- Give an occasional yogurt treat - Ask your vet about giving Boxers calcium tablets as they could have some problems later on in life!

- Keep him comfortable so his immune system can remain strong.

- Boxers are shorthaired and sensitive to extreme elements of weather and thus must be kept a housedog. His shortened muzzle also makes hot and humid weather uncomfortable for him.

- Give Boxers lots of exercise and regularly.

- Remember that he is a big and strong breed and requires physical outlets for his boundless energy and high play/prey drive.

- Walk them three times a day or have play sessions. Provide plenty of space for them to bounce around. You want to keep their spirit up and not break it or they won´t be dogs you fall in love with in first place. Healthy and happy Boxers are a joy to live with.

- Make a breeder your friend.

- Keep in touch with breeder who sold you Boxer. The breeder can advise you about care and health matters that are unique to breed. Any Boxer breeder, for that matter, can be an invaluable ally to you throughout your Boxer's life.

- Guard your Boxer from fleas.

- Your Boxer has fleas if you find black specks in fur or fleabite marks on skin. A tip given by an owner is to give your Boxer garlic daily to prevent fleas.

- Boxers catch fleas from other animals. It is an every day problem that, at some time or another, you can expect to encounter in your Boxer.

- The fleas only go to Boxer to feed on its blood.

- Fleas mostly live and multiply in your home. The comfortable living - central heating, double-glazing and, best of all, fitted carpet - we create for ourselves and our Boxers also work best for fleas.

- De-worm your puppy every month and your adult Boxer, every six months.

-Worms Worms is another everyday problem in Boxers but puppy is more likely to get sick from worms than grown up Boxer.

The sick one would lose weight and become weak, suffer from upset stomach, poor growth, listlessness or even lung trouble.

They may impede your puppy´s growth and cause him to have a potbelly or be thin and have a shoddy-looking coat.

There were times when my other 'children' would sneak out of our yard and there at door, would be my Max tattle-taling on others' sneaky escapades. He was Alpha dog of pack and would quickly let others know exactly that - when they had gotten out of line.

To me, Max gave illusion of immorality. He wasn't poster dog of health, as he had always had seizures from time he was a pup; but he was a survivor. And I guess seeing that he had never succumbed to effects of this sometimes horrible condition, I wanted to believe that he could survive just about anything.

One of his negative sides was that he was a constant protector. Very territorial, he demanded utter respect of 'intruders,' and many times, we had to send him to my bedroom to keep his overzealous attitude from harming our guests. But he never complained. A matter of fact, he enjoyed his tranquil moments lounging on my bed away from rest of pack.

Sometimes, Max would lay across room and admire me with his tiny, cherry eyes. Being Sharpei he was, he never lacked gratitude or devotion to me.

His reprisal of water made him a funny candidate at bathtime or on wet, soggy days. He would literally tip-toe like a ballerina across rain-soaked lawn in hopes of diminishing his contact with wetness; and when bathtime came around, he would make himself as stiff as an ironing board as to avoid being carried to 'dreadful' tub. But once he was lathered in soapy suds, Max would tolerate his wash like humble soldier he was.

In retrospect, I wouldn't have traded him for world. Though he sometimes acted like a hyperactive child, his otherwise loving disposition conquered most thoughts of anxiety.

When I noticed Max having difficulty staying on his feet, I didn't want to accept that he was deathly ill. It just couldn't be. He had been healthy just a few days prior. We'd always made certain he had his routine vaccinations, heartworm preventatives, healthy dog food, and periodic checkups. Another sign of his sickness was that he would pull his face together in a grimace. I'd never seen Max pull a grimace, and then when he couldn't lie down due to pain in his rapidly swelling stomach, I knew it was time to take him to vet.