Boxer Dogs
Everything you need to know about bringing a Boxer into your home.
Boxers are a well-known dog breed recognized as being the eleventh most popular according to the American Kennel Club surveys for the past 5 years. They are often sought after due to their refined muscular stature, sleek coats, and inquisitive facial expressions. Boxers can come in three AKC recognized coat colors: fawn, white and brindle. Reverse brindles and seals are rising in coat popularity, but are not considered the colors of purebred lineage. The breed was created in Germany by combining the extinct big-game hunter, the Bullenbeiser with a smaller version of the English mastiff. However, there is also the American Boxer that is believed to have been bred with Bulldog lineage to create a breed of Boxer that is slimmer and faster in comparison to its German/European namesake. The history, official breed standards and other facts about Boxers can be found at the American Kennel Club’s website: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/boxer/.
The breed was first used as a working dog in German police force, but like its predecessor the Bullenbeiser, Boxers became involved with war efforts, such as search-and-rescue and detection of explosives. They have continued to be used as working dogs in the fields of protection and drug detection due to their high intelligence as well as tireless energy. This intimidating and hard-working breed also has many other aspects that are considered more than humorous by owners and breeders, such as head tilts, drooling, zoomies, and funny faces. Boxers make great house dogs due to their loyalty to families as a whole, as opposed to a singular family member, and are quite a bit lazier than one might originally think.
Boxers have very short coats that are tight to their skin which doesn’t allow their bodies to control internal temperature very well, this means that the breed is likely to over-heat or freeze in both types of extreme conditions. For this reason, Boxers should be kept indoors and given breaks during playtime at any time of the year. This being said, Boxers love being outside, rain or shine, due to their seemingly boundless energy, but don’t be surprised if they get scared of thunderstorms. The breed is naturally curious and very willing to snoop around, but if something seems off or “bad” to them, their nature to defend themselves and their owner will kick in; as in, the commodity of social media posts on Boxers attacking brooms, robot vacuums, lawnmowers, and even suspicious-looking trees in the backyard. Their curiosity while many times endearing can also lead to investigating of tabletops, potentially dangerous plant-life, and others that could cause harm to the dog, so it is very important that the space in which they live is free to the best of one’s ability of hazards.
Moving forward in the care and health of Boxers, they typically are able to live in homes in which the owner works or is away from the home up to a maximum of 8–10 hours. After this point, it is considered unwise to leave an animal alone due to their natural need to eat and restroom, especially if the animal is being kenneled in the owner’s absence. According to Dr. Sadheora at WellPet Clinic in League City, TX, “If we want to keep them in a cage, then it needs to be trained, so there are different exercises that can be done to lessen anxiety”.
Boxers are not naturally prone to separation anxiety like some other breeds, such as Retrievers, Spaniels, and Shepherds, but owners should take steps to ensure their Boxer is happy and healthy at all times of the day. However, they are prone to various types of cancers and often develop potentially-cancerous masses, so they should be shacked often at home and during vet visits.
Boxers enjoy mental and physical engagement, so treat-filled toys, snuffle mats, or a yummy bone to chew on are great ways to occupy your dog’s time and mind while you’re away. When coming home, make sure to enter the home calmly and reward for good behaviors while you were away — do not punish for bad behaviors due to the dog’s lack of understanding in your absence. This simply means they need to practice with shorter times away before building to a whole work day of being alone.
Training and exercise can seem like a chore, but in the best interest of your home and sanity, teaching your dog to be well-behaved is a must. Boxers are very intelligent, so not only can they be great house dogs, but they can also learn a plethora of cool tricks like: shake, high five, wave, play dead, pick up toys, and fetch to name a few. These tricks also work well to exhaust the mind of an energetic Boxer, so they’ll be more likely to snooze on the couch longer after an effective training session. If you’re not sure where to begin in training, socialization via dog parks and doggy meet-ups is a quick way to get out a lot of energy without much owner participation. Just be sure to supervise the dogs during these outings, especially since Boxers are naturally prone to good-natured jumping and “boxing” of other dogs and people during their play.
In all, Boxers are wonderful house dogs that love to snooze on the couch just as much as they love to play. Training is also an essential part of Boxers being capable of well-behaved and tame behaviors with guests and other dogs that may cause excess excitement, but this is true with most breeds. Their energy may seem daunting, but if given the structure in the home, Boxers are able to entertain themselves in positive ways whether you are home or away. Boxers natural instincts to protect will allow you to sleep soundly, as well as guarded on walks or outings. Their friendly nature is also a plus as they are very humorous when engaging with other dogs, and their love for being chased and chasing will have them tuckered out by the end of an outing at the park or play date. Just remember, as with any breed proper training and exercise are the key to a dog’s healthy mind and body inside and outside of their home environment.
