The very recognisable, playful, clownish boxer is a popular family dog for both his high energy and his protective streak. His short face and athletic body make for a powerful-looking furry friend, but his owners can attest to his funny side.
Boxers are excellent all-rounders as family dogs, service dogs and competitive dogs, but they do need lots of socialisation and training to bring out their best qualities.
Descended from the ancient Molossian mastiffs, the German bullenbeisser (‘bull biter’) was a tough, strong fighting breed that worked for centuries as a hunter, defender and herder. In the 19th century, the bullenbeisser was crossed with the English bulldog, among other mastiffs, and early boxers began to emerge. Three German breeders – Friedrich Robert, R. Höpner and Elard König – helped to standardise the boxer as a breed and introduce it to shows before the Deutscher Boxer Club was established in 1896. The boxer breed standard was published in the early 20th century and not much has changed about that original document.
Boxers were introduced to the rest of Europe and the USA at the turn of the 20th century, where they performed well in shows. Despite being a valuable show breed, boxers were conscripted as working dogs during both world wars, but it was only after World War II, when soldiers took these dogs home, that boxers became popular as a very versatile breed. Since the mid-1950s, the boxer has remained one of the most popular family dogs.
Boxers are used as police and service dogs, cattle herders, champion athletes, and protectors, but they have also become valuable companion dogs for individual owners and families.
The boxer is a confident, self-assured breed that is watchful and alert. His big, dark eyes and crinkled forehead give him the appearance of being constantly curious, though he can appear quite intimidating when approaching strangers of whom he is a bit wary. His athletic build and tall stance give the boxer a graceful and dignified appearance, but that all goes out the window as soon as his clownish antics begin.
Incredibly loyal, the boxer lives for his family’s safety and wellbeing, and since laughter is the best medicine, this funny furry friend thrives on high-energy play and goofiness. He is silly and playful and loves to have fun, but he is also a patient friend and protector.
Boxers are prone to certain cancers, which account for almost 40% of all boxer deaths. They also run the risk for heart conditions (aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy) as well as hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, allergies, myelopathy and bloat (gastric dilatation volvulus). Boxers are also prone to demodectic mange and eye ulcers (indolent corneal ulcers).
Boxers’ short muzzles mean they are classified as brachycephalic – their airways are thus also shorter, so they struggle to cool themselves down in high heat and humidity. Care must be taken to help boxers regulate their body temperature in weather extremes.
Boxers’ high energy and keen intelligence mean they can be easily trained, but their playfulness and curiosity make repetitive training boring to them. Owners will succeed with training if they keep it interesting and provide problems to solve and give high-energy rewards like lots of enthusiastic praise and yummy treats.
Boxer puppies should receive plenty of varied socialisation from a young age and they should be consistently exposed to many different people, places, situations and other animals in order to learn how to fit in. Boxers aren’t necessarily aggressive, but they need to be taught to accept other dogs and to be calm around strangers.
Boxers have one of the longest puppyhoods of all dog breeds – only really maturing at around three years of age. This means there’s lots of time to cement his training, but it also means dealing with a boisterous, playful, strong, funny clown-dog in that time.
The boxer’s coat is short and shiny and easy to maintain in a brilliant condition. A grooming glove or short-bristled brush will work wonders when applied once or twice a week, but he does shed quite a bit, so regular glove-grooming helps to remove the dead hair and keep him in good shape. He only needs an occasional bath to keeping him smelling fresh.
Regular nail trimming and teeth brushing are a must for his health.
| Size | Large |
|---|---|
| Type | Working group |
| Average adult weight | 32 kg |
| Average adult height | 55 cm |
| Average life span | 11 years |
| Breed family | |
| Area of origin | Germany |
