Right. Well. I did get a response from the Boxer Breed Council. But it's pretty much as I expected. The Kennel Club can't force breeders to get Boxers checked for heart defects like aortic stenosis. Some breeders do. And some breeders lie. Some hope it won't happen to them.
And none of that helps us make a decision about which adorable puppy to buy. So you take your chances and hope for the best.
I've taken the decision to go public with the information I have on the pedigrees of my two Boxers (one deceased from aortic stenosis), in the hope that other people will be able to avoid these breeders and pedigrees when choosing a Boxer puppy in the south of England (Surrey/Sussex/Hampshire).
My approach is not endorsed by the Kennel Club or the the Boxer Breed Council. I have not had a response from the breeder of my 6mo puppy, Zozi. I did get a response from the breeder of the dog (Themba) now deceased, who offered to take the dog back and destroy him. Themba lived a short but happy life with us.
I would welcome feedback from other Boxer dog owners about their experiences with aortic stenosis, particularly in Boxers with the same pedigree as either of my two. Please help to collect data on the incidence of aortic stenosis in Boxer dogs, because only by collecting this information, can we be sure that aortic stenosis is bred out of the Boxer gene pool.
Tyegarth Tololo (Themba b. s29/06/2007 d. 01/09/2012)
WidleyLodge The Hobbitt (Zozi the puppy b. 21/11/2012
You can read Themba's story here.