Buster the boxer – the trampoline-loving star of the John Lewis Christmas advert – has sparked a huge interest in the breed, a charity has said.
Searches for the breed on the Kennel Club’s Find A Puppy website skyrocketed 160% on the day following the commercial’s release, it said.
Mischievous Buster — the most famous Boxer since one was caught blasting a car horn in Broughty Ferry — is shown in the film bounding on to the trampoline before a young girl can run to it on Christmas morning – despite it being intended as a present for her.
But the charity warned that a dog should be chosen with care – and not simply in response to a festive fad.
A rescue service for the breed also voiced concerns that they would be “inundated” with abandoned dogs after people lose interest in their new pet.
Boxers’ tendency to drool and make a mess while they are eating were cited as reasons that owning one could quickly deplete any residual Christmas cheer.
Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko said: “We have seen unprecedented levels of interest in the boxer dog breed since the John Lewis advert was aired, whereas interest in other breeds during the same time has stayed relatively static.
She added: “While the John Lewis advert perfectly depicts the boxer’s playful and endearing nature, no advert can give a fully rounded picture of what any dog breed is like, so it is essential that people do their research if they are looking to get a dog.”
In the five days following the advert’s first appearance on TV screens, searches more than doubled, rising from 469 on November 9 to 1220 on November 10. Searches peaked at 1511 on November 13.
During the same period, searches for all breeds only rose by a more modest 4%.
Betty Hoad, of the Southern Boxer Rescue Service, said: “Boxers are absolutely wonderful characters but we fear being inundated next year, after the interest the John Lewis advert has generated in the breed.
“We saw lots of boxers called George coming into us after the Colman’s Mustard ad featuring a boxer, so we know it happens.”
