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LargeWorking Group

Boxer

The Boxer was refined in 19th-century Germany from the older Bullenbeisser, crossed with a Bulldog-type import.

Calculate Boxer age
Lifespan11.3 yrrange 11–12
SizeLargeWorking Group
Weight65–80 lb29.5–36.3 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the Boxer

The Boxer was refined in 19th-century Germany from the older Bullenbeisser, crossed with a Bulldog-type import. Early selection was for boar holding and later police and military work; the breed now sits among the AKC top 15 and is the seventh-most-represented breed in UK VetCompass records.

Aging

How Boxers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 11.3 years (n=17,219). Late-life patterns are defined by breed cancer susceptibility: cutaneous mast cell tumours, lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma after age 7; boxer ARVC cardiomyopathy causes sudden collapse in some lines.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 11.3 yr · range 11–12Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues8 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
65–80 lb(29.5–36.3 kg)
Height
21.5–25 in(54.6–63.5 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
BrindleFawnWhite
Temperament

Temperament

How Boxers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

playfulbrightactivedevoted
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • High prevalencetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~6 yr

    Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram)

    Description and veterinary guidance for Adult-Onset Cardiac Disease (Echocardiogram) land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Boxer physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.