SCRAPS Breed Profile BOXER

Stats

Country of Origin: Germany Group: Working Use today: Family companion, noise detection, hunting. Life Span: 10 to 12 years Color: Coat colors are fawn and brindle. Fawn shades vary from light tan to mahogany. Coat: Short, shiny, lying smooth and tight to the body. Grooming: The Boxer's smooth, shorthaired coat is easy to groom. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary, for it removes the natural oils from the skin. Some Boxers try and keep themselves clean, grooming themselves like a cat. Some cannot resist rolling in another animal’s poop, which calls for a bath. This breed is an average shedder. Height: 21 – 25 inches Weight: 60 – 80 pounds

Profile

In Brief: One of the breed's most notable black often with white markings. Boxers also characteristics is its desire for human affection, come in a white coat that cannot be registered especially from children. They are patient and with some clubs. spirited with children, but also protective, making them a popular choice for families. The Boxer Temperament: The Boxer is happy, high- requires little grooming, but needs daily spirited, playful, curious and energetic. Highly exercise. intelligent, eager and quick to learn, the Boxer is a good dog for competitive obedience. It is Description: The Boxer's body is compact and constantly on the move and bonds very closely powerful. The head is in proportion with the with the family. Loyal and affectionate, Boxers body. The muzzle is short and blunt with a are known for the way they get along so well distinct stop. The nose is large and black with with children. A well brought-up and properly very open nostrils. The jaw has an under bite. socialized Boxer will also get along with his own The eyes are dark brown. The ears are set high, kind and other household pets such as cats. either cropped or kept natural. When cropped Animals such as rodents, ducks, chickens and they are trained to stand up on the head, other farm birds may be too tempting, however, tapering to a point. When left natural the ears they can be taught to "leave it" but it is still not are thin, falling forward, lying close to the head. recommended they be left alone with them. It The neck should be round, strong and muscular, has been said that the name Boxer came from without a dewlap. The muscular front legs are the way the Boxer likes to use his front paws for straight and parallel when viewed from the front. just about everything. If you have ever watched The back legs are well muscled. The tail is set a Boxer go about his business you may have high and usually docked. The AKC severely noticed the way he paws at his toys, food bowl penalizes a natural tail, while most of Europe and you for that matter, in a very playful cat-like has outlawed this practice. Dewclaws are way. While participating the sport usually removed. The short, smooth, close-fitting of Schutzhund, Boxers are known to jump up coat comes in fawn, brindle, tan, mahogany and and use their front paws as if they are boxing. They are very clownish and playful. The Boxer's nature is to protect you, your family, and your home. Known visitors will be welcomed. They and knee issues. These dogs may drool and are always keen to work and play. Boxers need snore. May have excessive flatulence, especially lots of human leadership. Teach the Boxer not to when fed something other than their own dog be boisterous and especially not to jump up at food. Some white Boxers are prone to deafness. people. This breed is noted for courage and makes a great guard dogs. Boxers have a wide Living Conditions: Boxers will do okay in an use in military and police work. An excellent apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are watchdog, the Boxer will restrain an intruder in fairly active indoors and do best with at least an the same way a Bulldog does. They are average-sized yard. Boxers are temperature extremely athletic, sometimes even in their old sensitive, getting easily overheated and chilling age. This dog needs to go on a daily pack walk. very quickly. Daily mental and physical exercise is paramount. Without it, the Boxer will become Exercise: An active, athletic breed, Boxers need high strung. This breed requires a dominant daily work or exercise, as well as a long brisk, owner. Training should start young and be firm daily walk. They also enjoy fetching a ball or and consistent. The objective in training this dog other sessions of play. is to achieve pack leader status. It is a natural instinct for a dog to have an order in its pack. When we humans live with dogs, we become Origins: The Boxer was developed in Germany their pack. The entire pack cooperates under a in the 19th century. The Boxer's ancestors were single leader; lines are clearly defined. You and two German mastiff type dogs, the Bullenbeiszer all other humans MUST be higher up in the and the Barenbeiszer. They were later crossed order than the dog. That is the only way your with the powerful ancestors of the Mastiff and relationship can be a success. Meek Boxer Bulldog. Early Boxers were used for dog owners will find their dogs to become stubborn. fighting, bull baiting, cart pulling, as cattle dogs, If they do not take you seriously they will be to round up livestock and to catch and pin wild sneaky, demanding, boisterous and hard to boar and bison until hunters could arrive. They control. Teach the Boxer dominating another later became popular theater and circus dogs. dog is not acceptable. Any signs of dominance The first Boxer studbook was started in 1904. need to be immediately corrected by the owners Up until then the dogs varied widely in looks and in a calm, but firm, confident way. size. The Boxer is known for the way it uses its front legs to bat at its opponent, appearing to be boxing, most likely giving the dog its name. Health: Some major concerns are Some of the Boxer's talents are watchdog, cardiomyopathy and other heart problems, sub- guarding, police work, military work, search and aortic stenosis and thyroid. Can be prone to skin rescue, competitive obedience, Schutzhund and and other allergies. Sometimes prone to performing tricks. Breeders are breeding two epilepsy. From age eight on they are more likely types of Boxers, the German Boxer and the to get tumors than other breeds. Prone to American Boxer. German Boxers have bigger cancer. Boxers are highly prone to mast cell heads and are generally more muscular than tumors. Prone to arthritis, hip dysplasia, back American Boxers.

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