Seven Things You Didn’t Know about the Boxer Pitbull Mix
The Boxer/Pitbull breed is a dog that comes from a combination of two, the American Pitbull and the Boxer. Both are a strong breed of dog, and together, they are a unique combination of strength, energy and intelligence. The Pitbull is often referred to as the “bully” dog, due to its build, while the Boxer is equally as strong and is highly intelligent, and is often used as a working dog, because of all of its positive characteristics. The Boxer is known to be one of the first German police force dogs, and it is still found in these types of positions today. The Boxer/Pitbull breed is known as a Bullboxer and they are growing in popularity, as more and more people who want a dog with a lot of character, strength, and intelligence, begin to realize that this is a breed that can give them everything in one package. You may have heard of the breed, but here are seven things you didn’t know about the Boxer/Pitbull mix.
1. Generally friendly
This breed hails from two friendly breeds. Both the Boxer and the pitbull are known to be friendly dogs, by nature. Many people believe a Pitbull is naturally an aggressive, or mean dog, however, this is not true. Most often, if a dog, of any breed, is aggressive, it is due to the way the dog was raised and treated. If your Boxerbull was not mistreated or mishandled prior to you adopting it, chances are that it will be a friendly dog and should be a good pet. Of course, it’s always recommended that you find out its entire history before adopting a pup, to find out if there was any reason that the dog might have some psychological scarring that could be a red flag.
2. May not be the best of friends with other pets
Both breeds that make up the Boxer/Pitbull are generally friendly breeds, you can expect that the for the most part, this is a friendly breed that makes a great family pet, including with children. This is especially true if the dog is socialized early on and is trained well. Both breeds are known to do well with children, however, due to the potential for aggression with the Pitbulls, this breed is not necessarily the ideal breed to have with other pets, especially small pets or dogs of the same sex.
3. Not great guard dogs
If you plan to get a Bullboxer for a guard dog, you should know that this is probably not the best breed of dog to do much guarding. This is a breed of dog that is friendly, even to strangers, so to expect that he may come into your home and be a great protector, is a bit too much to expect. They will bark when a stranger approaches your home, like most breeds do, strictly because they do not recognize the person, but that is about as much guarding as they will do, an alert to let you know there is someone approaching. There are other breeds that are better known for their instinct to guard their home and family besides the Bullboxer.
4. Easy grooming habits
This is a breed that does not need a lot of grooming, so if you are not into having to spend a lot of time or money grooming a dog, this is a breed you will like. The typical grooming tasks for the Bullboxer include, brushing him out a couple times a week, to help control the shedding of loose fur from his coat. His ears should be thoroughly cleaned approximately once a week, and tone nails can be trimmed on an, as-needed basis. Teeth brushing should be done on a regular basis and check his eyes for any collection of drainage, on a regular basis.
5. Health issues
Your Bullboxer will have the potential to develop health issues, though they are generally a healthy breed of dog. Though it is considered rare, this breed can develop heart disease. They also have the potential to develop hip dysplasia, due to the Bulldog heritage in them, however, unlike the full bred Bulldog, this breed should not develop breathing issues seen in breeds with smushed-in snouts. That being said, if your dog develops more of the bulldog’s characteristics of the smushed snout, you will want to pay attention to any signs of breathing difficulties; snorting, wheezing, heavy breathing that doesn’t resolve.
6. High energy
This dog comes from two high energy breeds and they require a good amount of exercise. If you are an owner who cannot devote enough time to see to it that your dog gets enough exercise due to your lifestyle and work, this isn’t the breed for you. Your Bullboxer needs a couple of hours of time to run and play outside. This breed will become bored and depressed if they are kept indoors all the time, without quality outside and playtime.
7. Great athletes
They love to hike, walk, bike, go to the beach and play ball or Frisbee. This breed can be easily taught to play all kinds of games, and they love a challenge. They are very quick, agile, and acrobatic with their high jumping. If you are a dog owner who loves to get out with your dog and go places, the Bullboxer can be your best outdoors companion. He will be as excited about your next adventure as you are.