Boxer Complete Profile

Key Facts:

Size: Medium
Height: 53 - 61 cm (21 - 24 inches)
Weight: 28 - 30 kg (62 - 66 lb)
Life Span: 12 years
Grooming: Easy
Exercise: Demanding
Feeding: Medium
Temperament: Fearless & energetic
Country of Origin: Germany
AKC Group: Working

Temperament:
The Boxer is intelligent, alert, fearless, loyal and self-assured. Boxers are very extroverted with high levels of energy and they are often boisterous. This breed are bright and friendly when playing and are determined and brave when aroused. Boxers can be distrustful of strangers and make good watchdogs and guard dogs. They respond well to firm consistent discipline and training. Boxers make excellent companions for adults and children.

Grooming:
The coat of a Boxer is easily cared for and regular brushing will eliminate moulting.

Exercise:
Boxers require substantial exercise. They enjoy playing and romping with other dogs and will happily play with a ball with their owner. When they're adult dogs you can let them run beside a cycle, as a form of exercise. A Boxers concept of exercise is that life is to be lived at speed.

Feeding:
Boxers are not particularly greedy dogs, but their appetites need to be controlled to prevent them becoming overweight.

History:
The Boxer originated from the Tibetan Mollossus and European mastiff family. They were originally used in Germany for bear and bull baiting. In the 19th century, the breed reached a certain amount of conformity following selective crosses between Great Danes and English Bulldogs. The origins of the name "Boxer" is unclear. Some believe it is a corruption of the German word "Beiszer" meaning biter of bulls, while others state it comes from the word "boxl", an alternate name for the now extinct Brabanter dog.

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Muscular body with no fat, solid, smooth coat and courageous.
Colour: Brindle, red or fawn with white markings on the muzzle, neck, chest and feet or legs. Black mask.
Coat: Short, shiny and hard hair. Very tight to the body.
Tail: Set high, usually docked and carried erect.
Ears: Moderate size, set high, thin, lying flat and close to the cheek when in repose. Some countries allow the ears to be cropped to a point, not too broad and carried erect.
Body: Square, curved ribs and the belly forms a curve towards the rear of the dog. The back is short, straight, broad and well-muscled.

Additional Comments:

The Boxer is one of the best guarding breeds and they consider their family as theirs to guard.
Boxers can be too boisterous for some owners and are more appropriate for an energetic handler or family.
Inherited conditions of Boxers include eye problems, extra incisor teeth and heart problems. The owner should always buy from a reputable breeder to reduce the likeliness of these problems.

Related Information of Interest:

3 Simple Steps For A Healthier Dog
We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought. We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Let’s face it this can get very boring for you and especially for your dog.

In order to maintain your dog’s health there are really only three simple steps you need to follow:
1.A good diet
2.Plenty of fresh water
3.Exercise

A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful what you buy! Read the ingredients label not just the name of the dog food. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, not one that contains filler and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for. Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health.

Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.

Exercise your dog daily. This is good for you also. Take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.

About the Author

Jim De Fazio is the successful webmaster of www.natural-pet-supplies.com. A site that offers all natural food and supplies for your dog or cat.

A Funny True Life Dog Story
This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He was my favourite pet and he was very lively, lots of fun and very obedient. His main passion in life was to be taken for a long walk, culminating with a big run out in his favourite park.

I would try to take him on this walk everyday, weather permitting. The park itself was about three miles away from our house. To reach the park we had to cross a number of busy roads, however he would never pull or misbehave. He knew where we were heading and seemingly did not want to rock the boat and risk been taken home before he reached his dream destination.

At the park itself I would throw a ball and he would chase it and fetch it back to me.

At this stage I was living at home with my parents, however aged twenty two, I decided to rent my own bungalow near the coast in Devon. This was nearly two hundred miles away from my parents in home in Birmingham. This obviously meant I was no longer in the position to take Shandy on his walk.

I spoke to my parent, who reassured me that they would continue to take him on the walks.

Two weeks after I had left, I had a phone call from my mother. She was panicking, stating that Shandy had managed to escape from the back garden and that she could not find him. She insisted that she had been looking for hours but that there had been no sign of him.

I was quite worried and thought about where he may have gone to. "Have you been taking him on his walks to the park everyday?" I asked. She replied: "Most days" I asked her to try at the park, telling her that he loves that park etc. "He would not be there, its miles away." She said. I again asked her to try there. Luckily he was there quite happily sniffing around, unaware of the panic he had caused.

About the Author

Stephen Hill has a couple of websites at www.lasik-laser-surgery.co.uk and at www.stutter-stuttering.com.

A Good Tip For Dogs With Itchy Skin
Now that summer is in full swing, many dogs are experiencing dry skin and excessive itchiness. I know that my dog, "Forbes," certainly has been! Of course, the first thing you'll want to rule out is fleas. But barring fleas, I've found that the best way to alleviate itching is to:

Splash approximately 2 Tablespoons of either vegetable oil or canola oil in your dog's food.
The additional fat will give your dog's coat a soft, shiny look and will help alleviate dry skin and itching.
You can also try an over-the-counter product you can get at most pet stores called, "Lipiderm," which works pretty much the same, but costs a bit more.
Something else you might try: One of my newsletter subscribers writes, "Best thing for itchy skin is lemons. Slice a couple of lemons in a litre of water and boil it. Let it cool down for a day then you can spray it on. Works wonders and is cheap."

About the Author

Author, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!“ which you can read more about at:
tinyurl.com/4efaq

Body Language Before Dog Bites
Dear Adam:

After catching up on doggy email, I've noticed your reference to submissive posture. Your book helped more than a professional trainer I hired for my adopted Golden. We went through biting and dominance issues. The problem I am having now is I still do not trust him 100%. When he bit there really wasn't any sign it was coming (that I noticed). Even now, the only sign that he doesn't like something is a lowered head and sometimes a low growl (the groomer told me this). This dog growls sometimes when he is happy. It is almost like someone taught him not to make any other noise in doors. Outside he will bark. I guess the big question is how do you read a dog's face, body, etc.?

Thanks,
Mark.

Dear Mark:

It's a tough situation you've got. You've really got to just pay close attention to the dog at any time you suspect she may display the aggression. The most common indicators that I used when working with clients who had aggressive dogs was to watch:

1. The mouth. A dog will always pull has mouth closed tight just before he bites.

2. Body language. The dog's body language will get stiff and still just before he bites. Especially watch the stillness. It's very subtle, but at the same time very noticeable once you train your eye to look for it.

There are other things that you could look for depending on the dog and the type of aggression. However, you need to recognize that there are ALWAYS cues... it's just a matter of whether we are quick enough (or aware enough) to catch them.

To read more of my dog training ramblings, read about my book (click below): tinyurl.com/4efaq
Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!

About the Author

Author, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!“ which you can read more about at:
tinyurl.com/4efaq