BOXER: A GREAT SUCCESS

Check the success of this breed in the world, and learn more about colors which are accepted or not by Standard.

BoxerThe number of births registered in several countries is the irrefutable proof of the acceptance of this breed. In the USA, the growth of the Boxer is practically 10% a year, over 30 thousand dogs last year, the 16th most sold dog. In England, it stands among the first 10 of the list, with more than 8 thousand registrations and a tendency to grow even more. In Italy, between 1986 and 1990, it almost doubled, a leap from 2 thousand to 4 thousand. In Brazil, it is also in a good position. It has been the tenth more frequently registered breed in the past 2 years, and, according to numbers, it's possible to say that it has maintained its stability for the past 15 years. This stability shows that besides maintaining its place among other breeds, the Boxer is more than a fad, a tendency of the moment, which sometimes can make a breed disappear. Because it is not that popular, it is not at risk of having "dealers" who produce dogs without any concern for the selection of breedings according to physical and temperamental characteristics.

But, after all, what makes the Boxer occupy such a good position among other dogs? To start with, it is a medium sized dog, that can live well even in reduced spaces, and its short hair does not demand special care. It also has a versatile temperament, enabling it to act addequately in several different situations. As a guard, it is attentive and brave, and its expression scares away anyone considering trespassing an area under its protection. In one of its magazine edition, Cães & Cia researched 100 people about the scariest face among the most popular guardian dogs, and the winner, by far, was the Boxer. The breed responds well to obedience training, because it is very solicitous, and enjoys doing what man wants it do do. His athletic body recommends the Boxer for people who like company to jog or walk. With children, his reputation as a great "baby-sitter" has ran the world. For all these reasons, the Boxer has secured his position, without the aid of media promotion, something that many times sustains the popularity of a breed.

COLORS

The breed's Standard allows only two colors: the fawn, which goes from a very light tone to a darker one, such as brown, and the tabby, with dark stripes crossing the body. Both colors may have white mutations, as long as they don't add up to more than one third of the body.

The image of the Boxer which comes to your mind is probably a dog with large white marks, many times a collar which extends to the chest, and parts of the legs. This is what the breeders call "Marked" for the individual is covered with white marks. The "Covered" dog is the one which presents little or no white at all.

The contrast of the large white marks seen in the Marked, makes it attractive and admired by many. Even in the Standard it is mentioned that white markingss can be very attractive. "They have won people's heart," comments Regina Colonéri, from Kennel do Cacorê, São Paulo. "This has in a certain way, harmed the popularity of the Covered, which has been in disadvantage both as a pet or exposition dog."

Currently, there has been a change, and the Covered has been gaining space, because breeders, even if informally, have worked on that direction. Gilberto Rocha, from Kennel Gama Grass, Sorocaba, Brazil, tells us that "there was no specific movement, but we started taking them to dog shows more frequently, and telling people that they were as good as the Marked." Besides, the Covered has an important participation in breeding. "Though this is not a mandatory," says Beatriz Dotovovici, from Kennel Lóriga, Rio de Janeiro, "it is good to use it in breedings with dogs who have too many marks, since these, bred among themselves, might produce puppies with more than one third white marks, which is not accepted." A curious fact about the big white marks, is that they may cause an optical illusion, disguising or creating defects, such as making a chest look stronger, or a neck too long or too thick.

WHITE

But, what can be said about the white Boxer, or those with only small yellow marks, many times covering an eye or ear? They are not allowed since 1925, but they are still born, and receive no pedigree. There are people who say they are albinos, and there are books about this breed that state that, even if they are not albine, they may produce puppies with this anomaly, thus the reason for the prohibition.

Facts indicate that this is not true, both by what is known of the genetic theory of colors in dogs, as well as in practical experiences. In fact, there is a certain confusion which leads many people to think that all white animals are albinos, since every albino is white. Albinism is the complete lack of pigment, generating pink skin and mucosa, and red eyes, as in laboratory rats. According to Clarence Little, author of the book The Inheritance of Coat Color on Dogs, there are no evidences that even blue eyes mean albinism. The white Boxer, regardless of its pink skin, most times has pigmented mucosas, and dark eyes. Little goes further, saying that the albinism phenomena is extremely rare in dogs, and in the case of the Boxer, he specifies the gene which causes white dogs, calling it "sw". The gene which causes albinism is the "ca". Both are completely independent. Therefore, there is no reason to think that breeding several generations of white Boxers, carriers of factor "sw", this will lead to an albino dog, carrier of factor "ca". Beatriz Goldshmidt, animal geneticist from Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, reaffirms that albinism is rare in dogs, and any breed is equally sujeita a ele, even if eventually. "The white Boxer is not more inclined to this problem than other dogs," she concludes. Through practical experiments, Hilda Drumond, cynophilist who has already taught genetics of color in animals, testifies she has done more than 10 breedings of white ones, and mixed at least three consecutive generations, without ever getting an albino. However, there is one case or another, of people who say they've seen a white Boxer with red eyes. Well, there are two alternatives: either the dog was really an albino, for, as it was already said, any breed of dog, or animal species, for that matter, may eventually breed an albino, though not a specific characteristic of the white Boxer. Or, whoever saw it got mixed up, because the third eyelid (a membrana in the internal corner of eye) sometimes is pink, and may give the impression that the iris is red.

Still, even if the theory of albinism is eliminated, some may say that since the "sw" is a recessive gene, it could cause sensitivity to the sun light, and skin diseases. But not even that is observed by people who have been working with white Boxers for a long time. Hilda, who had several of them, never detected any problems. Regina, who has a white female, comments that it loves to lie in the sun, and has never shown any skin problems.

It is worth saying that the white exists in the breed, because it emerged at the end of the last century, from the mixture of the small Bullenbeisser, an ancient hunting dog which imobilized its prey, with a completely white Bulldog, whose name was Tom. The breed was officially called Boxer from then on, and many white dogs were born and were registered, including the first great breeding female, a dog called Meta, which had only one tabby marking in the head, and a spot on the left side of the body. The rest of her coat was white as snow. Would this be the "other" reason to prohibit it, in short, to try and take away the influence of the Bulldog? No. This is not stated anywhere in the bibliography of the breed.

INFORMATION

Purchase of Puppies: Check if there is prognatism, but not excessive, to the point of letting teeth and tongue apparent. Verify if madibule isn't crooked. Observe if male has two testicles. Muzzle should measure half the size of the head. Eyes can be light, in color, but after 60 days should be dark.
Surgeries: Tail, by the 5th day. Ears, between 9th and 10th week.
Size: Males, 57 to 63cm, weighing above 30km. Females, 53 to 59cm, weighing about 25kg.
Data Source: Based on the CBKC Standard # 144a, of April 8, 1994 (translation of the FCI Standard # 144a of April 14, 1993.
Reading Material: El Boxer, by Fiorenzo Fiorone, Editorial de Vecchi S.A., Barcelona, Spain.

We would like to thank the people interviewed, and the assistance and text editing of cynophilist Hilda Drumond, and animal geneticist Beatriz Goldschmidt. We would also like to thank José Pedutti Neto, CBKC all rounder judge, for additional text editing.
Research and text: Flávia C. Soares.

Picture: Luiz Henrique Mendes
Owner: Paulo Roberto B. Pereira

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