The Boxer - Complete Information On The History, Development, Characteristics, Breeding, Feeding, Care And Management

Mazelaine

INTRODUCING THE BOXER

OTHER breeds have pronounced specialized talents. . . . hunting, herding, trailing and so on . . . but for a combination of the outstanding virtues of many with the faults of a few, our Boxer is the most gifted of canines. . . . For the man, woman or child who wants an all-round dog, he has no equal. . . . No other dog is more individual in appearance, more keenly intelligent or sanely even-tempered. . . . These virtues alone are priceless if the dog is to become part of his master’s family, which he should for the well-being of all concerned. . . . The Boxer has a faculty of worming his way into the good graces and the hearts of an entire household. . . . He seems to offer something special to each person he meets. . . . It’s astonishing, but true. . . .

The Boxer’s trim, square-built, balanced muscular figure can be found in no other breed. . . . He alone combines the strength of the Bulldog with the agility of the Terrier. . . . His beautifully chiseled head depicts great strength of character. . . . That, and his expression of intense concentration and quizzical reserve, are his and his alone. . . . He is short-haired and medium in size. . . . He is spirited and stylish to an extreme. . . . He can run, jump, fight or frolic with the best of them. . . . His color may be fawn or brindle, with or without distinguishing white markings and usually with the much desired black muzzle or mask. . . . If you prefer it, the Boxer also offers a white background with brindle or fawn relief patches. . . . This color range is diversified enough to meet almost any taste. . . . His bobbed tail eliminates any chance of the cracked or infected open tip, so common to many breeds. . . . His tremendous physique and reserve strength helps him coast through distemper sieges which cause other highly susceptible breeds to drop off like flies.

He fairly effervesces with cheerfulness and the joy of living . . . and has all the tolerance of the Bulldog but none of his indolence. . . . Children can maul him mercilessly and he dotes on it, yet he ranks among the greatest of protective dogs, seeming to sense serious situations with unerring accuracy. . . . This faculty is an ancient heritage from his direct ancestor, the European Mastiff, which, from earliest history has acted in the capacity of guard and protector of Man. . . . The Boxer is not so sharp as some other of our guard-dogs, but his judgment is far more reliable and he does no unnecessary barking or hysterical yipping, for which we can again thank the Mastiff influence. . . .

I have never known the Boxer to be a roamer or a tramp. . . . They love their homes and actually have pride of possession as well as a distinct sense of ownership. . . . I have had several that would not allow strangers, dogs or humans, to cross the Lot-line. . . . Nor allow anything to be removed from the premises except in the presence or by permission of, one of the family. . . .

Cleanliness is another innate Boxer characteristic. . . . Barring unavoidable emergencies, I have never had a mature Boxer shipped in to the Kennel which had soiled its crate, and many had been on the road several days before their arrival. . . . Boxer puppies are notoriously easy to house-break. . . . Our dogs continuously groom themselves and really enjoy a bath. . . . They love water and are great swimmers. . . . They get along remarkably well with other domestic animals, and MOST important, they get along with other dogs. . . . Here again his natural friendliness plays a major part, for a Boxer is the most courageous of all dogs. . . . His great Mastiff ancestor having passed an unquenchable store of courage down to all his true descendants. . . . In a Boxer, the dignified policy of polite and watchful waiting seems a part of his general make-up. . . .

Yet, all these things are secondary, or possibly just co-incidental to his greatest asset, that of remarkable intelligence. . . . His willing tractability plus a quick comprehension of his master’s wishes come as a revelation to seasoned dogmen. . . . They embrace him skeptically but are usually quickly won over by his amazing personality. . . . Luck may have played a small part in the Boxer’s being a particularly bright and clever animal, but the liberal cranial space allowance for grey matter, the German fancier’s early selective breeding for intelligence as well as show quality, plus the phenomenal break that the five great ancestors of all Boxers, and practically every pillar of the breed that followed through, have been exceptionally smart, established that quality so firmly into their make-up that today it is a common breed-characteristic which cannot be discounted . . . and we Boxer breeders value it over all things. . . .

That this breed has carried on from time immemorial as a purebreed without change, except for a slight reduction in stature from his ancestors of thousands of years ago, seems to indicate that he has something to offer in his original form which cannot be improved upon. . . . If this analysis seems too glowing in its tribute to our dogs, we plead fundamentals. . . . Just scratch the surface and every blessed Boxer owner will tell the same story. . . . As an all-round dog the Boxer has no equal. . . . A vital dog, a great character, a magnificent friend. . . . Give him a chance and he will surely add you to his rapidly growing gallery of admirers. . . .

I

THE ORIGINAL STANDARD

THIS book does not pretend to be a spontaneous literary achievement. It merely represents my effort to consolidate and clarify information and ideas pertaining to the Boxer as outlined in the German Club’s Brochure Der Boxer, the very interesting historical and instructive chapters which appear in the first four German Studbooks, and the articles and letters of such great authorities as Herr Philip Stockmann, Ph. Pfannebecker and E. von Otto. I have tried to keep as close to the parent club’s outline of the breed as the English language will permit.

The dire need of this treatise is shown by the ever conflicting opinions of both judges and laymen as to what really constitutes a good Boxer. Before attempting such an appraisal a thorough knowledge of the services this dog is called upon to render to his master is absolutely essential.

First, let me stress the point that while the Boxer is of the Bulldog family he is not an English Bulldog and cannot be judged on anything even faintly resembling the English Bulldog Standard. In fact, nearly everything that is correct in the English Bulldog is wrong in the Boxer. That both dogs came from a common ancestor, were often indiscriminately classified as Bulldogs, and at times inter-bred in the early days, cannot be denied. But the English Bulldogs so crossed in were square-built, high stationed little dogs compared with the modern breeders’ grotesque achievement, and whatever influence they had on the breed has been lost through antiquity and through selective breeding. Today they have very little in common. We Boxer breeders do not want the same kind of head, neck, body, limbs, or tail. Ours must always be a balanced, able work-dog and never an exaggerated show-freak.

For a great many generations the Boxer was used solely as a guard dog. During this period all characteristics of beauty of outline as well as working ability were sacrificed in favor of great menacing substance, big bone and iron muscle. Gradually formed opinion decided that this dog’s loyalty, intelligence and devotion deserved a greater field than his body limitations permitted. The desire to enjoy his companionship to the fullest extent by making him an escort as well as a guard dog, led to the adoption of the original Boxer Standard. Outlined to eliminate definitely the exaggerated English Bulldog type, it was adopted January 14, 1902 and slightly revised January 31, 1904, at which time it was published in the No. 1 Studbook. Following is a literal translation . . .

BREED MARKS OF THE BOXER

General Appearance

The general appearance of the Boxer is that of a short-haired, strong, compactly built, active elegant dog, of medium height, standing on absolutely straight, sturdy legs, and of perfectly square build.

The Head

The head should be dry throughout with as few wrinkles as possible. The cheeks should not be proportionately thicker than the upper part of the head but instead should appear laterally compressed. (The head should appear square from all angles and well defined in its exterior lines.) The parallel lines of the muzzle should run directly forward, not tapering, so that the front of the muzzle forms a broad, square surface. The forehead is arched, the back of the head is high, the break of the forehead (stop) viewed from the side is definitely marked.

Upper and lower jaws are definitely parallel, the teeth are at right angles to the jaws. The teeth of the lower jaw stand in front of the teeth of the upper jaw and fit so that the teeth touch each other when the mouth is closed, in the manner of a scissors. The corner of the eye, which lies half-way between the nose and the occipital bone should not be pushed in under the forehead as it is in the Bulldog.

The nose is broad and black, the bridge of the nose is not broken but is straight (a split nose is absolutely defective). In front the lips are blunt, they should not hang over too much on the sides. They should just sufficiently cover the lower jaw. The entire set of teeth must be healthy and strong. The ears which are set closely behind the cheekbones, should be trimmed to a point and carried erect. This as well as the clipping of the tail is important because long ears give the dogs a sleepy expression which is very objectionable. The eye is dark, of good size and full of life. A light eye is permissible in light-colored animals.

Neck

The neck is strong, elegant, not too short, absolutely free from dew-lap, blending beautifully into the torso.

The Body

The back is short, rigid and straight. The greatest stress should be placed upon these three qualities. The front is not broad, rather narrow, the chest deep but not wide, and under no circumstances may it hang between the elbows. The ribs should be well-arched, but not rounded barrel-shaped. They should be strong and well tucked up. The hindquarters, legs and thighs, strong, powerful and muscular, without depression. The knee-caps well rounded, tail clipped, set moderately high, gay, but should never be carried above the back.

Legs and Paws

The legs are absolutely straight with strong bones. Paws, small, round, well closed, with strong, hard soles (cat paws).

Coat and Color

The hair is short and tight to the body. The basic colors of the Boxer are yellow and striped (fawn and brindle). These were the original colors. Yellow occurs in all different shades from dark brown to wheaten. With striped dogs, any shade of yellow may form the basic color. White, while not sought after as a basic color, is permissible. It is not objectionable as a mark of distinction. A black mask improves the Boxer expression of yellow and striped dogs.

Size

The height at the shoulders is between 17 and 22 inches.

Defects

Coarse, Bulldog-like appearance, loose shoulders, off-standing elbows, chest hanging between shoulders, cow-hocks, bad or weak teeth, double nose, dew-claws, long back, too long or spread-out toes, crossed teeth in the upper jaw, visible teeth in the lower jaw, brown or flesh colored nose, flesh colored eyelids, glass eye, and lack of temperament.

Qualities

The Boxer is an alert, devoted, easily trained dog, very lively in temperament. Although his strength and agility enable him to compete against any assailant, he is never a bully. As a defender of the person and the property of his master, he is famous. The Boxer loves water passionately, is an excellent retriever and a good ratter. He is an indefatigable companion on foot, bicycle or horse, and also a good room, house or estate dog.

In order to attain uniformity of judgment and thereby guarantee the speediest arrival at correct Boxer type the following outstanding breed characteristics are briefly specified, given in the order of their importance: General appearance (elegant, free of every coarse Bulldog-like appearance, square build, neck); the three distinguishing marks of the back; legs, paws and shoulders, head, color. Color is of least importance, even if the basic color is white, although in animals of equal qualifications the one with least white would be preferred.* * *

Thus, from its very inception, the German Boxer Club has fought to blend into this gladiator all the latent nobility and essential body improvements necessary to produce a cavalier able to run, jump, fight or frolic, yet so harmoniously put together and so skillfully refined that, although streamlined, the actual strength as well as the appearance of tremendous power was fully retained in the remodeling. The Boxer must be both guard and companion without sacrificing either qualification.

Von Otto puts it thus . . . "He must possess a body with each limb built for the very highest and most strenuous effort while the tout ensemble must present a complete and harmonious whole." We want balance in our Boxer, perfect balance. We want power in our modern Boxer, tremendous power, but not beyond the point where beauty of outline and graceful movement are retained; and never to such