Boxer

Dog

Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, large-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic (they have broad, short skulls), and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism (an underbite), very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to large prey.

Boxers are silly, sweet and mischievous. They clown around with family and friends, are patient and playful with children, but show a deliberate and wary face to strangers, responding with unmatched courage to anything that threatens their loved ones. Those characteristics are why people love them.

He might have a worried look on his wrinkled face, but the Boxer isn't worried about being loved: he's one of most popular dogs in America. And that’s no surprise, since this is a joyful, loyal companion who truly bonds with his human family. A well-bred, well-socialized Boxer is friendly with children and people he knows, suspicious and alert but not aggressive with strangers, and always ready for a walk, a game or just some quality time on the sofa with you.

The Boxer is a wonderful choice for an owner who will train him consistently, firmly and fairly, and who can have a sense of humor about the dog's stubborn streak. This breed also needs plenty of exercise to keep his high spirits in check – the Boxer is a big dog and can do a lot of damage if he's bored or lonely.

He's willing and able to participate in almost any organized canine activity, including agility, obedience and flyball. While all dog-child play requires supervision, Boxers are generally good with children and make great family dogs.

The Boxer's face is unmistakable: wrinkled and worried-looking, the expression belied by his square jaw, noble head and jaunty walk. He's a big dog, weighing up to 70 pounds (sometimes more), with females being quite a bit smaller than males. His short coat sheds, but otherwise he’s an easy-care dog.

The Boxer comes in shades of tan and brindle, as well as white. There is considerable controversy surrounding the white Boxer, largely because for generations, breeders killed their white puppies instead of trying to find homes for them as pets. This is widely considered to be unacceptable now, and more white Boxers are becoming available for purchase and adoption.

White Boxers are not albinos and their coloration is not the result of a genetic mutation as it sometimes is in other breeds. In Boxers, white is just a color. Like most all-white animals, white Boxers are at increased risk of deafness, although only a small number of white Boxers will be deaf. There is no evidence that white Boxers have any other color-related health problems, nor is their color associated with any temperament issues.

White dogs tend to burn in the sun and may be at increased risk of skin cancer. (Sun block is recommended!)

White Boxers are not some rare variety of the breed that command a higher price. Around a quarter of all Boxer puppies born are white. Be very cautious when dealing with a breeder selling a white puppy as something unique that merits a higher price.

Other Quick Facts
Boxers are big dogs with a big streak of mischief in their makeup. You’ll need a sense of humor to live with one.
Boxers are great watchdogs but not aggressive toward people unless the situation calls for it.
Boxers are athletic and excel in many dog sports, including agility and herding.
Boxers are lovers, not fighters, but they won’t back away from a showdown if another dog starts something.

The History of Boxers
The Boxer was developed as a working breed in Germany in the late nineteenth century. He belongs to the family of bull breeds, which include the Bulldog, Bull Terrier and Dogue de Bordeaux, to name just a few.

In his modern incarnation, the Boxer has existed for only about a century, but you can see hints of him in the dogs portrayed on old tapestries from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Those big Mastiff-type dogs may have been ancestors of the Boxer. They were known as bullenbeissers, a German word meaning “bull biter.” Bullenbeissers were used on great estates to bring down large game, and later they were employed by butchers and cattle drovers to keep livestock in line.

The modern Boxer was born in the 1880s, when a man named George Alt, who lived in Munich, imported a brindle bullenbeisser named Flora from France. Her offspring became the foundation of the Boxer breed. It’s unclear whether the breed name comes from a corruption of the word “beisser” or is a reference to the breed’s habit of using his front paws in a fight. Boxers were trained for police work, were some of the earliest guide dogs and served in the German military during World War I as messengers and scouts.

The American Kennel Club first registered a Boxer in 1904. The breed didn’t catch on right away, and the dislike for German breeds that occurred during World War I didn’t help matters any. It wasn’t until the 1940s and 1950s that the Boxer became a popular breed. In 1951, a Boxer named Bang Away won Best in Show at Westminster, the third Boxer to do so, and for the time, he was a rock star. You could see Bang Away’s photo in Lifeand Esquire, and when he flew to dog shows, he rode in the cabin of the plane, never in cargo. Only one other Boxer has won Westminster since the days of Bang Away, Ch. Arriba’s Prima Donna, who won in 1971.

Boxers today are more refined and elegant than their ancestors, but they are still strong, smart, and fearless. The breed ranks eighth among those registered by the AKC.

Boxer Temperament and Personality
Boxers are fun, happy dogs. They play willingly with family and friends and are patient and gentle with children. Boxers are also loyal, and will respond courageously to anything that threatens their loved ones.

Boxers are incredibly smart, but they don’t always take training seriously. For best results, be firm, fair and consistent with your Boxer. Appropriate rewards and consequences will teach him that good things happen when he does what you want and that he is never rewarded for disobeying. Boxers are good at spotting loopholes in the rules and they will push to see what they can get away with. And start early! Your little eight-week-old Boxer will be much easier and more fun to teach than his bigger, more stubborn eight-month-old self. Use treats, toys and praise to lure and motivate him.

Good outlets for a Boxer’s energy include playing fetch, going for an hour-long walk or training for agility or another dog sport. At least one Boxer is titled in herding, which is one of the breed’s original functions. Their ancestors included all-purpose farm dogs whose jobs included catching and driving livestock.

With structure, discipline and lots of exercise and mental stimulation, a Boxer can become the dog of your dreams. Without those things, well, he can turn into a nightmare. The amount of damage a bored Boxer can do is beyond your wildest imagination. Don’t give him the opportunity to enlighten you.

What You Need to Know About Boxer Health
The Boxer is prone to a number of health problems, but Boxer lovers are a dedicated bunch and are very aggressive in trying to reduce and eliminate genetic disease in their dogs. The American Boxer Charitable Foundation has raised more money for genetic research than any other breed club in the world. One of their greatest triumphs was the recent identification of the gene responsible for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, also known as Boxer cardiomyopathy, a devastating heart disease that is usually fatal.

Cardiomyopathy is not the only heart problem that affects Boxers. Aortic/subaortic stenosis (AS/SAS) is a narrowing of the aortic valve or area just below the valve, usually caused by a fibrous ring of tissue. While it's likely to be genetic, the mode of inheritance is unknown and there is no screening test for AS/SAS. Diagnosis is often made by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist and affected dogs should not be bred.

Boxers are also at risk for degenerative myelopathy, a form of progressive neurologic dysfunction. There is a genetic screening test for this condition that can be used to determine whether a puppy's parents are clear, carriers or at risk; a puppy whose parents are clear – neither carriers nor at risk – will also be clear. A puppy from two carrier parents will be at risk, and a puppy with one carrier parent may be at risk.

Boxers are more susceptible than many breeds to bloat, a condition in which the stomach expands with air. This can become a more serious condition, called gastric torsion, if the stomach twists on itself, cutting off blood flow. Gastric torsion strikes suddenly, and a dog who was fine one minute can be dead a few hours later. Watch for symptoms like restlessness and pacing, drooling, pale gums and lip licking, trying to throw up without bringing anything up, and signs of pain. Gastric torsion requires immediate veterinary surgery, and most dogs that have bloated once will bloat again. That means it’s wise to opt for the procedure known as "stomach tacking," which will keep the stomach from twisting in the future. This procedure can also be done as a preventive measure.

Boxers are also at increased risk of many other diseases including allergies, skin problems, cancers including lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors and more. A good breeder will be able to discuss how prevalent these and other conditions that have no genetic screening test are in her dogs' lines, and help puppy buyers make an informed decision about health risks to their dog.

Make particular note that Boxers cannot tolerate one of the most common sedative drugs given in veterinary medicine, acepromazine. It causes a heart arrhythmia that can lead to collapse or cardiac arrest.

Not all of these conditions are detectable in a growing puppy, and it is impossible to predict whether an animal will be free of these maladies, which is why you must find a reputable breeder who is committed to breeding the healthiest animals possible. They should be able to produce independent certification that the parents of the dog (and grandparents, etc.) have been screened for common defects and deemed healthy for breeding. That’s where health registries come in.

The American Boxer Club recommends that breeding dogs be tested for hip and elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, aortic and subaortic stenosis, and cardiomyopathy. The tests should first be done when the dog is two years old, and the tests for hypothyroidism and cardiomyopathy should be repeated annually.

If a breeder tells you she doesn't need to do those tests because she's never had problems in her lines and her dogs have been "vet checked," then you should go find a breeder who is more rigorous about genetic testing.

Careful breeders screen their breeding dogs for genetic disease and breed only the healthiest and best-looking specimens, but sometimes Mother Nature has other ideas and a puppy develops one of these diseases despite good breeding practices. Advances in veterinary medicine mean that in most cases the dogs can still live a good life. If you’re getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the ages of the dogs in her lines and what they died of.

Not every Boxer visit to the vet is for a genetic problem. Boxers are a physical breed. They play hard and can incur soft-tissue injuries as a result. Lacerations, scrapes and abrasions aren’t unusual. And Boxers who eat too much, get into the garbage or become excited or anxious—all common behaviors for the breed—can suffer vomiting or diarrhea as a result.

Remember that after you’ve taken a new puppy into your home, you have the power to protect him from one of the most common health problems: obesity. Keeping a Boxer at an appropriate weight is one of the easiest ways to improve his health and extend his life. Make the most of your preventive abilities to help ensure a healthier dog for life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_(dog)