Pastimes
Hiking
Rough play
Tug-of-war
Water Activites
Spinning in circles
Fighting the water coming out of the water hose
Zummies
Boxing
running,
sunbathing
Roxy was a very energetic protective Bulloxer. She has always been very protective of our family and when men had threatened to harm me her instincts were beyond courageous. She saved my life more than once and I had a rather deep connection to her. Her intuitiveness knew no bounds. She was also quite trainable and as someone who has a passion for learning to become a therapy/service/guard dog trainer...I knew she would have been an amazing fit. As I believe all of these fit along with her natural caring, sweet, loving, yet protective temperament.
It is important to socialize Bulloxers with other dogs and children quickly. She did not do the best around our cat as she believed she could play with her like a dog and did not appreciate being hissed at. She wanted our black cat to be her friend...but as soon as the cat felt treated Roxy's gangster stray past of dealing with colonies came out.
She believed all dogs were her friends and would sometimes get in trouble with dogs much smaller than her. She certainly did not know her size. She was also one of the best cuddlers one could have. Always begging to be as close to you as possible, on top of you even if you let her. She was also particularly gentle around toddlers and babies. She had a special spot in her heart for them and would gladly help them run around the backyard. In fact, once when she escaped our fence she was almost adopted by a family with a three-year-old. As a result, I would take her out to play with him for funsies.
Unfortunately, Roxy had a rough past before we got her. She was returned to the shelter four times before I had adopted her. Where she had fear of men with neckbeards, snapbacks, brooms, vacuums, mops, and the la chancla. She also had a tendency of destructive habits due to separation anxiety which included watery kaka, escaping her cage to chew up precious things that smelled of her owners, peeing pools, and eating her own kaka, to name a few. (Eating her own kaka was from her times in the shelter that allowed her the dogs there to lay in their own feces...and did not allow volunteers to assist in cleaning up after them...the dogs were up to their own devices...and she was not the only dog in the town with this issue.)
When under direct supervision she was fine, and even with destination training this was not enough to completely remove the issue. Even when play puzzles, rubber kongs, treats, crate training, CBD treats, and another calmer dog were introduced...
One day when left in the yard...she had gotten a hold of our other dogs small stuffed bear. She had swallowed it whole...and while we were able to undergo surgery there were further complications down the line. Where she had shown signs of internal bleeding, and another blockage another time...
When given the option to surrender her, it was out of the question knowing that another owner would likely not put up with the challenges and trauma she had. Also knowing that would have full rights to euthanize her if and when someone would not pay the hefty fees associated with the return investments of another surgery/adoption fees. Or to have her wonder where the only person who cared for her in that compacity would of abandoned her...having seen many returned depressed dogs at the shelter I had worked at refuse to eat, in their own waste, crying in a corner...
I wish I could have done more for her, but I rather chose to break my heart instead of hers...I held her as she passed sleeping and snoring so calmly in my arms.
I will never forget her, will always honor her, and love her beyond this lifetime.
R.I.P My fur angel, baby Roxy Boxy girl. Mama loves you so much.
3 years, 6 months ago