Owner guide - Snoring and gas

Boxers are sometimes prone to snoring and gas.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Boxer doesn't bark much

Boxer dog doesn't bark much - except with justifiable cause.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Understand health problems

Understand health problems that boxers are prone to, such as hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint), bloat, aortic stenosis (a heart condition), tumors and hypothyroidism (a condition that causes the body to slow down). When you adopt your dog or puppy, find out what type of screening has been done for these problems.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Train your boxer when he's young

Obedience-train your boxer when he's young. Boxers are highly intelligent and quick learners, but they can be mischievous if left untrained. They also love to jump up on people and need to be trained out of this behavior early.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Consider getting a crate for a new boxer puppy

Consider getting a crate for a new boxer puppy. It is helpful in house training and serves as a quiet place for the puppy. Crates are also good tools when you are training your puppy not to chew, and they help remedy separation anxiety.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Brush your boxer's coat

Brush your boxer's coat occasionally with a firm brush. Trim his nails regularly.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Bathe your boxer infrequently

Bathe your boxer infrequently. Because of his short-haired coat, he'll rarely get dirty.

Boxer - Dog Lover

Owner guide - Make sure meat is the first ingredient in your boxer's dog food

Make sure meat is the first ingredient in your boxer's dog food. Crude protein should be no less than 30 percent and crude fat no less than 20 percent. The fiber content should be 4 percent or less.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - How can I recognize when my female boxer dog shows signs of being in heat?

You can note that your boxer vulva dilates. This is the first phase, known at the beginning of heat, and lasts between six and nine days. She'll be attracted by males, but will probably refuse any intent of mating. This phase can last between four and thirteen days, with nine days as average. It's not strange if it lasts around 27 days. Don't be surprised if your female boxer dog urinates with greater frequency during this period, it's normal.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - How much does a boxer dog cost?

Boxer dogs from rescues, shelters, pounds cost $50-200 to adopt from a reputable breeder $900+.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Can a boxer dog swim?

Yes, but Boxer dogs need plenty of instruction learning to turn and maneuver in the water when learning to swim.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - What is the life expectancy for boxer dogs?

A life expectancy for a boxer dog is 11-14 years and are at health risks for cardiomyopathy, sub-aortic stenosis, and thyroid.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - How long is a boxer dog pregnant?

A Boxer dog is pregnant around 62 days. Dogs who are blessed with smaller litters can outlive that deadline by about a week.

Boxer - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Are boxers easy to train?

Boxers are very easy to train, some owner train their Boxer from CD. However having said that Boxers are very smart dogs who like comic relief and will readily supply it if you don't....so the easiest way to train a Boxer is to make it fun, fun, fun, and always make the lessons different if you don't your Boxer will know what is coming next........then who is training whom!!!!!

Boxer - Dog Lover

TRAINING

Because of their intelligence, Boxers can be very stubborn but when it comes to training a boxer, it can be very helpful. Owners must remember that there will be times when you ask boxer to do something and he's going to look you in the face and basically tell you where to go, he knows he is supposed to do what you are telling him but he decides he can't be bothered and doesn't. The main thing you have to remember in these circumstances is to be patient. From as early as 6 weeks old you should start your boxer dog training as this will help him when he grows up, socialize him, play with him and teach him, but do it in an exciting way and he is more likely to listen.

When your boxer reaches 13-16 weeks old it's time for some serious boxer dog training, this is the stage where he is going to test for dominance, he will nip and try to show you that he is the more dominant one, mainly by not listening to you. You have to be a strong leader at this time; you must show boxer that bad behaviors will not be tolerated no matter what!

Boxer - Dog Lover

FEEDING

The boxer is not really a greedy dog.When feeding a boxer it is better that they are fed twice a day as they are very active, always on the go looking for their next adventure. Some boxers have sensitive digestive systems, this will mean that they have to stick to a strict diet, with no treats. A dry food is often favoured for this breed. It is also fairly common for a boxer to appear thin when it is an adolescent, so do not overfeed to compensate.

Boxer - Dog Lover

HEALTH INFORMATION

Unfortunately, the Boxer is susceptible to several potential health problems, including hip dysplasia, bloat, aortic stenosis (a heart ailment), digestive problems, hypothyroidism, and cancerous and benign tumors.

Hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism affect many breeds of dogs and their presence can be determined by testing breeding stock before mating. Dysplastic dogs should not be bred; thyroid dogs should be bred carefully to non-thyroid dogs. Thyroid disease can be controlled by medicine; dysplasia cannot be controlled and can be corrected or alleviated only by surgery.

Prospective Boxer buyers should ask breeders for proof the litter's sire and dam are free of dysplasia and for the thyroid status of both puppy parents.

Boxer - Dog Lover

TEMPERAMENT

Although the Boxer is a loyal and intelligent family companion, his somewhat stubborn and self-confident character and high prey drives require careful consideration. Boxer must be obedience-trained to control his exuberance and guide his mettle into acceptable channels. He is, after all, a big, strong dog.

Temperament of Boxer is also good-natured, suffering the pokes and prods of children with stoicism, accepting friendly strangers, and always ready for a romp or a game. Left to his own devices, Boxer can get into trouble.

Above all, a Boxer should be even-tempered, dignified but with a touch of impish spirit, and full of courage. Aggression, extreme shyness (not to be confused with independence), and hyperactivity are unacceptable in the breed; those who are considering a Boxer should al least check the parent dogs for these undesirable traits before even looking at the puppies.

Boxer - Dog Lover

GROOMING

The even-tempered boxer is an easy dog to groom. These medium-sized dogs have double, extremely short-haired coats. Their shiny, smooth coats lie flat and tight and appear in colors of brindle, fawn and red, with white markings around the stomach, chest, feet and face.
Step 1 Give your boxer a quick brush every day with a natural bristle brush to keep shedding to a minimum.

Step 2 Check ears every one or two weeks for dirt, wax buildup and mites. When needed, clean ears with a cotton pad moistened with a few drops of ear cleansing solution.

Step 3 Trim hairs around your boxer's ears using blunt-nosed scissors every two months or when needed.

Step 4 Use blending shears to trim stray hair growing into different colored patches every month or two.

Step 5 Bathe only as needed. Boxers typically clean themselves like cats, so all you have to do is shampoo him when he's dirty, using a rubber brush to loosen shedding hair.

Step 6 Dry your boxer with a blow dryer, using your hand or a hard rubber brush to remove excess hair.

Step 7 Apply a coat whitener to any of your pet's discolored white markings. A boxer's oily coat has the tendency to retain dirt.

Boxer - Dog Lover

COAT AND COLOR

The Boxer is a short-haired breed, with a shiny, smooth coat that lies tight to the body. The recognized colors are fawn and brindle, often with a white underbelly and white on the front or all four feet. These white markings, called flash, often extend onto the neck or face, and dogs that have these markings are known as "flashy". "Fawn" denotes a range of color, the tones of which may be described variously as light tan or yellow, reddish tan, mahogany or stag/deer red, and dark honey-blonde.

In the UK, fawn Boxers are typically rich in color and are called "red". "Brindle" refers to a dog with black stripes on a fawn background. Some brindle Boxers are so heavily striped that they give the appearance of "reverse brindling", fawn stripes on a black body; these dogs are conventionally called "reverse brindles", but that is actually a misnomer—they are still fawn dogs with black stripes. In addition, the breed standards state that the fawn background must clearly contrast with or show through the brindling, so a dog that is too heavily brindled may be disqualified by the breed standard. The Boxer does not carry the gene for a solid black coat color and therefore purebred black Boxers do not exist.

Boxer - Dog Lover