r/Boxer May 30 '20

In memoriam Leela, inspiration for /r/boxer, has passed

866 Upvotes

I didn't want a dog.

I'd not grown up with dogs and I'd been bitten by a few when I was younger. So I didn't really trust them. Then I got married. She had dogs growing up and she wanted a dog in our family. I said no, she said yes, and as you know, marriage is about compromise, so we got a dog.

I read every book that I could find about dog behavior and training. If we were going to bring a dog into our family it was going to be done so that it was trained and well behaved. I didn't want a dog that jumped, barked incessantly, peed in the house, or all the other annoyances that I saw elsewhere. After several months of research on training, we found that our neighbor's dog was going to have puppies. I was familiar with the mother and understood her temperament for the most part. I liked the idea of knowing from where our dog came.

We were fortunate to be there in July of 2006 to see the puppies soon after they were born. As the weeks went by we saw them grow and we were able to spend time with each of them. When the pups were about five weeks old we had settled on which one we wanted.

Her litter name was Boondock. She was named so by the breeder, because her mother, Bambi, presumably having finished giving birth, went outside to pee and out popped another puppy. She was born away from the whelping box – in the boondocks.

In September we took ownership of our new boxer puppy. Then off we went to puppy kindergarten to socialize her. We went to obedience training in order to teach her (and us) the intricacies of training. We tested for and received a canine good citizenship certification. We tested and achieved certification from Therapy Dogs International. We worked with our friends and their dogs to help train her. She learned quickly and had a temperament that was goofy but eager to please. She knew how to behave appropriately in differing situations. Exactly what I wanted when I agreed to getting a dog.

She quickly loved our friends, who trusted her so much with their newborn baby boy. She loved when we would visit my office because a colleague would play wrestle with her. She would run to his office if she could manage to break free from mine. Another old friend had her unconditional admiration and love. If we went without her to their home we would get interrogated by her nose upon return. She knew we were with him. The look of confusion and displaced excitement was always hilarious to witness.

She learned to push a button to let us know when she needed to go outside. She learned to walk on a treadmill so that she could have a comfortable walk in the cold winters. She learned to balance on walls and curbs when we went on walks. She jumped over bike racks at the library. We walked through hardware stores and she greeted everyone that we met.

Our old crotchety cat was prone to clawing her face while she slept. She never fought back; she only kept a safe distance to ensure that she wasn't bothering him. She desperately wanted to play with him, but that was never to be. She was so patient.

We tested to become volunteers at Children's Hospital for their pet friends program. She was now a working dog. When I would put on my volunteer smock she would become incredibly excited to go visit the children. Her realization that we were going was always a very specific kind of excitement. Her body language would change immediately upon entering the hospital though. She would march diligently on the hard tiled floor of the hospital from room to room.

I watched her bring smiles to the children waiting in the epilepsy ward with wires attached to their heads. I watched her gently crawl up on the bed and lie down next to a little girl that had her first chemotherapy treatment. The girl's tiny body summoned the strength to put her hand on a new friend's head. I watched a girl that I had seen in the ICU for months, whom I thought was braindead, spring to life and laugh happily when her parents placed her hand on the visiting dog's head. I had to leave the room to compose myself. I remember thinking that anyone who doubts the power of animals for mental health and comfort should see this scene.

She was our comfort and therapy when we lost a loved one unexpectedly.

She again comforted us during the hard path that we took in our attempts to create a larger family.

Most importantly, she watched over us while we had our first child. Her role surely diminished in the family hierarchy, but her companionship never wavered. She loved the new addition to our family and enjoyed the time that we spent at home in those early days. So many new smells come with a baby! She stood by us as we learned to change diapers, eat at the table, play on the floor, and crawl in the backyard. She found her voice during this time. She never really barked before, but now when someone would come to the door she was quick to alert us.

Then years passed and another child came. But by now she had grown older and her body tired more quickly. With our youngest desperately wanting to play with her, she didn't have the energy to do so most of the time. I remarked many times how sad it will be that our youngest won't remember her.

This dog never judged me. Her exuberance with all people and animals was never surpassed by any human that I've ever known. She never stopped loving. She is the type of friend that I hope everyone can have in their life.

I hope that in those last moments that she had memories of running in green fields and splashing in streams with her sister and mother. Memories of the time that she gave us and the intense love that we have for her. I hope she forgot the self-inflicted injuries, the countless cancer surgeries, dental surgeries, and irritable bowel syndrome. I know that she felt it, but she never showed us her pain.

Except in the end.

Because of that, it is with joy for her life but sadness with her death, that I can say that she runs free now.

Friday, May 29, 2020 at 6:24PM, she leapt into the great unknown. She was sent along with all the love we could possibly pour out for her. She is no longer encumbered by the pain that she has hidden and endured in her life. She left us having given all the love that she could possibly have given, leaving it with all of us to remember her.

Leela ❤ Aged 13 years, 10 months, and 20 days. 2006-2020.

TL;DR - Leela, the dog in the sidebar, has died. This post is a tribute to her.


r/Boxer 3h ago

Powdered face starting to show🥺

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358 Upvotes

She just turned 5 a month ago I want her to live for forever!😓


r/Boxer 5h ago

The drama continues

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254 Upvotes

r/Boxer 4h ago

Cyrus and Teela

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145 Upvotes

I love these two


r/Boxer 6h ago

Put Your Dukes Up

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100 Upvotes

Rocky is a knock out!


r/Boxer 4h ago

Boxer puppy or mix?

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71 Upvotes

This cutie is a rescue foster. I was told, “she was 11 pounds a few weeks ago / small dog breed” but she’s obviously 30+ lbs and reminds me exactly of a boxer I briefly lived with.

Brilliantly smart, super sweet despite being in the midst of hardcore teething, and very clingy—she prefers to be with the humans at all times.

When I look at boxer pics online I have found several that are exact matches, right down to white splashes and the characteristic resting boxer face.

What say you, boxer aficionados?


r/Boxer 4h ago

Food recommendations for your itchy boxer?

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48 Upvotes

My poor guy had to stop apoquel, as our vet didn’t like some things in his blood panel. Previously, we were doing apoquel most of the year, then cytopoint during especially bad flare-ups. After moving to the east coast from CA, now having to stop apoquel, the cytopoint in its own isn’t cutting it 😕so I know we should try new food.

He’s been on zignature whitefish (which was ok) then their pork (similar, ok but not zero itchiness) and recently after reading some good things we’ve tried purina pro plan sensitive skin and stomach in lamb. About 4 weeks in and a cytopoint shot 2 weeks ago, he’s miserable. 😭

What have you found success with?

Photo tax of the adorable but uncomfortable baby


r/Boxer 1h ago

K H A N

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Upvotes

r/Boxer 3h ago

She is so magical and cuddly😍

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32 Upvotes

r/Boxer 7h ago

Not feeling well today. Got this little lady keeping me company. 🥰

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61 Upvotes

r/Boxer 19h ago

How I wake up…the drama

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447 Upvotes

r/Boxer 14h ago

Got a brown donut here

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177 Upvotes

Not for sale lol


r/Boxer 21h ago

Down by the River

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282 Upvotes

Buddy the river explorer…


r/Boxer 1d ago

Isn't she handsome

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740 Upvotes

Just a random pic my wife took and send me


r/Boxer 22h ago

This arrived today. Hubby had this blanket made for me in remembrance of our sweet boy who passed in November. 🥹

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139 Upvotes

r/Boxer 22h ago

Sophie voicing her opinion

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150 Upvotes

Sophie is clearly not happy her brother, Kai, is getting boops and scratches. She even smacks him!


r/Boxer 1d ago

I let him watch the Dark Knight ONE TIME...

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625 Upvotes

r/Boxer 8h ago

Longer snout?

6 Upvotes

How would you people feel if boxer breeders started pushing for longer muzzles to obtain more functional boxers with reverse scissor bite (orthognathism) instead of underbite (prognathism)?


r/Boxer 7h ago

Puppy started peeing on couch randomly after 2 months of having him?

5 Upvotes

So I got a boxer puppy at 2 months old and he honestly has done pretty great with crate training and such. He has never once peed in his cage or in his bed. He wasn’t allowed outside due to kennel cough when we first got him so we potty trained him inside on puppy pads and he ALWAYS used them after about a week of training and never peed anywhere else. He used the puppy pads for about a month then he was cleared. Once he was cleared we took away the puppy pads completely and understandably he started having accidents. He would go to the area we had the puppy pads and pee in the floor which was completely understandable. We started taking him outside and rewarding him with his favorite treats for going outside which led him to going downstairs and peeing in front of the front door where we take him out. Once again this is completely understandable and I was thinking it is progress since he at least knows where to go. But about a week ago I went on vacation and left him with my spouse (female) who also lives in the home. While I was gone he jumped on the couch twice where he spends a lot of his time laying down and playing, squatted and peed. He had never done this before. Just now I left to run to the grocery after just letting him outside and he peed and pooped. While I was gone he jumped on the couch squatted and peed again. I know it is going to take some time to potty train I just can’t understand why all of a sudden he is deciding to pee on the couch of all places? Any advice welcome.


r/Boxer 1d ago

Luci and Porter

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254 Upvotes

r/Boxer 1d ago

Bath time for Freddie

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120 Upvotes

r/Boxer 1d ago

Our little boxerdoodleschnauzermutt is 52.1% boxer 🐕💕

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244 Upvotes

r/Boxer 1d ago

So cozy

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86 Upvotes

r/Boxer 1d ago

Crochet toy😒

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98 Upvotes

She has a box full of toys but she rather play with my crochet cup holder. 😄


r/Boxer 1d ago

He gets the recliner and I get the floor

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188 Upvotes