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Here we have compiled extensive information about this wonderful breed.
About the Breed
In the 1880s George Alt, who lived near Munich, created a new working dog by crossing a Bullenbeisser, a mastiff type dog that is now extinct, with an English Bulldog. The first dog to be considered a Boxer was a second generation of that mixture. The breed is one that combines power and agility. There is also a good head on the Boxer's working shoulders. They are so suited to doing man's biding that they are favored by police departments, military trainers and guide dog organizations. The first Boxer was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1904 but the first champion didn't finish until 1915. Boxers are now firmly fixed in the top twenty breeds. The breed was named Boxer because they strike out with their front paws when fighting.
Appearance
The boxer colors are fawn and brindle. Fawn shades vary from light tan to mahogany. The brindle ranges from sparse, but clearly defined black stripes on a fawn background, to such a heavy concentration of black striping that the essential fawn background color barely shows through. The ears are usually cropped in the US and are carried erect. (However, the natural look is much cuter and more cuddly!) The tail is docked in the US and is carried high. The height ranges from 21 to 25 inches (at shoulder) and weight ranges from 66 to 70 pounds.
You can see in the images below the widely varying looks of a Boxer, including color variations and how they look with and without their ears and tails cropped ...
Personality
Boxers are wonderful dogs. In general they are great with children, people, and other animals. Instinctively a 'hearing' guard dog, the boxer's bearing is alert, dignified and self-assured. With family and friends, his temperament is fundamentally playful, yet patient and stoical with children. Deliberate and wary with strangers, they will exhibit curiosity but, most importantly, fearless courage if threatened. However, they respond promptly to friendly overtures honestly rendered. Their intelligence, loyal affection and tractability to discipline make them highly desirable companions.
Care
The Boxer needs exercise and play to stay in shape and satisfy his nature. His short, hard coat does shed and needs some grooming with a soft brush. His coat's natural sheen can be enhanced with occasional rubdowns with a chamois cloth. His short coat all but requires that he be a house dog in cool or cold climates, and his shortened muzzle makes hot humid weather uncomfortable for him.
Health
The Boxer, as are many other breeds, is susceptible to several potential health problems, including hip dysplasia, bloat, aortic stenosis (a heart ailment), digestive problems, hypothyroidism, and cancerous and benign tumors.
Training This Breed
We've devoted a whole section to the proper training of your Boxer, so please click here to visit that page - Training
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