The Boxer dog is actually a descendant of two
breeds, the English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser.
Having these two breeds as ancestors, the crossing resulted to an
intelligent and strong Boxer dog that works best as guard dog,
service dog, guide dog for the blind, therapy dog and police dog
in K9 units.The Boxer dog, a part of
Molosser group, was developed in Germany in the late 1800s. The
breed was first exhibited in a dog show at Munich in 1895 and the
first Boxer Club was founded a year after. It was in the late 19th
century when the breed was first introduced to other parts of
Europe and 1904 when the American Kennel Club (AKC) registered the
first Boxer. There are many theories regarding the origin of the
name "Boxer". One is simply from the derivation of the breed's
inclination to play by standing on his hind legs and boxing with
his front paws.
The Boxer inherited one of his ancestors
distinctive feature which is the head. Same with Bulldog, this
breed is short-faced, with skin from the root of the nose running
downwards on both sides of the muscle in dense folds. The head
must be in perfect proportion to the body, as well as the muscle
should be in proportion to the skull. Originally, the ears are
cropped and the tails are docked but cropping of the ears and
docking of tails are now prohibited in some countries. Veterinary
associations and animal right groups deemed the tradition inhumane
or cruelty to animals.
The height of the Boxer ranges from 21 to 25
inches at the shoulder, and the weight ranges from 50 to 70
pounds. The breed has short, shiny, smooth coat that is either
fawn or brindle, sometimes with white underbelly and white
markings on the legs and face. A dog is called White boxer when
the white markings cover more than one-third of the coat,
disqualified from conformation showing. Boxer clubs also prohibit
breeding White boxers because they at an increased risk of
deafness in one or both ears and sunburn and associated skin
cancers.
Being breed with working characteristics,
Boxers need proper exercise and conditioning. Minimum of two hours
each day, consist of walking, free-running as well as games is
enough to provide your Boxer the daily exercise requirement he
needs. This will also prevent boredom-associated behaviors such as
chewing and digging.
Having the characteristics of a strong
working dog doesn't mean that this breed isn't safe enough to live
as additional member of the family. This breed is harmless in the
family and good even with children. In fact, a Boxer is known for
his great love and loyalty to his master but beware for they often
mistrust strangers.
