumble play that both the Boxer and child enjoy. Some owners wonder if the Boxer doesn't prefer children as companions to adults.
Of course, our breed is protective, as it should be, but not aggressively so. How sad it is that some neighbors look at the Boxer and immediately call it a "vicious pit bull." This very thing happened in one neighborhood when a white Boxer got out of his fenced yard and a neighbor called the police, stating that a "vicious pit bull" was in her yard.
By the time the police arrived, other concerned neighbors had returned this friendly dog to its yard with its companion, a colored Boxer, and they were in the process of repairing an opening in the fence when the police officer arrived. When the officer stood up on top of his patrol car to look inside the yard that enclosed the two Boxers, the colored Boxer began barking and jumping at the fence. The officer shot and killed this Boxer, which was protecting his property in the only way he knew how. What a tragic ending for the dog and the owners who were away from home at the time.
The officer excused his actions by saying he thought the dog was going to tear down the fence and come at him. Many dog people and others staged a march to protest this occurrence, but in the end, no one was a winner.
Some people have suggested that Boxer owners might let their neighbors become acquainted with their Boxers, and let them see for themselves what intelligent and reliable dogs they are. While so many states are considering anti-dog legislation, we must continue to educate the public to protect our breed from being mislabeled.
Dixie McCauley
1304 W. Ocotillo Road
Phoenix, AZ 85013
