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Boxer Dog Facts: History, Size, Temperament, and Health
The Boxer is a medium-sized, square-built dog with a short coat, a broad blunt muzzle, and a lot of energy. The breed comes from Germany, stands 21.5 to 25 inches tall, weighs up to 65 to 80 pounds for males, and lives 10 to 12 years. Boxers are playful, alert, and smart, and they need a fenced yard or a leash every time they go out. Cancer and two kinds of heart disease are the health topics every Boxer pet parent should know. Below is what the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the American Boxer Club (ABC), the breed’s national parent club, say about each of them.
Always alert and steadfast, a Boxer will be your true companion through thick and thin. If you live an active, outdoorsy lifestyle, the Boxer just might be the ideal breed for you.
Where the Boxer Comes From
The AKC says the Boxer’s ancestors, the war dogs of the Assyrian empire, “go back as far as 2,500 B.C.” The dog we know today “can be traced to Germany of the late 1800s and early 20th century.”
The AKC says the breed is “thought to have been bred down by German dog fanciers from a larger, heavier German breed called the Bullenbeisser (‘bull biter’).” In medieval times that big dog hunted bear, bison, and wild boar for German noblemen. Then the estates were broken up. In the AKC’s words, “By 1865, the mighty Bullenbeisser was out of a job.” Crosses to a smaller, mastiff-type breed from England gave the old hunter a second start.
The ABC tells a similar story. It says the breed’s background begins in feudal Germany, and that in the 1880s the descendants of that hunting dog were bred to a taller, more elegant English import, which began the era of the modern Boxer.
The name has a plain meaning. The AKC says “The English name Boxer refers to the way the breed spars, like a prizefighter, with their front paws when playing or defending themselves.”
Over the years the AKC lists these jobs: “athlete, cattle dog, police dog, war dog (in both world wars), watchdog, protection dog, and guide dog for the blind.” The AKC registered its first Boxer in 1904. The breed’s U.S. heyday began in the 1950s, when a Westminster-winning Boxer named Bang Away became a national celebrity.
How Big Boxers Get
The AKC lists a height of 23 to 25 inches for males and 21.5 to 23.5 inches for females. It lists an average weight of 65 to 80 pounds for males and says females are about 15 pounds less than males. Life expectancy is 10 to 12 years.
The ABC calls the Boxer a medium-sized dog and says “There are no miniature or giant varieties.”
A Distinctive Appearance
The AKC breed standard describes “a medium-sized, square-built dog of good substance with short back, strong limbs, and short, tight-fitting coat.” It adds that “The broad, blunt muzzle is the distinctive feature.” Dark brown eyes and a wrinkled forehead give the face an alert look.
The coat is short, shiny, and smooth. It takes very little work. The AKC suggests a once-over with a rubber curry-brush or a hound glove once or twice a week, nails trimmed at least once a month, and teeth brushed often, daily if possible.
On color, the ABC says the coat “is found in two equally acceptable and attractive basic colors-fawn and brindle. The fawn may vary from a tawny tan to a beautiful stag red.” Brindle means dark stripes over a fawn background. Some brindles have sparse stripes, and others have so much black striping that the fawn only barely shows through.
White is part of the picture too. The ABC says white markings “may not exceed one-third of the entire coat.” It also says “It is not uncommon to have a totally white Boxer born in a litter.”
Temperament and Personality
The AKC says Boxers are upbeat and playful. Their patience and protective nature have earned them a reputation as a great dog with children, and they take the jobs of watchdog and family guardian seriously. Boxers do best when they meet a lot of people and other animals in early puppyhood.
The ABC adds a point about barking. “Although always vigilant, the Boxer is not a nervous breed, and will not bark without cause. He has judgment, and an uncanny sense of distinguishing between friend and intruder.”
The AKC says the breed is not the best choice for a very frail adult, or for a small child who could be overwhelmed by a well-meaning but bouncy puppy.
Training a Boxer
The AKC says “Early socialization and puppy training classes are vital in channeling the breed’s energy and exuberance in a positive way.” Boxers are very smart, which cuts both ways. The AKC says they “are highly intelligent, but can become bored with repetition. They tend to have a mind of their own and are excellent problem solvers.”
The ABC puts it as advice for you: the same intelligence that makes a Boxer quick to learn “also gives the Boxer a mind of his own. The trainer must be purposeful and patient.”
A well-trained Boxer has plenty to do. The AKC says Boxers do well in obedience, agility, and herding, and work as service, assistance, and therapy dogs.
Exercise and Weather
Boxers are not couch dogs. The AKC says they are “very playful, high-energy dogs. They need ample exercise every day, on leash or in a securely fenced area. The Boxer must never be allowed to run loose.” The AKC adds that the breed spends a good deal of time jumping and leaping about.
Weather matters too. The AKC says the Boxer “does not have a high tolerance for either extreme heat or cold, and he should always be kept inside the house as a beloved member of the family.”
The ABC makes a safety point about doors as well: improperly protected screen doors are a common way for a dog to leave the house unexpectedly.
Health Conditions Every Boxer Pet Parent Should Know
The AKC says responsible breeders screen their stock for “hip dysplasia, heart conditions such as aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy, thyroid deficiency, degenerative myelopathy, and certain cancers.” The sections below cover cancer, aortic stenosis, and cardiomyopathy, using the ABC’s own words. Your veterinarian can help you plan for your dog’s canine lifetime health. According to the US Boxer Association, here are a few conditions to be wary of:
Cancer
The ABC says “Boxers are at risk for a variety of cancers. These include malignant skin lesions as well as cancers affecting the brain, thyroid, mammary glands, testes, heart, spleen, blood, lymph system (lymphoma), and other organs.” It also says “Benign skin tumors usually respond to simple surgical excision under local anesthesia.”
The ABC’s advice is to stay alert: “It is prudent to be alert to any unusual growths or medical developments, especially as your Boxer ages.”
Heart Disease
The ABC says “Boxer heart disease usually falls into two important categories: aortic stenosis and cardiomyopathy.” Aortic stenosis is a congenital condition. The ABC describes it as “a narrowing or constriction of the outflow tract from the left ventricle to the aorta,” and says a veterinarian can detect it as a systolic murmur in young puppies and older dogs.
The ABC also notes that mild forms may go undetected and are not incompatible with a normal life span.
Cardiomyopathy
The ABC describes cardiomyopathy as “an adult onset disease of the heart muscle itself causing abnormal electrical impulses to disrupt the heart’s normal rhythm. This arrhythmia may lead to sudden death or heart failure. Symptoms include weakness and/or collapse.”
The ABC says “in the Boxer they are most often hereditary in nature.” A blood test can show whether a dog carries the genes that may make him most susceptible, and a 24 hour Holter monitor, which records the heart’s activity, may be needed to diagnose arrhythmias. Ask your veterinarian which screening fits your dog.
More Boxer Facts Worth Knowing
If you wear a dog shirt with your Boxer on it, you probably like trivia about the breed. These are a few more facts from the AKC and the ABC.
The Boxer is a working-group dog, and the ABC says its keenest sense, hearing, makes it an instinctive guard dog. The ABC also says Boxers have a sense of humor and may invent unexpected games during training. The AKC says most Boxers of opposite sexes enjoy each other’s company, though the breed is not always tolerant of other dogs of the same sex.
The ABC says White Boxers are born in litters, and its members are pledged not to use them for breeding. They can still be AKC registered on the Limited, non breeding option, and they are eligible for performance events.
FAQ
Are Boxers dangerous?
The American Boxer Club speaks to this directly. It says a Boxer “may easily be confused by many with breeds designated locally as ‘dangerous dogs’,” and that “You must be your dog’s best advocate and protector.” It also says a small child may not have had the chance to know how instinctively tolerant the Boxer really is.
Dogs of the Boxer’s type were once used as fighting dogs. The AKC says “Until dogfighting and bullbaiting were outlawed, the Boxer, like all dogs of his type, was used for this purpose.” Early meetings with many people and animals are a plain case of social enrichment. For more on how labels spread, read about dog breed stereotypes.
Do Boxers get along with other dogs?
The AKC says Boxers are “Not always tolerant of other dogs of the same sex, most Boxers of opposite sexes enjoy each other’s company.” Early meetings with many people and animals help.
Where can I get a Boxer dog?
There are two routes. The ABC runs a rescue page that says volunteers all over the USA are organized at the local level to take in Boxers that need special care and placement. If you want a puppy, the ABC offers a breeder referral list as a courtesy, and says “The ABC does not recommend, guarantee, endorse, nor rate breeders, their kennels, or their stock.” Ask to see health screening results and at least one parent.
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