The History of the Boxer Breed

Boxers are medium-sized dogs with short hair and a thickset build. Boxers have short, wide heads with large, strong jaws ideal for biting prey. They can range from fawn to brindled in color and often have white markings. They are part of the Molosser group of dogs, which are usually used as guard dogs.

  1. Beginnings

    • The boxers was bred in the 1800s in Germany. It is the descendant of the extinct Bullenbeisser breed. The Bullenbeisser was bred for power and nimbleness dating back to 370 AD and used to secure prey for hunters with its great power. The Bullenbeisser eventually went extinct by cross-breeding. In order to create the boxer, German breeders crossed the Bullenbeisser with the English Bulldog.

    First Appearance

    • In 1895, three German breeders named Konig, Roberth and Hopner created the Deutscher Boxer Club to help popularize the breed. This organization put out the first breed standard for boxers in 1905, which is a set of guidelines for breeders to adhere to in order to preserve the breed. These statements vary by breed, but the one created in 1905 is not much different than the one used today for boxers.

    Friederun Stockmann

    • An important figure in the history of boxers is Friederun Stockmann. She wrote a book titled "My Life With Boxers," which helped popularize the breed. One of her popular dogs--Rolf von Volgesberg--helped sire the first boxer champion, Dampf von Dom, who won in 1915. Following World War I, Stockmann would go on to breed even more champion dogs.

    Early 20th Century

    • Boxers came to America around 1900. Their popularity had already fanned out throughout Europe. The American Kennel Club listed its first boxer in 1904. During both World Wars, boxers were utilized as attack dogs and messengers. Following the end of World War II, the boxer became even more popular. In 1949, a boxer named Bang Away won the Westminster Dog Show. Bang Away would go on to be featured on the cover "Life" and "Esquire" magazines.

    Name

    • The name boxer came from the dog's proclivity to stand on its hand legs and fight with its feet. The name traces back to 18th century Germany. But there are also other theories about the name's origin. The dog was called a bierboxer during the development of the breed in Germany. Also, Boxer is the name of a dog in Charles Dickens' 1845 book, "The Cricket on the Hearth."