History

BC While the origins of the Boxer are obscure, it is believed to be one of many breeds to have developed from the massive Molossian Hound, an ancient Greek guarding, fighting, and herding dog. From Greece to Rome to Europe and Britain, these dogs gave birth to a number of large, square-headed breeds that assisted men in the hunt and at war. Middle ages During the middle ages in England, this basic stock developed into three principle types. In Germany one Molossian type was know as the Bullenbeisser (bull-biter).

The Bullenbeisser The Bullenbeisser was a medium size dog, heavy built, sometimes with clipped ears and tail. The Bullenbeisser was the only hunting dog in Germany. The Bullenbeisser diverged into two types, known as Danzigers and Brabanters after their areas of origin.

The Brabanter The Brabanters were the smaller of the two and was bred and trained to hold in check the fierce aurochs, a wild progenitor of domestic cattle and to obtain a grip on the nose that he held tight, pending the hunter's arrival. His personality combining watchfulness and intelligence has remained little changed down to modern times and he has proven himself eminently suitable for his modern role as a house dog and companion. An early 1800's German writer wrote that these dogs were hunting and baiting bears, makes good watchdogs, had short noses with black muzzles, protruding lower jaws and was black and yellow striped in colour.

Bear Baiting By 1800, the great hunts organized by noblemen had all but faded into history. Brabanters moved from castles and great manors to butcher shops, cattle farms, and theaters to ply their new trades of cattle management and acting. His easy trainability even found him performing in the circus. The smaller Bullenbeisser and Brabanter was of similar type as the British Bulldog of old times, although it is believed that the German dogs were fawn or brindle, and never any white as the British Bulldog. About 1830 the white

colour began to appear in the Bullenbeisser's, due to imported English dogs, especially the British Bulldog, who was crossed with the already existing German Bullenbeisser types. The start of the modern Boxer In 1887 George Muhlbahuer Alt imported a (Brabanter) Bullenbeisser bitch, named "Flora", from France to his home in Munich, Germany. He mated her to a local dog (Known as Boxl), which produced male called Boxer de Lechner (Box). This dog as inbred with its mother (Flora). This crossing gave two females called Flora II and Alt's Schecken.

Alt's Schencken The later crossing of an English bulldog called Tom (property of the Dr Toenniessen) and Alt's Schecken produced a litter on the 26 of February of 1895. One of the dogs produced in this litter was "Mhlbauers Flocki", a brindle male who was the first dog enrolled in German Stud Book of the Boxer and winner of the first exhibition of the race.

Flocki

The other was a bitch named Blanka, also pure white as her father.

Blanca Blanka was bred with Piccolo.

Piccolo Blanka gave birth to a litter of puppies. One of her daughters, Meta von der Passage became an important member of the boxer pedigree. It is thought that nearly all boxers can be traced back to Meta.

Meta von der Passage The following table explains the preceding paragraphs in more detail: Female Flora Flora Flora2 Schecken Flora2 Blanka Male Boxl Box Box Tom Lord Piccolo Notable puppy Box Flora2 & Schecken Lord Blanka & Flocki Piccolo Meta von der Passage

In South Germany, systematic breeding of the Boxer began. Above all, efforts were directed towards the renewed elimination of the British Bulldog blood. Guiding principles for breeding were established which became the foundation for the present Boxer standard. In 1895, at Munich, twenty Boxers (a mixture of white, black, brindle and fawn) Boxers were exhibited for the first time at a show, thus receiving official recognition as a breed. The German Boxer Club was founded at Munich in 1896, and therewith the perpetuation of the breed was assured. In the short space of ten years our Boxer was among the breeds consistently having the largest entries at shows, which continues to be the case to this day.

German Boxer Club 1896 The breed standard development started soon after the show and was completed in 1902.

Boxers during First Show The Boxer came to the United States in 1903 through the Stuttgarter Kennels. The A.K.C. registered its first Boxer in 1904, before there was a national parent club. Rigo von Angertor, a deep red fawn took best of breed amongst 32 boxers in the 1906 show in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He was an outstanding producer. It was 1911 before the first Boxer appeared in England. One of the earliest breeders was Fr. Friedrum Stockmann, who did a fabulous job both in breeding and promoting the breed. Her Kennel, "van Dom", existed from 1911 (when PLUTO v. DOM was registered) to 1974 and the ancestor to all "van Dom dogs" were "Rolf von Vogelsberg", sold to Fr. Stockmann at the age of three.

Fr. Friedrum Stockmann In 1912, the American public's attention was drawn to the Boxer breed, thanks to the importation of the 1912 Seiger, Dampf von Dom, by the future Governor of New York and Mrs. Herbert H. Lehman. In 1914 Ex-Governor Herbert Lehman of New York imported from Germany DAMPF v. DOM, a son of ROLF v. VOGELSBERG (owned by the Stockmans). In 1915, Dampf became the first Boxer to receive championship honors in the United States. Philip Stockmann (Fr. Friedrum Stockmann husband) set up the German Boxer training program for the German Army during World War 1.

Philip Stockmann

After demonstrating outstanding working dog qualities even in the World War 1, Boxers were at long last officially recognized as Police and Guard dogs in 1925. The breeders had different opinions of which way the breed should go, some wanted to follow the Bulldog to the extreme, while others wanted to have the breed more "normal", and luckily the Boxer followed the more normal direction. The white colour were prohibited, legalized and prohibited again. In 1925 it was decided that the black colored Boxer no longer were allowed. All breeders followed the direction, which led to a quick extinction of the black Boxer. From the same year also the white colour was permanent prohibited.

Black Boxers In 1938 it was decided that Boxers with more than one third white coat were not allowed. But still today there are born Boxers with much white on the body, even pure white dogs occur. After World War II the popularity of the Boxer in the USA reached sky-high, and American bred Boxers were exported to other countries. Also in England they succeeded in breeding very good dogs, and the breed got quite popular in the British Isles. All over the world the Boxer gained popularity, due to its even temperament and beautiful body structure. Today the Boxer is among the most popular breeds in the world, for good and for worse. The rest, as they say is history!

Sooo, What Are You Looking For.....

Boxers make great family pets and a very loyal companion. They need a certain amount of exercise to maintain their sanity. If you don't have a big yard, trips to the park and weekly walks will do the job. This will keep them in shape and control their hyper tendencies. The Boxer is a very athletic breed so they are great for those who have an active lifestyle. They can get up to 60 to 70 lbs, and have a very muscular build. They are great with children and would make a great addition to any family.

General Appearance Great mobility, smooth-coated, medium-sized, square build, strong bone and evident, well developed muscles. Characteristics Lively, strong, loyal to owner and family, but distrustful of strangers. Obedient, friendly at play, but with guarding instinct. Temperament Equable, biddable, fearless, self-assured. Head and Skull Head imparts its unique individual stamp and is in proportion to body, appearing neither light nor too heavy. Skull lean without exaggerated cheek muscles. Muzzle broad, deep and powerful, never narrow, pointed, short or shallow. Balance of skull and muzzle essential, with muzzle never appearing small, viewed from any angle. Skull cleanly covered, showing no wrinkle, except when alerted. Creases present from root of nose running down sides of muzzle. Dark mask confined to muzzle, distinctly contrasting with colour of head, even when white is present. Lower jaw undershot, curving slightly upward. Upper jaw broad where attached to skull, tapering very slightly to front. Muzzle shape completed by upper lips, thick and well padded, supported by well separated canine teeth of lower jaw. Lower edge of upper lip rests on edge of lower lip, so that chin is clearly perceptible when viewed from front or side. Lower jaw never to obscure front of upper lip, neither should teeth nor tongue be visible when mouth closed. Top of skull slightly arched, not rounded, nor too flat and broad. Occiput not too pronounced. Distinct stop, bridge of nose never forced back into forehead, nor should it be downfaced. Length of muzzle measured from tip of nose to inside corner of eye is one-third length of head measured from tip of nose to occiput. Nose broad, black, slightly turned up, wide nostrils with well defined line between. Tip of nose set slightly higher than root of muzzle. Cheeks powerfully developed, never bulging.

Eyes Dark brown, forward looking, not too small, protruding or deeply set. Showing lively, intelligent expression. Dark rims with good pigmentation showing no haw. Ears Moderate size, thin, set wide apart on highest part of skull lying flat and close to cheek in repose, but falling forward with definite crease when alert. Mouth Undershot jaw, canines set wide apart with incisors (six) in straight line in lower jaw. In upper jaw set in line curving slightly forward. Bite powerful and sound, with teeth set in normal arrangement. Neck Round, of ample length, strong, muscular, clean cut, no dewlap. Distinctly marked nape and elegant arch down to withers. Forequarters Shoulders long and sloping, close lying, not excessively covered with muscle. Upper arm long, making right angle to shoulderblade. Forelegs seen from front, straight, parallel, with strong bone. Elbows not too close or standing too far from chest wall. Forearms perpendicular, long and firmly muscled. Pasterns short, clearly defined, but not distended, slightly slanted. Body In profile square, length from forechest to rear of upper thigh equal to height at withers. Chest deep, reaching to elbows. Depth of chest half height at withers. Ribs well arched, not barrel-shaped, extending well to rear. Withers clearly defined. Back short, straight, slightly sloping, broad and strongly muscled. Loin short, well tucked up and taut. Lower abdominal line blends into curve to rear.

Hindquarters Very strong with muscles hard and standing out noticeably under skin. Thighs broad and curved. Broad croup slightly sloped, with flat, broad arch. Pelvis long and broad. Upper and lower thigh long. Good hind angulation; when standing, the stifle is directly under the hip protuberance. Seen from side, leg from hock joint to foot not quite vertical. Seen from behind, legs straight, hock joints clean, with powerful rear pads. Feet Front feet small and cat-like, with well arched toes, and hard pads; hind feet slightly longer. Tail Previously customarily docked. Docked: Set on high and carried upward. Undocked: Set on high and carried gaily, not curled over back. Of moderate thickness. In overall balance to the rest of dog.

Gait/Movement Strong, powerful with noble bearing, reaching well forward, and with driving action of hindquarters. In profile, stride free and ground covering. Coat Short, glossy, smooth and tight to body. Colour Fawn or brindle. White markings acceptable not exceeding one-third of ground colour. Fawn: Various shades from dark deer red to light fawn. Brindle: Black stripes on previously described fawn shades, running parallel to ribs all over body. Stripes contrast distinctly to ground colour, neither too close not too thinly dispersed. Ground colour clear, not intermingling with stripes. Size Height: dogs: 57-63 cms (221/2-25 ins); bitches: 53-59 cms (21-23 ins). Weight: dogs: approximately 30-32 kgs (66-70 lbs); bitches: approximately 25-27 kgs (55-60 lbs). Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. Note Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. As Defined By The Kennel Club 2007.

Boxer (dog) Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium size, shorthaired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn, brindled, white, or even reverse brindled with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic (they have broad, short skulls), and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism (an underbite), very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to large prey. The Boxer was bred from the English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisserand is part of the Molosser, mastiff group. Boxers were first exhibited in a dog show for St. Bernards at Munich in 1895, the first Boxer club being founded the next year. Based on 2009 American Kennel Club statistics, Boxers are the sixth most popular breed of dog in the United States for the third year in a rowmoving up in 2007 from the seventh spot, which they'd held since 2002

Brindle Boxers with uncropped and croppedears Other names German Boxer Deutscher Boxer German Bullmastiff (not to be confused with the german mastiff, great dane)

Country of Germany origin [hide]Traits Male 6670 lb (3032 kg) Female 5560 lb (2527 kg) Male 26-31 ins. (56-63 cms.) Female 21-25.5 ins. (53-60 cms.) short, shiny, smooth, close-lying fawn or brindle, black mask, with or without white markings average 6-8

Weight Height

Coat Color

Litter size Life average 10 years span

[show]Classification and standards Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) Appearance

Head and body proportions. The head is the most distinctive feature of the Boxer. The breed standard dictates that it must be in perfect proportion to the body and above all it must

never be too light. The greatest value is to be placed on the muzzle being of correct form and in absolute proportion to the skull. The length of the muzzle to the whole of the head should be a ratio of 1:49. Folds are always present from the root of the nose running downwards on both sides of the muzzle, and the tip of the nose should lie somewhat higher than the root of the muzzle. In addition a Boxer should be slightly prognathous, i.e., the lower jaw should protrude beyond the upper jaw and bend slightly upwards in what is commonly called an underbite or "undershot bite". Boxers were originally a docked and cropped breed, and this tradition is still maintained in some countries. However, due to pressure from veterinary associations, animal rights groups and the general public, both cropping of the ears and docking of the tail have been prohibited in many countries around the world. There is a line of naturally short-tailed (bobtail) Boxers that was developed in the United Kingdom in anticipation of a tail docking ban there; after several generations of controlled breeding, these dogs were accepted in the Kennel Club (UK) registry in 1998, and today representatives of the bobtail line can be found in many countries around the world. However, in 2008, the FCI added a "naturally stumpy tail" as a disqualifying fault in their breed standard, meaning those Boxers born with a bobtail are no longer able to be shown (or, in some cases, bred) in FCI member countries. In the United States and Canada as of 2009, cropped ears are still more common in show dogs. In March 2005 the AKC breed standard was changed to include a description of the uncropped ear, but to severely penalize an undocked tail. Although a Boxer may not be as big as another breed, make no mistake, what a Boxer may lack in size or weight, it makes up for in near unmatchable strength.

Coat and colors

Boxers are either fawn (middle frame) or brindle (bottom frame), with or without white markings, which, when excessive are conventionally called "white" Boxers (top frame).

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. There are no pure bred Black Boxers, but generally a reverse brindle is mistaken as "black." 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. White Boxers Boxers with white markings covering more than one-third of their coat conventionally called "white" Boxers - are neither albino nor rare; approximately 2025% of all Boxers born are white. Genetically, these dogs are either fawn or brindle, with excessive white markings overlying the base coat color. Like fair-skinned humans, white Boxers have a higher risk of sunburn and associated skin cancers than colored Boxers. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears, though Boxer rescue organizations see about double that number. In the past, breeders often euthanized white puppies at birth; today, most breeders place white puppies in pet homes with spay/neuter agreements. White Boxers are disqualified from conformation showing by the breed standard, and are prohibited from breeding by every national Boxer club in the world. They can compete in non-conformation events such as obedience and agility, and like their colored counterparts do quite well as service and therapy dogs. Temperament The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most solicitous attention. It is renowned from olden times for its

great love and faithfulness to its master and household. It is harmless in the family, but distrustful of strangers, bright and friendly of temperament at play, but brave and determined when aroused. Its intelligence and willing tractability, its modesty, and cleanliness make it a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. It is the soul of honesty and loyalty, and is never false or treacherous even in its old age. 1938 AKC Boxer breed standard

Two boxers engaged in play, UK. Boxers are a bright, energetic and playful breed and tend to be very good with children. They are active and incredibly strong dogs and require adequate exercise to prevent boredom-associated behaviors such as chewing, digging, or licking. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being "headstrong," which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers, like other animals, typically respond better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training, an approach based on operant conditioning and behaviorism, which affords the dog an opportunity to think independently and to problem-solve. Because of their resistance to repetitive and punishment-based training, Stanley Coren's survey of obedience trainers, summarized in his book The Intelligence of Dogs, ranked Boxers at #48 - average working/obedience intelligence. Many who have actually worked with Boxers disagree quite strongly with Coren's

survey results, and maintain that a skilled trainer who utilizes reward-based methods will find Boxers have far above-average intelligence and working ability. The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed but, when provoked, is a formidable guardian of any family or home and, like all dogs, requires socialization. Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs and puppies, but difficulties with larger adult dogs, especially those of the same sex, may occur. More severe fighting can also occur among female boxers. Boxers are generally more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form. History For more details on this topic, see Bullenbeisser. The Boxer is part of the Molosser dog group, developed in Germany in the late 19th century from the now extinct Bullenbeisser, a dog of Mastiff descent, and Bulldogs brought in from Great Britain. The Bullenbeisser had been working as a hunting dog for centuries, employed in the pursuit of bear, wild boar, and deer. Its task was to seize the prey and hold it until the hunters arrived. In later years, faster dogs were favored and a smaller Bullenbeisser was bred in Brabant, in northern Belgium. It is generally accepted that the Brabanter Bullenbeisser was a direct ancestor of today's Boxer. In 1894, three Germans by the names of Friedrich Robert, Elard Konig, and R. Hopner decided to stabilize the breed and put it on exhibition at a dog show. This was done in Munich in 1895, and the next year they founded the first Boxer Club, the Deutscher Boxer Club. The Club went on to publish the first Boxer breed standard in 1902, a detailed document that has not been changed much to this day.

Friedrich Robert and his Boxer,1894 The breed was introduced to other parts of Europe in the late 19th century and to the United States around the turn of the 20th century. The American Kennel Club (AKC) registered the first Boxer in 1904, and recognized the first Boxer champion, Dampf vom Dom, in 1915. During World War I, the Boxer was co-opted for military work, acting as a valuable messenger dog, packcarrier, attack dog, and guard dog. It was not until after World War II that the Boxer became popular around the world. Taken home by returning soldiers,they introduced the dog to a wider audience and soon became a favorite as a companion, a show dog, and a guard dog. [edit]Early genealogy

Boxer early genealogy chart

The German citizen George Alt, a Munich resident, mated a brindle-colored bitch imported from France named Flora with a local dog of unknown ancestry, known simply as "Boxer", resulting in a fawn-and-white male, named "Lechner's Box" after its owner. This dog was mated with his own dam Flora, and one of its offspring was a bitch called Alt's Schecken. George Alt mated Schecken with a Bulldog named Dr. Toneissen's Tom to produce the historically significant dog ''Mhlbauer's Flocki. Flocki was the first Boxer to enter the German Stud Book after winning the aforementioned show for St. Bernards in Munich 1895, which was the first event to have a class specific for Boxers. The white bitch Ch. Blanka von Angertor, Flocki's sister, was even more influential when mated with Piccolo von Angertor (Lechner's Box grandson) to produce the predominantly white (parti-colored) bitch Meta von der Passage, which, even bearing little resemblance with the modern Boxer standard (early photographs depicts her as too long, weak-backed and downfaced), is considered the mother of the breed. John Wagner, in The Boxer (first published in 1939) said the following regarding this bitch: Meta von der Passage played the most important role of the five original ancestors. Our great line of sires all trace directly back to this female. She was a substantially built, low to the ground, brindle and white parti-color, lacking in underjaw and exceedingly lippy. As a producing female few in any breed can match her record. She consistently whelped puppies of marvelous type and rare quality. Those of her offspring sired by Flock St. Salvator and Wotan dominate all present-day pedigrees. Combined with Wotan and Mirzl children, they made the Boxer. Breed name The name "Boxer" is supposedly derived from the breed's tendency to play by standing on its hind legs and "boxing" with its front paws. According to Andrew H. Brace's Pet owner's guide to the Boxer, this theory is the least plausible explanation. He claims "it's unlikely that a nation so permeated with nationalism would give to one of its most famous breeds a name so obviously anglicised". German linguistic and historical evidence find the earliest written source for the word Boxer in the 18th century, where it is found in a text in the Deutsches Fremdwrterbuch (The German Dictionary of Foreign

Words), which cites an author named Musus of 1782 writing "da er aus Furcht vor dem groen Baxer Salmonet ... sich auf einige Tage in ein gerumiges Packfa ... absentiret hatte". At that time the spelling "baxer" equalled "boxer". Both the verb (boxen) and the noun (Boxer) were common German language as early as the late 18th century. The term Boxl, also written Buxn or Buchsen in the Bavarian dialect, means "short (leather) trousers" or "underwear". The very similar-sounding term Boxerl, also from the Bavarian dialect, is an endearing term for Boxer. More in line with historical facts, Brace states that there exist many other theories to explain the origin of the breed name, from which he favors the one claiming the smaller Bullenbeisser (Brabanter) were also known as "Boxl" and that Boxer is just a corruption of that word.

Boxers on the first Boxer exhibition, Munich 1895 In the same vein runs a theory based on the fact that there were a group of dogs known as Bierboxer in Munich by the time of the breed's development. These dogs were the result from mixes of Bullenbeisser and other similar breeds. Bier (beer) probably refers to the Biergarten, the typical Munich beergarden, an open-air restaurant where people used to take their dogs along. The nickname "Deutscher Boxer" was derived from bierboxerand Boxer could also be a corruption of the former or a contraction of the latter. A Passage from the book "The Complete Boxer" by Milo G Denlinger states: It has been claimed that the name "Boxer" was jokingly applied by an English traveler who noted a tendency of the dog to use its paws in fighting. This seems improbable. Any such action would likely result in a badly bitten if not broken leg. On the other hand, a German breeder of forty years' experience states positively that the Boxer does not use its feet, except to try and extinguish a small flame such as a burning match. But a Boxer does box with its head: it will hit (not bite) a cat with its muzzle hard enough to knock it out

and will box a ball with its nose. Or perhaps, since the German dictionary translates 'boxer' as 'prize-fighter' the name was bestowed in appreciation of the fighting qualities of the breed rather than its technique. Boxer is also the name of a dog owned by John Peerybingle, the main character on the best selling 1845 book The Cricket on the Hearth byCharles Dickens, which is evidence that "Boxer" was commonly used as a dog name by the early 19th century, before the establishment of the breed by the end of that same century. The name of the breed could also be simply due to the names of the very first known specimens of the breed (Lechner's Box, for instance). Health Dog health

A healthy, three-month-old white boxer puppy. Leading health issues to which Boxers are prone include cancers, heart conditions such as Aortic Stenosisand Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (the so-called "Boxer Cardiomyopathy"),hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy and epilepsy; other conditions that may be seen are gastric dilatation and torsion (bloat), intestinal problems, and allergies (although these may be more related to diet than breed). Entropion, a malformation of the eyelid requiring surgical correction, is occasionally seen, and some lines have a tendency toward spondylosis deformans, a fusing of the spine, ordystocia.

According to a UK Kennel Club health survey, cancer accounts for 38.5% of Boxer deaths, followed by old age (21.5%), cardiac (6.9%) and gastrointestinal (6.9%) related issues. Average age of death was 9 years and 8 months. Responsible breeders use available tests to screen their breeding stock before breeding, and in some cases throughout the life of the dog, in an attempt to minimize the occurrence of these diseases in future generations. Boxers are known to be very sensitive to the hypotensive and bradycardiac effects of a commonly-used veterinary sedative, acepromazine. It is recommended that the drug be avoided in the Boxer breed. As an athletic breed, proper exercise and conditioning is important for the continued health and longevity of the Boxer. Care must be taken not to overexercise young dogs, as this may damage growing bones; however once mature Boxers can be excellent jogging or running companions. Because of their brachycephalic head, they do not do well with high heat or humidity, and common sense should prevail when exercising a Boxer in these conditions. Uses

An older Fawn enjoys boating on Lake Lanier, South Carolina. Boxers are friendly, lively companions that are popular as family dogs. Their suspicion of strangers, alertness, agility, and strength make them formidable guard dogs. They sometimes appear at dog agility or obedience trials and flyball events. These strong and intelligent animals have also been used as service dogs, guide dogs for the blind, therapy dogs, police dogs in K9 units, and occasionally herding cattle or sheep. The

versatility of Boxers was recognized early on by the military, which has used them as valuable messenger dogs, pack carriers, and attack and guard dogs in times of war. As puppies, Boxers demonstrate a fascinating combination of worrisome expressions, energetic curiosity, flexible attention spans and charming characteristics. Common health problems The Boxer will suffer with gastric torsion (bloat) if fed one large meal rather than two small ones, and the breed often suffers with a sensitive stomach. First-time Boxer puppy owners should be careful not to overfeed their dog, as Boxers may appear thin when young. This is perfectly normal, but if you are in doubt, please contact your vet for a weighing and overall health check. Other ailments for this generally healthy breed are cardiomyopathy, entropion, hip dysplasia and allergies. Boxers with too much white on their bodies often suffer from deafness and skin cancers. Gastric torsion (bloat): This is most prevalent in large, deep-chested breeds. The stomach twists, trapping its contents and gases, and this results in a rapid swelling of the abdomen. The dog will suffer considerable pain and immediate action is required, as gastric torsion can be fatal if left untreated. Cardiomyopathy: This is inflammation and scarring of the heart muscle. It usually affects large dogs, and is particularly prevalent among Dobermanns, but any dog can be affected, and the Boxer is high on the list of likely victims. The inflammation and scarring makes the heart less efficient at pumping blood around the dogs body, and getting much-needed blood to the major organs. Eventually, the lower and upper chambers of the heart lose their ability to pump enough blood around the body, which causes fluid to back up into the lungs and into the abdomen if its the left-hand side of the heart that is affected (the most vulnerable side), or into the area surrounding the lungs if the right-hand side of the heart fails. This leads to coughing, which is sometimes the first sign that something is wrong and is often referred to as a heart cough. The illness will lead to heart failure and, therefore, death in most cases. Usually, the younger a dog is to suffer with cardiomyopathy, the shorter the lifespan. Most dogs are diagnosed between four and 10 years of age. With many dogs, cardiomyopathy is only diagnosed once the dog has already passed.

Cardiomyopathy is a puzzling disease that still holds many unanswered questions, but the most likely culprit is genetics. Some claim that obesity is a cause, but there is no evidence to support this theory. However, it is undisputed that excess weight exacerbates heart conditions and many others. The dogs heart has to work much harder to support a larger body with blood, as is the case with humans. Entropion: Entropion is where the eyelids fold inwards. It causes much distress to the dog, as the eyelashes constantly rub against the cornea. It is usually caused by genetic factors, so breeders should not use any dog or bitch that suffers with, or has suffered with, entropion for breeding purposes. However, it should be noted that entropion can be caused by a trachoma infection, which in itself causes scarring of the inner eyelid, which then leads to entropion. Symptoms include redness and pain of the eye, sensitivity to light and/or wind, excessive tearing, sagging skin around the eye, and decreased vision, especially if the eyelashes damage the cornea as they rub against it. Hip dysplasia: This is where the hips develop abnormally, and the caput ossis femoris doesnt fit closely with the acetabulum or, to put it simply, the head of the femur doesnt sit as it should in the pelvic socket. The body tries to repair itself by building more cartilage, but the hips may not be strong enough to support the dog, or may suffer with abnormal wear and tear. Some dogs show very loose joints, but not all those with canine hip dysplasia exhibit problems. Those that do will be in pain and lame on either one or both hind legs. The condition may remain static but, sadly, many dogs get worse with time. Hip dysplasia usually manifests itself before the age of 18 months and the effects can vary from mild discomfort to being severely crippling. Reputable breeders will have their animals hip scored to check for signs of dysplasia, and will not carry on the bloodlines of those prone to problems.