Do Boxers Shed?

Boxers have such short coats. It’s easy to assume they don’t shed heavily—but sometimes looks can be deceiving. You might wonder, do Boxers shed?

Boxers do shed, but they’re a low-shedding breed—meaning you won’t find a ton of loose fur around the house if you adopt one. Their coat is also very low maintenance, requiring a once-over with a brush just one to two times a week.

Keep reading to learn more about Boxers’ fur, how much it sheds, and how to care for their coat.

Boxer Coat Characteristics

Do Boxers Shed Heavily?

No, Boxers don’t shed heavily. They actually shed very little!

This is because they have a short, single coat with only one layer. Unlike double-coated breeds, Boxers don’t have a heavy shedding season and instead shed consistently throughout the year.

The fur that does shed might be more likely to end up around the house than to stay on your dog because there isn’t a lot of fur to trap it on the coat. This is good for your Boxer, but it means more cleanup for you.

Do Boxers Drool?

While boxers don’t shed a lot, they do drool moderately. You’ll find puddles around the water dish, on your pup’s bed after a nap, and maybe on the floor or your leg as they beg for a treat.

If you’re worried about shedding due to the cleanup needed, you should consider the mess a Boxer’s drool can make. It won’t be excessive, but it can be a turn-off for some potential adopters.

How Do I Stop My Boxer From Shedding?

Boxers are already a low-shedding dog breed, but you’ll never be able to stop their coat from shedding entirely. Here are some ways to reduce your Boxer’s shedding:

• Brush them twice a week with a hound glove or rubber curry brush.
• Use a deshedding shampoo.
• See a professional dog groomer who will remove more of your Boxer’s shed fur than you might be able to at home.

In addition, here are some tips for keeping up with your Boxer’s shed:

• Cover your car seats and furniture. You can use blankets or store-bought covers. I especially like dog hammocks for the car’s back seat, as they also serve to protect your pup a little better in case of a car accident.
• Purchase a reusable lint roller. These are fairly cheap and save you money when compared to disposable lint rollers. They work well and are also better for the environment!
• Use vacuum attachments to reach more fur. I like pet attachments with bristles for furniture and stairs, and crevice tools with slanted ends to reach into the corners of your carpeting.
• Use a carpet rake for stuck fur. Sometimes, fur can tangle in the carpet fibers, making it impossible to get out with a vacuum. Carpet rakes solve this problem easily! They’re also a great alternative to lugging a vacuum up and down the stairs.
• Brush your Boxer outside. This keeps fur from flying around your home, going into the air, and eventually settling on your furniture and carpet.

How to Groom a Boxer

There are a few steps when it comes to grooming a Boxer. Though they’re very low-maintenance in the grooming department, every dog needs the following:

• Coat brushed to distribute oils, promoting good skin and coat health
• Bathed regularly to keep them looking and smelling their best
• Nails trimmed to avoid pain and injuries
• Ears cleaned to help prevent irritation and ear infections
• Teeth brushed to prevent plaque build-up and dental disease

Brush Your Boxer’s Coat 1-2 Times Weekly

Luckily, Boxers are very easy to brush. Because they have little fur, going over the coat once or twice with a hound glove or rubber curry brush should be enough to collect shed fur and distribute your dog’s oils along their coat and skin.

This should take five to ten minutes at most. You can also use this time to look over your Boxer’s fur and skin for abnormal growths, skin redness, injury, or pests.

Quick health checks like this during grooming can help you know what’s normal for your dog, so you can be faster to act when they show symptoms of an illness.

Bathe Your Boxer As-Needed

Because of their short coats, Boxers are pretty clean dogs. They don’t tend to pick up a lot of debris from outside and shouldn’t need to be bathed often.

However, every dog should get the occasional bath. You’ll know it’s time if your Boxer looks physically dirty or they smell.

Keep a dog shampoo on hand—and a dry shampoo for times when you don’t want to handle a full bath—so that you’re prepared for these times.

Human shampoos can dry out your pup’s skin, and some human soaps may even cause skin irritation.

Be sure to get all areas of your dog’s body, including their paw pads, between the toes, and their stomach. Rinse the shampoo off thoroughly, as leftover soap can cause skin irritation.

Follow up with a dog conditioner, some coconut oil to moisturize the fur and skin, or simply dry your Boxer off with a towel.

You can also use a blow dryer if you don’t want to let them air dry or it’s chilly out. Just ensure you keep it on a low-heat setting, as blow dryers can burn your dog or cause heat stroke when used improperly.

Trim Your Boxer’s Nails Monthly

When a Boxer’s nails grow too long, walking becomes painful. Extra-long nails will even curl into the paw pads and break the skin. They can also snag on objects and snap painfully.

This is why they should be trimmed at least once a month. If you notice them getting long or sharp, you can always cut them more often as well.

Here’s how to trim your Boxer’s nails:

• Start with training. Desensitize your pup to having their paws handled by petting their feet, then holding the paw, separating the toes, and touching the nails. Slowly desensitize them to the nail trimmers as well before using them.
• Learn to avoid the quick. The quick is located at the base of each nail and is filled with blood. Cutting into it will hurt your dog and make the nail bleed.
  If your Boxer has light-colored nails, it’ll be very easy to see the quick. If they have darker nails, I suggest looking at dogs with light nails to get a good idea of where the quick is located.

• Trim the tip of each nail. Less is typically more when it comes to trimming dog nails. Even if your Boxer’s nails are very long, trimming just the tip is a good idea because the quick might also be long! You can then go back and trim more as the quick recedes.
• Use flour or cornstarch if needed to stop bleeding. A bit of either applied to the cut should stop bleeding within a few minutes. If the nail bleeds for longer, see a veterinarian for help.

When trimming your Boxer’s nails, also look between the toes for any skin irritation or discoloration. Examine the paw pads for any dryness, cracks, or splinters.

If your Boxer’s paw pads are very dry, you can try applying some coconut oil to them. Some dogs will lick this right off, but that’s completely safe and will still help make the fur and skin softer!

Clean Your Boxer’s Ears Monthly

Whether your Boxer’s ears are cropped or not (and if not, please don’t consider it!), they can develop ear infections. Their ears will also naturally accumulate wax and debris inside.

Cleaning your Boxer’s ears monthly can help prevent itching, irritation, and ear infections. Some Boxers will need their ears cleaned more often on a veterinarian’s recommendation—for instance; veterinarians often recommend cleaning the ears weekly if your dog gets frequent ear infections.

Your Boxer will most likely love having their ears cleaned, as all you’re doing is rubbing the inside of the ear! It’s also very easy for humans, if a little gross.

Here’s how to clean your Boxer’s ears:

• Apply dog ear cleaner to a cotton pad. You can also use a small amount of baby oil along with a q-tip, cotton ball, or paper towel. It’s up to you!
• If your Boxer has floppy ears, flip them upright. This allows you to see the inside of the ear clearly.
• Gently wipe the underside of the ear. Most debris should come off immediately, but if it doesn’t, try holding your cotton pad there for a moment to soak it. Don’t pick too much at the ears, as you can hurt your pup.
• Never stick anything inside the ear canal. We want to clean the floppy part of the ear, not the inner ear. That part should only be cleaned by a veterinarian as-needed, because sticking something inside of it can push wax further in or even damage the ear drum.

As you’re cleaning your Boxer’s ears, watch for any redness, odor, swelling, or abnormal discharge. These are symptoms of ear problems like an infection or ear mites. If you notice these symptoms, see a veterinarian for treatment.

Brush Your Boxer’s Teeth at Least Once Weekly

Ideally, our dog’s teeth should be brushed daily like ours. Boxers especially have small mouths due to their brachycephalic (short) snout and are susceptible to dental disease.

However, most dog owners don’t brush their dog’s teeth at all—so weekly is a bit of a compromise between daily and never.

No one’s a perfect dog owner, so just brush your Boxer’s teeth when you can. Also, ensure you’re getting them in for dental cleanings at the veterinarian if possible.

Brushing your Boxer’s teeth is pretty self-explanatory, but here are a few tips:

• Work on training first. This means desensitizing your Boxer to having their mouth handled and getting them used to the toothbrush.
  The process should be taken slowly and might look like rewarding your Boxer for sniffing the toothbrush at first, or licking the toothpaste. Then, you can work on touching it to their teeth and eventually brushing.
• Only use toothpaste made for dogs. Human toothpaste is toxic to dogs and isn’t meant to be swallowed.
• Any toothbrush will do. There are so many dog toothbrushes on the market—I was stunned when I first noticed this! From simple brushes to those that go on your finger and even electric dog toothbrushes, there’s a lot to choose from.
  But you can also buy a soft-bristled human toothbrush from the dollar store and get the job done just fine.
• Be patient! Dogs don’t naturally know how to have their teeth brushed, so it’s a learning experience for them. It might take time before your Boxer lets you brush their teeth, especially if you’re trying to get their whole mouth done at once. Little steps are best!

Up Next:

• Boxer Lifespan: How Long do Boxers Live?
• 10 Incredible Boxer Dog Facts
• The Best Food for Boxers for 2022

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Ibrakovic