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 My first encounter with a Boxer was as a child. She was the family pet of our best friends. When our families got together the parents went off and Miss Priscilla (as she was called) stepped in to babysit and serve as playmate. I remember back then thinking, "When I get old enough I am going to have a Boxer." Who knew it would take nearly 10 years to fulfill that dream?  From grade school to college my childhood companion was Pinker, a pointer-hound mix who went everywhere with me. It wasn't until her passing at 13 years that my dream of owning a Boxer came true. Petey, my first boxer, wasn't show quality but what a companion for 12 wonderful years! Because of her I learned what a quality boxer was and invested in two boxers tightly linebred out of US champion bloodlines. Little did I know their temperament and health issues would cause me to lose them both at 5 years old at a time when we were becoming the best of friends. I was devasted! I told myself "No more boxers!"  My work for Johnny Cash took me around the world to many places where you guessed it…I met boxers. During this time I visited England and later was fortunate enough to live there for a year or so. There I met Rick Richardson, Riccibet Kennels, who introduced me to the type of boxer I remembered as a child - a beautiful dog with a wonderful temperament. I fell in love with the breed all over again, and I knew when I returned to the United States I had to bring this home with me! I knew I wasn't the only one who had experienced this kind of devastation and I was determined to do something about it. Through my friend, Rick, I was introduced to Sue Harvey of Faerdorn Kennels. It was through Sue that I found my truest friend, my boy, Jammer. It wasn't until I'd made my third 3-hour train ride from London to The Kennels and done a fair bit of talking that I convinced Sue to sell Jammer since she had planned to keep him herself! So off Jammer and I went in Rick's truck only to hit heavy traffic on the A1. We decided the train was a better option and soon arrived at London's Victoria Station. Then to the underground to High Street Kensington, transferred to a double decker bus and walked the rest of the way to our flat. Here's this 8-week-old pup in my arms with no kennel taking every unexpected turn in stride. What a perfect example of Jammer's temperament and the beginning of Global Boxers! Since that time, I've had the privilege to import eleven British boxers as well as three Italian boxers from dell Colle del'Infintito Kennels. I believe that through the blending of UK, Continental and North American lines, we can once again regain that which we have lost in some of our boxers - the dog that Frau Stockman envisioned: a dog of sound conformation…especially good bone, correct head and stable temperament! It is in the area of temperament that I feel these imported dogs can be of great benefit. Copyright © 2003 |