10 Things You Didn’t Know about the Boxador
The Boxador is a very popular mixed breed created from the Boxer and the Labrador Retriever, which are two of the most beloved purebreeds that can be found out there. Each Boxador possesses its own particular combination of characteristics from the two sides of its heritage, but the chances are high that it will prove to be a loyal, loving, and intelligent canine companion to its human masters. This is particularly true when a Boxador receives the proper upbringing needed to bring out its full potential. Here are 10 things that you may or may not have known about the Boxador:
1. Might Be Called By Other Names
Since the Boxador is a mixed breed, there isn’t as much standardization for it as there would be for a purebreed. As a result, while the Boxador is the name that sees the most use, there are other names based on various combinations of Boxer and Labrador Retriever. Examples range from Boxerlab to Laboxer.
2. Bred from the Boxer
There are people who claim that the Boxer is named thus because of its tendencies to play by making what looks like boxing motions with their forelegs while standing on their hind legs. However, there are other people who believe that this is implausible because of its German origins. Whatever the case, the Boxer is a Molosser created by breeding the now extinct Bullenbeisser with English Bulldogs imported from Great Britain.
3. Bred from the Labrador Retriever
Confusingly, the Labrador Retriever was created on the island of Newfoundland, though to be fair, said location faces the Labrador Peninsula from which it is separated by the Strait of Belle Isle. Regardless, the breed started out as hunting specialists, but it wasn’t long before its intelligence and its excellent temperament enabled a smooth transition into other roles such as pulling carts, helping people with with disabilities with their day-to-day living, and helping people in healthcare facilities by providing them with canine companionship.
4. Might Be a Multi-Generation Cross
There is no guarantee that a particular Boxador will be 50 percent Boxer and 50 percent Labrador Retriever. Instead, it isn’t uncommon for breeders to have multi-generation crosses, thus making it that much more important for interested individuals to know exactly what they can expect.
5. Unpredictable Combination of Characteristics
Purebreeds tend to have a consistent set of characteristics that have been established in the breeds over the course of generations. In contrast, mixed breeds such as the Boxador tend to be somewhat unpredictable combinations of characteristics from both sides of their heritage. However, multi-generation crosses tend to more resemble the side that they are more descended from.
6. Loyal
Generally speaking, the Boxador is a loyal breed. Combined with their loving nature as well as their eagerness to please humans, it is no wonder that the breed has managed to pick up a reputation for being excellent family dogs.
7. Good with Children
In particular, the Boxador is famous for being good with children. However, it is important to note that Boxadors tend to be both big and energetic. As a result, adults should be present to supervise whenever a Boxador interacts with younger children lest the dog’s exuberance causes an accident.
8. Socialization Is Critical
Boxadors can inherit protective instincts from the Boxer part of their heritage. As a result, proper socialization is very important for them because that should make them more comfortable around strangers as full-grown dogs with a fair amount of power packed into them.
9. Can Suffer from Separation Anxiety
Unfortunately, Boxadors have been known to suffer from separation anxiety, which is when dogs behave in a disruptive or even destructive manner when left on their own. There are various tools and training methods that can be used to address said issue, with examples ranging from getting dogs more and more accustomed to being left on their own to providing them with appropriate TV content as a way to occupy them with something else.
10. Can Develop Behavioral Issues with Insufficient Stimulation
On a related note, Boxadors can develop other behavioral issues when they get insufficient stimulation. Due to this, Boxador owners shouldn’t treat them as just lap dogs but instead make sure that they get plenty of play-time as well as plenty of regular exercise.