NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Boxer (dog)

Originally from Germany, The Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog, decended from the now extinct Bullenbeisser. Boxers are brachycephalic, and have mandibular prognathism (an underbite). Image File history File links Boxer_(dog). ... Docking is used as a term for the intentional removal of part of an animals tail or ears. ... FÃ©dÃ©ration Cynologique Internationale (FCI) (English, World Canine Organization), is an international Kennel Club based in Thuin, Belgium. ... Â© The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... The Bullenbeisser was a breed of dog known for its strength and agility. ... The cephalic index is the ratio of the maximum breadth of the head to its maximum length, sometimes multiplied by 100 for convenience. ... The mandible (from Latin mandibÅla, jawbone) or inferior maxillary bone is, together with the maxilla, the largest and strongest bone of the face. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

The Boxer was first exhibited in a dog show for St. Bernards at Munich in 1895, the first boxer club being founded the next year. Based on 2006 American Kennel Club statistics, Boxers are the seventh most popular breed of dog in the United States—a position they have held since 2002—with approximately 35,388 new dog registrations during the year.^[1]. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: St. ... Â© The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ...

[edit] History

The Boxer is part of the Molosser group, developed in Germany from the now extinct Bullenbeisser, a dog of Mastiff descent, and Bulldogs brought in from England. The Bullenbeisser had been working as a hunting dog for centuries, employed in the pursuit of bear, wild boar, and deer. Its task was to seize the prey and hold it until the hunters arrived. In later years, faster dogs were favoured and a smaller Bullenbeisser was bred in Brabant, in northern Belgium. It is generally accepted that the Brabanter was a direct ancestors of today's Boxer.^[2] Molosser is a name for a group comprising several breeds of large, solidly-built dogs, probably all descended from the same root stock. ... The Bullenbeisser was a breed of dog known for its strength and agility. ... Mastiffs are a group of large, solidly built breeds of dogs typically with heavy bones, pendant ears, a relatively short and well-muscled neck, and a short muzzle. ... For other uses, see Bulldog (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. ... Historically, Brabant has been the name of several administrative entities in the Low Countries with quite different geographical extent: as Carolingian shire (pagus Bracbatensis), located between the rivers Scheldt and Dijle (between 9th-11th century); as landgraviat: the part of the shire between the rivers Dender and Dijle (from 1085...

In the late 19th century, the Brabanter was crossed with a Bulldog to start the line that would become the modern Boxer. In 1894, three Germans by the name of Roberth, Konig, and Hopner decided to stabilise the breed and put it on exhibition at a dog show. This was done in Munich in 1895, and the next year they founded the first Boxer Club. Image File history File links Boxerfirstshow. ... Image File history File links Boxerfirstshow. ... For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The breed was introduced to other parts of Europe in the late 19th century and to the United States around the turn of the century. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognised the first Boxer champion in 1915. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Â© The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

During World War I, the Boxer was co-opted for military work, acting as a valuable messenger dog, pack-carrier, attack dog, and guard dog. â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... An attack dog is a dog trained (and possibly bred) to attack, and possibly kill, living creatures. ...

It was not until after World War II that the Boxer became popular around the world. Boxer mascots, taken home by returning soldiers, introduced the dog to a much wider audience and it soon became a favourite as a companion, a show dog, and a guard dog. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

[edit] Early genealogy

The German citizen George Alt, a Munich resident, mated a brindle-coloured bitch Brabanter imported from France named Flora with a local dog of unknown ancestry, known simply as "Boxer", resulting in a fawn-and-white male, named "Lechner's Box" after its owner. Image File history File links Boxer_early_genealogy. ... Image File history File links Boxer_early_genealogy. ...

This dog was mated with his own dam Flora, and one of its offsprings was the bitch called Alt's Schecken (registered as a Bierboxer or Modern Bullenbeiser). George Alt mated Schecken with a Bulldog named Tom to produce the historically significant dog Flocki, the first boxer to enter the German Stud Book after winning at a Munich show for St. Bernards, which was the first event to have a class specific for Boxers. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (205x820, 55 KB) Summary Earliest notable boxers (from top to bottom: Alts Schecken, Blanka von Argentor, Flocki, Piccolo von Argentor, Meta von der Passage). ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (205x820, 55 KB) Summary Earliest notable boxers (from top to bottom: Alts Schecken, Blanka von Argentor, Flocki, Piccolo von Argentor, Meta von der Passage). ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: St. ...

The white bitch Ch. Blanka von Angertor, Flocki's sister, was even more influential when mated with Piccolo von Angertor (Lechner's Box grandson) to produce the predominantly white (parti-coloured) bitch Meta von der Passage, which, even bearing little resemblance with the modern Boxer standard (early photographs depicts her as too long, weak-backed and down-faced), is considered the mother of the breed.^[4]^[5] John Wagner, on his The Boxer (first published in 1939) said the following regarding this bitch:

[edit] Breed name

The name "Boxer" is supposedly derived from this breed's tendency to begin a fight by standing on its hind legs and "boxing" with its front paws. According to Andrew H. Brace on his "Pet owner's guide to the Boxer" this theory is the least plausible explanation.^[4] He claims "it's unlikely that a nation so permeated with nationalism would give to one of its most famous breeds a name so obviously anglicised". For other senses of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ...

German linguistic sciences and historical evidence date from the 18th century the earliest written source for the word Boxer, found in a text in the "Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch" (The German Dictionary of Foreign Languages),^[7] which cites an author named Musäus of 1782 writing "daß er aus Furcht vor dem großen Baxer Salmonet ... sich auf einige Tage in ein geräumiges Packfaß ... absentiret hatte". At that time the spelling "baxer" equalled "boxer". Both the verb ("boxen") and the noun ("Boxer") were common German language as early as the late 18th century. The term "Boxl", also written "Buxn" or "Buchsen", in the Bavarian dialect means "short (leather) trousers" or "underwear". The very similarly sounding term "Boxerl" is also Bavarian dialect and an endearing term for "Boxer".^[8] More in line with historical facts, Brace states that there exist many other theories to explain the origin of the breed name, from which he favours the one claiming the smaller Bullenbeisser (Brabanter) were also known as "Boxl" and that Boxer is just a corruption of that word.^[8] The Bullenbeisser was a breed of dog known for its strength and agility. ...

In the same vein runs a theory based on the fact that there were a group of dogs known as "Bierboxer" in Munich by the time of the breed's development. These dogs were the result from mixes of Bullenbeisser and other similar breeds. Bier (beer) probably refers to the Biergarten, the typical Munich beergarden, an open-air restaurant where people used to take their dogs along. The nickname "Deutscher Boxer" was derived from bierboxer and Boxer could also be a corruption of the former or a contraction of the latter.^[9]

"Boxer" is also the name of a dog owned by John Peerybingle, the main character on the best selling 1845 book The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens, which is evidence that "Boxer" was commonly used as a dog name by the early 19th century, before the establishment of the breed by the end of that same century. The Cricket on the Hearth is a novella by Charles Dickens, written in 1845. ... â€œDickensâ€ redirects here. ...

The name of the breed can also be simply due to the names of the very first known specimens of the breed (Lechner's Box, for instance).

[edit] Appearance

The head is the most distinctive feature of the Boxer. The breed standard dictates that it must be in perfect proportion to the body and above all it must never be too light.^[10] The greatest value is to be placed on the muzzle being of correct form and in absolute proportion to the skull. The length of the muzzle to the whole of the head should be as 1:3. Folds are always indicated from the root of the nose running downwards on both sides of the muzzle, and the tip of the nose should lie somewhat higher than the root of the muzzle. In addition a Boxer should be slightly prognathous, i.e., the lower jaw should protrude beyond the upper jaw and bend slightly upwards in what is commonly called an underbite or "undershot bite".^[11] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x848, 459 KB) Ive followed the link provided to the page on flickr and then to the additional info regarding its license and found that the [license] used is the Attribution 2. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x848, 459 KB) Ive followed the link provided to the page on flickr and then to the additional info regarding its license and found that the [license] used is the Attribution 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 401 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (891 Ã— 1330 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 401 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (891 Ã— 1330 pixel, file size: 1. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Boxers were originally a docked and cropped breed, and this tradition is still maintained in some countries. However, due to pressure from veterinary associations, animal rights groups and the general public, both cropping of the ears and docking of the tail have been prohibited in many countries around the world. In the United States and Canada as of 2007, cropped ears are still more common in show dogs. In March of 2005 the AKC breed standard was changed to include a description of the uncropped ear, but to severely penalise an undocked tail. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1765x1150, 836 KB)Riley1yr10months. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1765x1150, 836 KB)Riley1yr10months. ... Docking is used as a term for the intentional removal of part of an animals tail or ears. ... 2007 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In a conformation show, judges familiar with specific dog breeds evaluate individual dogs for how well they conform to published breed standards. ... Â© The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ...

[edit] Size

An adult Boxer typically weighs between 55 and 70 lbs (25 and 32 kg). Adult male Boxers are between 23 and 25 inches (57 and 63 cm) tall at the withers; adult females are between 21 to 23½ inches (53 and 60 cm). The withers is the highest point on an animals back, on the ridge between its shoulder blades. ...

[edit] Colour

Boxers are typically either fawn or brindle, often with a white underbelly and white on the front or all four feet. These white markings, called flash, often extend onto the neck or face, and dogs that have these markings are known as "flashy". "Fawn" denotes a range of colour, the tones of which may be described variously as light tan or yellow, reddish tan, mahogany or stag/deer red, and dark honey-blonde. In the UK, fawn boxers are typically rich in colour and are called "red". Some brindle Boxers are so dark that they give the appearance of "reverse brindle", fawn stripes on a black body; however, the breed standards state that the fawn background must clearly contrast with or show through the brindling. The Boxer does not carry the gene for a solid black coat colour and therefore purebred black Boxers do not exist. Boxer puppy, cropped version of cash. ... Boxer puppy, cropped version of cash. ... Galgo EspaÃ±ol with light brindle coat This article concerns animal colour. ...

Boxers with white markings covering more than one-third of their coat - conventionally called "white" Boxers - are neither albino nor rare; approximately 20-25% of all Boxers born are white.^[12] Genetically, these dogs are either fawn or brindle, with excessive white markings overlying the base coat colour. Like fair-skinned humans, white Boxers have a higher risk of sunburn and associated skin cancers than coloured Boxers. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears,^[13] though Boxer Rescue organistions see about double that number. ^[14], ^[15] There is no evidence that blindness or other health problems are related to excessive white markings in Boxers.^{[citation needed]} In the past, breeders often euthanised white puppies at birth; today, most breeders place white puppies in pet homes with spay/neuter agreements. White Boxers are disqualified from conformation showing by the breed standard, and are prohibited from breeding by every national Boxer club in the world. They can compete in non-conformation events such as obedience and agility, and like their coloured counterparts do quite well as service and therapy dogs. Image File history File links Whiteboxer-gus. ... Image File history File links Whiteboxer-gus. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

[edit] Temperament

The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most careful attention. He is renowned from olden times for his great love and faithfulness to his master and household, his alertness, and fearless courage as a defender and protector. The Boxer is docile but distrustful of strangers. He is bright and friendly in play but brave and determined when roused. His intelligence and willing tractability, his modesty, and cleanliness make him a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. He is the soul of honesty and loyalty. He is never false or treacherous even in his old age. ^[16] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1138x1148, 136 KB) Summary Boxers can coexist peacefully with other pets. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1138x1148, 136 KB) Summary Boxers can coexist peacefully with other pets. ...

Boxers are a bright, energetic and playful breed and tend to be very good with children. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being "headstrong", which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on the use of corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers often respond much better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training. The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed, but needs socialistion to tolerate other dogs well.^[17] Their sometimes over-protective, territorial and dominating attitude is often most intense in males. Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs but can be dominant with larger dogs of the same sex. Definition: Positive Reinforcement: the presentation of something pleasant or rewarding immediately following a behavior. ... Clicker-training a dog. ...

Boxers appear more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form. They are very active dogs that need to get a lot of exercise.

[edit] Health

Boxers are prone to develop cancers, heart conditions such as Aortic Stenosis and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (the so-called "Boxer Cardiomyopathy"), hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy; other conditions that may be seen are gastric dilatation and torsion (bloat), intestinal problems, and allergies (although these may be more related to diet than breed).^[18]^[19] Entropion is occasionally seen, a malformation of the eyelid requiring surgical correction, and some lines have a tendency to develop spondylosis deformans, a fusing of the spine. ^[20] Responsible breeders use available tests to screen their breeding stock before breeding, and in some cases throughout the life of the dog, in an attempt to minimise the occurrence of these diseases in future generations.^[21] Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with bandaged foot. ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is a heart condition caused by the incomplete opening of the aortic valve. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article covers Hip dysplasia, a condition affecting the hip joint, which occurs in humans but is more commonly associated with animals, especially dogs (Canine hip dysplasia). ... Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) is an neurological disease common in German Shepherds, Welsh Corgis, and possibly occurring in other breeds. ... Bloat, also known as torsion, gastric torsion, and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a medical condition in which the stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Entropion is a medical condition in which the eyelids fold inward. ...

Boxers are an athletic breed, and proper exercise and conditioning is important for their continued health and longevity. Care must be taken not to over-exercise young dogs, as this may damage growing bones; however once mature Boxers can be excellent jogging or running companions. Because of their brachycephalic head, they do not do well with high heat or humidity, and common sense should prevail when exercising a Boxer in these conditions. The cephalic index is the ratio of the maximum breadth of the head to its maximum length, sometimes multiplied by 100 for convenience. ...

[edit] Uses

Boxers are friendly, lively companions that are popular as family dogs. Their suspicion of strangers, alertness, agility, and strength make them formidable guard dogs. They sometimes appear at dog agility or obedience trials and flyball events. 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. The versatility of Boxers was recognisd early on by the military, which has used them as valuable messenger dogs, pack carriers, and attack and guard dogs in times of war. Boxers have an average lifespan of 10-12 years. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Agility field left side: A competition agility field showing (clockwise from lower left) a tunnel, the dogwalk, the judge standing in front of a winged jump, two additional winged jumps, dog executing the teeter-totter with his handler guiding, and the tire jump. ... A guard dog, watch dog, or sentry dog is a dog employed to guard against, or watch for, unwanted or unexpected animals or people. ... Agility field left side: A competition agility field showing (clockwise from lower left) a tunnel, the dogwalk, the judge standing in front of a winged jump, two additional winged jumps, dog executing the teeter-totter with his handler guiding, and the tire jump. ... Obedience training involves training an animal, most often a dog, to obey basic control commands such as sit, down, and heel. ... Dogs from two teams race against each other over parallel lines of jumps. ... A service dog is a type of assistance dog, specifically trained to help people who have disabilities other than visual or hearing impairment. ... A blind man is led by his guide dog in BrasÃlia, Brazil. ... Therapy Dog refers to a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, mental institutions, schools, and stressful situations such as disaster areas. ... Police dog getting ready to search a vehicle for drugs A policemans dog is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. ...

[edit] Famous Boxers

Rogue Galaxy ) is a science fiction console role-playing game developed by Level-5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. ... Good Boy! movie cover Good Boy! was a moderately successful movie produced by Jim Henson Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, starring talking alien dogs. ... The King of Queens is an American situation comedy series that debuted in 1998 and is still running as of 2005. ...

[edit] Media

[edit] References

^ American Kennel Club. Registration Statistics.
^ John Wagner. Short History of the Boxer Breed. Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
^ Baggley, David (2000). History of the Boxer Dog. ukboxerdogs. Retrieved on 2006-08-08.
^ ^a ^b Brace, Andrew H. (2004). Pet Owner's Guide to the Boxer. Interpet Ltd. ISBN 1-86054-288-3.
^ Wagner, John (1939). The Boxer.
^ Wagner, John (1950). The Boxer, 47.
^ Strauss, Gerhard; Kämper-Jensen, Heidrun ; Nortmeyer, Isolde (1997). Deutsches Fremdwörterbuch Bd. 3. Berlin: de Gruyter; Auflage: 2., vollst. neubearb. Aufl., 468. ISBN 3-11-015741-1.
^ ^a ^b Institute for the German Language, Mannheim and University of Osnabrück, Institute for Linguistic and Literary Sciences.
^ Chronik des Boxer-Klub E.V. Sitz München. Boxer-Klub E.V. - Sitz München - Deutscher Boxerklub. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.
^ The Worldwide Boxer. The Boxer Head.
^ American Boxer Club Illustrated Standard. The Boxer Bite.
^ Boxer Club of Canada Code of Ethics.
^ Cattanach, Bruce. White Boxers and Deafness. Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
^ R.D. Conrad & Ann Gilbert. Coat Colours in Boxers and the American Boxer Club, Inc..
^ Claudia Moder, Green Acres Boxer Rescue of WI. A Boxer is a Boxer is a Boxer: Deaf Whites in Rescue.
^ 1938 AKC Boxer Breed Standard.
^ Boxer Disposition and Temperament. Boxer-dog.org (2003-05-24). Retrieved on 2006-06-09.
^ American Boxer Club. Boxer Health Information. Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
^ American Boxer Club. Genetic and Suspect Diseases in the Boxer. Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
^ Fred Lanting. Spondylosis Deformans.
^ American Boxer Club. Recommendations for Health Screening of Boxers in Breeding Programs. Retrieved on 2006-09-05.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... John Wagner is a comics writer who has also written under the pseudonyms John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter, among others. ... John Wagner is a comics writer who has also written under the pseudonyms John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter, among others. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Encyclopedia > Boxer (dog)

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