Boxer Boxer

The Boxer is a great family member who possesses all of the characteristics of a happy, intelligent and protective dog. They are eager to learn and quite curious. They can exhibit lifelong puppylike behaviours, so early training and plenty of exercise are important. The Boxer is constantly on the move, and is known on more than one occasion to jump up on people.

This breed is very gentle around children but reserved around strangers. The Boxer is easy to train, and has been used for guard, police, and guide dog service. The Boxer doesn't generally start fights, but they won't back down if attacked.

The original Boxers were likely bred for the blood sports: bull baiting, hunting boar, and dog fighting. The Boxer was developed in Munich in 1850 when a Bullenbeisser Mastiff and an English Bulldog were bred. The first Boxer to appear at a show was Flocki, who appeared at a Munich Dog Show in 1895. Flocki's sister, Blanka, was more instrumental in advancing the breed. Blanka was a pure white dog, and to this day pure white Boxers are still found in puppy litters- they are often culled though, due to deafness.

The first Boxer Club was formed in 1896, and an official breed standard was written in 1902. This standard is so thorough that it remains virtually untouched to this very day.

When bull baiting was outlawed in Germany, many of the dogs were used as butcher's dogs. After World War II, the Boxer became one of the most widely used guard dogs around the world. In Germany, this dog was one of the first dogs used in their police force. The origin of the name of this breed is obscure, but it may be traced back to the German Boxl, which is what this dog was called in the slaughterhouses of Germany.