The Boxer Rescue
Available BoxersAdoption Service Area
Please note, APPLICANTS MUST BE 21 YEARS OLD and MUST reside in MA, RI, NH, or CT.
Be sure the application is filled out in its entirety.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Get Ready To Snuggle
Our Adoptees
Meet George🐾 2 YRS 🐾 M
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting George today. What a gorgeous boy, with the most stunning eyes, and sweet demeanor.
George is estimated to be around 2 years old. No one knows because he came from that horrific Merrimac hoarding situation last summer. He was a boxer, with no name, frightened, and skin and bones.
He was adopted out by the shelter and has been with a family since early July, where he's gained some much needed weight and has slowly been learning to trust and be a dog.
Unfortunately, George is fighting with another resident boxer and things are getting increasingly harder to manage. It's not fair to either dog to need to be kept separate. It's no way to live.
George would crumble if he had to return to a shelter environment. He's come so far, and to bring him back, would break his little spirit.
We are hopeful that we can find George a family that will meet his needs and continue to help him on his journey to healing.
George loves his people. He is a professional leaner and stays close to those who care for him. He is accustomed to a work from home schedule and that has really aided in his progress. We'd love George to land in a work from home situation or perhaps with a retired human, so he can have lots of time to establish a bond and feel safe.
He is great in his crate. In fact, he prefers the crate over free roam. Too much space is scary for this gentle soul. He gets anxious. By keeping his world small, he feels content.
George is housebroken. He picked up on that pretty quickly, considering he was absolutely not housebroken when he was originally adopted out by the shelter.
If he's nervous, he may potty a little bit. But, it's only when he's very unsure or frightened. Given the hell he lived in, who can blame him for getting scared sometimes.
He's learning to walk on the leash and enjoy it. Baby steps, but he will get there, with time and patience. He's not a huge fan of the car, but he's had limited exposure to vehicles so it's understandable that he'd be unsure. Again, practice and positive experiences will help him along.
He loves his teenage human sister a lot. He could be placed in a home with kids 10ish and over.
George didn't ask for this life. He didn't ask to be treated like garbage, and used to make money for some scumbag backyard breeder. He didn't ask to be starved, neglected, mistreated, and unloved. For a boxer who has been through so much, his spirit shines brightly. He just needs a human or family willing to make sure his light doesn't dim. He's a work in progress.. a true, deserving, rescue boy.
If you would like to rewrite George's story and be his happily ever after, please reach out asap. We need to secure this boy a home so his current family can stop worrying about a fight happening between the dogs.
George is a keeper... he's simply awesome 
OTHER DOGS? No
CATS? No
KIDS? 10ish +
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Meet Rutger 🐾 3 YRS 🐾 M
Ruger - 3 years old
We are very lucky that Ruger landed in the foster spot that he did. His "dad" has very large breed experience, is confident, and has the time to devote to Ruger, to help him be the best version of himself.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to see this dog and not want to stop and meet him or ask questions about him. In fact, it happened while we were walking him around the local school this afternoon. A woman actually asked to pat him and take his photo to show her family. Ruger was happy to oblige.
His good looks are certainly his appeal... But it's important to remember that he is a very large dog, at over 100 lbs. Ruger isn't for everyone. He's one that, if placed in the wrong home, will find himself back in rescue. And we cannot have that happening to him.
Ruger is a working boy. He WANTS a job. He THRIVES when his mind and body are being challenged. He is not a boy that will be be happy simply laying on the couch all day. Long walks, ball playing, and positive based training MUST be a part of his every day routine. He is sooooo smart, so to deny him what he loves, would be downright cruel and would most certainly result in Ruger taking many steps in the wrong direction.
He needs a confident human to walk through life with. Don't let that marshmallow mush face fool ya... Give this boy an inch and he'll be talking the whole mile and running with it. Speaking of running, Ruger is FAST. He may be big boned, but he's got some get up and GOOOOOOOOOOOOO. That energy must be drained.
He walks well on leash, doesn't seem to be reactive to other dogs passing by, and just kind of takes it all in. He is crate trained, but is not left crated for long periods of time. A few hours here and there, and then it's back to "work" doing all the things that Ruger enjoys. He knows all of his commands and executes them well.
His foster dad is doing all he can to expose Ruger to the big wide world out there, that he wasn't exposed to prior to rescue. The little bubble that he lived in, did him no favors. At 3 years old, he has to learn to trust and feel confident in new situations, and his foster dad is excellent at exposing him to those new situations while making sure that Ruger feels safe. He's been to visit his senior friends at the Assisted Living Facility quite a few times, and he does very well. He rides great in the car and enjoys being with his human(s). He sleeps on his dog bed at night, is fully housebroken, and does not get on furniture.
Ruger's forever home is out there and we will find it. We wish we could clone his foster dad (and mom). Their structure, confidence, patience, and love is what he needed and will continue to need once he's adopted.
So, if you're big breed savvy, would love a boxer to bond with over positive training and exercise, don't mind an extra appendage with jowls for days, and you the have the time and patience to devote to Ruger, he could be your guy.
OTHER DOGS? No. Ruger was surrendered for fighting with the other resident dogs (resource guarding around food with them). We will not put him with other dogs, but he doesn't seem to have any reactivity to seeing them while out an about.
CATS? No
KIDS? We think he'd be best in an adult only home or maybe teens would be ok. He just has no history with littles.
FENCED in YARD? Most ideal BUT more importantly, Ruger needs actual physical exercise in the form of walks/training. A romp in the yard is not going to cut it.
TRAINING? Yep... His new human or family must love it as much as he does. It's his vibe and he's in his element when he's got stuff to do.
Additional Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Adoption Service Area
Please note, APPLICANTS MUST BE 21 YEARS OLD and MUST reside in MA, RI, NH, or CT. Be sure the application is filled out in its entirety. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Where do your boxers come from?
Many of our boxers are owner surrenders. Perhaps the owner purchased the dog on impulse, not understanding the needs of a boxer. Sometimes, financial situations change, and families are not able to care for the dog anymore. We also take dogs that have been brought to shelters around New England. If a shelter reaches out for help, we do our best to find placement for the boxer in need. Lastly, we have a wonderful relationship with boxer rescue in Puerto Rico, and we work closely with them to bring boxers in need, from the island, to New England. All of our boxers are temperament tested and evaluated before coming into rescue. It should be noted that ALL dogs require a decompression period when going to a new home. Even the sweetest, most loveable boxer experiences fear and confusion during transitional times and foster/adoptive homes need to be conscious and respectful of this.
Can I adopt a female dog if I already have a female dog?
The short answer is no. Our experience in placing dogs, has shown us that placing two females together is oftentimes not the best long term situation. We receive many calls from owners needing to surrender their female boxers because there is fighting with another female dog in the house. Sometimes it’s with another boxer and sometimes, it’s with another breed. Either way, the fighting is often brutal and bloody. We have adopted a policy to never place two female dogs in the same house.
Are your boxers healthy?
Before adoption, our dogs are healthy to the best of our vets’ knowledge. They are brought up to date on vaccines, tested for heartworm, and spayed or neutered (unless too young or not medically able to be). We also send our boxers with one month of heartworm and flea/tick prevention to get them started. Their vet records are provided upon adoption.
Do I need to have a fenced in yard to adopt a boxer?
We do not require a fenced in yard for all of our boxers. However, there are certain circumstances where a fence may be required and it will be noted in the boxer’s bio. We look at each dog, individually, and based on the needs of that dog, we may require fencing. Please note that we do not consider an electric fence to be a proper method of containment and are not able place a dog in a home that uses electric fencing.
Do you have a shelter where I can come meet the boxers?
We are not a shelter and do not have a physical location where you can meet our adoptees. Most boxers will stay with their owners or shelter until we can secure a foster or adoptive home for them. Our boxers from Puerto Rico, are flown here once we’ve secured homes for them.
What Are Your Adoption Fees?
Puppies – $450.00
Dogs – 6 months and older $400.00
Dogs – 7 years and older $200.00
Boxer Briefs
BOXERS WITH KIDS AND SENIORS:
Generally speaking, boxers have an affinity for children and for the elderly. Most can recognize the need to be more calm and gentle with certain people. However, some have no idea how big and strong they are and could accidentally knock over a small child or senior adult. Please consider ALL family members when looking to welcome a boxer into your home.