Boxer History
Boxers were used as war dogs in Tibet and gradually worked there way into Albania and hundreds of years later gradually spread to Germany through old Teutonic tribes and then to other parts of Europe and Britain. The old Germans used these dogs as hunting dogs. The wild boar, a very tough and ferocious fighter, was successfully hunted with these fast and courageous dogs. They were also used to hunt deer, bear, and other large game. Their value as a watchdog and protector of the home was also significant.
The German “Boxer” became known as the Bullenbeisser. These were strong in head and short in muzzle, with a slightly undershot jaw. This gave them a bite that enabled them to grab a Bull or other animal by the nose with a hold that was difficult to break.
It is believed that the Great Dane, Bull Mastiff, and English Bull dog (much taller than today’s version and much faster) were used in crosses to develop the present day Boxer. The English Bulldog was also responsible for bringing the white influence into the Boxer breed. Previous to 1830, the Small Bullenbeisser was known for his black mask with fawn or different brindle colors. No white is mentioned in the breed until after the introduction of the former day Bulldog which ultimately made the modern day “Boxer”.
In 1914 the Boxer was officially recognized as an efficient German Police Dog and it was not until the 1940’s that Boxers were widely introduced into the US. In Germany durring WWII Boxers were also used as Sentry and Guard dogs.
Characteristics
The Boxer is fierce, formidable-looking dog, but this is not his nature. He has no peer as a member of the family, but particularly excels as a companion for children. He’s also large and heavy enough to take the abuse from small children. Never resenting it, he will walk away, while he remains always ready to protect them.
If a Boxer sees a baby in it owner’s arms, he will gaze admiringly at the baby, never raising his eyes above it. He is loyal and affectionate with his family and accepting of his family’s friends, particularly loving the younger ones.
He is easily trained and clean. His sense of fun is boundless, and he is happiest when he pleases his master.
Boxers love to box with their front paws and dribble a ball across a lawn. They are happy to go for a walk in the city or a run in the country just as long as he is with his family because that is what Boxers love the most.
Standards
Size: Medium to Large, Square built dog with short back, strong limbs, and short tight coat.
Average HEIGHT: Adult males 22 ½ to 25 inches; Females 21 to 23 ½ inches at the shoulders. If the dogs are smaller or larger there is no problem as long as the Boxer is in proportion.
The head: Head should have a harmonious proportion of muzzle to skull. The muzzle should be blunt and around 2/3 the width of the skull. The nose should be broad and black. Eyes should be attentive and alert and are Dark Brown in color. The Boxer BITE is undershot; the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper and curves slightly upward.
Colors: The colors are Fawn, Brindle and White. Fawn shades vary from light tan to a mahogany color. The Brindle ranges from sparse, but clearly defined Black stripes on a Fawn background, to such a heavy concentration of Black striping that essentially the Fawn can barely show through (which give the appearance of “Reverse Brindling”).
White (non-Albino) Boxers are just as wonderful as any other Boxer and are quite beautiful, but if you plan to show you Boxer, know there is regulation requiring that white markings may not exceed one-third of the entire coat.
White Albino Boxers are known to have a variety of genetic defects as well as many other health issues, including vision and hearing problems, skin allergies and sensitivities, and more prone to certain cancers. Most Albino dogs do not live as long or as healthy lives as other dogs.
How to tell the difference from White and Albino? Albino Boxers will have pink or red eyes along with a pink, not brown/black nose.
Socialization
A Boxers temperament is both hereditary and learned. The first step is to get a puppy from a breeder who provides early socialization with children, other animals and people. Your puppy should stay with his mother and littermates until at least 7 weeks of age, because the interaction with them will help your Boxer get along with other dogs later in life.
Once you bring your Boxer home it is necessary to continue the socialization that your breeder has started. You should introduce your Boxer puppy to everyone, especially children. If you have young ones in your family, teach them to treat the puppy with respect. If you do not have children, find some gentle children to play with your puppy. Energetic children make great playmates for the energetic Boxer- and vice versa. Take your puppy to as many different environments as you can- the beach, park, store, and car. Expose him to noises and situations, such as busy streets or a crowded pet store, always on a lead, of course. Also introduce him to other “well socialized” dogs. All Boxers must learn to get along with other dogs as well as humans.
Feeding your new Boxer
Most puppies once weaned, will eat small meals throughout the day due to their small stomach. Once your new puppy is home set up a feeding schedule right away.
This will GREATLY help you in the house training process. A four-month-old or younger should be feed 4 or 5 times a day. At 4 to 6 months, you can reduce to 3 times ay and after six months of age, you can start feeding once or twice a day, depending on your schedule. You should always feed him at the same time of day. Starting at 8 weeks you would feed at breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon, snack, and dinner, which should be served an hour before bedtime. Take your puppy out to go potty as soon as he is finished with his meal.
Some people choose “Free feeding” which means leaving food out for them to nibble on all day. As puppies this makes it harder to predict when the dog needs to go outside to eliminate.
It also could lead to overeating, because sometimes Boxers will eat out of boredom. It is best to put the food down for a limited time and then pick the food up. Your Boxer will adjust quickly to the schedule, and you’ll have more control over the amount consumed.
Start out following the directions on the dog food bag and increasing and decreasing as needed. All dogs need their own amount of food. Dog food labels are just a general guide, some will eat a lot more some will eat a lot less. Give the amount recommended for your dog’s age (remembering to divide that amount up into your 4 to 6 meals) then pick it up after a period of time and the giving it back at designated meal times. If your dog eats the food quickly and leaves nothing at feedings, you need to increase the amount. If there is leftover food, you may have to decrease the amount or try feeding smaller amounts more frequently. This should only take a few days of tweaking to get it right.
Grooming
Your Boxer can be safely bathed at 3 weeks old but they rarely need baths after arriving at their new homes unless they make a mess of themselves. Used mild shampoos and if necessary, a good conditioner. If a bath is to be given, put a drop of two of mineral oil in each eye and cotton plug in each ear. Use a larger one so it won’t slip into the ear passage. Make sure to put it in JUST firmly enough to keep water out.
REMEMBER, Diet has the strongest influence on the quality of the skin and coat. If your pet has a rub down every few days or once a week the loose hair will come out. It will also stimulate his oil glands and he will shed very little. Many things are used in grooming a Boxer. An Oval “brush” made to fit in the hand. It has circles of rubber teeth. This will rid the coat of dead hair in a jiffy and is gentle on the dog’s skin. Another accessory that it used is a hound glove. It is a mitt that fits over the hand; one side has fine soft wire teeth, the other is corduroy. The third is using a coarse bath towel to dry your dog after baths and hand polishing.
The most Effective tool we have used with our Boxers is the FURminator (or another similar product). It works very well at removing all the dead hair and loose undercoat. After brushing with the FURminator do a quick hand polishing and there is virtually no shedding for a week.
Nail Care: You can maintain your dogs toenails by cutting them with a special dog clipper or filing them with an electric nail grinder. Either way you choose you must start doing this regularly and early to get yourself and the dog used to the process. Make sure to introduce your dog as a puppy to the noise of the electric grinder if that is what you choose to use. Also be sure not to cut the “quick” and keep cornstarch of flour handy for accidents. Your vet will probably examine your dog’s nails whenever you bring him in and may trim them for you. He can show you how to do it yourself in the future. It gets costly to have to take a dog to the vets just to trim the nails. Remember make sure you get your dog used to picking up and messing with his feet daily. This will help much more than you would believe.
Ears: To keep them clean use a cotton ball or washcloth dampened with commercial ear cleaner or mineral oil and wipe the inside of the earflap. If your puppy’s ear is soar, has excess wax, or has a bad smell, he probably has an ear infection and needs to see a vet.
Eyes: Wipe around the eyes on a regular basis with a clean cloth dampened with warm water to keep clean and free of debris.
Teeth: Puppies need to chew, it is an essential part of their physical AND mental development, give them Nylabones or equivalent to let them chew. If you do not brush your dog’s teeth on a regular basis plaque WILL build up on the teeth and under the gums, periodontal disease can then occur. If left untreated the bacteria can enter the blood stream and spread to your puppy’s vital organs. Other problems can occur with not brushing, such as mouth abscesses and tooth loss. It is much easier to brush your dog’s teeth than you may think. Use a dog toothbrush or finger toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs. Start by getting your puppy used to having your fingers in his mouth without brushing his teeth. Soon this will become a normal part of his daily routine. After this is accomplished introduce the finger brush and toothpaste. Daily brushing is ideal but try to do it at least 4 times a week.
Training your new Boxer
Household Rules: Start teaching your puppy the household rules ASAP. Your 7 week old puppy is not too young to learn what you expect of him. When you start this training from day one you can prevent bad habits from forming. When you decide what rules you want him to follow, picture your puppy the way he will be in a year or two. It may be cute to let your little Boxer sleep in your bed every night, but are you going to allow it in a year? We let our dogs sleep in our bed, but others may not be so willing when your dog is 75lbs. Also when your 10-15lb. puppy jumps on your leg it’s no big deal right? But what happens when your dog is full grown and you have a child around? Boxers are notorious for jumping. Make a NO Jumping rule until full grown then work on who and when he can great with hugs. Take a practical look at your environment and decide what behavior you can or cannot live with. It’s not fair to a puppy that is allowed to do whatever he wants and one day it’s all taken away from him the next.
Crate Training: You need to remember your puppy between the ages of 7 to 16 weeks do not have control of their bowels or bladder. They are not able to “Hold It” until they get a little older. You will have to watch very carefully for signs that he needs to eliminate. He will usually have to go to the bathroom after eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing. Most puppies will give off signals, like circling or sniffing the floor. These behaviors are a sure sign that your puppy needs to go outside. Take your puppy outside immediately to the designated spot you would like him to eliminate and give LOTS of praise when he goes. Your puppy may not go every time but have faith! It will happen!
With the help of a regular schedule, you will be able to roughly predict when your puppy has to potty. The most useful thing you can buy to help this process is a crate. Crate training is the easiest and quickest way to house train your puppy. Around 5 weeks of age puppies will move away from their bed and eating area to relive themselves. This is natural instinct to keep those areas clean. This is the basis of crate training. His crate will also give him a “safe” place to sleep or get away form the hustle and bustle of the house. When your puppy is confined for GRADUALLY extended amounts of time he will learn to avoid soiling in his crate. All of our dogs now love their crate and go there to relax and chew on bones throughout the day.
We use and recommend the “Life Stages” dog crate (or equivalent). These crates are wonderful since you buy one crate for you dog’s entire life. They come standard with a divider than can be moved to make the crate any size. This prevents your puppy's crate from being to large and him sleeping in one end and eliminating in the other. Trust me this beats buying a new crate every 6 months as well! Also a new feature they have with their crates is a 2 door option. Your full grown Boxer will need a large crate and it tends to stick out from the wall fairly far. With the new side door they have incorporated this gives you the option to place the crate sideways.
Be sure to introduce your dog to his crate in a positive way. Leave the door open in a place in the home where everyone spends most of their time. When your puppy goes in his crate offer a small treat. Once he is comfortable with his crate you can close the door for a short period of time, slowly increasing the time periods. It is also a good idea to offer a favorite toy while he is in there.
DO NOT let your puppy out of the crate when he cries or scratches at the door. If you do, your puppy will think that doing this will bring release every time. The best thing for a temper tantrum is to ignore the pup. Only open the door when the dog is quiet AND calm. DO NOT use the crate as punishment. If you do, your dog will think of the crate as a bad place. You may also want to give the dog a command when he goes in his crate such as “go to bed” or “in the crate” being sure to always offer praise and a treat or toy as well. At night it is best to keep the dogs crate in your bedroom, especially when your puppy is still getting used to it. Having you nearby will create a feeling of security and will be easier for you as well. If he needs to go outside during the night, you can let him out before he has an accident. Your dog will also be comforted by the sight, smell and sound of you, and will less likely be frightened.
Outside Schedule: When house training, remember that if he has an accident, its not his fault. It means he was not supervised well enough or was not taken out in time. If you catch your dog in the act, don’t yell or scold him. Say “NO!” loudly, which should startle and stop him. Pick your pup up and take him to the proper place outside. Reinforce with lots of praise when he finishes. If you scold or punish you will make him think going potty is wrong and he will become sneaky about it, and you will find puddles and piles in strange places. Don’t concentrate on correction; emphasize praise for going potty in the right place. If you find a mess, don’t yell at your pup and NEVER rub his nose in it, it will only make him scared of you. Simply clean it up and be sure to keep a closer eye on him next time. Every puppy will make mistakes, especially in the beginning. Don’t worry, with patience and consistency, every dog can be house trained.
some information gathered from"the guide to owning a Boxer" by Patti Rutledge, 2004.
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