What Makes Boxer Dogs Healthy

                                                                                         

Boxer dogs come from combination of two different breeds, the now extinct bullenbeisser and the famous bulldog. Boxer dogs are strong and agile just like their bullenbeisser ancestors and extremely loyal and protective to the family just like bulldogs. These superb characteristics of their ancestors are what make this breed versatile and favored breed by most dog lovers around the world.

Apart from characteristics, health, too is inherited. Numerous diseases can be passed on from one generation to the other if the ancestors are carriers of faulty genes that may possibly cause problems such as hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia and entropion. Dog breeders should always exercise selective breeding in order to decrease the occurrence of these inherited diseases. Breeding stocks should be tested prior to breeding to ensure that only good qualities will be passed on to the next generation.

However, not all diseases that can affect boxer dogs are inherited. Some of these diseases occurred because of environment, lifestyle and nutrition. A well balanced diet should be given to boxer dogs to maintain their vigor. Their food should have meat as the first ingredient and the feedings should be in small amounts at least twice daily to lessen the incidence of a deadly disease called bloat. Spicy or rich table scraps should be avoided as well.

Regular exercise is important to keep up with this breed's oozing energy. Dog owners should appropriate about two hours of their time daily to give their boxers time to run or walk or play to help them maintain good alignment, prevent obesity and boredom-associated behaviors such as chewing or digging. However, exercise should be controlled in younger dogs as over-exercise may damage growing bones. Any strenuous exercise shortly after meals should also be avoided to prevent bloat.

Well-groomed boxer usually means healthy boxer. Fortunately, frequent bathing is not necessary since this breed rarely gets dirty because of their short hair. A boxer needs a bath only if you think that he is dirty or if he smells really dirt. Regularly brushing with a firm bristle brush is what it takes to make this breed properly groomed. Their short hair makes grooming easy for you, however, this makes them sensitive to extreme elements of weather. They should be protected from cold during bath. Bathing should take place in a well heated area and lukewarm water should be used during winter. Hot and humid weather isn't good for this breed thus outdoor fun should be avoided for the moment.

To keep yourself at ease that your pet is fully protected, have them immunized with vaccines against parvovirus, distemper, rabies and other vaccines required by law. You should also be responsible and wise enough to know and understand the health problems your dog more prone to. Doing the things that will make your boxer healthy will give you the peace of mind knowing that he'll stay with you at the longest possible time.

About the author:
Richard Cussons has written various articles on dogs. For information about Boxer dogs and Boxer dog training, check out boxersavvy.com.

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