Boxweiler

The Boxweiler is a hybrid breed created by mixing a Rottweiler with a Boxer. Rottweilers have historically been famous as guard dogs; they have also herded cattle, pulled carts, and served in military and police work. Boxers have just as varied a background in hunting, herding, and guarding. They were even messenger dogs in WWI!

Combining these two breeds has resulted in a large, fun, and friendly dog that loves to hang out in the yard and participate in family activities. If you’re looking for a great guard dog with an attractive brindle and a winning personality, the boxweiler might just be the dog for you.

Boxweilers come in a variety of colors, but they usually feature the subtle brindle pattern for which their boxer parents are so famous. You’ll find tan, brown, gray, black, or white brindle patterns on nearly all of these adorable dogs.

Ownership: 3 Pros and Cons

Size and Weight

Boxweilers are large dogs with muscular builds and short fur. The average boxweiler weighs between 70 and 100 pounds and stands 21 to 27 inches tall. There is usually little difference between female and male boxweilers, although the females of this breed can often actually be larger than the males.

Common Health Issues

Boxweilers are large dogs with strong immune systems who do not get sick very often. Like most big dogs, they suffer from the potential for joint dysplasia and arthritis. These dogs can also have heart defects, hearing problems, and skin conditions. In general, have your veterinarian look for:

• Joint dysplasia
• Arthritis
• Heart problems
• Thyroid issues
• Deafness
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Mange

Temperament

Boxweilers are fun and active dogs with sweet and loyal personalities. These dogs love to run around the yard, hang out with their owners, and generally spend time exploring and engaging with the world. Expect these dogs to exhibit playful behaviors like rolling around in the dirt, chasing tennis balls, and wagging their tails way too hard when something good happens.

The average boxweiler has high energy levels and a short attention span. Although they almost always have an enthusiastic temperament, these dogs can be difficult to train and may need to spend a lot of time outside to avoid disrupting the family. Plan to take your dog for plenty of walks to make sure that they avoid destructive behaviors like chewing on furniture or digging under the fence.

Care

Boxweilers are sweet but energetic dogs that need a lot of exercise. One of the things that many Boxweiler owners don’t realize is that, even though they look fierce, these dogs are heavy cuddlers and love attention from their families. Be sure to take your dog for a walk every day and spend time with it every night to keep it in a good mood.

Best Dog Food

Boxweilers need to eat a lot of food to maintain their energy levels. Start by finding a high-protein dog food intended for large breeds. Then, split its daily portion into three meals to ensure that your dog doesn’t get hungry halfway through the day. If your boxweiler is acting too energetically or destructively, you may consider reducing its portions to limit the number of calories it has to burn.

Also, keep in mind that Boxweilers are vulnerable to heart problems. At your periodic vet appointments, discuss your dog’s diet to make sure it’s meeting your dog’s nutritional needs. You should know about the link between heart failure in dogs and dog food containing legumes, and opt for a legume-free diet.

Maintenance and Grooming

Boxweilers have short coats that don’t require a lot of maintenance. To keep your boxweiler happy, bathe it once a month and trim its nails on a regular basis. Boxweilers often have dental issues, so make sure you remember to brush your dog’s teeth.

Training

Boxweilers are energetic dogs with short attention spans. Training these dogs can be difficult, especially if you don’t start when they are puppies. Start with short training sessions and remember to focus on basic commands. Your main efforts should be centered around short response times so you can make sure your boxweiler will obey even if it is highly distracted.

Exercise

Boxweilers need at least two hours of exercise a day to stay healthy. The best way to provide this is to give your dog access to a large yard to run around in. You should also take your dog on a walk every day to help it burn off energy. Finally, provide lots of toys to give it something to chew on while you’re too busy to pay attention to it.

Puppies

Boxweiler puppies are fun and cute, but they grow incredibly quickly. One of the things you need to look out for while they are getting bigger is that feeding them human food can result in premature growth and cause brittle bones. In general, only feed your boxweiler a puppy-friendly kibble until it is at least a year old.

Children

Boxweilers are far too large and active to play comfortably with small kids. These pups make excellent guard dogs, but they should never be left unsupervised around children.

Similar Dog

• Boxerdoodle: Something about the enthusiastic attitude of a boxer and the curly hair of a poodle is simply adorable.
• Boxsky: Husky genetics combined with a boxer appearance, boxskies are sweet and hardworking dogs that make a great choice for active families.
• Boggle: The boxer and beagle mix is short, sweet, and incredibly playful and fun.