Boxerdoodle

Breed Rating

Breed Details

General

The Boxerdoodle is a cross of the Poodle and the Boxer. A medium-sized dog, the Boxerdoodle is highly trainable and very versatile, able to capably fulfill a number of roles, aside from its size making it suitable for the indoors.

The Poodle is a German breed, originally used for hunting and retrieving in and around bodies of water. Acknowledged as one of the most intelligent breeds, the Poodle is also one of the most recognizable and popular breeds worldwide, and has received top honors at countless conformation and field shows.

The Boxer, another German breed, has some debate as to the origin of its name, but its build and general appearance confirm breeding lines from the Old English Bulldog and the Bullenbeiser, a now extinct breed.

Color

The Boxerdoodle can come in rich, solid colors, among them black, brown, fawn, and white. It can also be brindled and particolored. Flash markings may appear on the belly, chest and face, as with the Boxer parent.

Coat

The Boxerdoodle's coat type depends on which parent breed it takes after in this respect. The Boxer has a short, sleek coat, tight to the skin. The poodle, on the other hand, has a moisture and weather resistant single coat with thick, curly fur.

Personality

The Boxerdoodle is a patient and calm dog, with enough strength and energy for serious work, but an otherwise relaxed demeanor when not needed. Properly trained and socialized, it is good with children, and can be therapy dogs for the old and the sick. It is greatly loyal and devoted to its family, but is reserved with strangers. This is why the Boxerdoodle will make a great guard dog; it will stand its ground and never hesitate when it feels its family or territory is threatened.

Care

Coat care can require time and effort if the coat is as the Poodle's. A shorter clip will make it manageable and easier to care for. Shedding is perceived to be minimal, because shed fur tend to get caught in the curls. But this coat type does shed, and regular brushing will clean away dead fur and prevent matting. A shorter coat will need nothing more than a wipe down with a damp cloth after a particularly active day, and a weekly or twice weekly brushing, to keep it looking clean and shiny.

Training

An intelligent dog with a bright personality, the Boxerdoodle is very tractable and amiable, especially with a rewards-based training program. Socialization should be started when young, especially if the Boxerdoodle is to share a house with other dogs.

Activity

With a high energy level, but not necessarily hyperactive, the Boxerdoodle will need up to an hour of exercise everyday, best achieved with a jog or run. This good-sized dog will need to be taken out everyday, and is better off in rural areas with wide open spaces rather than cramped urban spaces.