National Boxer Day 2024: Date, Origin, and Ways to Celebrate

If you have a pet boxer, then you already know just how much there is to celebrate about them! Endlessly loving and ruthlessly protective, boxers are fantastic additions to any family unit. So, what better way is there to celebrate these furry friends than a holiday made in their honor? In this article, we’ll give you all of the details about National Boxer Day 2024. Hear about where and when this special holiday originated, plus some ways you can properly celebrate this fun breed. Who knows, you might even learn a new thing or two about this fantastic breed!

There Are Endless Reasons to Love Boxers

Before discussing the holiday, let’s take a bit of a closer look at the dog breed behind it all! The boxer emerged during the late 19th century in the nation of Germany. It is a combination of two breeds; The bulldog, from Great Britain, and the now-extinct mastiff-esque breed known as the bullenbeisser. It is assumed that the name “boxer” emerged as a kind of off-shoot of the names of the two other dogs comprising the breed. But there’s another theory, too. This is the theory that their name comes from a certain behavior the breed exhibits. Boxers have a tendency to, when excited, use their hind legs to stand and conduct a swinging, “boxing” motion with their front paws.

There are many, many reasons to adore boxers. They have a natural role as protective guard dogs, a role that they value and follow diligently, but at their core, they are extreme sweethearts. There are few breeds more tolerant of the tugging and touching of children, for instance, than the boxer breed. Strong-willed fighters with a sturdy appearance to match, there is far more to the boxer than what meets the eye.

When Is National Boxer Day?

Each year, National Boxer Day is held on January 17th. But it’s actually a very new celebration! The first time the holiday was announced was in the year 2020, meaning that the upcoming 2024 celebration is only its fourth anniversary. Hopefully, though, there will be many more to come!

How Did The Holiday Originate?

As we stated earlier, the holiday is only three years old. Who came up with this clever idea? The Facebook group “The Woof Book Group,” which describes itself as “THE gathering place on Facebook for dog parents who want a safe, welcoming place where they can show off their canine companions and socialize with other members,” is who began the National Boxer Day celebration.

How To Celebrate National Boxer Day

Now that you know about the holiday, you’re probably brainstorming ways to properly celebrate it. As it happens, there are plenty of creative and fun ways to spend the day with your boxer. Here are some ideas for activities and traditions you can start incorporating into your holiday routine:

• Throw A Boxer Party: Who doesn’t like parties? Much like a birthday, National Boxer Day is a perfect excuse to have some company over in celebration of your canine. This can be especially fun if you have friends who also own boxers, but even so, any dog can come join in on the fun!
• Show Your Boxer Off: If you’re someone who actively uses social media, this holiday is the perfect excuse to share that collection of silly boxer photos hidden away in your camera roll. Sharing content with your pets is something that can be done all the time, but on a holiday like this, it’s different- it’s a special occasion!
• Adoption Drive/Fundraiser: Unfortunately, many boxers and boxer mixes are in shelters. On the holiday, you have the opportunity to make a difference! Volunteer at your local shelter, or better yet, host a collaborative fundraiser. This especially helps if the shelter currently has a lot of boxers. But, even if they don’t, all of those dogs deserve a loving home. Helping them out would definitely make your boxer happy!

Bonus Boxer Fun Facts

Before we send you off to ponder your Boxer Day plans, let’s end things on a special note! To properly celebrate the breed, you should know a few things about how interesting they really are. So, here’s a short collection of highlights regarding the many things that make boxers so amazing!

• A lot of your favorite celebrities have boxers as their chosen companions. Some particularly notable names are Hugh Jackman, the Kardashian family, and Justin Bieber!
• Have you ever noticed the interesting head shape possessed by boxers? Well, turns out that there’s a reason behind that shape! They use their unique snout and jaw to catch prey and breathe while holding it in their mouths.
• These dogs don’t just talk the talk when it comes to prestige, they also show their worth in competition! Boxers have won Best in Show four times at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
• The Dickin Medal, which is an award that grants a high prestige to exceptional animals, was given to two boxers in the year 1946. These boxers, named Punch and Judy, were presented this award in recognition of their brave feat of saving two members of the British military during a conflict in Palestine.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © ibanezfilm/Shutterstock.com