The German Boxer

Powerful, intelligent and balanced - these are the characteristics of the German Boxer. This puts the powerhouse in seventh place on the German popularity scale. And there are good reasons for this. The Boxer is very versatile. He is excellently suited as a family dog as well as for canine sports. In addition, he enjoyed great popularity as a service dog for a long time. As with many "old" breeds, there was a time when the Boxer was very rarely seen. Today, the number of Boxer living in Germany is constantly increasing again. However, the new home of the "German" Boxer lies in the south. The best stud dogs come at present from Portugal, Spain and Italy.

The German Boxer and its nature

The boxer is known for his calm and balance. He is highly self-confident and has strong nerves, which often leads to a certain stubbornness. However, he is usually very easy to judge by his owner, because his facial expression speaks volumes. But even though this reveals a lot about him and makes him transparent, a consistent upbringing is very important for him. He is very reserved towards strangers. He loves his family and is accordingly attached to all the people he has in contact with. If it comes to an emergency, he will not hesitate to do everything to defend them. His popularity as a family dog can be explained by his patient nature towards children. If you want to bring a boxer to your home, you should be aware that this is a very sporty dog. These animals want to be kept busy. They are eager to move and also expect mental workload. In addition, the boxer loves entertainment and remains playful until old age. The boxer sees himself as a member of the family and as such wishes to have time with his family. He is not suitable for staying at home alone for a long time. Likewise he is by no means a dog for kennel keeping.

The historical background of the German Boxer

The Boxer is a dog with a long history. The Brabanter Bullenbeißer is regarded as the ancestor of the present Boxer. These extremely powerful dogs were used in the Middle Ages for hunting bears or wild boars. They had the task to grab tracked down game and hold it until the hunter arrived. Important for this was the wide mouth with just as wide teeth. With the development of firearms the dogs lost their field of activity. From now on, the animals were set on bears, bulls or other big animals. This form of the animal-fight was extremely popular particularly in England in the 16. and 17. century. In the 19th century, the Brabant bull biter was crossed with the bulldog. The German Boxer was born. In 1895 the first "Boxer Club" was founded in Munich. The first breed standards followed in 1905 and a revision of the standards around 1920 excluded the colors spotted, white and black. Since 1998 the formerly common cropping of ears and tail is forbidden. The German Boxer is a dog breed recognized by the FCI (Fédération Cyologique internationale - the world organization of cynology). He is listed under FCI Group 2 Section 2.1, Standard No. 144, Molossian and Great Dane dogs.

The appearance of the German Boxer

The German Boxer has a sturdy and powerful stature with strong bones and very distinctive musculature. This dog presents itself wiry and massive. Its fur is short, smooth and lying close. The color should be solid or brindle, whereby all shades from light yellow to dark cherry red are permitted. If the dog is brindle, the dark stripes must show a clear contrast to the ground color. White markings may cover up to one third of the surface. The height to the withers should correspond to the length of the body and the head must be in optimal proportion to the body. The muzzle is broad. Typical for the Boxer is the dark mask. The slender and angular skull shows a black, broad nose. Strong, long and far apart standing fangs are in an equally strong muzzle. The lower jaw, that clearly towers above the upper jaw, is prominent. The German boxer therefore has a pre-bite with that however the lips must lie on top of each other. The eyes are dark with equally dark eyelid edges and must be neither too small nor too large. The ears are set relatively high on the side of the upper head. They fall forward and hang down to the cheek. The tail is also set high. Both tail and ears must be natural. Docking is forbidden since some years.

What demands does the German boxer make?

Boxers are very active and enterprising animals. If you want a satisfied and busy boxer, you have to do a lot to achieve this. This dog demands movement. Long walks and extensive play units are essential for the boxer. He must be able to really work himself out. A garden in which he can play and romp is ideal. If he gets enough exercise, he is definitely a dog that also feels comfortable in an apartment. The boxer loves sports like agility, flyball or dog sports. But it is also easy to motivate him to dog dancing. But the boxer can also be kept busy with work. Boxers are excellent guard and protection dogs. Since 1924 the breed has been officially recognized as a service dog, but is hardly used for this purpose anymore. But the Boxer is also the ideal partner as a companion dog for the disabled, guide dog for the blind or therapy dog. These animals attach particular importance to their status as a full-fledged family member. The Boxder expects to be included as good as possible into the everyday life of his owners and loves to be with them always and everywhere. The Boxer does not have any special requirements in terms of coat care. His coat is smooth and short and only needs to be brushed to remove loose hair or dirt.

The perfect person for a German Boxer is ...

People who want to live with a boxer must be sporty in any case. A lot of exercise in the fresh air, no matter what the weather, should not be a deterrent. The boxer is happy to integrate into an existing family with children. Boxers are known for their infinite patience towards children. However, the boxer wants to be a full member of this family and a family trip or annual vacation should be with a dog. Boxers do not feel comfortable if they have to stay at home alone for a long time. People who work long hours every day and cannot take the animal with them are not good partners for the boxer.

The German Boxer and his health

Like all pedigree dogs, the Boxer can also suffer from typical diseases. As a relatively large dog, he has a disposition for hip joint dysplasia or HD for short. In addition, there is a risk of spondylarthrosis, which shows in the area of the spine, as well as osteochondrosis dissecans or OCD. This is a disease of the joints that is very painful. These diseases find attention in serious breeding programs. Apart from these diseases of the musculoskeletal system, German boxers have an increased risk of developing tumors, especially mast cell tumors. Boxers, like many short-nosed breeds, often suffer from brachycephaly. The targeted breeding of short skull, nose and lower jaw causes breathing difficulties. In some cases, brachycephalic respiratory distress syndrome occurs and surgical intervention becomes necessary.

Conclusion

People who like to move and want to have their four-legged friend by their side as often as possible find an excellent partner in the German Boxer. He will love to go through thick and thin with his owner. In an emergency, the boxer would go to extremes to protect his owner. But this characteristic also demands a special responsibility and a loving and consistent upbringing. When choosing the right animal, the health of the animal itself and its ancestors should definitely be taken into account, as it is prone to genetic diseases. If these points are observed, the boxer will be a loyal companion.