Wednesday 5 September 2007

Meet Captain


I promised the owner of Captain, a 4-month old Boxer puppy, that I would publish a picture of him on my blog. The Boxer is a German developed breed but based on recent American Kennel Club statistics, Boxers are the seventh most popular breed of dog in the United States.
During WWI, the Boxer was co-opted for military work, acting as a valuable messenger dog, pack-carrier, attack dog and guard dog.
It was not until after WWII that the Boxer became popular around the world. Boxer mascots, taken home by returning soldiers, introduced the dog to a much wider audience and it soon became a favourite as a companion animal, as a show dog and as a guard dog
Although steeped in controversy, the name "Boxer" is supposedly derived from the breed's tendency to begin a fight by standing on its hind legs and “to box” ( hence boxing and boxer ) with its front paws.
The AKC Boxer Breed Standard of 1938 states that:
"The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most solicitous attention. He is renowned from olden times for his great love and faithfulness to his master and household. He is harmless in the family, but distrustful of strangers, bright and friendly of temperament at play, but brave and determined when aroused. His intelligence and willing tractability, his modesty and cleanliness make him a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. He is the soul of honesty and loyalty, and is never false or treacherous even in his old age."
Boxers are a bright, energetic and playful breed and tend to be very good with children and make an ideal family pet. They have a strong personality and it is best if obedience training is started early to channel their energy. Owing to their intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on the use of corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers often respond much better to positive reinforcement techniques. It is also true that Boxers have a very long puppyhood and adolescence, and are often called the "Peter Pan" of the dog world. They are not considered fully mature until two to three years of age and thus need early training to channel their energy.
Boxers appear more comfortable with companionship, in either human or canine form. They are very active dogs that need to get a lot of exercise. Like any dog, they do not like to be left alone.
Boxers are friendly, lively companions that are popular as family dogs. Their suspicion of strangers, alertness, agility and strength make them formidable guard dogs. They sometimes appear at agility or obedience trials. These strong and intelligent animals are used as service dogs, guide dogs for the blind, therapy dogs and police dogs in the US ( K9 units ). Occasionally they are used for herding cattle or sheep. This I would love to see!

6 comments:

Flowerpot said...

good to see you back, ED and hope you had a good break. Captain looks wonderful - I've never had a boxer, but our neighbour had one when I was a child. She was called Muffin and if she was intelligent she hid it very well!

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Welcome back and what a fascinating post! Captain looks so cute and I hardly knew anything about boxers before.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen a boxer used as a guide dog, and like Welshcakes, I knew nothing about them before. Welcome back too.

Unknown said...

I am a great fan of boxers. We had a real character at the shelter and he knew at least 10 ways to escape and wiggle free from his collar while he was tied out during the morning cleaning. (It was so interesting to watch that I tried to video tape him but he thought I was taking him out and wouldn't cooperate) Great post!

jmb said...

welcome back home Eurodog, you were gone a long time.
Thanks for the info about boxers which I see quite regularly here. Captain is a handsome young fellow. I can't imagine them as herding dogs either, but I guess you can teach a dog to do most things if you are patient enough.
regards
jmb

Em said...

Hello - Just returning your visit :D