Boxer dogs might be the perfect house pet for you and your family! If you want an energetic dog that loves a bit of mischief and fun, get this breed as your new family member. Boxers, however, need special care with their health, as they can be prone to certain diseases like cancer and heart disease. Get to know more about this breed here.
Energetic Boxer Dogs To Play With Outdoors
Boxer Personality
- Energetic
- Intelligent
- Loyal
- Friendly
- A bit territorial
- Not overly noisy
These energetic, playful dogs love to keep busy. They need to have a lot of space and time for running around and playing to shed off their excess energy. They’re also intelligent canines, making them easy to train.
Be careful with leaving Boxer dogs out in the sun for too long, though. Their short hair can’t tolerate too much heat or cold.
They highly value their connection with the family that raised them. They’re affectionate to people, kids and even with the family cat! On the other hand, they can get a bit territorial with dogs of the same gender.
If you want a watch dog, but don’t want to deal with aggressive behavior, Boxers are your dog. They’re alert enough to bark at suspicious things, but they won’t immediately charge to attack a person. If they encounter friendly people, they’ll greet them enthusiastically, with a lot of jumping around, licks and hugs.
They’re not overly noisy, so that’s a plus point for sensitive neighbors. However, they will grunt and whine to express their feelings. This can be endearing or annoying, depending on your preferences.
Size & Color
These medium-sized guard dogs can grow to 65-80 pounds in weight and 24 inches in height for males. While adult females can weigh in at 50-65 pounds with a height of 22 inches.
You won’t need constant grooming for this breed. The Boxer has a short, fawn or brindle colored coat with white flashing and a black mask. Since they descended from Mastiffs and Bulldogs, the Boxer inherited a stocky, muscular build. They can look intimidating even when they’re being friendly.
Health
Boxer dogs are prone to several diseases. Some of the sicknesses that you should watch out for are hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, Corneal Dystrophy, allergies, and deafness.
Other more serious diseases that you need to be wary of includes:
- Cancer – Mast cell and brain tumors, as well as lymphoma, may develop in Boxer dogs. Light colored boxers may even get skin cancer if they are not cared for properly. Make sure to use sunscreen on the ears, nose and coat when you go out on particularly sunny days. Have your pet regularly checked out by his vet to make sure he’s healthy.
- Aortic stenosis/sub-aortic stenosis (AS/SAS) – Boxers are particularly prone to heart diseases such as aortic stenosis/sub-aortic stenosis or AS/SAS. This happens when the aorta below the aortic valve narrows significantly, limiting the blood supply to the entire body. With the heart working harder than it should, your dog can have fainting spells and even die suddenly.
- Boxer cardiomyopathy (BCM) – This heart disease has many names: Boxer Arrhythmic Cardiomyopathy (BAC), Familial Ventricular Arrhythmia (FVA) and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Boxer dogs with this inherited sickness have an erratic heartbeat. This causes weakness, collapse, and even sudden death. Boxers with this disease as well as AS/SAS are not recommended for breeding.
- Demodectic Mange – Mothers carrying demodectic mites usually pass them to their pups. These are very common pests that stick to the pup’s hair follicles. If he has a weakened immune system, demodectic mange or demodicosis can develop. Patches of red, itchy skin will show up on the neck, head, and forelegs. Although it will clear up on its own, you should still have your puppy examined by his vet to prevent it from spreading all over the body.
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) – This is a life-threatening condition that affects deep-chested canines like Boxer dogs. If you feed him just one meal a day, eat and drink large volumes rapidly and then run around right after that, the stomach may bloat then suddenly twists The dog won’t be able to let out the air in his stomach or vomit excess food, impeding the flow of blood to the heart. With lowered blood pressure, the dog will go into shock. If you find your dog dry retching without throwing anything up, bring your dog to the vet right away.
Life Span
Boxer dogs have a shorter lifespan than most dogs only reaching up to 10-12 years. Their short faces mean they have certain issues with breathing. They snort, wheeze and snore. Don’t worry about them farting a lot since their short snouts force them to gulp air when they eat. With proper care and regular trips to the vet for the prerequisite checkups, you’ll enjoy life with your Boxer for quite a while.
Food & Diet
Since they exercise quite a bit, Boxer dogs need 2-3 cups of high-quality dog food everyday. This should be divided into two meals. Make sure not to give too much food in one meal to avoid GDV.
Grooming Requirements
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- Minimal grooming
- Brush once a week
- Keep coat shiny with chamois cloth
- Bathe when needed
- Brush teeth several times a week
- Trim nails once or twice a month
Boxer dogs don’t need a lot of grooming thanks to their short hair. However, they do shed quite bit, so they need a weekly brushing using a bristle brush or a grooming mitt. You can also use a chamois cloth to keep the coat shiny.
Bathe only when needed. They tend to keep themselves clean, grooming themselves like cats, so you won’t have to deal with any “doggy smell”.
They do need to get their teeth brushed several times a week to avoid tartar and bacteria. Keep nails short, trimming them once or twice a month as they will wear them down with exercise.
History
Boxer dogs got their tough image from a crossbreeding between the extinct German Bullenbeisser and the Bulldog. In the 19th century, a man from Munich bred his female Bullenbeissar, Flora, with a dog of unknown lineage. One of the pups in the litter was fawn and white colored. This is believed to be the first ever Boxer that we know today.
The breed was later imported to the US after World War I, going on to become one of the most popular breeds today.
Fun Fact
The first known Boxer, Flora’s son, was named Lechner’s Box. He was then bred with his mother to create more pups of the same kind. His grandchildren went on to win dog shows in Munich.
Boxer dogs may look imposing but they’re actually quite funny. Watch these hilarious clips of Boxers here!
Boxer dogs may have a shorter lifespan compared to other dogs but they’re definitely fun to have around. You’ll also have a loyal and affectionate pup ready to play with you in the park. Will you get a Boxer as your new family member?
Let us know what you think of Boxer dogs in the comments section below!
