Exactly 18 months ago, at the time of writing this, my wife and I were driving down highway 80 in the middle of nowhere, when my wife spotted a little puppy trekking it down the side of the road.
He was cute but in bad shape, so we picked him up, and ultimately ending up keeping him. At the time, he was too young to know for certain what breed he was. All I knew for sure was that he was some kind of Pit bull mix.
Well, now that he’s all grown up, it’s obvious he’s a Bullboxer Pit – a 50/50 mix of American Pit bull Terrier and Boxer. In this article, I’m going to break down exactly what it’s like owning this crossbreed, and let you know all the pros and cons.
I know that every dog has their own personality, but there are characteristics certain breeds have that are universal across the breed, regardless of their unique personality. In other words, I’ll be painting with a broad brush, but I’m willing to bet most Bullboxer Pits possess these traits.
Bullboxer Pit Pros
Bullboxer Pits Are Affectionate Companions
Our Bullboxer Pit loves affection and attention, and he’s always down to snuggle. He’d probably sit right on top of your head if you let him. His affection is definitely not something we taught him or encouraged. He seems to have just been that way pretty much since day one.
If you’re looking for a big, cuddly dog that will curl up next to you on the couch, look no further.
Bullboxer Pits Are Good Looking Dogs
My wife and I agree that Boxers are ugly dogs – sorry Boxer owners – but our Bullboxer, Morty, is a handsome little devil. He receives lots of compliments, and even total strangers will comment on how handsome he is.
I consider this a pro because who doesn’t want a good looking dog.
Bullboxer Pits Don’t Appear to Have Any Intrinsic Health Problems
When we found little Morty, he had tics, mange, and an eye infection; but these issues were clearly due to neglect. After just a few weeks under our care, he was all better, and has remained healthy ever since. Just a few months ago, we took him to the vet for his annual rabies vaccine and checkup, and the vet gave him a five out of five!
Bullboxer Pits Love to Play
If you have other dogs or kids, you may want to consider adding a Bullboxer to the family. These dogs love to play. Our Bullboxer is down to play literally 24/7. Fetch, tug-o-war, mindlessly running in a circle… whatever the game, count him in.
Bullboxer Pits Are Submissive to Older Dogs in the Pack
Our Bullboxer was dominated by his older, adopted sister, Maggie right away, and has remained submissive to her. He’s so submissive to her, I honestly feel bad for the little guy sometimes. If he has something she wants – food, a bone, a spot on the couch – she takes it, and he gives it up without hesitation.
This is a really good thing, though, because the last thing you want are two dogs in an endless struggle for dominance. When that happens, the dogs fight constantly, which is not only dangerous, but stressful for the whole family.
Bullboxer Pits Are Good Watch Dogs
Most of the time our Bullboxer is nothing more than a little cutie you just want to hug and snuggle, but he has this gear he can shift into, and when he does… well, he’s kind of terrifying.
Bullboxers have a loud, deep bark, and when they go into attack mode, they are fierce, aggressive, and fearless. Our little guy likes to go outside at night, perched atop a large wooden pallet that I’m pretty sure he thinks is his throne, barking at every sound he hears.
Since we’ve had him, he’s done an excellent job keeping other animals, including other dogs, out of our yard, as well as scaring off nosy passersby.
Bullboxer Pits Are Smart and Fairly Easy to Train
Our Bullboxer has exhibited a high degree of intelligence. For example, he can figure out things on his own pretty quickly, like how to open our front door when it’s ajar, and to slip under or through gaps in our fence.
He also picks up on commands quickly. It’s been effortless for us to teach him a basic vocabulary. No joke, it only took a couple of minutes and a couple of treats to teach him how to sit on command. He’s also learned a lot just from observing his sister.
Bullboxer Pit Cons
Bullboxer Pits Chew EVERYTHING
If you plan on owning a Bullboxer, I strongly recommend you get them some durable chew toys, and try your best to train them to only chew on their toys. Our Bullboxer will literally chew on anything he can get his teeth on.
Unfortunately, he seems to only be interested in chewing on anything but his chew toys. I’ve even caught him chewing on rocks and metal, which is really bad because he could chip a tooth doing that. I noticed he’s particularly fond of cardboard, so lately I’ve been letting him go outside with a cardboard box to chew on. It makes a huge mess but at least it’s harmless.
Bullboxer Pits Need a Lot of Exercise
Bullboxers are full of energy, so they need to be exercised regularly. I don’t really consider this a con for me, because I’m a stay-at-home husband and I have plenty of acres for my dogs to run around; but I understand that many people don’t have the time or space to exercise a Bullboxer adequately.
It’s really important that you give your dog the right amount of exercise every day. If you don’t, not only is it bad for their physical health, it can also lead to behavioral issues that will make your life miserable. When it comes to Bullboxers, they need about 30 minutes of intense exercise plus another two hours of moderate activity per day.
Bullboxer Pits Are Aggressive Towards Other Dogs
Sadly, Pit bulls and Boxers have been used for dog fighting extensively throughout history, so it’s in a Bullboxer’s nature to be aggressive towards other dogs. I’ve noticed our Bullboxer is especially aggressive towards dogs that come near our yard and dogs he sees when we’re out in public.
Unfortunately, once they have developed this tendency, the only way to break the behavior is by taking them to socialization classes. However, remember what I said earlier: They can easily learn to get along with other dogs in a pack setting, especially if they are introduced to the pack at an early age.
Bullboxer Pits Can Be Difficult to Control
Bullboxers are strong, heavy animals, which means physically controlling them can be difficult. I’ve had to physically restrain our Bullboxer on a few occasions, and it was challenging. Thankfully, I am strong enough to pick him up off the ground and hold him tightly against my chest, which does the trick; but if my wife had to do the same thing, I don’t think she could.
It’s not just size and strength that makes them hard to handle, either. They are very fast and agile. You might get your hands on their collar, or your arms wrapped around them, only for them to slip away from you like a magician getting out of handcuffs – this is why I pick mine right up off the ground.
Bullboxer Pits Will Overeat/Overdrink
Whether it’s his water dish or his food dish, I’m pretty sure if I kept refilling it, he would just keep scarfing it down. Overeating is bad because it can lead to unhealthy weight gain, and drinking too much water is bad because it can cause bloat, which is a lot more dangerous than it might sound.
Bottom line, if you own a Bullboxer, make sure you only give them the amount of food and water they actually need, otherwise they might not stop.
Some Owners Think Bullboxer Pits Are Too Needy
As I’ve already discussed, Bullboxers need a lot of exercise, playtime, and attention. For some owners, it’s simply too much. If you want a dog that is low maintenance, a Bullboxer is not for you.
Conclusion
Despite all the cons I just mentioned, I love our little Bullboxer, Morty, and wouldn’t trade him for the world. I think the Bullboxer Pit is a great crossbreed. If you are interested in adding a Bullboxer to your family, I would recommend checking out local shelters or rescues because they are a common crossbreed and easily adoptable.
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