Mary Allen
The boxer is a very special dog: it is intelligent and goofy – alert but at the same time fond of children. And its origin? It’s pretty barbaric!
Basically, the German boxer can be seen as a dog of opposites. He is an alert, strong guard dog who adores children and can be very gentle with them.
The boxer is also extremely willing to learn by nature, but at the same time is also known for being stubborn when something doesn’t suit him.
The boxer is very intelligent, but often also attracts attention with his wonderfully goofy actions. This makes the dog a unique and absolutely lovable family member with whom you will have a lot of fun and go on adventures.
In our breed portrait of the German Boxer, you will learn everything you need to know about appearance, character, and upbringing, which dog breeds it descends from, what care it needs, and what the optimal diet for the family dog looks like.
How tall is a German Boxer?
Males of this breed usually reach a height at the withers of between 57 and 63 cm and females between 53 and 59 cm, which means that the dogs belong to medium-sized dog breeds.
How heavy is a German boxer?
On average, a male weighs around 30 kg, while females weigh around 25 kg on average.
What does a German boxer look like?
German boxers should radiate strength, elegance, and intelligence, which is also reflected in their physique. The body looks almost square, the muscles are clearly visible, and depending on the breed, the overall picture of the German Boxer ranges from strong and massive to lively and wiry.
The floppy ears and the tail remain natural since docking is fortunately forbidden in most European countries these days.
The head
Probably the most striking feature of the German boxer is his head with the characteristic face. The skull is slender but strong and the snout is short but distinct and broad.
Typically, the dogs have a slight overbite, with the upper lip resting on the fangs of the lower jaw and hanging down slightly to the sides.
The fur
The fur is short, smooth, and close fitting, requiring no extensive grooming. According to the FCI breeding regulations, coat colors between light yellow and dark deer red are permitted, either solid or brindle, with the darker stripes having to stand out clearly from the basic colors.
Also very typical are the white markings of the German Boxer, mostly on the chest, the underside of the neck, the legs, and a narrow stripe on the forehead between the eyes and the top of the muzzle. The face itself is usually dark to black, displaying the so-called “black mask” of the German boxer.
How old does a German boxer get?
With proper husbandry, good health, and care, dogs typically live to be between ten and twelve years of age, closely following the average age of medium to large dog breeds.
What is the character of the German Boxer?
Still officially listed as a working dog, the breed is now very popular as a family pet. And hardly a dog fits better into the family than a German Boxer. He is considered to be extremely gentle, loving, and has strong nerves and, in comparison to other dog breeds, is a perfect companion dog, even for children.
He loves to play with them, cuddle them or make fun of them, although his patience seems to be endless. At the same time, the dog is also a willing and demanding work animal that loves small and large tasks and performs them with full commitment and skill. This makes the boxer easy to train.
True to their polarity in nature, the dog is also a good watchdog despite being friendly and gentle. He wants to protect his family and is initially cautious, wary, and suspicious of strangers and animals.
If he is socialized early on by his caregivers and gets used to new people carefully, the dog quickly loses his mistrust and accepts new people without any problems. Aggressiveness without reason is by no means part of the boxer’s character. The family dog is also characterized by a high threshold and a high level of self-confidence.
A boxer wouldn’t live up to his name if he didn’t also enjoy “punching” his own head. The dogs are considered to be very willing to learn, obedient and uncomplicated, at the same time they have their own will and stubbornness. If commands and instructions don’t make any sense to them, they clearly show this, are true to their nature, and behave stubbornly. This creates funny situations that masters and mistresses just have to laugh about.
Where does the German boxer come from?
The origins of the dogs are quite barbaric and steeped in brutality. The direct ancestor of the boxer is the Brabant Bullenbeisser, which is now extinct. The Bullenbeisser was bred in the Middle Ages, especially in England, especially for hunting and exhibition fights. When hunting and in exhibition fights, which are very popular in England, the Bullenbeisser should bite their prey with their powerful mouth and hold on until it has been knocked down.
He inherited the characteristic mouth of today’s boxer with the strong underbite and turned-up nose from the Bullenbeiser. They needed such a face to be able to continue breathing easily while biting down on their prey.
With the invention of firearms and the declining popularity of exhibition fighting, so did the demand for bull biters. Instead, from the middle of the 19th century, attempts were made to breed a new breed of dog by crossing the English Bulldog, which resembles the appearance of the Bullenbeisser, but in no way shows its aggressive character.
The first boxer club in Germany was founded in Munich in 1895. The people there gave their dogs the name “Bierboxer”. The current name of the breed can be derived from him.
The characteristics defined at that time in Munich for a strong guard dog with a gentle, good-natured, and friendly character and nature are now considered the standard in the international breeding of German Boxers.
German Boxer: Proper Posture and Training
Thanks to their pronounced will to learn and their high degree of obedience, the dogs are generally considered to be uncomplicated to train. On the other hand, there is her little stubborn head, which by no means bows to every meaningless or illogical instruction.
Especially in the case of coercion or even violence, the dog will resist and show its own will. With a loving and consistent upbringing, however, the dog is loyal to you and wants to please you at all costs.
The dog breed is considered to be extremely sporty and active, which means that several daily long walks, outdoor activities and games, and ideally regular dog sports are part of keeping the German Boxer.
Even older generations of dogs usually show an unshakable instinct for movement and play, which is why you should expect at least ten years of throwing sticks, retrieving, and romping around if you want to adopt a Boxer.
The dog is basically also suitable for first-time dog owners. He is even often counted among the beginner dogs. We cannot pass on this advice unreservedly. In any case, dog beginners should inform themselves in advance about optimal posture. You also have to have the athletic ability to keep up with the whirlwind.
What care and diet does the Boxer need?
Caring for the coat is easy, but requires daily brushing, especially in summer, as dogs shed a lot. (Also read: Which Dogs Don’t Shed?) Boxers’ ears, nose, and skin should be checked regularly for dryness and parasites. Otherwise, German Boxers do not require any special care.
A diet that contains a lot of meat is recommended as optimal nutrition so that the dogs get enough energy for their great urge to move. As with all dog breeds, you should base your diet on the size, age, and weight of the dog.
What are the typical diseases of the German Boxer?
Remarkable in the dog breed is the strict rules and control mechanisms in breeding in relation to health, which are still specified today by the Munich Boxer Club in Germany and then taken over by the cynological umbrella organization FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale).
This is intended to avoid and prevent breed-specific, congenital diseases, which unfortunately can occur more frequently in dogs. These health impairments include hip dysplasia, arthrosis, heart disease, tumors, and brachycephaly.
How much does a German boxer cost?
You should only buy the small puppies from a reputable, registered breeder (or get them from an animal shelter). Depending on the breeder, the purchase prices average around 1,000 euros, often higher.
In Germany, there are strict breeding rules to prevent puppies from being born with health problems that can make life very painful for them afterward. Buying puppies from dubious breeders on the Internet, on dubious portals, or from “intermediaries” from abroad is of no benefit to you or the dog.