The Boxer.

The Boxer is a compact and powerful breed. They have a short muzzle and distinct face that cannot be missed. Naturally, their ears are set high and straight, but today that is rare. They have a very muscular body and are come in colours of fawn, brindle, black, mahogany and often white markings. They can also come in a white coat though some clubs won’t allow pure white boxers to be registered.

The Boxer originated in Germany in the 19th Century, they were developed by breeding two German mastiff dogs, the Bullenbeiszer and the Barenbeiszer. At a later time they were crossed with very powerful ancestors of the Bulldog and Mastiff. During this time the Boxer was used for cart pulling, dog fighting, bull baiting and also to round up livestock or pin down pray until the hunters could arrive. Later on they were popular as theatre and circus dogs. They are great as watchdogs, guarders, search and rescue and police work.
The breed standard was never really set until the first studbook started in 1904, before this time the Boxer’s carried in appearance and size. Their name is believed to have come from the way they use their front legs, they appear to ‘box’ with them as they bat with their front legs.
Today, there are two breeds of Boxer; the German Boxer and American Boxer with the German having a larger head and generally a more muscular body.

Today, the Boxer makes a great family pet for an energetic house hold. They are a very happy breed of dog, high spirited and very intelligent. Their eagerness to please makes them very easy to train. They are an extremely loyal and affectionate mate who bones very closely with their family; they are also great with kids. With plenty of socialisation and the right training they will happily get along with other house hold pets too.
They can be a very entertaining pet, bursting with personality they bring a lot of happiness to an environment. They will be very welcoming to known visitors but can be stand offish and protective of their family with strangers.
The Boxer needs a strong, calm leader who will set the rules. They require a lot of human leadership and without this can become destructive and a very unhappy dog. Although we enjoy the thought of our dogs doing as they please, this isn’t a healthy state of mind for a dog and Boxer, especially, cannot live a happy, balanced life without rules.

Being an athletic dog they need daily exercise. Not only will this help to keep them fit, it will help their very smart minds to keep busy. Lack of stimulation will again result in destructive behaviour and a dog that won’t listen. Long, daily runs are ideal and any form of mental stimulation is great, they will enjoy fetch and toy games. Grooming is simple with their short coat and some Boxers have been known to clean themselves, similar to a cat.

The breed is prone to skin allergies and from the age of 8 onwards is more likely to get tumours more than other breeds. Arthritis and hip dysplasia are also common so a good understanding of your dog’s capability as they age is essential. The Boxer will make the perfect addition the right family, with a firm yet confident owner and a family with a good knowledge of the breed and the time to exercise and stimulate their pooch.

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