Jeff,
Prayers for you and your fur baby....we are nuts about our boxer and Frank's sister next door has a wiener dog...that girl is going on 24 years, been recently hit by a car (last year), she lived through it and still agile as ever!
Keep your hopes up, I think they are a very strong willed breed (and extremely adorable)!!
P.S. I never seen one with that brindle mahogany red color...they are so sweet!!