The Boxweiler: Characteristics and Curiosities

The Boxweiler, like many other mixed breeds, was created seeking to combine the best characteristics of its two parent breeds. In this case, this dog comes from the mix between the Boxer and the Rottweiler.

If you want to get to know this breed, read on, because we’re going to tell you about its origin, the characteristics resulting from this cross-breeding, and the necessary care tip to look after their health. Don’t miss anything, because, like all other breeds and crossbreeds, these dogs have a lot of love to give. Let’s make a start!

Boxweiler characteristics

A Boxweiler is, as we said before, a mixed breed resulting from the union of a Boxer and a Rottweiler. This results in dogs with quite different appearances and sizes (even if the breeds they come from are of a similar size).

As for their colors, they vary from black to white, passing through brown, brindle and spotted. They also tend to inherit combined characteristics of both breeds, such as the drooping lips of the Boxer and the strong cranial bone structure of the Rottweiler.

The life expectancy of this breed is 8 to 13 years.

History of the breed

The Boxweiler began to be known in the 1980s, so it’s a recent crossbreed. As always, this breed was crossed taking into account human aesthetics and tastes, who sought to obtain a strong dog of robust proportions, with a positive tendency to establish bonds with its guardians.

From this mix, guard and defense dogs are obtained. However, there is also a fairly large market that seeks to create breeds with fashionable aesthetic configurations. The flat muzzle of the Boxer, for example, is a very popular trait.

Boxweiler character

These dogs usually develop a strong bond with their family. They’re loyal, affectionate and even a bit overprotective if not properly trained. From the Boxer they inherit that everlasting passion for play and from the Rottweiler, their abilities as a guard dog.

Thus, the result is a loyal and caring dog. Unfortunately, this also means that they find it difficult to live with other animals or deal with strangers, but this isn’t something that can’t be corrected with proper introductions and consistent training.

Many of them also have a stubborn character. It’s hard to make them understand that they aren’t allowed to do certain things or behave in a certain way, but they’re also very intelligent dogs, so they’ll have no problem learning anything.

General health

The Boxweiler is predisposed to the same diseases as its two parent breeds. This is because they’re both pure breeds, so they carry certain congenital problems for hundreds of generations. Let’s take a look at the most relevant ones:

• Articular dysplasia: An anomaly of bone development in the joints that causes their instability, with consequent pain and mobility problems.
• Demodectic mange: Caused by a mite (Demodex canis) naturally present in hair follicles. In the event of poor skin care or lowered defenses, they proliferate and cause reddening of the skin, itching and alopecia in the affected area.
• Cardiopathies: Heart problems are a direct inheritance from the Boxer. The most frequent are arterial stenosis, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias.
• Osteosarcoma (OSA): This is a tumor of primitive bone cells that is very common in large breeds. Survival rate is low: only 15-20% of the specimens live up to one year after the appearance of the tumor.
• Gastric dilatation-torsion: Also typical of large dogs. In this disorder, the stomach is dilated and can fold in on itself (like a balloon). It’s a veterinary emergency and endangers the animal’s life.
• Thyroid problems: Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are common diseases in the Boxweiler. These diseases consist in the lack of activity of the thyroid gland or in its hyperactivity, respectively.
• Eye problems: Retinopathy, ectropion and others are frequent in breeds with flaccid facial skin, as is the case with the Boxer.

Special Boxweiler care tips

To keep a Boxweiler‘s health in tip-top shape, it’s necessary to pay attention to its skin, ears, and paws. Daily checkups and periodic cleanings will keep parasites and infections at bay.

On the psychological side, the points to keep in mind are education and environmental enrichment. Since they’re stubborn animals and somewhat wary of strangers, it’ll be necessary to teach them to socialize without fear or aggression.

On the other hand, these are intelligent dogs with a high level of energy, so they’ll need to exercise and play daily. Otherwise, they could develop problems such as anxiety, depression, or destructive behaviors.

And, finally, respecting the vaccination and deworming schedule, as well as providing them with an adequate diet, is the basis to ensure good health and a good life for your dog. Remember that the happiness that these animals bring must be reciprocated.