AKC Boxer

The first AKC Boxer breed standard was adopted in 1904. This breed appeared in the end of the 19th century in Germany and quickly became popular in dog fighting and hunting large game. The name of the breed reflects the habit of these dogs to stand on their hind legs when batting at the opponent. Nowadays, the main purpose of the breed is to serve as a guard and a family companion.

The AKC Boxer standard is a replica of the first standard adopted by the German Boxer Club in 1902. Nowadays, these dogs look almost similar to their ancestors. The main difference is in the ears and tail of purebred Boxers. Nowadays, their owners prefer to leave the ears uncropped and the tail undocked, while the ancestors of modern Boxer dogs had their ears cropped and tails docked.

A purebred AKC Boxer should create an impression of power, alertness, and dignity. The movements of the Boxer should be elastic, firm, with a good stride, and proud carriage. The ideal representative of this breed is medium-sized, square-built, with long muscular legs, and short stocky body. The muscles should be well-developed and appear smooth under the skin. The size of the Boxer varies from 21½ inches to 25 inches at the withers. Females are smaller and more refined than males. There is no size disqualification in this breed, but the overall balance is very important.

A Boxer can be easily recognized by its head with an intelligent and alert expression. The skull of the Boxer should be arched; the muzzle is short and tapering; the stop is well defined; the cheeks are flat and clean. There should be no deep wrinkles except for those upon the forehead. The eyes in Boxers are dark brown. They can reflect the mood of the dog. The ears, if uncropped, are lying flat and falling forward. Cropped ears are raised when alert; they are cut long and tapering. Boxer dogs have an undershot bite with a protruding lower jaw. The coat of the AKC Boxer is short and smooth; the preferred coat colors are various tints of brindle and fawn.