Germany
Hunting large game, bull baiting, and a guard dog.
Working
Bitch 53cm-59cm., Dog 57cm-63cm.
Bitch 25kg-27kg., Dog 30kg-32kg.
9-15 years
The Boxer needs twice daily exercise as they are energetic dogs. Due to their love for people, interactive games such as Frisbee or fetch ball, are an ideal form of exercise.
Must be fed smaller portions twice daily rather than one big meal to avoid bloat, as the Boxer is a deep-chested dog. The Boxer can suffer with a sensitive stomach so it is better to stick to a sensible diet and NO treats! As a young dog, the Boxer may appear thin but this is normal for the breed and overfeeding should be avoided.
The Boxer is generally a healthy dog. They can be susceptible to health problems such as heart conditions (Boxer Cardiomyopathy), Entropion, (a malformation of the eyelid) and allergies. Some people claim that white Boxers suffer from an increased risk of deafness due to their white gene, similar to Dalmatians, however we have been unable to find conclusive proof of this and until doing so, we regard this to be nothing more than a rumour.
The Boxer is a medium sized, well muscled dog. Its appearance should be one of sturdiness and strength. The head and muzzle are wrinkled which is what gives this dog its unique appearance. This dog is built to show energy and power. They have short coats of a fawn colour with white ‘flash’ markings. They can also be brindled but never all black. The fawn colouring ranges from light tan to reddish brown or mahogany, through to dark blond. This dog’s jaws are very strong with an exceptionally powerful bite. Traditionally this dog would have had a docked tail and cropped ears, though thankfully people are realising that the dog doesn’t need to be mutilated to be phenomenal looking creature. These procedures are now prohibited in many countries although the tail is still often docked. The head is in perfect proportion to the body and looks heavy and robust. The Boxer has a slight underbite. Approximately 25% of Boxers are born white.
Boxer Dog Breed Summary:
 Boxers are energetic and playful dogs but can be strong willed so early Boxer training is essential. They are an intelligent working dog and they do not respond well to harsh training methods. Positive reinforcement training such as reward based training or clicker training will have better results (as it does with ALL dogs).
The Boxer is late to mature and retains its puppy-like qualities until it is up to three years old, though many don't change significantly unlike some breeds upon maturity, retaining their typically Boxer puppy playful character for their entire life. Early socialising is vital to enable the Boxer to tolerate other dogs as they can be over-protective and domineering.
Only choose puppies from reputable breed lines as a poorly bred dog can be dangerous with recent mentions of serious aggression problems in some lines. Most boxers are great with children, especially the ones in their own household, but attention must be paid to the function of this dog (what it was bred for) and the fact that there are many poorly-bred ones.
Get a lot of information about the Boxer breed before owning one, and definitely plan to do lots of dog training because you will be, though the rewards are a fantastic animal which is both playful and safe around the home, but often extremely protective.
The Boxer dog will not see its family put in danger, and the postman should be given a dog-free garden to walk through!
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