Boxer Care for a Happy, Healthy Boxer

A Guide to Caring for Boxer Dogs

Focusing on all the aspects of boxer care is essential if you want a happy, healthy boxer.

It is essential that you understand what you need to know about caring for your boxer dogs. Follow the easy steps on this page and you'll find that caring for your boxer will be a snap!

Quick Tips

Here are just a few quick suggestions for interacting with your boxer dog that you may find helpful in establishing a healthy boxer/human relationship from the get go...

• Talk to boxers as you would to children when they do something wrong.

• Tell them "no" and show them immediately what the correct behavior should be and reward them for doing it right. After a few times they'll know how to do it right.

• For example, tell him "NO" when you catch him chewing your shoes. Then immediately give him his own toys to chew and cheer him on to chew on the toys. Praise him for doing so.

• Use sparingly those reprimanding words like "No," "Stop that," "Get off" and "Bad dog!" Instead, use more praise words to reward good behavior in your boxers and only then, the reprimands will take on stronger meaning.

• A correct reprimand is short, sharp and immediate.

• Only reprimand when you catch your boxer doing something wrong, and punish only with your voice.

• Hitting, kicking, slapping or spanking your boxer would create more problems and usually makes existing problems worse. You may just end up with a barking and chewing dog, one that is leery, hand-shy, fearful or aggressive.

• If you really have to spank one with your hand, just slap him across the behind.

Luckily, Boxer Care Is Easy

The good news is, that caring for boxer dogs is not all that hard! Here are their main requirements:

• Food
• A comfortable place to sleep
• Lots of playtime
• Consistent discipline
• Regular medical care
• Lots of love from their people!

Now, that doesn't sound too hard, does it?

Grooming Your Boxer

Credit: boxercab/Flickr

Boxers are basically low-maintenance dogs that don't need a lot of grooming time devoted to them, unlike long-haired dogs. Boxer dogs tend to keep themselves clean. You need to bathe them only occasionally. In fact, we used to joke that our Lucy would shed dirt automatically. Whenever she would get muddy when we went hiking, we'd worry we'd have to give her a bath, but within a couple of hours, once the mud dried, it almost magically disappeared!

And believe me, that was good news, as Lucy HATED getting a bath. Being as big and strong as she was, it was impossible to restrain her in a bathtub long enough to complete a bath. So, next we tried giving her a shower... total freakout! Imagine trying to stuff a 60-pound boxer who is completely spread-eagled through a 2-foot shower door opening. NOT...

You can tidy up a boxer dog's short, hard coat with a soft brush as the coat sheds. To make a boxer coat gleam after a bath, rub their coats down with a soft cloth. It works great, and their coat stays so shiny!

Boxers' nails require regular trimming, unless they get naturally worn down by running or walking on hard surfaces. Some boxers are very sensitive about their paws and won't let you touch them.

Have your veterinarian remove tartar from your boxer's teeth periodically, especially as he grows older. You can also learn to do this yourself.

For an array of quality supplies and products for dogs owners who like to pamper their pets with the very best, including beds, grooming aids, collars and leashes, feeders and bowls, dog crates and carriers, treats, and toys, check out the Pampered Pet.

Learn More About Boxer Care & Feeding

• How to communicate with your boxer—Dogs may not be able to speak the human language, but I firmly believe they can understand it. Get some helpful tips for learning how to get on the same wavelength with your boxer dog.

• Healthy boxer dog nutrition—Knowing what, how much and when to feed your boxer is essential to his/her healthy growth and development. Learn the 5 essential steps to the right boxer dog food.

Click on the topics above to learn more about that aspect of healthy boxer care. Remember caring for boxer dogs is easy when you know what you're doing!