What Is the Best Way to Raise a White Boxer Dog?

A "white boxer" dog has white markings across more than one-third of its coat, which is against the breed standard set by the American Kennel Club and disqualifies it from participating in conformation events. According to the Boxer Club of Canada, approximately 25 percent of boxer puppies have the recessive gene that causes them to be white. White boxers easily develop skin problems from the sun, blindness and deafness in one or both ears due to the lack of pigmentation in the ear canal.

Things You'll Need

  • Collar and leash
  • Crate
  • Treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Observe your white boxer puppy to determine whether it is deaf in one or both ears, by jangling keys or calling it when it is facing away from you. If it displays any signs of deafness, ask your veterinarian to conduct a Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response test to find out the extent of its deafness. If your dog is deaf, you will have to modify the methods you use for training it accordingly.

    • 2

      House-train your white boxer puppy as you would any other young dog. Begin with giving it a crate to sleep in, as dogs do not usually soil their sleeping quarters, and take it outdoors every two to three hours. Stay with it until it performs its business, and give it a verbal cue such as "hurry up" as it does so; reward it afterward with verbal praise and a cuddle each time, and it will soon learn what you require.

    • 3

      Spend time with your white boxer puppy to bond with it and to establish yourself as the pack leader. Boxers of all colors often have dominant, headstrong personalities, and need capable human leadership. A gentle boxer owner may find his dog becomes stubborn and tries to dominate him, so make sure you manage your dog in a calm, firm and confident way.

    • 4

      Have your white boxer puppy spayed or neutered when it is old enough. White boxers are not good breeding stock because they carry the recessive gene, and most boxer breeders will insist on proof of sterilization as a condition of selling you a puppy.

    • 5

      Boxer dogs are friendly, affectionate and particularly good with children, but their natural exuberance makes them a risk for small children. Teach your white boxer puppy from a young age not to jump up at humans, particularly children.

    • 6

      Protect your white boxer dog from excessive exposure to the sun. Give it a shady area to which it can retreat when the sun is particularly hot, and use sunscreen on its nose and the tips of its ears when you go for walks. Consider fitting it with a lightweight summer tee shirt for very hot days to protect the coat from the sun.

    • 7

      Give your white boxer dog plenty of exercise. Boxers have high levels of energy that they need to burn off, particularly while they are young dogs. If the dog gets insufficient exercise it may become frustrated and destructive, and start damaging your home and belongings.