When purchasing an adult dog, there are several things that you need to be aware of.
Take the dog to the vet within 48 hours of receiving the dog. Sometimes there may be an issue that no one would be aware of except a vet thru an examination. Breeders may not be aware of an issue because the dog does not show any signs of one. Most breeders are not vets. After the vet exam, you can no longer come back on the breeder or the person who you received the dog from on health issues because it is not known where the dog has been to pick up a virus or anything else that may be causing an issue. This is part of being a responsible dog owner. Some vets may say the health issues are from the breeder even though the dog has been absent from the breeder's property for several weeks or months. If there is such an issue, have your vet contact the breeder's vet, if they have one, to find out more history on the dog.
Adult dogs have had time to have scrapes, cuts, scars, growths, chipped or broken teeth, scar tissue in the ears and etc. You are accepting the responsibility of a pre-owned, imperfect dog. Some may say, "As Is". This is part of the "Responsibile Dog Ownership".
Purchasing and caring for a dog is a responsibility, just like caring for children. Some issues are not seen in babies or children until they are examine by a doctor.
Adult dogs that have been neutered or spayed (as adults) may not lose those hormones for several months, at worst case, if ever. The boys may still lift their leg to urinate. They can be trained not to lift their leg. Check with some of the boxer rescue centers, as they get all types of situations with boxers. They have been very successful on teaching the boys not to urinate where they shouldn't and not lifting the leg. Check with the rescue place and get some advice if your dog has this issue. Also, keep in mind that even with a dog on heartworm meds, some dogs need to be wormed twice a month. But, the time isn't with heartworm meds.
If you were to purchase or adopt a dog from a shelter, you do pay some fees. You are expected to be a responsible pet owner. If a few weeks or months pass and your dog gets sick or may have other health issues, don't expect the shelter to reimburse you. They won't. The breeder is no different. They will not reimburse you for vet expenses. When you purchase the dog, he/she is your responsibility. If returning a dog, there are no refunds either.
If you request a health certificate, we can give you a discount on the fee and a copy.
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