Naturally reared Boxers in Southeast Michigan
Preserving
the past
Preparing
the present
Protecting
the future
Preserving
the past
Preparing
the present
Protecting
the future
About Us
Newcastle Boxers is a small kennel in the metro Detroit area, owned and run by Jennifer and Jeremy Walker. Our first litter was born on 9-9-99 — an auspicious date — from which came our first AKC champion. In the intervening two decades, we’ve had a handful more litters, a few more champions, and our Boxer family has included dogs titled in performance and sport events, including the world’s first parkour-titled Boxer (IDPKA and ADP).
Jer grew up with a Boxer and there was no question for him that we’d have a Boxer of our own. I was a little hesitant, not having had a dog as a child (my sister was allergic), but it didn’t take more than a few minutes with our first Boxer puppy for me to fall completely in love with the breed. Boxers are smart, funny, and have a joie de vivre that endears them to anyone who has had the pleasure to know them.
Why “Newcastle”?
Our kennel name has a dual meaning for us. My grandfather was born at Newcastle up Tyne in northeast England, and he and my grandmother were a major source of support in my life. As well, our friend and mentor, Ginger Johnson, uses Cameliard as a kennel name; Cameliard was the castle city of Guenevere’s father in Arthurian legend, and we felt it appropriate to carry on her lines in our “new castle”. We could think of no better tribute to thank them for their love, support, and guidance over the years.
Keep your vitality. A life without health is like a river without water.
~ Maxime Legacé
Our Philosophy
At Newcastle, we strive for good health and temperament while aiming for quality. We breed to the AKC Boxer Standard, as well as to our own idea of the “perfect Boxer”. We believe that the Boxer is a versatile, all-around working dog that can succeed at just about anything, given the opportunity. We participate in conformation shows, performance and instinct events, and dog sports as a way to evaluate our dogs’ structural and temperamental strengths and weaknesses. We discuss, debate, and consult with other breeders to ensure our vision stays focused, and we screen our dogs for the health conditions commonly found in the breed. The information we gain allows us to make educated decisions about improving on our dogs and preserving the breed as a whole. This is how we aspire to produce dogs of superior quality….dogs that possess vibrant good health, correct structure, above-average longevity and proper, stable temperaments.
Why Natural Rearing?
It is our belief that some modern veterinary practices, including over-vaccination and feeding highly processed dry dog food, have contributed greatly to the decreased health and longevity of our breed. Cancer, allergies, thyroid and autoimmune problems in dogs which were almost unheard of 60 years ago are commonplace today. With this in mind, we take a holistic approach to our rearing philosophy, and endeavor to provide our dogs with every chance to achieve optimal health. This includes feeding a species-appropriate raw diet; optimizing the administration of vaccinations, parasite control chemicals, and medications; providing fresh, clean water; maintaining an open and honest relationship with our dogs; and ensuring adequate exercise, fresh air, and sunshine. We believe that each of these things influence our dogs’ state of health fully as much as their genetic constitution.