Since we just had one born, now is a good time to share our policy on White Boxer Puppies. B4 Boxers is white boxer friendly, but we actively work to produce dogs that conform to the current Boxer Breed Standard. We believe that a Boxer is a Boxer, and a white one is just as intelligent, beautiful and just as outstanding as a companion as a colored dog. On the rare occasions that we do produce white puppies, we allow them to remain with the litter and raise them with the same loving care as any colored pup gets unless there is a very good reason to remove them.

Have I ever culled white pups? Yes, I have, and colored pups as well. The decision to cull one or more pups from a litter is always a difficult one, and must take into account all the pups, colored or not, in the assessment of overall health, confirmation and maturity. I do not believe in letting any animal suffer. When it is obvious that, despite my best efforts, a pup is not going to make it, I do the right thing and put them down. As a responsible breeder I accept that obligation and utilize the most humane means I possibly can to end that life.

Do we support the breeding white Boxers? Yes and No. We do believe that there are some white dogs who can be of great value to the overall Boxer gene pool, but we do not advocate the breeding of whites as a rule but rather as a very rare exception. I believe that any dog that is used for breeding should be carefully assessed to determine if they can contribute in a positive way to the health and development of a bloodline. Yes, I know, that statement is more than a little controversial and several Boxer Clubs will probably be adding me to their black list for that statement, but I will not support any organization that dictates to breeders how they should dispose of a puppy based solely upon the color of a pup.

So, what do I do with my white puppies you ask? I sell them and sometimes I give them away for free, but mostly I do whatever I need to do to see that they have the best homes possible, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER PUP.

Do I market them as "Rare White Boxers"? No. While it is true that I rarely produce them, the fact remains that white boxers are actually fairly common and charging some inflated price and justifying it by claiming that they are "rare" is unconscionable. White Boxer Pups are sold as pets only and are subject to the same contract as any other dog I place. Their owners will get the same support and guidance from me as someone who buys a colored pup. The subject of white puppies can trigger some very heated conversations. I have found some of the most stimulating conversations tend to occur between breeders of European Boxers and those who breed American Boxers. I breed a combination of both which puts me in a unique position of seeing both sides of the story.

So, what’s your take? Do you think that whites should be destroyed at birth? Do you think they should be recognized as valuable contributors to the gene pool and actively incorporated into breeding programs worldwide? Why don’t you take a moment and let us know your thoughts, then take another minute and bookmark this post so that we can see what others think as well.

Here in the United States great emphasis has been put into producing a dog that is beautiful, elegant and refined. Often times a great deal of planning goes into trying to produce litters with lots of “flash” – the white markings that offer such a beautiful contrast to an otherwise plain fawn or brindle coat. That is what the puppy buying population here in the US is looking for, so that is what is produced. There is very little consideration given to the level of intelligence that is being bred into a litter.

Appearance is the prime consideration and even in the AKC show ring, judges evaluate everything from the color of a dog’s eyes, to alignment of the front teeth and everything in between, but sadly – there is no routine scoring system to gauge the dog’s intelligence or working ability. Also, the judge’s evaluation of the individual dog does not become a part of the dog’s registration records. The only thing that does is any points the dog may earn toward their championship status.

In Europe things are much different. Top breeders are very aware that the Boxer is first and foremost a working dog, not just a beautiful show piece, and so more emphasis has been placed on producing highly intelligent, physically fit, working dogs. Also, like here in the US, they also score the dogs for things like teeth, eyes, and movement BUT those scores do become part of the dog’s permanent record. As a result, dogs produced in Europe typically have more substance and are heavier boned than an American bred dog and they are way more intelligent and it shows up in their offspring as well.

My first experience with a European breeding produced our foundation stud, Boxella’s Mystic Sky Lord. Sky is no longer with us, but his legacy lives on in virtually every other dog we have produced. Sky’s Grandsire was a full German import named Xan v. Hasseler-Hof and when that litter of pups was born, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that they were very different than any “American bred” litter I had ever seen before.

The litter consisted of 10 huge puppies and as young as 3 weeks old they were demonstrating a level of intelligence that was almost uncanny. Have you ever heard of a 5 week old puppy scratching at the door to go out? Sky did. And that was just the beginning. Over the next 12 years Sky helped me to realize that a dog with European breeding is often many times smarter than the typical American bred show dog by far.

Now, finding dogs with quality import bloodlines to use as breeding partners is very hard and often very expensive. As a consequence our import bloodline gradually became more and more diluted each time I bred to an American bred dog. So what happened? To be blunt, the dogs got dummer and started to become more refined in appearance, but the health factor held true and we saw no problems that couldn’t be traced back to things like diet and health management. By this time I was starting to think that our litters of super intelligent puppies were a fluke, or just a dream, not something that could be produced on demand.

The only way to test my theory was to once again breed an import dog into my line.

When the opportunity finally came to incorporate a new dose of German blood back into the line I had almost given up hope and then our boy Cypher came along.

From a very young age Cypher has demonstrated a highly advanced grasp of the English language and he is a joy to be with because he not only understands, but is very willing to obey. He is everything B4 Boxers stands for – Big, Bold, Bright and Beautiful and the contrast between him and our dogs that do not share the European influence in their breeding is quite dramatic. Without doubt, the crossing back to European bloodlines has restored the super intelligence factor that has made raising boxers so much fun and there is nothing like being able to enjoy a healthy canine companion for more than a decade.

Here at B4 Boxers we have been very fortunate to produce a bloodline with a proven longevity factor. Currently we have 7 living generations that are clear of heart, thyroid, hip dysplasia or any other congenital diseases. Good breeding plus quality food, a loving home and routine health care have all contributed to the longevity of our line. Our greatest joy is to see our boxer puppies go into lifetime homes where they are loved and appreciated for the wonderful breed they are.

Looking for a boxer puppy for sale? Take a look at what we have to offer, drop me a line and ask any questions you may have. If there is one thing I love to talk about, it is boxers. Especially my boxers and I would love to share that love with you.

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Have questions?  This is the place to look for the answers…after you send us your question of course!  I’m not going to say that I know everything about Boxers and I’m certainly not a Veterinarian, but I am willing to share my nearly 30 years of experience with the breed with anyone who asks.

Anyone who has ever spoken with me on the phone can tell you that if there is one thing I can have endless conversations about, it is my dogs.  And, just like everyone else, I have my opinions.  So, if you are looking for some answers and are fed up with all the “pay for your answer” sites that riddle the internet, give me a try!

Simply submit your questions to me via the Contact Us form and I will review them and answer as many as I possibly can, and you can rest assured that if I don’t have a sensible answer I will try my best to send you somewhere that does.

In the end we will all learn more, share what could be life saving information and better the lives of our canine companions.  What more can we ask?