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Your Pet, Our Passion.

Boxer

The Boxer dog is medium-sized, very muscular, sturdy and deep-chested. They have a short muzzle and a slightly upturned chin.

Lifespan
10–12 years
Weight
25–32kg
Height
53–63cm
Colours
The colour of the short coat comes in fawn and brindle, usually with some white markings; they can also be totally white in colour
Size
Medium
Kennel Club group
Working
The need-to-know
  • Dog suitable for owners with some experience
  • Basic training required
  • Need to be aware of potential health issues
  • Enjoys active walks
  • Enjoys one to two hours of walking a day
  • Large dog
  • Some drool
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Chatty and vocal dog
  • Barks and alerts to visitors/anything unusual
  • Could have issues with unknown dogs but gets along with known dogs
  • May need additional training to live with other pets
  • May need additional supervision to live with children
  • Needs a large garden
  • Can happily live in the city
  • Can be left alone with training
This breed may encounter health problems

The Boxer breed is classified as brachycephalic; problems associated with this condition include;
- Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome: a condition in brachycephalic breeds (those with a short nose and squashed face) where breathing is obstructed and can lead to reduced ability to exercise, or even severe respiratory distress.
- Skin inflammation/infection: brachycephalic breeds have a short nose and a normal amount of facial tissue. This means there is often excess skin around their face which leads to skin folds. The skin inside these folds can become sore and infections are prone to develop. 
- Eye ulcers: ulcers are painful erosions on the surface of the eye. They are more common in brachycephalic breeds due to their conformation, as their eyes tend to be more bulbous.

The breed is also predisposed to:
- Hip dysplasia
- Aortic stenosis which is a narrowing of one of the blood vessels lead from the heart and can result in heart failure.
- Boxer cardiomyopathy, which affects the heart muscle tissue which means the heart cannot work properly and may fail.  
- Cancers including lymphoma¹ a cancer in one of the cells that makes up the immune system and haemangiosarcomas², a cancer in the cells that line the blood vessels.
- Epilepsy³ which is a condition where abnormal brain function can lead to seizures which damage the brain.
- Cruciate disease which is where the ligaments in the knee become diseased and damaged which can lead to pain and limping.

Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing: 
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.

¹ K. Craun et al, 'Genetic and environmental risk for lymphoma in boxer dogs.', July 2020, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
² P. C. Schultheiss, 'A Retrospective Study of Visceral and Nonvisceral Hemangiosarcoma and Haemangiomas in Domestic Animals', Nov 2004, Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation.
³ C. Rusbridge, 'Canine idiopathic epilepsy', May 2016, Veterinary Ireland Journal.

Personality

Boxer dogs remain puppy-like throughout their lives, making them quite a handful! Lively, strong and loyal, they make great pets for all the family, adults and children alike, but can be boisterous so may not be suitable in a home with very young children - or where owners don't have time to give them the attention and exercise they need as they can get bored easily!

Fearless and very self-assured, they are not quick to pick a fight, but more than able to defend themselves if they have to. They do not like being left home alone and can become distressed and destructive.

Did You Know?

  • Many famous people have owned and loved Boxers - including Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. They got their first Boxer as a wedding present - then followed that up by getting two more.
  • Their name comes from their tendency to stand up on their hind legs when playing and ‘box’ like a human does!
  • The Guinness World Record for ‘Longest Tongue on a Dog’ belonged to a Boxer named Brandy, their tongue was a huge 17 inches long.
  • Boxer’s are very excitable and always glad to see their favourite human, so much so that they’re known to do the ‘kidney bean dance’ which is where they’ll twist their bodies in a semicircle and start turning!
  • As they have short muzzles, they’re known to snore quite a lot!