VISUALLY MEASURING THE HEAD
~ 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.
~ The muzzle is 2/3 the width of the skull. The tip of the nose is higher than the root of the muzzle.
~The chin should be perceptible both in profile and from the front. There should be no overlip.
~The head is clean, without excessive wrinkles.
The Boxer Bite
~ 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 Boxer Bite
~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.
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 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.
Boxer Temperament
~These are of paramount importance in the Boxer. Instinctively a hearing guard dog, his bearing is alert, dignified, and self-assured.
`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.
Coat
Short, shiny, lying smooth and tight to the body.
Size, Proportion, Substance
~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.
Boxers are sensitive to heat and cold. Their short snouts make it hard for them to cool themselves down in humid weather, and their coats are not thick enough for the cold. If you live in an extreme temperature area, either consider another breed or closely monitor your Boxer when playing outside. Boxer thrives in an environment where it can take part in most family activities. Not a ‘leave in the backyard’ kind of dog, Boxers are best suited to active individuals who will give it the physical and mental stimulus it needs to thrive. A healthy Boxer can live as long as 14 years.
Scapula - Shoulder blade; Pro-sternum - Forechest; Humerus - Upper arm; Radius/Ulna - Foreleg; Sternum - Brisket/Lower chest; Occiput - top most crest back of skull; Nape - top of neck; Withers - the upper portion of shoulder blade union with the spinous processes of the 1st and 2nd thoracic vertebrae. (The highest area of the back). Loin - the lumbar area, between the end of the rib cage and the start of the pelvis; Croup - (rump) muscular area just above and around the set of tail and overlies the lower half of the pelvic region; Femur - upper thigh bone; Patella - kneecap (part of stifle joint); Fibula/Tibia - lower rear leg.
Boxers sometimes try to dominate their owners. The best way to handle this is to maintain a firm but friendly hand. If acquired as a puppy, make sure your Boxer gets adequate training and socialization to manage the extreme aspects of his energetic personality. An untrained Boxer—using its speed, energy and jumping skills at will—can be a handful.
Dog Registries
The American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United Kennel Club (UKC) are the oldest and most recognized purebred dog registries in America.
ACA - American Canine Association Advertises that over 3000 adult breeding canines are registered each week. Only registry endorsed by Petland. **Caters to commercial breeders.** Refers puppy seekers to pet stores.
APRI - AMERICA'S PET REGISTRY INC. Advertises free registration for commercial breeders. Non Profit 'dedicated to the preservation of the professional pet industry', dogs and cats. Founded by retailers of pets (commercial breeders and resellers).
CKC-Continental Kennel Club (do not confuse with Canadian Kennel Club!)
CKC will recognize a cross between any two purebred dogs, and will issue a registration certificate on their offspring. These crosses are not registered as purebred dogs but are registered as the offspring of purebred dogs. CKC accepts no responsibility for any inaccurate, false, or fraudulent information submitted on registration applications. They sponsor no shows or championships. They also give big fee breaks to large kennels registering lots of dogs (such as Puppy Mills). Will register dogs not registered with other recognized registries.
UKCI - Universal Kennel Club International Caters to the commercial dog industry and promises 'Complete Privacy Protection' for all breeders. Does not have a Code Of Ethics and brags about that. Does not currently impose any fines or penalties upon its members for violations of its policies, rules, regulations, guidelines, programs, restrictions and systems. * Registers* mixed breeds for breeding purposes. Will register unknown pedigree. NAPDR - North American Purebred Dog Registry Dog that does not have registration papers or proof of pedigree may be registered with NAPDR
DRA - Dog Registry of America No DNA certification, registers unregistered/unknown/mixed pedigree dogs, brags about added value for sellers and confidentiality.
APR - American Purebred Registry Will register unknown pedigree dogs/cats, does not sponsor any shows, no proof of purebred required.
UABR - United All Breed Registry Advertises free registration of adults when you register a litter. Caters to the commercial breeders. Started "Gold Label Pets" for commercial operations, and promotes retailers.
WWKC - World Wide Kennel Club Will register dogs registered with *any other* kennel club
WKC- World Kennel Club Registers ALL dogs that are *pure-bred*, which may or may not be registered with any other kennel club or those that have no previous history of their Sire or Dam.
FIC - Federation of International Canines Special bulk discount for volume breeders
ARU- Animal Registry Unlimited Guarantees they will register your pets of unknown pedigree, encourages cross breeding. Special prices for bulk.
CRCS - Canine Registration and Certification Services Caters to commercial breeders.
NKC – National Kennel Club Appears to registered unknown pedigree dogs with *inspection*.
Finally, USDA registered puppies come from commercial breeding farms, commonly referred to as puppy mills. Mills sell to stores and brokers, and this is commonly where pet store owners get their puppies. No breeder associated with a breed club and bound by a breeder’s club Code of Ethics will sell or consign a pup (or kitten) to a commercial pet store.
