Trying to convince SWMBO to get a dog.

Eggcelsior

GATraveller said:

Eggcelsior said:

The friendliest large dog I've met is a Bouvier de Flandres. That thing was a giant teddy bear, but you better like slobber on every surface in your house.

We had 2 Bouviers as guard dogs at my office.  Looked mean as hell if you were outside the fence but if they knew you they were super sweet.  I loved those two but sadly they got shot by a thief.  

Damn, that sucks. Sadly, it fits with their history. Nazis almost eradicated the breed as they were shot on sight because many were used to transport messages for the French Resistance. 

Eggcelsior

nolaegghead said:

Also, I'd like a dog I can take out in the boat fishing.

Fortunately/unfortunately....SWMBO is a clean freak and the inevitable muddy dog trotting through the house will cause much consternation and occasional strife that I'll be to blame.  Such is life.

But dogs are worth it.

Standard Poodle would be perfect, then. You'd still need to rinse it, but it's a water retriever(webbed feet) so would make a great boat dog.

nolaegghead

HeavyG said:

If you check your local shelters you can probably find an older dog of medium to larger size and mixed breed that is already chill with cats (or even intimidated by them).

I think the bigger question is how will your cats react to having a dog in the house? Some adapt quickly. Some never get over it.

Our cats are indoor/outdoor (via cat door) and are pretty used to dogs...one of the neighbor dogs comes over all the time.  The Bengal loves dogs.   I'm not too worried about them...and they'll be alphas.   Our bengal is worse than any dog insofar as chasing the other cats around.  They learn to deal with it.

JethroVA

I volunteer at a shelter that tests the dogs' behavior around cats and labels them OK with cats or NOT OK with cats.  I would imagine most do the same to prevent bounce-backs. 

nolaegghead

JethroVA said:

I volunteer at a shelter that tests the dogs' behavior around cats and labels them OK with cats or NOT OK with cats.  I would imagine most do the same to prevent bounce-backs. 

Most progressive adoption agencies do this for the very reason you suggest.

fishlessman

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

PlanSB

So you know of two mean boxers and come to conclusion that "a lot are mean"? They, like most dogs, behave well if trained correctly. 

Eggcelsior

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

My family had a cat killed by a boxer and a labrador mix a few years ago. Moron neighbors wouldn't repair their fence so the dogs would get out and kill rabbits/birds/etc while roaming the neighborhood. Animal Control finally caught them and warned the homeowners that they needed to keep the dogs leashed until the fence was repaired and inspected. Of course, this wasn't done, so the dogs got out again and left a trail of dead animals including 3 cats(broke my cat's neck) and 2 small dogs. One was a Scottish Terrier that the owner had picked up trying to protect it, but the boxer jumped up and ripped the dog out of her arms, tearing her arm open in the process. They were finally picked up wandering around by animal control, covered in blood. They were destroyed soon after.

While I do believe that there are no bad dogs and only bad owners, I have never been happier to see 2 dogs get put down.

saluki2007

Eggcelsior said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

My family had a cat killed by a boxer and a labrador mix a few years ago. Moron neighbors wouldn't repair their fence so the dogs would get out and kill rabbits/birds/etc while roaming the neighborhood. Animal Control finally caught them and warned the homeowners that they needed to keep the dogs leashed until the fence was repaired and inspected. Of course, this wasn't done, so the dogs got out again and left a trail of dead animals including 3 cats(broke my cat's neck) and 2 small dogs. One was a Scottish Terrier that the owner had picked up trying to protect it, but the boxer jumped up and ripped the dog out of her arms, tearing her arm open in the process. They were finally picked up wandering around by animal control, covered in blood. They were destroyed soon after.

While I do believe that there are no bad dogs and only bad owners, I have never been happier to see 2 dogs get put down.

I'm not saying you are picking on boxers, but similar stories can be told of just about any type of dog.  Boxers are great family dogs and strive for love and affection.  We are on our second boxer.  While he will probably be the last one we get, I would not tell anyone not to get one.  Very smart and obedient dogs.
From the day we brought our daughter home he made it is mission to be her friend and protector (in a good way).

fishlessman

PlanSB said:

So you know of two mean boxers and come to conclusion that "a lot are mean"? They, like most dogs, behave well if trained correctly. 

no, what im saying is that when a breed becomes too popular, too trendy, too over bred, things can change with the health, with the traits you may be looking for or desire. rotties were getting to the point where they had problems with just running and tearing ligaments, over bred for size. i would not take that chance. i dont have a problem with any dog type, but there are things to look out for. oh and boxers are number nine on the most dangerous dog breeds

Eggcelsior

@saluki2007 I realize that and agree. Just passing along my personal anecdote. It's all based on how the animal is treated. 

Gulfcoastguy

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

lkapigian

There are no bad dogs, only bad dog owners

fishlessman

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

i dont know what flicked the switch, my sisters dog was being walked down the street on one of those stupid 20 foot retractable leashes with her husband grabbing that skinny cord and slicing it right thru his palm trying to hold the dog back from tearing and killing a small poodle out of a womans arms similar to Eggcelsior's experience. the other was during a party at my neighbors and someone left the gate open, dog was fine with a hundred people walking around and then tore into an elderly guys leg who was just walking by. both these dogs were friendly dogs that one day just snapped. you did right looking for a quality boxer, lots of health issues

fishlessman

so nola, get that dog yet. now for the political part, crate training and zapper collar, my britt loves the freedom that collar gives him. a simple beep sound and a hand signal and he is off and running, been years since ive had to sound like an idiot screaming for my dog

PlanSB

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Eggcelsior

PlanSB said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Depends on the breed too. My poodle rescue was 600, due to me covering the spaying and boarding fees as part of the adoption agreement. New Standards are 1600+ around here from a reputable breeder.

PlanSB

fishlessman said:

PlanSB said:

So you know of two mean boxers and come to conclusion that "a lot are mean"? They, like most dogs, behave well if trained correctly. 

no, what im saying is that when a breed becomes too popular, too trendy, too over bred, things can change with the health, with the traits you may be looking for or desire. rotties were getting to the point where they had problems with just running and tearing ligaments, over bred for size. i would not take that chance. i dont have a problem with any dog type, but there are things to look out for. oh and boxers are number nine on the most dangerous dog breeds

number nine by what metric, can you provide a source for that? 

saluki2007

PlanSB said:

fishlessman said:

PlanSB said:

So you know of two mean boxers and come to conclusion that "a lot are mean"? They, like most dogs, behave well if trained correctly. 

no, what im saying is that when a breed becomes too popular, too trendy, too over bred, things can change with the health, with the traits you may be looking for or desire. rotties were getting to the point where they had problems with just running and tearing ligaments, over bred for size. i would not take that chance. i dont have a problem with any dog type, but there are things to look out for. oh and boxers are number nine on the most dangerous dog breeds

number nine by what metric, can you provide a source for that? 

Well this doesn't even list boxers and says that Chihuahua and 

Dachshund are the worst.

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/10-Most-Aggressive-Dog-Breeds-Temperament-Ratings-and-Information

fishlessman

just a few articles ive read, right behind wolf hybrids

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-worlds-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds/

northGAcock

I am one dog heavy myself. I will offer fast (might take me a while to drive) free delivery. Maddie is about 3 years old and has a great personality. She was born without a tail and when she gets that back end going....you will crack up laughing. We took her on as a rescue back when Columbia was going through the floods. We got her at 18 months, and had been raised (and I use that term extremely loosely), buy an older couple who both had Alzheimers. She arrrived with all kinds of issues.

I have a 9 year old male that has not taken to having a second dog in the pack. He bullies her and it is really not fair.....and I don't have the time and attention to referee / change his behavior these days. She will come equipped with bed, feeding and walking attachments. I will even sweeten the deal by throwing in a Grateful Dead Bandanna. She has made a tremendous amount of progress in the 18 months she has lived here with us. As a single family dog, she is outstanding....she just came back from my (foster son's) house where she spent a month. The issues we experienced here with our male, all went away. He is unable to maintain ownership long term, thus her return.

Happy to bring SC BBQ and Hash for the transfer dinner. If you are looking for a great dog (medium sized / 38 lbs).....this is your dog.



I await your confirmation and receive date. Really, she is a sweetheart.

PlanSB

fishlessman said:

just a few articles ive read, right behind wolf hybrids

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-worlds-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds/

that list is BS (therichest.com?) and also over two years old, they used no real metric to classify what 'dangerous' is.  Even if you had looked at the number of fatalities by breed in 2016, it would still be BS because the owner has much more of an impact on a dogs viciousness than the breed does.  It's not fair and its **** to single out breeds as being violent, it is 99% of the time on the owner and how the dog is raised/cared for/trained.

PlanSB

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Depends on the breed too. My poodle rescue was 600, due to me covering the spaying and boarding fees as part of the adoption agreement. New Standards are 1600+ around here from a reputable breeder.

I paid $500 for each of my rescues, same thing to cover the costs and help fund the rescue.  Still much cheaper than the $2500+ for a decent lab.

fishlessman

PlanSB said:

fishlessman said:

just a few articles ive read, right behind wolf hybrids

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-worlds-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds/

that list is BS (therichest.com?) and also over two years old, they used no real metric to classify what 'dangerous' is.  Even if you had looked at the number of fatalities by breed in 2016, it would still be BS because the owner has much more of an impact on a dogs viciousness than the breed does.  It's not fair and its **** to single out breeds as being violent, it is 99% of the time on the owner and how the dog is raised/cared for/trained.

raised/cared for/trained  "or bred"

Eoin

saluki2007 said:

PlanSB said:

fishlessman said:

PlanSB said:

So you know of two mean boxers and come to conclusion that "a lot are mean"? They, like most dogs, behave well if trained correctly. 

no, what im saying is that when a breed becomes too popular, too trendy, too over bred, things can change with the health, with the traits you may be looking for or desire. rotties were getting to the point where they had problems with just running and tearing ligaments, over bred for size. i would not take that chance. i dont have a problem with any dog type, but there are things to look out for. oh and boxers are number nine on the most dangerous dog breeds

number nine by what metric, can you provide a source for that? 

Well this doesn't even list boxers and says that Chihuahua and 

Dachshund are the worst.

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/10-Most-Aggressive-Dog-Breeds-Temperament-Ratings-and-Information

My gran always had Dachshunds and I really like them. She cooked them dinner - meat and veg and lots of garlic - from scratch, no tinned stuff.

PlanSB

fishlessman said:

PlanSB said:

fishlessman said:

just a few articles ive read, right behind wolf hybrids

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/the-biggest/the-worlds-10-most-dangerous-dog-breeds/

that list is BS (therichest.com?) and also over two years old, they used no real metric to classify what 'dangerous' is.  Even if you had looked at the number of fatalities by breed in 2016, it would still be BS because the owner has much more of an impact on a dogs viciousness than the breed does.  It's not fair and its **** to single out breeds as being violent, it is 99% of the time on the owner and how the dog is raised/cared for/trained.

raised/cared for/trained  "or bred"

get out of here with your bull**** anecdotal evidence.  It's clear, as usual, that you have no idea what you are talking about.

Eggcelsior

PlanSB said:

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Depends on the breed too. My poodle rescue was 600, due to me covering the spaying and boarding fees as part of the adoption agreement. New Standards are 1600+ around here from a reputable breeder.

I paid $500 for each of my rescues, same thing to cover the costs and help fund the rescue.  Still much cheaper than the $2500+ for a decent lab.

Someone is very proud of themselves charging 2500+ for a Lab that would never be put into a show. 1k less seems to be the going rate from good breeders around here, WITH full certs.

nolaegghead

Pound for pound, cats are the most dangerous pets.  Good thing domesticated cats are small.

saluki2007

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Depends on the breed too. My poodle rescue was 600, due to me covering the spaying and boarding fees as part of the adoption agreement. New Standards are 1600+ around here from a reputable breeder.

I paid $500 for each of my rescues, same thing to cover the costs and help fund the rescue.  Still much cheaper than the $2500+ for a decent lab.

Someone is very proud of themselves charging 2500+ for a Lab that would never be put into a show. 1k less seems to be the going rate from good breeders around here, WITH full certs.

Agreed.  Around here a typical lab will got for $500-$750.  Once you start getting into hunting labs then you will start seeing $1,000-$1,500.

PlanSB

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Eggcelsior said:

PlanSB said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

fishlessman said:

boxers got trendy a while back up here, alot are mean and overly energetic, a trait they never had. i would prolly stay away from rotties, dalmations, boxers, pitbulls,and be really careful with the german shepards. trendy dogs can be breed badly to push out the numbers

I can tell you that I am on my second boxer now. They are high energy but did you buy a dog or a piece of furniture?  In 14 years neither has bitten anybody or even growled at them. They are amazingly good with children and tailor how rough they play with how old or healthy the child is. They are NOT a dog that you buy and leave outside, that can make many dogs mean. They do want to be with their family 24/7.

ive seen a couple boxers in the last few years turn violent out of the blue, my sisters dog and one of my neighbors. my neighbors was put on probation for one year, any incident and the town was going to put it down.  ive never seen a mean boxer before these two and the attacks were viscous. my only thoughts are over breeding, boxers are very popular around me

Which is why I drove 340 miles and paid $ 800 to buy my last one. He came from a reputable breeder who bred for health and pet quality rather than for show dogs. But even then it was to limit the chance of cardio myopathy or several other diseases that are common with poorly bred boxers. Something bears investigation about the two cases mentioned. About the only time I have heard of boxers being violent is when they are defending children.

$800 is dirt cheap for a dog from a reputable breeder, at that price you are not far off from a puppy mill. 

Depends on the breed too. My poodle rescue was 600, due to me covering the spaying and boarding fees as part of the adoption agreement. New Standards are 1600+ around here from a reputable breeder.

I paid $500 for each of my rescues, same thing to cover the costs and help fund the rescue.  Still much cheaper than the $2500+ for a decent lab.

Someone is very proud of themselves charging 2500+ for a Lab that would never be put into a show. 1k less seems to be the going rate from good breeders around here, WITH full certs.

where are you at?  2500$ is on the cheaper end of breeders around here (PA) that I have experienced.  Sure you can find one for ~1000$, but they are typically the breeders that do not do any checks on the people purchasing the dog and that is NOT OK imo, and the dogs are only AKC registered.  And what kind of certs do you mean, just AKC certs, or also OFA, CERF, etc?