The white boxer now makes up 25% to 30% of all boxers within the United States and there are still many misconceptions about this color of boxer. Though the color of a boxer does not determine its' individual personality or all those boxer traits we have come to know and love, the rumors associated with these misconceptions are often misleading. White boxers are often touted as "rare", but the fact is that they have been a part of the breed as long as the Boxer breed has been around.

A problem arose with the white color due to the boxer being used as a police or guard dog. Naturally the white color compromised the breeds' ability to not be seen at night. In 1925 the white boxer was no longer eligible for registration in Germany, in doing so, the hope was to eradicate the white gene. This led to many breeders killing any puppies of the white color and is where a lot of debate about the white boxer begins.

Today it is commonly believed that the white boxer is an albino, which it is not. An albino is an animal that has no pigmentation at all. The white boxers coat is simply white. The animal does not lack pigment, as often seen in dark spots on the dogs skin, patches of color in the coat, most often located on the head or tail of the boxer, as well as the pigmentation of the eyes. Eye color in white boxers can be brown, blue or one eye of each color.

Because their skin is highly visible under their coats, sunscreen is required for extended play periods outside. Like people, they can be susceptible to UV rays and need protection from them.

One other misconception widely spread, is that the white boxer is prone to more health problems than it's fawn or brindle brethren. For the most part, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. The only health issue that seems to plague the white boxer more is deafness. It is believed that 15% of white boxers are deaf. They are generally born as "hearing" dogs, but lose their hearing ability by 4-6 weeks of age. Deafness is viewed by some as an obstacle, but deaf boxers are highly trainable using hand signals rather than voice commands.

Reputable boxer breeders will not breed white boxers. If you see an advertisement for "rare white boxers" you can be assured that this breeder is not following breed standards and that the proper health testing is most likely not being done. Possibly this lack of health testing can partially explain why the white boxer is viewed as being more prone to health problems?

In any case, the white boxer is nothing more than a pale version of our beloved breed. They are everything we hold dear to our breed and they are strikingly beautiful in their differences.

Source: Legacy Boxer Rescue
www.savetheboxers.com
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