The ideal Boxer is a medium-sized, square-built dog of good substance with short back, strong limbs, and short, tight-fitting coat. His well-developed muscles are clean, hard, and appear smooth under taut skin. His movements denote energy. The gait is firm yet elastic, the stride free and ground-covering, the carriage proud. Developed to serve as guard, working, and companion dog, he combines strength and agility with elegance and style. His expression is alert and his temperament steadfast and tractable.
The chiseled head imparts to the Boxer a unique individual stamp. It must be in correct proportion to the body. The broad, blunt muzzle is the distinctive feature, and great value is placed upon its being of proper form and balance with the skull.
In judging the Boxer first consideration is given to general appearance and overall balance. Special attention is then devoted to the head, after which the individual body components are examined for their correct construction, and the gait evaluated for efficiency.
Size
Adult males 23 to 25 inches; females 21½ to 23½ inches at the withers. Proper balance and quality in the individual should be of primary importance since there is no size disqualification.
Proportion
The body in profile is square in that a horizontal line from the front of the forechest to the rear projection of the upper thigh should equal the length of a vertical line dropped from the top of the withers to the ground.
Substance
Sturdy, with balanced musculature. Males larger boned than females.
Head
The beauty of the head depends upon the harmonious proportion of muzzle to skull. The blunt muzzle is 1/3 the length of the head from the occiput to the tip of the nose, and 2/3rds the width of the skull. The head should be clean, not showing deep wrinkles (wet). Wrinkles typically appear upon the forehead when ears are erect, and are always present from the lower edge of the stop running downward on both sides of the muzzle.
Expression
Intelligent and alert.
Eyes
Dark brown in color, frontally placed, generous, not too small, too protruding, or too deepset. Their mood-mirroring character, combined with the wrinkling of the forehead, gives the Boxer head its unique quality of expressiveness. Third eyelids preferably have pigmented rims.
Ears
Set at the highest points of the sides of the skull, the ears are customarily cropped, cut rather long and tapering, and raised when alert. If uncropped, the ears should be of moderate size, thin, lying flat and close to the cheeks in repose, but falling forward with a definite crease when alert.
Skull
The top of the skull is slightly arched, not rounded, flat, nor noticeably broad, with the occiput not overly pronounced. The forehead shows a slight indentation between the eyes and forms a distinct stop with the topline of the muzzle. The cheeks should be relatively flat and not bulge (cheekiness), maintaining the clean lines of the skull as they taper into the muzzle in a slight, graceful curve.
Muzzle and Nose
The muzzle, proportionately developed in length, width, and depth, has a shape influenced first through the formation of both jawbones, second through the placement of the teeth, and third through the texture of the lips. The top of the muzzle should not slant down (downfaced), nor should it be concave (dishfaced); however, the tip of the nose should lie slightly higher than the root of the muzzle. The nose should be broad and black.
Bite and Jaw Structure
The Boxer bite is undershot, the lower jaw protruding beyond the upper and curving slightly upward. The incisor teeth of the lower jaw are in a straight line, with the canines preferably up front in the same line to give the jaw the greatest possible width. The upper line of the incisors is slightly convex with the corner upper incisors fitting snugly in back of the lower canine teeth on each side. Neither the teeth nor the tongue should ever show when the mouth is closed.
The upper jaw is broad where attached to the skull and maintains this breadth, except for a very slight tapering to the front. The lips, which complete the formation of the muzzle, should meet evenly in front. The upper lip is thick and padded, filling out the frontal space created by the projection of the lower jaw, and laterally is supported by the canines of the lower jaw. Therefore, these canines must stand far apart and be of good length so that the front surface of the muzzle is broad and squarish and, when viewed from the side, shows moderate layback. The chin should be perceptible from the side as well as from the front. Any suggestion of an overlip obscuring the chin should be penalized.
Neck
Round, of ample length, muscular and clean without excessive hanging skin (dewlap). The neck should have a distinctly arched and elegant nape blending smoothly into the withers.
Back and Topline
The back is short, straight, muscular, firm, and smooth. The topline is slightly sloping when the Boxer is at attention, leveling out when in motion.
Body
The chest is of fair width, and the forechest well-defined and visible from the side. The brisket is deep, reaching down to the elbows; the depth of the body at the lowest point of the brisket equals half the height of the dog at the withers. The ribs, extending far to the rear, are well-arched but not barrel-shaped.
The loins are short and muscular. The lower stomach line is slightly tucked up, blending into a graceful curve to the rear. The croup is slightly sloped, flat and broad. The pelvis is long, and in females especially broad. The tail is set high, docked, and carried upward. An undocked tail should be severely penalized.
Forequarters
The shoulders are long and sloping, close-lying, and not excessively covered with muscle (loaded). The upper arm is long, approaching a right angle to the shoulder blade. The elbows should not press too closely to the chest wall nor stand off visibly from it. The forelegs are long, straight, and firmly muscled, and, when viewed from the front, stand parallel to each other. The pastern is strong and distinct, slightly slanting, but standing almost perpendicular to the ground. The dewclaws may be removed. Feet should be compact, turning neither in nor out, with well-arched toes.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters are strongly muscled, with angulation in balance with that of the forequarters. The thighs are broad and curved, the breech musculature hard and strongly developed. Upper and lower thigh are long. The legs are well-angulated at the stifle, neither too steep nor over-angulated, with clearly defined, well "let down" hock joints. Viewed from behind, the hind legs should be straight, with hock joints leaning neither in nor out. From the side, the leg below the hock (metatarsus) should be almost perpendicular to the ground, with a slight slope to the rear permissible. The metatarsus should be short, clean, and strong. The Boxer has no rear dewclaws.
Coat
Short, shiny, lying smooth and tight to the body.
Color
The colors are fawn and brindle. Fawn shades vary from light tan to mahogany. The brindle ranges from sparse but clearly defined black stripes on a fawn background to such a heavy concentration of black striping that the essential fawn background color barely, although clearly, shows through (which may create the appearance of reverse brindling). White markings, if present, should be of such distribution as to enhance the dog's appearance, but may not exceed one-third of the entire coat. They are not desirable on the flanks or on the back of the torso proper. On the face, white may replace part of the otherwise essential black mask, and may extend in an upward path between the eyes, but it must not be excessive, so as to detract from true Boxer expression. The absence of white markings, the so-called "plain" fawn or brindle, is perfectly acceptable, and should not be penalized in any consideration of color. Disqualifications Boxers that are any color other than fawn or brindle. Boxers with a total of white markings exceeding one-third of the entire coat.
Gait
Viewed from the side, proper front and rear angulation is manifested in a smoothly efficient, level-backed, ground covering stride with a powerful drive emanating from a freely operating rear. Although the front legs do not contribute impelling power, adequate reach should be evident to prevent interference, overlap, or sidewinding (crabbing). Viewed from the front, the shoulders should remain trim and the elbows not flare out. The legs are parallel until gaiting narrows the track in proportion to increasing speed, then the legs come in under the body but should never cross. The line from the shoulder down through the leg should remain straight although not necessarily perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, a Boxer's rump should not roll. The hind feet should dig in and track relatively true with the front. Again, as speed increases, the normally broad rear track will become narrower. The Boxer's gait should always appear smooth and powerful, never stilted or inefficient.
Character and Temperament
These are of paramount importance in the Boxer. Instinctively a hearing guard dog, his bearing is alert, dignified, and self-assured. In the show ring his behavior should exhibit constrained animation. With family and friends, his temperament is fundamentally playful, yet patient and stoical with children. Deliberate and wary with strangers, he will exhibit curiosity, but, most importantly, fearless courage if threatened. However, he responds promptly to friendly overtures honestly rendered. His intelligence, loyal affection, and tractability to discipline make him a highly desirable companion. Any evidence of shyness, or lack of dignity or alertness, should be severely penalized.
The foregoing description is that of the ideal Boxer. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.
Disqualifications
Boxers that are any color other than fawn or brindle. Boxers with a total of white markings exceeding one-third of the entire coat. www.akc.org
Boxers are good watch dogs. They are very strong and like to run in open spaces. They come in various colors like fawn, brindle, fawn-brindle mix, white, white-fawn mix, and brindle-white mix. Males are 23-27 inches at the withers (tops of the shoulders) and the females are 21 1/2- 25 1/2 inches at the withers. Boxers are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the US and over-breeding is a concern.
Boxers are quite loyal dogs and unlike certain breeds, are not "one-person" dogs. They will become extremely loyal to a person, family or group of persons and family friends. They make friends by nature and are incredibly curious dogs who love to explore. They are especially well-suited to be with children and elderly persons, though they can knock people down playing. These dogs may be feared because of their fearsome stance that can look intimidating. They rarely bark needlessly.
They have a high energy level and require lots of exercise. They love to play and have fun. Owners note that they act "puppy-like" their entire lifetime. Their temperament is jovial and mean boxers are an extreme rarity. Boxers love to chase, run, play tag and get any form of attention whenever possible. Boxers are easy to train to do tricks, especially for rewards including attention, love and recognition. They are extremely clever dogs with a good memory. they love to ride in vehicles and are excellent "road trip" dogs.
These dogs can range from medium size (45 lbs) to quite large (100+ lbs). They are prone to some neurotic behaviors and can become extremely anxious if left alone and void of human companionship. If they are left alone, "crate-training" is important. Dogs who are crate trained do not mind the practice and often feel secure in a den-like setting, while an open house may make the dog agoraphobic, causing them to destroy things. Boxers are easily trained and are bright dogs who want to please. While not aggressive, they will demonstrate some protective behaviors over their owners and families, especially children. Boxers do well with other dogs and pets such as cats, if they are properly acquainted and socialized. Because boxers are very bright dogs, they may challenge owner's mentally by being defiant or by being openly obstinate. This type of behavior requires love, patience and repetitive conditioning.
Many veterinarians now refuse to crop (cut, bandage and splint to produce points) the boxer's ears and many owners prefer the "naturally-floppy ears" to avoid painful and possibly cruel cosmetic surgery. Many owners like the cute appearance. Most boxers have their tail cropped at birth. White boxers, which were drowned at birth for much of the breed's span, are now sold or allowed to be distributed as pets, though most are neutered or spayed to prevent breeding.
Medical issues common to boxer's can include hereditary conditions such as hip displasia, certain forms of heart defects and certain forms of cancer. A reputable breeder vs. a "puppy-mill" boxer is recommended. All dogs should get all necessary and regular vaccinations, have regular veterinarian checkups and teeth cleanings, along with a good diet and plenty of exercise. The average lifespan of a healthy boxer is 9–11 years. Many people get a boxer and then may give it to a rescue or pound because they are not ready or willing to devote the time that boxers require for training and attention. A boxer will not be ignored and will go to great lengths to draw attention to itself, good or even bad. Jumping on people is a common complaint, so positive reinforcement training is a must. They are affable, lovable, clown-like, yet dedicated dogs who adore their owner(s).
For the proper home, with space, room, effort and love, a boxer is an ideal pet and irreplaceable friend, family member and companion. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia