The Boxer dog breed is relatively young; in fact, it is said to date back to the end of the 18th century, when in Germany some dog breeders from Munich crossed the German hunting hound bullenbeisser with an English bulldog, and after a few years the first Boxer named Flocki was entered in the herd books. In those years the first Boxer Club was founded.
Of course like all molossoids it has much more ancient origins, the boxer is descended from the Tibetan molosso, called bullenbeisser, a dog now extinct which already existed at the time of the Phoenicians who were the first to import it to Europe, which was in turn crossed with mastiffs, bulldogs, Great Danes and maybe even terriers. These dogs were used for hunting wild boar, bears and deer. These ancestors of the Boxer dog were also used for bullfighting when this was a sport. The breeding of these dogs was then in the hands of hunters who used them for hunting. Their task was to catch the game that the hounds had found and to hold on to it until the hunter arrived to take it down. For this they needed a dog with a muzzle capable of a firm grip and a firm hold, so the dental arches had to be as wide as possible. The bullenbeisser had these characteristics, which have been retained to this day.
The Boxer is considered a working dog and was one of the first breeds used in police operations, as well as a guide for the blind. Today, it is also a popular companion and guard dog, but thanks to its character qualities (balance, calmness and steady nerves), it is also used to support people with disabilities.
Character of the Boxer dog breed
The Boxer is a loyal, sweet, sociable and very affectionate dog. It is an excellent companion dog as it has an unstoppable zest for life, play and interaction with its family. With children it is ideal, especially as an adult, when it is able to control its energy and enthusiasm better and acquires a greater sense of protection towards them.
It is very attached, especially to its owner, and does not like to be alone for long periods of time. In fact, the Boxer needs the presence of its human more than other dog breeds, and often requires physical contact. It is easily trained thanks to its willingness to submit, given its docility, security and courage, its natural acumen and its extraordinary nose.
With strangers, however, it retains some of its instinctive mistrust, a quality which, together with its courage and sense of protection for its family, makes it an excellent guard dog. When it comes to living together with dogs and other domestic animals in the home, all it needs is good socialisation at an early stage and it will have no problem reacting well and respectfully.
Appearance of the Boxer dog breed
The Boxer is a medium-sized dog with a height at the withers of 53 to 63 centimetres and a weight of 28 to 36 kilograms. These dogs have strong bones and a dry, highly developed musculature, which, however, does not make the dog stocky. It has a loose gait, full of strength and nobility. The legs are strong and straight, with strongly muscled hindquarters. The tail joint is rather high, and of normal length.
It is the head that gives the Boxer its characteristic appearance. The skull is slightly arched, the muzzle is wide and powerful, characterised by a dark mask, the truffle is wide and black, slightly turned upwards with wide nostrils. The jaw is very powerful with the teeth clasped (the jaw protrudes from the jaw and is slightly curved upwards). The ears are descending along the cheeks, the eyes are medium sized, dark and reveal intelligence and energy.
The coat is short, shiny, thick and adherent to the skin. The coat is fawn (light or dark deer) or tigerish, fawn or more rarely white. It sheds hair moderately.
Care and health of the Boxer dog breed
The Boxer is a breed that generally enjoys good health, but can suffer from certain hereditary diseases, it is therefore necessary to buy this breed from responsible breeders who test for these diseases, which are: dysplasia of the limbs and elbows, deforming spondylosis and heart disease of congenital origin.
The Boxer is a very energetic breed and therefore requires daily exercise, both for walking and playing; more than two hours a day is recommended. The Boxer is a big eater, so you should carefully monitor and balance its diet according to exercise and lifestyle to prevent it from putting on weight. It is a good idea to feed your boxer at least twice a day, as he is prone to stomach twisting, and smaller, more frequent meals can help minimise this risk.
As far as the maintenance of the coat is concerned, it is sufficient to brush once a week and bathe as required. Essential, of course, is the need to monitor the eyes, mouth and interdigitals and during periods when parasites may be present.
It fears both excessive heat and cold, so it should not be exposed to excesses.
