Origins
The Boxer is a medium-sized, short-haired breed of dog, developed in Germany. The coat is smooth and tight-fitting; colours are fawn or brindled, with or without white markings, and white. The Boxer was bred from the Old English Bulldog and the now extinct Bullenbeisser which became extinct by crossbreeding rather than by a decadence of the breed. The purpose of the crossbreeding was the wish to eliminate the excessive white color of the breed, and the necessity of producing thousands of dogs for one of the most popular breeds in the world. The first Boxer club was founded in 1895, with Boxers being first exhibited in a dog show for St. Bernards in Munich the next year. 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.
Lifestyle
The Boxer is playful and fun-loving. As puppies, Boxers demonstrate a fascinating combination of mood-mirroring expressions, energetic curiosity, flexible attention spans and charming characteristics. He is loyal to his family and friends, and he particularly loves children. He is, however, naturally suspicious of strangers and therefore makes an excellent watch dog and can be trained to be a guard dog. Boxers are intelligent and alert, but can be stubborn at times. Therefore, early obedience training is highly recommended. Boxers are full of energy and they need long and regular walks to control their exuberance. Besides being an excellent family companion dog and guard dog, the Boxer is often seen participating in Obedience, Tracking, and Agility. 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. 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.
Notable
Australian Actor Hugh Jackman owned a Boxer called JJ
Other celebrities who've owned Boxers include Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Reynolds, the late Tony Curtis and Beverly Hills 90210 actor Luke Perry.
The world record for the longest tongue on a dog is 43 cm (17 in) and belonged to Brandy, the boxer, who lived with her owner John Scheid in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, USA until September 2002.
Lifespan
The expected lifespan of a Boxer can be any where from 10-12 years.
Health
Leading health issues to which Boxers are prone include cancers, heart conditions such as aortic stenosis and 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 volvulus (also known as 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, or dystocia. Other conditions that are less common but occur more often in Boxers than other breeds are hystiocytic ulcerative colitis (sometimes called Boxer colitis), an invasive E. coli infection, and indolent corneal ulcers, often called Boxer eye ulcers. 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. The breed is particularly predisposed to mast cell tumours, a cancer of the immune system.
Ideal Weight
Female: 25-29kg
Male: 27-32kg