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| STATE: NJ AGE: 4 years DOB: Unsure WEIGHT: 75 lbs? SEX: Male NEUT/UTD: Soon/Soon COAT COLOR: Brindle DOCKED TAIL: Yes CROPPED EARS: No CHILDREN UNDER 4: Yes CHILDREN OVER 4: Yes SEPARATION ANXIETY: No OTHER DOGS: Yes CATS: Unsure CRATE TRAINED: Yes HOUSE TRAINED: Yes LEASH TRAINED: No OBEDIENCE TRAINED: Some MICROCHIPPED: No ADOPTION FEE: $300 |
| UPDATE 11/30/09 - Nitro has been awesome. He's my leisure-dog, meaning he calmly plods along. He doesn't chase balls too much, but thoroughly enjoys watching our Senior Kia run like the wind. He does like to chase an occasional squirrel in the morning though. He is our "lap-dog"... if you can fit a 90-lb beast in your lap!! He thinks he fits! He's sweet and gentle (usually), and he tolerates the antics of our little kids (my youngest and my grandson) very well. He is great friends with Kia and they love to play tug in the morning making vicious growling at each other to heighten the tug!! And when SHE is done, she drops the tug and will clean his face... while he's still trying to chomp on her paws. She's patient and ignores his playfulness and cleans his face anyway... and eventually he submits to the momma-dog and they will snuggle together. We love having our Nitro around. He's been great on BRADs and on home checks and at the Pet Expo for 2 days!!! He's a good boy that is a joy to have around! UPDATE 2/12/09 - Nitro has passed his Doggie Obedience Class run by Petco at the end of January... and survived the dog-eating American Bulldog pup, Lucy, who tried to bite him more than once. She was a good test for him though... passing him in the aisles... he would "leave it" and go his own way. Lucy's sister, Mercedes, on the other hand had a THING for Nitro and would be his best friend if she had her way. Girls... He has bonded nicely with all of us. My 16-year-old son routinely tries to play tug with him... and loses nearly every time, only because (as the boy says) he can't stop laughing!! Nitro has decided that the woman of the house (that's me) is his best friend, as she takes him for rides in the car, takes him to Petco, takes him for walks (when it's not 10 degrees and icy outside), gives him a bath, feeds him and gives him dog bones, and generally scratches his back at will whenever they sit together on the couch :) More than once, he has decided to sit with the Alpha-female in the house instead of the Alpha-male .... much to my husband's dismay! Nitro has come with me on a few occasions to do home checks, and everyone who has met him has offered to keep him while I go on vacation!! He has been a very good boy, not peeing in anyone's house, and has pointed out some of the "issues" that could be of concern when the family gets their own boxer (walking right up to the unlidded toilet bowl and choice of shoes on floor). He's been a good "sample boxer" as I put it on those home checks, showing a typical full-grown male, particularly for those who had not had a boxer before. He's also been a good "sample boxer" at the BRADs we have had so far in Mansfield. Everyone loves him, and he loves the attention... and the dog treats. He's been a wonderful addition to our family, and we are hoping that sometime soon, we may find another boxer-friend to play with him... but for now, I think he is enjoying being the center of attention at home! UPDATE 1/10/09 - NITRO is doing great. We are half-way through our obedience classes, and he is the "good dog" in the group. There's one dog there who does not like him (or anyone else really), and she's tried to bite him as she walked by; and Nitro just looks at her as if to say, "What's wrong with you???" We have (chilly winter) walks using his Gentle Leader, which is a Godsend(!!!); we didn't have one of those with my first boxer years ago. Now we both enjoy our morning strolls. Nitro and our cat, Ivan, can now actually lay down in the same room without trying to kill each other :) It's taken some time (but not as long as I thought it would) and a bit of training on both parts, but now they are able to pass each other in the same room (glaring at each other, and with caution), so it may not be long before it's not even a thought. Nitro has managed to establish his place as "the lap dog" with my husband (which is a task). I've caught hubby actually calling him up onto his lap ... on the couch ... while "they" watch football. This never happened with previous pups :) I have noted to my dear husband that 77-lb Nitro doesn't exactly FIT on his lap, and he just looks at me like I have an issue and says "Of course he does Silly." We are enjoying our big boy enormously, and we are so glad to have him in our family :) UPDATE 12/4/08 - Nitro has just been an absolute treasure to have around as our new addition to the family. He is sweet and smart and eager to please... not to mention oh-so-handsome! He is enjoying our regular morning walks down a nearby country road, and this has been a much easier task after we invested in the gentle leader... saving my shoulder from being yanked the first 1/4-mile down the road. Now we have a nice controlled pull-free experience! We are sure he has had experience with the invisible fence system, as he trained instantly to just hearing the tone from his collar and hasn't once crossed the boundary line (for which I am thankful!). With this, he has free run of our property and enjoys all the open space when we send him running after a ball or kong. He has also found unbridled pleasure in chasing the squirrels and wild turkeys across our yard!!!! Boy, he runs fast... but not fast enough :) Two balls he has already destroyed completely, peeling the fuzz off them and ripping them in half. I expect the Kong should last a bit longer... I hope! He took immediately to my husband, Dave, when we made the trip to Betty's to pick him up... peeing on his foot! Dave is a good sport though and took it as a sign of acceptance... and indeed it has been. They are bonded at the hip and enjoy each other immensely. Nitro has not yet bonded so well with our cat, Ivan, though. It didn't help that in the first day that Nitro came, Ivan turned the corner from his protected staircase and came out far enough to pop Nitro in the nose to let him know who's boss... and then turned back behind the babygate, leaving Nitro standing there with that "what the heck was THAT!!" look on his face!!! One month later, they are at least able now to tentatively remain in the same room, watching each other, without going for the jugular. Nitro has been very good about learning "stay" and "lay down", and we've used these two commands to maintain some calm order when kitty decides to bless us with his presence!!! Thank God for plentiful supplies of doggy treats!! He hasn't yet started formal obedience training (next class starts right after Christmas!), but we are looking forward to learning a few other things together and getting the opportunity to socialize with other dogs too. We had planned on adopting a second dog to keep Nitro company, but we have decided that we may wait until spring to do so... allowing Nitro to get well settled in, used to the cat, and through his obedience training before adding a new set of paws to the family. And every morning, Nitro has a brief ritual of waking my 4 1/2-yr-old daughter. He's not allowed on the beds, but for this, he is allowed to pop his front paws up on the bed and nudge his way to the sleeping little girl and give doggy kisses! She wakes up giggling saying "g'morning Nitro" and pats his head. He's been very gentle and sweet with her. Once again, our home is feeling a little brighter with a happy boxer to meet us at the door, and to hop into the back of the car just to take a ride... anywhere! He fills a piece of my heart which has been sad for some time with the passing of my first boxer-boy over a year ago. He's not George and never will be... but that's OK. One of the qualities of this breed is that the deepest parts of their personality are consistent, and Nitro and I have an understanding... just as I had with George... that most humans just don't get. I look forward to this new relationship growing as each day passes. Thank you all for helping it to make it happen for us!! Betty... you are the best! I don't know how you let Nitro come home with us, but you did, and God has a special place for you and all the other fosters who can love a dog and set him free to love others. You are a GIFT! 11/5/08 - Nitro has been adopted! 10/20/08 - This boy gives a new meaning to the term, 'boxer wiggles.' When my adult son comes into the house, his body turns into a U shape! He just LOVES people and other dogs and adjusted to our home very easily. He slept in our bedroom with Dolly and Campeon as if they had known each other for years! He is a tribute to the family who sadly had to let him go into rescue...kind, loving, no food agression or any aggression whatsoever. Nitro lived with an 18 month old and knew that the baby needed more gentle handling than his adults :-). Did I say how gorgeous he is - just take a look at his pictures. |
| MEET NITRO |
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