XENA
Age: 3
Weight: 68 lbs
State: NY
Small Children Under 4?: Unsure
Children Over 4?: Yes
Separation Anxiety?: No
Neutered/UTD?: Yes/Yes
Microchipped?: No
Other Dogs?: Yes
Cats?: Yes
Crate Trained?: Yes
House Trained?: Yes
Obedience Trained?: No
Leash Trained?: Yes
Attending Obedience At Foster Home?: No
Adoption Donation?: $250
UPDATE 9/13/11 - With a broken heart I write...the week before Xmas 2010 our darling
Nyla fell on ice, broke her right hip and left back knee....her right back knee had blown out a
few months before. She struggled with great pain and our vet said due to her advanced age
(12 at least) there was nothing he could do. We took her home so the family could say their
goodbyes and I returned with Ny to the vet. Though she could no longer lift her body she
stayed calm and trusting to the very end. I held her close as the doctor laid her down. She
left us peacefully. I wept so much that the vet and the tech's too began to weep. They had
all cared for Ny throughout her 8 years with our family. It was a very sad Christmas to say
the least...two weeks later, Scotch, our 22 year old Maine coon cat laid down at my feet,
curled up and slowly began to draw his last breath. Scotch and Nyla had been dear
buddies. Xena, the "sister" of Ny, seemed to accept the loss better than the people in the
family. She was quiet for a few days and didn't leave the front door for more than a
week...waiting for Ny to return we think. Finally in February 2011 we all, boxer, cats, and
humans seemed to find our way in our life after Ny and Scotch. Xena did her best to act like
a boxer puppy even though she was nearing 11 years of age. She and I walked a mile each
day and Xena was an ever present source of comfort and joy in our household...as she and
her sister had always been. The end of June Xena began to slow down...very suddenly. I
took her for a check up and they could find nothing wrong. Old age...but then the first of
July she just fell over while eating. I ran and picked up this 70 pound girl and quickly took
her back to the vets. $600 later still nothing could be found to explain. Took her home and
kept her still and close to us at all times. She didn't complain...stopped falling over...but
could no longer do our daily walks...her back right leg would begin to drag after only
a few hundred feet. She took to sleeping most of the day but never showed signs of any
pain...until 9/12/11. She died in my arms after a massive attack of some kind. I can't even
begin to describe what happen but I will be forever thankful that I was with her.
Our entire family is deeply sadden and our home feels very empty right now. I am thankful
for the volunteers of Second Chance who took the time to care for my angel boxers and give
them a second chance at life. They were happy everyday they lived with us here in Maine.
They were an important part of our family who will FOREVER be missed. As I write I can
hardly believe my own words...I guess it is that I don't want to believe them. Nyla and Xena
were beautiful, intelligent boxers who brought an abundant amount of love and joy to our
lives. It is difficult to imagine the rest of our lives without them.
UPDATE 3/9/08 - Ny and Xena continue to be the biggest love bugs we've ever known.
Both want nothing more than to accompany the family where ever we go. Both are willing to
stay home without causing any problems but they much prefer to be with us.
Ny has developed little tumors on her feet and behind one ear. She leaves them alone for
the most part and seems rather unaffected. Vet says they are not cancerous. Yeah!!
Xena plays like a puppy still though her graying muzzle gives her age away. She is always
ready to go for a walk, a drive, or to play tug of war.
Thank you Boxer Rescue for bringing these boxer girls into our lives!
UPDATE 10/9/06 - It's been so long I wonder if anyone really remembers these darlin
babes? Both Xena and Nyla continue to do very well....though they are in mourning right
now. Our youngest daughter has left to go to college and the dog babies miss her very
much. Nyla spends hours sleeping in front of her bedroom door...waiting for her to return.
She is more than a thousand miles from here so they won't be reunited for several months!
Other than being a little down the dogs are great! They walk each morning with me, sleep
by my feet in my office most days and chase one another in the yard. Both have the manners
of angels! They seem to be aging gracefully. Thank you to all volunteers who helped us find
them! We can't imagine life without our boxer girls.
UPDATE 8/28/04 - Xena and Nyla are both healthy, physically fit and tremendously happy
dogs. They adjust to whatever pace our family keeps........they know how to rush to get
ready for school (thier job is to jump in the back seat of the car to make sure I get Molly to
the right school!), how to wait like good girls when the family goes off to church without
them, how to scamper into the truck to go to camp (neither swim very well but they love to
play bobbing for rocks till they choke on the lake water), how to cheer the cross country,
football and field hockey teams on!, and how to snuggle in front of the woodstove in the
winter. Both enjoy long walks and behave so well I walk them both at the same time with no
struggles. We ran into a lady being hauled down the street by a cocker the other day and
she couldn't believe that these two boxer girls were behaving so nicely. Obedience training
does wonders for us dumb humans!! A year ago when we began checking out Second
Chance we had no idea how truly dedicated the volunteers of this organization were. Now,
after all the emails and BRADS, we marvel at the mercy and love you all show this
wonderful breed of dogs. Every place we go people stop and ask us about our boxers and
we always gladly tell them of how both came to be part of our family. Thank you for twisting
our hearts a bit about Nyla. We had never considered two dogs before but to imagine life
without both of them now seems impossible! It's truly difficult to remember what life was
like before these bouncing babes so cleverly buried their way into our hearts. We love them.
They are almost never alone and they demand very little from us. They seem content and
happy to just be with us regardless of what it is we are doing. Thank you again for blessing
us with these two beautiful boxer girls!
UPDATED 6/9/04 - I know I don't need to do an update but have a question. First both
girls are absolutely GREAT! Xena is slowly getting more comfortable around strangers and
may be able to go to the next BRAD with sister Nyla. They are both complete love bugs
and as close to angels as I've ever known ANY dog to be. Outside they stay in our yard
and run in our fields. If we say COME they charge back so fast they almost knock you off
your feet. Xena is like glue if she thinks you are going someplace. Ny is a bit more laid
back but is constantly at my feet in my office.
Question: Reading about Oni I saw the foster parent said she soaked his feet in peroxide to
get the red out and then was going to move to vinegar and water to help with allergies. Nyla
came with red feet and continues to have them. She has allergies but we have yet to know
what to. Can anyone tell me if the peroxide bath would be good for her or the vinegar and
water one? My vet has given up. He says Ny doesn't seem to be too bothered so just
ignore it. He is right she isn't too bothered but sometimes at night she bites and bites her
feet. Benedryl helps but makes this couch potato almost dead.....she sleeps all the time
when on that stuff.
Oh well if anyone can answer this question I'd be interested! Again thank you so much for
these beautiful girls. I volunteer at BRADS and constantly send people to the website. Wish
I could afford more dogs but the vet bills KILL!
9/11/03 Xena is pending adoption!
9/7/03 Greetings everyone, I would like to introduce Xena. She is a beautiful, sleek fawn
with a black mask. Xena has beautiful dark eyes that will melt your heart. There seems to
be a little bit of sadness hidden behind them tough. Xena arrived a little over a week ago
with Nyla. The two have been together since Xena was brought home as a puppy. Xena
was a little growly with the resident boxers at first but no longer was after the first three days.
They are all out together with no problem. Xena had the opportunity to travel out of town
to stay with some relatives this week and did very well meeting the kids and dogs. The
children had no problem walking her on the leash. In the house she seems a little afraid of
smaller children. You should get your applications in because a beauty like Xena won't be
here long. She loves to cuddle with people and needs some gentle reassurance that she is
safe. Will have some pictures really soon to share with everyone.
9/7/03