| MAXI |
UPDATE 12/12/09 - Well we are overdue on her one year update and I think we missed the one in
between. Maxi and the rest have been very busy in this past year and alot of growing and changing has
happened.
When Maxi first got here it was just us and Maggie, but since we have started fostering and Maxi has
been a great teacher. We now have added once again to our family with little Miss Mabel and the three
of them are doing awesome. They all have done some changing, but to see Maxi so happy and full of
life is the best of all. She is the elder, but you wouldn't know it especially when she gets going, the
noises and movements she can make would surprise you.
Maxi last Mother's Day got hit by a car and I thought it would end in the worst day, but she is a fighter
and would just look at us like what is the big deal. She made a full recovery and then some. I also
know that she will not follow Miss Maggie out into the road again.......she stops whenever she even gets
close!
Maxi is a dog full of personality and warmth, that we can not imagine our lives without her. Her soul is
pure and her heart is full of love to give and we could not be happier that it's all being done with
US!!!!!!!
She is the BEST!!!!!! Maxi is now about ten and I hope she will be around for along time to come.......
She has blessed this family in so many ways by coming into our lives and showing us how she sees life
through her eyes.
Forever grateful!!!!!!!!
UPDATE 2/22/09 - Well it's been a little while since we have written and made it all about Miss Maxi.
What life was like before her I just do not know, I think Maggie ask the same question now.
We have watched this girl change and let her personality shine through. This is her home and make no
mistake about it she has become fully comfortable in that knowledge and is safe here. Maxi can play
hard, eat hard, even chew bones with little to no teeth left and sleeps snuggled right up in bed with us at
night. She has put on some serious weight since we started fostering, but we are going on vacation so I
expect they will lose some of that during that time.
Maxi is truly a very special boxer, who has this calming affect on other animals around her. We lover
her to pieces and could not be more pleased with her than we are. We struck GOLD with her, her
listening skills are better than our Maggie, just hoping that rubbs off sometime soon. Most of all the two
of them have become true blue buddies and that is the icing on the cake.
UPDATE 11/9/08 - This is Maxi's one month check in. I have to say with every passing day this little
girl is more comfortable, trusting and confident with herself and her surrounds. My husband wants me
to state that I have offically stolen dog number two from him......At first Maxi seemed to follow him
everywhere and stick right to him, but now I would say she is more so doing that with me. That simply
could be because Maggie is like that with me and whenever one is getting attention the other comes
running and squeezes the other out. We are working on correcting them both on that. As far as fighting
between Maggie and Maxi there is none and that is a relief.....they really get along.
If you see the pictures of the Augusta BRAD you will see Maxi laying down with her arms around
Maggie beside her.
Well I guess there isn't much more I can say other than Maxi is doing wonderful, her energy is
remarkeable and can even take Maggie by surprise.
We all love her so much and are very proud of her accomplishments in such a short time.
UPDATE 10/12/08 - Updating on Miss Maxi is a pleasure to do. I hope you all can take a minute or
two to read this through. My husband and I picked up Maxi last Sunday and we were able to come
into the foster home without her even lifting her head let alone getting up and barking at new people
coming in. Now she has had a time of it lately with being brought back from a home she thought was
forever and Gemma being adopted, so her depression is without say. We have taken her in and the
three children and little Maggie (our other boxer) are all adjusting to her wonderfully just as Maxi is us.
Going from that baby girl so depressed that she had no energy at all and no desire to eat , in less than a
week she is running, playing, taking sneakers into different rooms and eating good again. Maxi and
Maggie, my husband calls them the “M & M Girls” are really bonding in great shape. Considering what
Maxi has been through, not sure who did the actual harm she has fallen in love with my husband and
follows him around, listens to his voice in order to keep close tabs on his where abouts. I am important
to her as well, but there is something very safe about my husband she find great comfort in and loves to
snuggle him.
Maxi is already so loved by this family and in this one week of having her and seeing just how
comfortable she becomes each and everyday make us wonder already what it was like before Maxi?
Just like she has always been here and if we can only bring these two beauty's half the joy they bring to
us we will be content, but we will have you know like many of you out there, that loving these girls is
not hard work at all.
Now that I have painted that perfect picture for you I will say that with the comfort that Miss Maxi is
feeling she is also testing us to see just how much we love her. Accidents in the house and destruction of
a plant, maybe just to say, “Hey I am here and I am just gonna catch you off guard every now and
again and see how you do.” Well maybe after the vets visit this week we will know if they're accidents
or on purpose boo boos. Do we really care, after I look into her eyes of just that not fully
understanding this process look, she has on her face. Maggie (our other boxer) was all about telling
mommy whatever you find it wasn't me!!! The funniest thing, but I knew just what she was saying.......
In short, after being part of this family for one short week, Maxi is a totally different Boxer!.....She
thinks she's a puppy again.....we only wish we could show you pictures of her now compared to the
photos you have of her....
10/5/08 - Maxi has been adopted!
10/1/08 - Maxi continues to do well at her foster home. But we had noticed as we were all basking in
the sun on the deck that she was leaking urine as she dozed! So we took in a urine sample and she has
too many crystals in her urine--causing her to leak!
We acquired the prescription Royal Canin urinary health dog food and she has started on that. In a few
more days we'll take in another sample and see if she is doing better (and I will be watching her to see if
she stops leaking!)
Other than that (and all of the rain we are having here in Maine) she is doing well. Maxi could not be
any sweeter. She and Gemma get along great, and when it isn't raining we all go for a walk. Maxi is a
bit of a counter surfer--so maybe those extra pounds are not due to many planned treats, but rather due
to too many stolen treats. She really enjoys fresh home baked bread!
9/16/08 - Maxi is doing very well back at the Riverview Boxer-Hostel. Her family was devastated to
bring her back to rescue, but Maxi had started to be snippy with the children. This time around we
don't need to put any weight on her! She put on a few pounds at her adoptive home (maybe a few too
many treats?).
She met Gemma, and these two beautiful girls are getting along beautifully! I even caught hem curled up
next to one another in the living room. And she is so good on the leash--she doesn't pull AT ALL, so I
can take the two of them for a walk together. Someone asked today if they were sisters! Maxi found
the doggie bed in the bedroom right away -- and sleeps there happily all night without a peep out of her.
UPDATE 5/17/08 - Maxi continues to "wow" the family, friends and neighborhood! Absolutely the
most well behaved dog around, she is at the point where she will greet anyone, anywhere, without any
sign of apprehension, be it man, woman or child. Her leash manners are so good that Emma (5) is able
to "walk" her when we all go out in the yard.
She has become the resident co-pilot for the family vehicle whenever possible and as a result, we are
always prepared for the onslaught of people who want to come and get a closer look at our beautiful
Maxi.
We have developed a game that we play which involves playing around a tree in the front yard...I poke
my head around the corner which prompts here to immediately splay her front legs out and put her chin
on the ground in a playful stance...poke my head from the other side and she will jump up, spin
completely around and do it all over again...After three of four times, she knows that I will run out past
her and that evolves into a game of "tag" so to speak...
All in all, we couldnt be happier with Maxi... She is an absolute gem and we are incredibly lucky to
have her in our family.
UPDATE 4/13/08 - In the period of time between the one week update and now, we have seen some
ups and downs. Happily, Maxi finally appears to have realized that she is here to stay. While her
model behavior has without fail, been enough to elicit jealousy from other families, she had shown some
troubling behavior to include "accidents" inside right after a long walk and bending the bars on her
crate. That was followed up with her going to the bathroom in her crate after being left for only a short
while.
After consulting with Lori and Leann as well as receiving advice from numerous members of the SCBR
community, we appear to have found the key. We dumped the wire crate and purchased a plastic Vari-
Kennel. We placed the new kennel outside of our room, against a wall and put a new dog bed in its
place.
The first time that we had to leave her, she went to the bathroom in the crate. The second time, we
took the bedding out and left her for a short time. She was quite distressed when we returned because
she was standing in her mess...Leann can now continue to say that works for all dogs, because it
certainly worked for Maxi!
Now, the best news... Maxi seems to enjoy the warmer temperatures immensely! It took a couple of
weeks to get her to really "let her hair down" but now she plays at the drop of a hat..or slipper, or baby
toy...
She loves our three girls and they are ecstatic to have her. Emma,5, who has the distinction of being the
one to pick Maxi, also has the honor of sharing her bed with her when it is story time before bed!
Alex,12, has become Maxi's favorite walking partner... They have put a lot of miles on in the past few
weeks!
Olivia,18 months, is content to yell "MAXI!!!!" Shriek a few excited phrases and hug her new friend.
We were quickly able to curb her from grabbing Maxi's tail and yelling "BUM BUM!"
All in all, we could not be happier with the newest addition to our family! As I type this, she is laying on
the couch, resting her head on Emma's lap...listening to a story...
3/13/08 - Maxi went off to her new home without a backward galnce. Her new dad seemed to adore
her--saying truthfully that she was much prettier than her pictures. He new fancy collar dazzled him and
he agreed that his THREE daughters (aged 12, 5 and 18 m) would love her and her "outfit". This is the
life that she deserves! Yeah MAxi!
2/19/08 - Yes, I admit that she looks sad in the pics, but she really isn't anymore. I transported her to
Kennebunk when she came into rescue and she was very depressed and sad looking and acting then.I
felt so sorry for her at that time as she definitely wasn't acting like most boxers we have transported. I
was pleasantly suprised to see how she has changed. Her foster home has been very good to her. She
was very happy, affectionate and a real wiggle butt. She was giving kisses and was so sweet. This dog
has made a major turn around and is doing so much better, she is definitely ready for her forever home
and anyone that adopts her will be real lucky to get her. Of course, I wanted to adopt her and give her
a loving home, but my husband says two dogs are enough for now.
2/12/08 - Maxi delighted everyone here at the Riverview with her gentle welcoming of our newest
foster, Petey. They are fine sharing food and human attention. I'll admit I had a tiny concern when they
first sniffed through the baby gate, because his nub was wagging a mile a minute and hers didn't move at
all. (Neither were her hackles up.) But I realized that she is just passive that way. (Maybe because all
she knew how to do with males in her breeding life was mate!)
Maxi continues to learn more and more about toys and playing. She hasn't pLAyed with Petey yet, but
she has a blast with my husband, who boxes with her like he is a dog!
And the best news of all is that she is 98 % housetrained! I can't remember the last time she had an
accident. She still does not know how to indicate that she has to go out, but as long as she is kept on a
reasonable schedule and crated when noone is home, she is doing great!
1/11/08 - Maxi has had a busy few weeks! She went on a Harmony Haven adoption Home check,
and entranced the applicants with her calm demeanor and friendliness. Then Maxi attended her first
party at the Riverview. She was a perfect hostess, greeting everyone with a happy nub (and even a few
KIdney Beans). It was wonderful to see that she had no trouble with any of the comings and goings,
and was fine with both men and women.
Everyone was amazed to hear her story and to know that in just a few months this dog has gone from
never knowing the comforts of a home, to being a wonderful, calm, friendly and well-behaved member
of the family. Maxi did not even beg for food, and certainly did not try to steal any!
The Riverview is also delighted to report another week without a single toiletting accident! Maxi really
seems to have "gotten" that not only is she supposed to 'go' outside, that she should 'go' whenever she is
out! Yeah! This sweet, gentle girl will make a wonderful addition to any home that does not have a
cat--is that YOUR home?
1/1/08 - Maxi continues to be such a happy, friendly, calm, loving little girl! After a regression in her
housebreaking, she is back on track--hooray! We brought in a urine sample to our vet, and she does
not have an urinary tract infection, which is good. So we started back at square 1 on housetraining--I
keep her with me at all times in the house (or she is in her crate), and go out with her each time to praise
her when she does her 'business' like a good girl. We are even doing some instant treats for
'performing'. And she is doing great despite the snow--several days with no accidents! I am so
hopeful that she is really getting the idea this time, because in every other way she is delight to be
around.
After getting used to outside Christmas decorations (like life sized light-up reindeer) that she had
obviously never seen before, Maxi got into the holiday spirit and enjoyed her Christmas. She behaved
herself around the presents and the tree, and enjoyed her special treats (which she takes SO gently!).
She wishes everyone a Happy New Year, and hopes that his new year will bring her the family that she
deserves!
11/19/07 - Maxi has not only earned full house priveledges, she has even earned UNSUPERVISED
full house priveledges! No destructive behavior or 'messing' in the house at all. At night, Maxi has
graduated to the dogbed in the corner of the bedroom. She sleeps all night, and goes right out in the
morning after I wake up on workday weekdays. She has learned to wake me up in the morning to go
out on the weekends if I sleep longer than she does.
Maxi will still steal food off the counter (if one of us forgets to be careful about that), but has no other
misbehaviors. (Unless you count preferring to snooze on the sofa to the dogbed...)And she makes me
laugh when I see her practically twist herself in half to do a phenomenal "kidney bean" dance with her
happiness! I even heard her bark the other day!
10/30/07 - With every passing day Maxi becomes more of the Boxer she was meant to be! This little
girl was a kennel dog before SCBR, and had never known how to be part of a family in a warm house.
She is learning more with every day! Maxi has learned how to 'do her business' outside, and has not
had an acccident inside in a week. She continues to be sweet and quiet in the house (I have never
heard her bark!), and has perfect leash manners. She and Beau are lying next to me while I type, and
continue to get along fine. Maxi loves every bit of attention that she gets, and her wiggle butt and
kidney-bean dancing when I come home from work are such fun to see as they are such a change from
her formerly depressed demeanor. She is still learning about not stealing food off of the counters, so
Maxi is crated when she cannot be supervised in the house. She doesn't mind her crate at all, and just
settles right down when put in. At night (since I can't supervise her while I am asleep) she is also
crated. But her nightime crate is my bedside table so she has company all night long. SHe had her first
human bed experience this weekend, and it seems that she will quickly learn how to behave in a bed
with her people once she has the chance. She curled right up next to my husband, and did not hog the
covers!
10/23/07 - Every day that passes Maxi comes out of her shell a little more and with each day she is
blossoming into the Boxer-girl she deserves to be. After her fourth day here I let her meet my Beau,
and they are getting along fine, both in and out of the house. I take them both together for walks around
the neighborhood. Maxi continues to amaze me with her perfect leash manners. She doesn't pull at all,
keeps pace with me whether fast or slow, and stops when I do. The past two walks she has even "done
her business" while we were walking on leash, which is probably a new experience for her. I think that
almost everything about being in a home is a new experience for her. She has not had an acccident in
the house for couple of days, and is staying dry in her crate all day while I am at work, and all night
while we both sleep. Maxi doesn't make a peep all night in her crate. And when I leave for work and
arrive home she is also quiet in her crate. Crating when unattended in the house is necessary for both
her housetraining-in-progress and her tendency to make a mess of the kitchen if left alone there.
Maxi had a surprise visitor today. The just-turned-four year old brother of my son's girlfriend came for
a few hours this afternoon. Apparently he and Maxi had quite the visit, following each other in and out
through the doggie door! And she was just as gentle with him as I would have expected. Once she
figures out this housebreaking thing, she will quite the catch!
10/21/07 MORE INFO FROM WHAT WE WERE TOLD BY THE SHELTER ON MAXI:
Maxi's original owner was a single mom with three kids; 9, 12, & 16. According to mom she did well
with the kids and the other animals in the house (Maxi came in with her sister- adopted out). She also
lived with birds. According to the paper work mom reported that Maxi spent about 21 hours a day
outside and 3 hours inside. She slept either in her "dog house or crate." From that the shelter assumes
she may have slept outside many nights. The original owner did admit that Maxi did occassionally have
accidents in the house ("every few weeks"). She reportedly gave Maxi and her sister to the shelter
because she had too many dogs. According to the shelter Maxi knows the "sit" command. The woman
I spoke to called Maxi more "people oriented" and that she is slow to warm up to other dogs.
10/16/07 - Two whole days! Time flies when you work full time! Maxi is so much more comfortable
today than she was when she first arrived. I have even gotten a few tiny little kisses, and a few more tail
wags. (Her dock is so long that I can't quite call it a nub!) She is so beautiful--my favorite coloring--
plain fawn with black mask. And lots of wrinkles and a big mushy jowl. Maxi does need to be crated,
but she is crate trained so that is not a problem. For a girl who spent most of her life outdoors in a
kennel (and the last 4 months in a shelter) she is really doing well. She has discovered the cushioned
bench in the kitchen and has decided that is "just right' for her. We took a long walk today, and she is
treat to walk on the leash. Not one bit of pulling. And that is with a regular collar!
Maxi has not had an acident in the house, except for in her crate yesterday when I was at work just too
long for the poor little thing. Today she managed to stay dry all day, just as she has for the past 2
nights. She has not shown any interest at all in Beau--either freindly or not--so they are still seperated
by baby gates. She has no food issues at all, which is remarkable considering how skinny she is--I can
count her vertebrae, and see her hip and shoulder bones.
Maxi has has some rough times, but she is in rescue now and starting to show her true Boxer potential.
We will enjoy watching her blossom, and hope you will, too.
10/14/07 - Maxi has arrived at the Riverview after 4 months in a Mass. shelter. She is scared and
nervous and very skinny. She is spayed and is up to date on her shots. She has apparently had more
than one litter as she has very enlarged nipples. Her owner surrender report and the shelter information
are conflicting as far as her behavior with other animals so we are taking it even slower than usual with
my Beau. I got one little nub wag, but none for Beau so far. She has has a drink but hasn't chosen to eat
anything yet. Maxi does take treats very gently and walks without pulling on a leash. She did go #1
outside--which is great because she is reportedly not quite housebroken. Of course, her owner
surrender paperwork said she only spent 3 of 24 hours in a house--so how could she have learned!
Maxi is a beautiful petite plain fawn with black mask and almost no white--just a few toes and a spot on
her chest. She has natural ears and a docked tail, and is microchipped. Maxi is reported to have some
seperation anxiety. She does crate, so she will be crated tonight while we all sleep (I have one next to
my bed) and again tomorrow while we are at work for the day. Right now she is hanging out in the
kitchen, which is seperated from the rest of the house by babygates so both Beau and my carpets are
safe! More news soon.
SOME INFO FROM ONE OF MAXI'S TRANSPORT VOLUNTEERS:
10/14/07 - I picked up Maxi from the shelter because I wanted to see if she was the same Maxi that I
tried to adopt from the Boston shelter last spring...and she is. What I know first hand about her is that
she was great with my kids and me and my husband. However, when it came time to introduce her to
our Boxer Oliver, she went at him. We went back to the shelter two more times to visit, the first time
without Oliver and then the last visit with him. All went well and we looked like we were were going to
bring her home. I knelt down to talk to her and Oliver came over next to me and she went at him and
put him on his back. At this point, the shelter told me that she had trouble socializing. She also didn't
give you any signs that she was going to go after him. We were heartbroken to leave her and I hope
you find a good home for her. I wanted to share this info with you.
between. Maxi and the rest have been very busy in this past year and alot of growing and changing has
happened.
When Maxi first got here it was just us and Maggie, but since we have started fostering and Maxi has
been a great teacher. We now have added once again to our family with little Miss Mabel and the three
of them are doing awesome. They all have done some changing, but to see Maxi so happy and full of
life is the best of all. She is the elder, but you wouldn't know it especially when she gets going, the
noises and movements she can make would surprise you.
Maxi last Mother's Day got hit by a car and I thought it would end in the worst day, but she is a fighter
and would just look at us like what is the big deal. She made a full recovery and then some. I also
know that she will not follow Miss Maggie out into the road again.......she stops whenever she even gets
close!
Maxi is a dog full of personality and warmth, that we can not imagine our lives without her. Her soul is
pure and her heart is full of love to give and we could not be happier that it's all being done with
US!!!!!!!
She is the BEST!!!!!! Maxi is now about ten and I hope she will be around for along time to come.......
She has blessed this family in so many ways by coming into our lives and showing us how she sees life
through her eyes.
Forever grateful!!!!!!!!
UPDATE 2/22/09 - Well it's been a little while since we have written and made it all about Miss Maxi.
What life was like before her I just do not know, I think Maggie ask the same question now.
We have watched this girl change and let her personality shine through. This is her home and make no
mistake about it she has become fully comfortable in that knowledge and is safe here. Maxi can play
hard, eat hard, even chew bones with little to no teeth left and sleeps snuggled right up in bed with us at
night. She has put on some serious weight since we started fostering, but we are going on vacation so I
expect they will lose some of that during that time.
Maxi is truly a very special boxer, who has this calming affect on other animals around her. We lover
her to pieces and could not be more pleased with her than we are. We struck GOLD with her, her
listening skills are better than our Maggie, just hoping that rubbs off sometime soon. Most of all the two
of them have become true blue buddies and that is the icing on the cake.
UPDATE 11/9/08 - This is Maxi's one month check in. I have to say with every passing day this little
girl is more comfortable, trusting and confident with herself and her surrounds. My husband wants me
to state that I have offically stolen dog number two from him......At first Maxi seemed to follow him
everywhere and stick right to him, but now I would say she is more so doing that with me. That simply
could be because Maggie is like that with me and whenever one is getting attention the other comes
running and squeezes the other out. We are working on correcting them both on that. As far as fighting
between Maggie and Maxi there is none and that is a relief.....they really get along.
If you see the pictures of the Augusta BRAD you will see Maxi laying down with her arms around
Maggie beside her.
Well I guess there isn't much more I can say other than Maxi is doing wonderful, her energy is
remarkeable and can even take Maggie by surprise.
We all love her so much and are very proud of her accomplishments in such a short time.
UPDATE 10/12/08 - Updating on Miss Maxi is a pleasure to do. I hope you all can take a minute or
two to read this through. My husband and I picked up Maxi last Sunday and we were able to come
into the foster home without her even lifting her head let alone getting up and barking at new people
coming in. Now she has had a time of it lately with being brought back from a home she thought was
forever and Gemma being adopted, so her depression is without say. We have taken her in and the
three children and little Maggie (our other boxer) are all adjusting to her wonderfully just as Maxi is us.
Going from that baby girl so depressed that she had no energy at all and no desire to eat , in less than a
week she is running, playing, taking sneakers into different rooms and eating good again. Maxi and
Maggie, my husband calls them the “M & M Girls” are really bonding in great shape. Considering what
Maxi has been through, not sure who did the actual harm she has fallen in love with my husband and
follows him around, listens to his voice in order to keep close tabs on his where abouts. I am important
to her as well, but there is something very safe about my husband she find great comfort in and loves to
snuggle him.
Maxi is already so loved by this family and in this one week of having her and seeing just how
comfortable she becomes each and everyday make us wonder already what it was like before Maxi?
Just like she has always been here and if we can only bring these two beauty's half the joy they bring to
us we will be content, but we will have you know like many of you out there, that loving these girls is
not hard work at all.
Now that I have painted that perfect picture for you I will say that with the comfort that Miss Maxi is
feeling she is also testing us to see just how much we love her. Accidents in the house and destruction of
a plant, maybe just to say, “Hey I am here and I am just gonna catch you off guard every now and
again and see how you do.” Well maybe after the vets visit this week we will know if they're accidents
or on purpose boo boos. Do we really care, after I look into her eyes of just that not fully
understanding this process look, she has on her face. Maggie (our other boxer) was all about telling
mommy whatever you find it wasn't me!!! The funniest thing, but I knew just what she was saying.......
In short, after being part of this family for one short week, Maxi is a totally different Boxer!.....She
thinks she's a puppy again.....we only wish we could show you pictures of her now compared to the
photos you have of her....
10/5/08 - Maxi has been adopted!
10/1/08 - Maxi continues to do well at her foster home. But we had noticed as we were all basking in
the sun on the deck that she was leaking urine as she dozed! So we took in a urine sample and she has
too many crystals in her urine--causing her to leak!
We acquired the prescription Royal Canin urinary health dog food and she has started on that. In a few
more days we'll take in another sample and see if she is doing better (and I will be watching her to see if
she stops leaking!)
Other than that (and all of the rain we are having here in Maine) she is doing well. Maxi could not be
any sweeter. She and Gemma get along great, and when it isn't raining we all go for a walk. Maxi is a
bit of a counter surfer--so maybe those extra pounds are not due to many planned treats, but rather due
to too many stolen treats. She really enjoys fresh home baked bread!
9/16/08 - Maxi is doing very well back at the Riverview Boxer-Hostel. Her family was devastated to
bring her back to rescue, but Maxi had started to be snippy with the children. This time around we
don't need to put any weight on her! She put on a few pounds at her adoptive home (maybe a few too
many treats?).
She met Gemma, and these two beautiful girls are getting along beautifully! I even caught hem curled up
next to one another in the living room. And she is so good on the leash--she doesn't pull AT ALL, so I
can take the two of them for a walk together. Someone asked today if they were sisters! Maxi found
the doggie bed in the bedroom right away -- and sleeps there happily all night without a peep out of her.
UPDATE 5/17/08 - Maxi continues to "wow" the family, friends and neighborhood! Absolutely the
most well behaved dog around, she is at the point where she will greet anyone, anywhere, without any
sign of apprehension, be it man, woman or child. Her leash manners are so good that Emma (5) is able
to "walk" her when we all go out in the yard.
She has become the resident co-pilot for the family vehicle whenever possible and as a result, we are
always prepared for the onslaught of people who want to come and get a closer look at our beautiful
Maxi.
We have developed a game that we play which involves playing around a tree in the front yard...I poke
my head around the corner which prompts here to immediately splay her front legs out and put her chin
on the ground in a playful stance...poke my head from the other side and she will jump up, spin
completely around and do it all over again...After three of four times, she knows that I will run out past
her and that evolves into a game of "tag" so to speak...
All in all, we couldnt be happier with Maxi... She is an absolute gem and we are incredibly lucky to
have her in our family.
UPDATE 4/13/08 - In the period of time between the one week update and now, we have seen some
ups and downs. Happily, Maxi finally appears to have realized that she is here to stay. While her
model behavior has without fail, been enough to elicit jealousy from other families, she had shown some
troubling behavior to include "accidents" inside right after a long walk and bending the bars on her
crate. That was followed up with her going to the bathroom in her crate after being left for only a short
while.
After consulting with Lori and Leann as well as receiving advice from numerous members of the SCBR
community, we appear to have found the key. We dumped the wire crate and purchased a plastic Vari-
Kennel. We placed the new kennel outside of our room, against a wall and put a new dog bed in its
place.
The first time that we had to leave her, she went to the bathroom in the crate. The second time, we
took the bedding out and left her for a short time. She was quite distressed when we returned because
she was standing in her mess...Leann can now continue to say that works for all dogs, because it
certainly worked for Maxi!
Now, the best news... Maxi seems to enjoy the warmer temperatures immensely! It took a couple of
weeks to get her to really "let her hair down" but now she plays at the drop of a hat..or slipper, or baby
toy...
She loves our three girls and they are ecstatic to have her. Emma,5, who has the distinction of being the
one to pick Maxi, also has the honor of sharing her bed with her when it is story time before bed!
Alex,12, has become Maxi's favorite walking partner... They have put a lot of miles on in the past few
weeks!
Olivia,18 months, is content to yell "MAXI!!!!" Shriek a few excited phrases and hug her new friend.
We were quickly able to curb her from grabbing Maxi's tail and yelling "BUM BUM!"
All in all, we could not be happier with the newest addition to our family! As I type this, she is laying on
the couch, resting her head on Emma's lap...listening to a story...
3/13/08 - Maxi went off to her new home without a backward galnce. Her new dad seemed to adore
her--saying truthfully that she was much prettier than her pictures. He new fancy collar dazzled him and
he agreed that his THREE daughters (aged 12, 5 and 18 m) would love her and her "outfit". This is the
life that she deserves! Yeah MAxi!
2/19/08 - Yes, I admit that she looks sad in the pics, but she really isn't anymore. I transported her to
Kennebunk when she came into rescue and she was very depressed and sad looking and acting then.I
felt so sorry for her at that time as she definitely wasn't acting like most boxers we have transported. I
was pleasantly suprised to see how she has changed. Her foster home has been very good to her. She
was very happy, affectionate and a real wiggle butt. She was giving kisses and was so sweet. This dog
has made a major turn around and is doing so much better, she is definitely ready for her forever home
and anyone that adopts her will be real lucky to get her. Of course, I wanted to adopt her and give her
a loving home, but my husband says two dogs are enough for now.
2/12/08 - Maxi delighted everyone here at the Riverview with her gentle welcoming of our newest
foster, Petey. They are fine sharing food and human attention. I'll admit I had a tiny concern when they
first sniffed through the baby gate, because his nub was wagging a mile a minute and hers didn't move at
all. (Neither were her hackles up.) But I realized that she is just passive that way. (Maybe because all
she knew how to do with males in her breeding life was mate!)
Maxi continues to learn more and more about toys and playing. She hasn't pLAyed with Petey yet, but
she has a blast with my husband, who boxes with her like he is a dog!
And the best news of all is that she is 98 % housetrained! I can't remember the last time she had an
accident. She still does not know how to indicate that she has to go out, but as long as she is kept on a
reasonable schedule and crated when noone is home, she is doing great!
1/11/08 - Maxi has had a busy few weeks! She went on a Harmony Haven adoption Home check,
and entranced the applicants with her calm demeanor and friendliness. Then Maxi attended her first
party at the Riverview. She was a perfect hostess, greeting everyone with a happy nub (and even a few
KIdney Beans). It was wonderful to see that she had no trouble with any of the comings and goings,
and was fine with both men and women.
Everyone was amazed to hear her story and to know that in just a few months this dog has gone from
never knowing the comforts of a home, to being a wonderful, calm, friendly and well-behaved member
of the family. Maxi did not even beg for food, and certainly did not try to steal any!
The Riverview is also delighted to report another week without a single toiletting accident! Maxi really
seems to have "gotten" that not only is she supposed to 'go' outside, that she should 'go' whenever she is
out! Yeah! This sweet, gentle girl will make a wonderful addition to any home that does not have a
cat--is that YOUR home?
1/1/08 - Maxi continues to be such a happy, friendly, calm, loving little girl! After a regression in her
housebreaking, she is back on track--hooray! We brought in a urine sample to our vet, and she does
not have an urinary tract infection, which is good. So we started back at square 1 on housetraining--I
keep her with me at all times in the house (or she is in her crate), and go out with her each time to praise
her when she does her 'business' like a good girl. We are even doing some instant treats for
'performing'. And she is doing great despite the snow--several days with no accidents! I am so
hopeful that she is really getting the idea this time, because in every other way she is delight to be
around.
After getting used to outside Christmas decorations (like life sized light-up reindeer) that she had
obviously never seen before, Maxi got into the holiday spirit and enjoyed her Christmas. She behaved
herself around the presents and the tree, and enjoyed her special treats (which she takes SO gently!).
She wishes everyone a Happy New Year, and hopes that his new year will bring her the family that she
deserves!
11/19/07 - Maxi has not only earned full house priveledges, she has even earned UNSUPERVISED
full house priveledges! No destructive behavior or 'messing' in the house at all. At night, Maxi has
graduated to the dogbed in the corner of the bedroom. She sleeps all night, and goes right out in the
morning after I wake up on workday weekdays. She has learned to wake me up in the morning to go
out on the weekends if I sleep longer than she does.
Maxi will still steal food off the counter (if one of us forgets to be careful about that), but has no other
misbehaviors. (Unless you count preferring to snooze on the sofa to the dogbed...)And she makes me
laugh when I see her practically twist herself in half to do a phenomenal "kidney bean" dance with her
happiness! I even heard her bark the other day!
10/30/07 - With every passing day Maxi becomes more of the Boxer she was meant to be! This little
girl was a kennel dog before SCBR, and had never known how to be part of a family in a warm house.
She is learning more with every day! Maxi has learned how to 'do her business' outside, and has not
had an acccident inside in a week. She continues to be sweet and quiet in the house (I have never
heard her bark!), and has perfect leash manners. She and Beau are lying next to me while I type, and
continue to get along fine. Maxi loves every bit of attention that she gets, and her wiggle butt and
kidney-bean dancing when I come home from work are such fun to see as they are such a change from
her formerly depressed demeanor. She is still learning about not stealing food off of the counters, so
Maxi is crated when she cannot be supervised in the house. She doesn't mind her crate at all, and just
settles right down when put in. At night (since I can't supervise her while I am asleep) she is also
crated. But her nightime crate is my bedside table so she has company all night long. SHe had her first
human bed experience this weekend, and it seems that she will quickly learn how to behave in a bed
with her people once she has the chance. She curled right up next to my husband, and did not hog the
covers!
10/23/07 - Every day that passes Maxi comes out of her shell a little more and with each day she is
blossoming into the Boxer-girl she deserves to be. After her fourth day here I let her meet my Beau,
and they are getting along fine, both in and out of the house. I take them both together for walks around
the neighborhood. Maxi continues to amaze me with her perfect leash manners. She doesn't pull at all,
keeps pace with me whether fast or slow, and stops when I do. The past two walks she has even "done
her business" while we were walking on leash, which is probably a new experience for her. I think that
almost everything about being in a home is a new experience for her. She has not had an acccident in
the house for couple of days, and is staying dry in her crate all day while I am at work, and all night
while we both sleep. Maxi doesn't make a peep all night in her crate. And when I leave for work and
arrive home she is also quiet in her crate. Crating when unattended in the house is necessary for both
her housetraining-in-progress and her tendency to make a mess of the kitchen if left alone there.
Maxi had a surprise visitor today. The just-turned-four year old brother of my son's girlfriend came for
a few hours this afternoon. Apparently he and Maxi had quite the visit, following each other in and out
through the doggie door! And she was just as gentle with him as I would have expected. Once she
figures out this housebreaking thing, she will quite the catch!
10/21/07 MORE INFO FROM WHAT WE WERE TOLD BY THE SHELTER ON MAXI:
Maxi's original owner was a single mom with three kids; 9, 12, & 16. According to mom she did well
with the kids and the other animals in the house (Maxi came in with her sister- adopted out). She also
lived with birds. According to the paper work mom reported that Maxi spent about 21 hours a day
outside and 3 hours inside. She slept either in her "dog house or crate." From that the shelter assumes
she may have slept outside many nights. The original owner did admit that Maxi did occassionally have
accidents in the house ("every few weeks"). She reportedly gave Maxi and her sister to the shelter
because she had too many dogs. According to the shelter Maxi knows the "sit" command. The woman
I spoke to called Maxi more "people oriented" and that she is slow to warm up to other dogs.
10/16/07 - Two whole days! Time flies when you work full time! Maxi is so much more comfortable
today than she was when she first arrived. I have even gotten a few tiny little kisses, and a few more tail
wags. (Her dock is so long that I can't quite call it a nub!) She is so beautiful--my favorite coloring--
plain fawn with black mask. And lots of wrinkles and a big mushy jowl. Maxi does need to be crated,
but she is crate trained so that is not a problem. For a girl who spent most of her life outdoors in a
kennel (and the last 4 months in a shelter) she is really doing well. She has discovered the cushioned
bench in the kitchen and has decided that is "just right' for her. We took a long walk today, and she is
treat to walk on the leash. Not one bit of pulling. And that is with a regular collar!
Maxi has not had an acident in the house, except for in her crate yesterday when I was at work just too
long for the poor little thing. Today she managed to stay dry all day, just as she has for the past 2
nights. She has not shown any interest at all in Beau--either freindly or not--so they are still seperated
by baby gates. She has no food issues at all, which is remarkable considering how skinny she is--I can
count her vertebrae, and see her hip and shoulder bones.
Maxi has has some rough times, but she is in rescue now and starting to show her true Boxer potential.
We will enjoy watching her blossom, and hope you will, too.
10/14/07 - Maxi has arrived at the Riverview after 4 months in a Mass. shelter. She is scared and
nervous and very skinny. She is spayed and is up to date on her shots. She has apparently had more
than one litter as she has very enlarged nipples. Her owner surrender report and the shelter information
are conflicting as far as her behavior with other animals so we are taking it even slower than usual with
my Beau. I got one little nub wag, but none for Beau so far. She has has a drink but hasn't chosen to eat
anything yet. Maxi does take treats very gently and walks without pulling on a leash. She did go #1
outside--which is great because she is reportedly not quite housebroken. Of course, her owner
surrender paperwork said she only spent 3 of 24 hours in a house--so how could she have learned!
Maxi is a beautiful petite plain fawn with black mask and almost no white--just a few toes and a spot on
her chest. She has natural ears and a docked tail, and is microchipped. Maxi is reported to have some
seperation anxiety. She does crate, so she will be crated tonight while we all sleep (I have one next to
my bed) and again tomorrow while we are at work for the day. Right now she is hanging out in the
kitchen, which is seperated from the rest of the house by babygates so both Beau and my carpets are
safe! More news soon.
SOME INFO FROM ONE OF MAXI'S TRANSPORT VOLUNTEERS:
10/14/07 - I picked up Maxi from the shelter because I wanted to see if she was the same Maxi that I
tried to adopt from the Boston shelter last spring...and she is. What I know first hand about her is that
she was great with my kids and me and my husband. However, when it came time to introduce her to
our Boxer Oliver, she went at him. We went back to the shelter two more times to visit, the first time
without Oliver and then the last visit with him. All went well and we looked like we were were going to
bring her home. I knelt down to talk to her and Oliver came over next to me and she went at him and
put him on his back. At this point, the shelter told me that she had trouble socializing. She also didn't
give you any signs that she was going to go after him. We were heartbroken to leave her and I hope
you find a good home for her. I wanted to share this info with you.
| HAVE YOU SPONSORED A BOXER TODAY?? You can make a safe, secure donation through Paypal and make a difference in a dog's life TODAY! Even $5 or $10 helps pay for food and medical care. Click here to donate today! or Mail your donation to: SCBR PO Box 525 Woolwich, ME 04579 |
STATE: ME
AGE: 5 years
WEIGHT: 55 lbs
NEUT/UPD: Yes/Yes
COAT COLOR: Fawn
DOCKED TAIL: Yes
CROPPED EARS: No
CHILDREN UNDER 4: Yes
CHILDREN OVER 4: Yes
SEPARATION ANXIETY: No
OTHER DOGS: Yes
CATS: NO!
CRATE TRAINED: Yes
HOUSE TRAINED: Yes
LEASH TRAINED: Yes
MICROCHIPPED: Yes
ADOPTION FEE: $300 + $20 microchip fee
AGE: 5 years
WEIGHT: 55 lbs
NEUT/UPD: Yes/Yes
COAT COLOR: Fawn
DOCKED TAIL: Yes
CROPPED EARS: No
CHILDREN UNDER 4: Yes
CHILDREN OVER 4: Yes
SEPARATION ANXIETY: No
OTHER DOGS: Yes
CATS: NO!
CRATE TRAINED: Yes
HOUSE TRAINED: Yes
LEASH TRAINED: Yes
MICROCHIPPED: Yes
ADOPTION FEE: $300 + $20 microchip fee
