Boxers

People who love Boxers are among the most loyal of any breed-lovers. They may start with a Boxer in their bed as a child, keep a Boxer protector when they have their own family, and spend their golden years with a Boxer helping them around the house. Boxers are chameleons in their ability to be any dog to any person: playmate, protector, entertainer, service dog, and of course, snuggler. Just give them a job and they’ll get it done. They’re also a handsome breed, male or female, with a body-builder physique that looks as though it were sculpted in stone. Like any fashion-plate, Boxers always get attention wherever they go.

The Boxer physique is a combination of ruggedness and elegance. The legs are well angulated and the topline straight and slightly sloping towards the rear, giving the appearance that they are ready to spring into action. The body is square-proportioned with medium-substance and abundant muscling, giving them the appearance of a middleweight boxer (the human kind)! In motion, their stride is easy and flowing, covering a lot of ground with little effort; again, giving the impression of an athlete in action as its muscles ripple beneath its close, body-hugging coat. The head is brachycephalic, wide with a short muzzle, upturned nose, undershot jaw, and somewhat pendulous lips. The forehead is slightly wrinkled when the dog is alert. In countries where it is allowed, the ears are customarily cropped to be long and tapering, and the tail docked. Left uncropped, the ears are of medium length and pendulous. The tail is carried high regardless of length. The Boxer breed has a limited color palette, being either fawn or brindle, both with or without white flashing or black mask. White Boxers are also often seen however they are disqualified from American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation competition but can compete in every other venue. The American Boxer Club breed standard requires its members to only place white Boxers with Limited Registration papers, which does not allow them to be bred, but does allow them to compete in any sport but conformation.

Boxers make wonderful family members. They are gentle and playful with children, and can serve a role as playmate or, if needed, protector. They are courageous partners in adventure for adults. They are loving and intuitive companions for the elderly. They can be trained to perform many tasks, and have worked as emotional support and therapy dogs. Boxers are high-energy dogs that are very playful and demonstrative. Expect to be greeted every morning with an eager invitation to play fetch or go for a run, and to spend every evening with a Boxer curled beside you—or on you—on the couch. They are tactile dogs that seem to prefer to always be touching you. Boxers were bred to face off against bulls and hogs. Later, they were the first breed used by the German police as a police dog. They’ve also been used as military dogs. So, they are naturally protective and courageous and can make great guard dogs. Well socialized Boxers tend not to be aggressive toward people unless provoked, but they likely will not back down from what they deem a threatening person or animal.

Boxers were the first breed chosen as German police dogs, and later they served as military dogs. Serving in these jobs required dogs that could learn complicated tasks and perform them under duress. Today’s Boxers can similarly rise to the occasion, and have attained the highest honors in obedience, agility, and rally. Boxers do have both a stubborn and an independent streak, and more often than not will win a war of wills. But they like to play so much that their minds can be changed with the promise of a game of catch or tug. In fact, many trainers find toy rewards work even better than food when it comes to training Boxers. Dog owners should always use positive reinforcement, which involves rewarding the behaviors you’d like to see more of in your dog.

According to DNA, the Boxer is in the Mastiff family, with the (English) Bulldog as their closest relative, followed by the Dogue de Bordeaux. They are members of the American Kennel Club (AKC) working group. The Boxer’s ancestors were now-extinct breeds that hunted wild boar and other large game, hanging on to the game until the hunter arrived. The Boxer has strong jaws, and their nose is recessed so they can breathe while hanging on. These dogs were eventually crossed with bull-baiting dogs, terriers, and Bulldogs to create an agile, tough dog that could handle fractious livestock. By 1895 the Boxer was born. Nobody can agree on where the name came from. Some contend it came from the dog standing on its hind legs and “boxing” with its front legs, but that’s unlikely. The Boxer was used as a police and military dog in Germany. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the Boxer in the early 1904, but it only started to get popular in the United States in the 1940s. Now, they are one of the most popular dog breeds. Owners have included Humphrey Bogart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rocky Marciano, Pablo Picasso, Sylvester Stallone, Justin Timberlake, George Clooney, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.