Boxer (dog)

Originally from Germany, The Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog, decended from the now extinct Bullenbeisser. Boxers are brachycephalic, and have mandibular prognathism (an underbite).

The Boxer was first exhibited in a dog show for St. Bernards at Munich in 1895, the first boxer club being founded the next year. Based on 2006 American Kennel Club statistics, Boxers are the seventh most popular breed of dog in the United States—a position they have held since 2002—with approximately 35,388 new dog registrations during the year.[1].

History

The Boxer is part of the Molosser group, developed in Germany from the now extinct Bullenbeisser, a dog of Mastiff descent, and Bulldogs brought in from England. The Bullenbeisser had been working as a hunting dog for centuries, employed in the pursuit of bear, wild boar, and deer. Its task was to seize the prey and hold it until the hunters arrived. In later years, faster dogs were favoured and a smaller Bullenbeisser was bred in Brabant, in northern Belgium. It is generally accepted that the Brabanter was a direct ancestors of today's Boxer.[2

n the late 19th century, the Brabanter was crossed with a Bulldog to start the line that would become the modern Boxer. In 1894, three Germans by the name of Roberth, Konig, and Hopner decided to stabilise the breed and put it on exhibition at a dog show. This was done in Munich in 1895, and the next year they founded the first Boxer Club.

The breed was introduced to other parts of Europe in the late 19th century and to the United States around the turn of the century. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognised the first Boxer champion in 1915.

During World War I, the Boxer was co-opted for military work, acting as a valuable messenger dog, pack-carrier, attack dog, and guard dog.

It was not until after World War II that the Boxer became popular around the world. Boxer mascots, taken home by returning soldiers, introduced the dog to a much wider audience and it soon became a favourite as a companion, a show dog, and a guard dog.

Appearance

he head is the most distinctive feature of the Boxer. The breed standard dictates that it must be in perfect proportion to the body and above all it must never be too light.[10] The greatest value is to be placed on the muzzle being of correct form and in absolute proportion to the skull. The length of the muzzle to the whole of the head should be as 1:3. Folds are always indicated from the root of the nose running downwards on both sides of the muzzle, and the tip of the nose should lie somewhat higher than the root of the muzzle. In addition a Boxer should be slightly prognathous, i.e., the lower jaw should protrude beyond the upper jaw and bend slightly upwards in what is commonly called an underbite or "undershot bite".[11]

Boxers were originally a docked and cropped breed, and this tradition is still maintained in some countries. However, due to pressure from veterinary associations, animal rights groups and the general public, both cropping of the ears and docking of the tail have been prohibited in many countries around the world. In the United States and Canada as of 2007, cropped ears are still more common in show dogs. In March of 2005 the AKC breed standard was changed to include a description of the uncropped ear, but to severely penalise an undocked tail.

Size

An adult Boxer typically weighs between 55 and 70 lbs (25 and 32 kg). Adult male Boxers are between 23 and 25 inches (57 and 63 cm) tall at the withers; adult females are between 21 to 23½ inches (53 and 60 cm).

Colour

Boxers are typically either fawn or brindle, often with a white underbelly and white on the front or all four feet. These white markings, called flash, often extend onto the neck or face, and dogs that have these markings are known as "flashy". "Fawn" denotes a range of colour, the tones of which may be described variously as light tan or yellow, reddish tan, mahogany or stag/deer red, and dark honey-blonde. In the UK, fawn boxers are typically rich in colour and are called "red". Some brindle Boxers are so dark that they give the appearance of "reverse brindle", fawn stripes on a black body; however, the breed standards state that the fawn background must clearly contrast with or show through the brindling. The Boxer does not carry the gene for a solid black coat colour and therefore purebred black Boxers do not exist.

Boxers with white markings covering more than one-third of their coat - conventionally called "white" Boxers - are neither albino nor rare; approximately 20-25% of all Boxers born are white.[12] Genetically, these dogs are either fawn or brindle, with excessive white markings overlying the base coat colour. Like fair-skinned humans, white Boxers have a higher risk of sunburn and associated skin cancers than coloured Boxers. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears,[13] though Boxer Rescue organistions see about double that number. [14], [15] There is no evidence that blindness or other health problems are related to excessive white markings in Boxers.[citation needed] In the past, breeders often euthanised white puppies at birth; today, most breeders place white puppies in pet homes with spay/neuter agreements. White Boxers are disqualified from conformation showing by the breed standard, and are prohibited from breeding by every national Boxer club in the world. They can compete in non-conformation events such as obedience and agility, and like their coloured counterparts do quite well as service and therapy dogs.

Temperament

The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most careful attention. He is renowned from olden times for his great love and faithfulness to his master and household, his alertness, and fearless courage as a defender and protector. The Boxer is docile but distrustful of strangers. He is bright and friendly in play but brave and determined when roused. His intelligence and willing tractability, his modesty, and cleanliness make him a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. He is the soul of honesty and loyalty. He is never false or treacherous even in his old age.

Boxers are a bright, energetic and playful breed and tend to be very good with children. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being "headstrong", which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on the use of corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers often respond much better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training. The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed, but needs socialistion to tolerate other dogs well.[17] Their sometimes over-protective, territorial and dominating attitude is often most intense in males. Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs but can be dominant with larger dogs of the same sex.

Boxers appear more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form. They are very active dogs that need to get a lot of exercise.