The Myth of the White Boxer

When one thinks of the boxer breed, they don't think of a white coloured dog. Boxers, by definition, are muscular, medium-sized, short-haired dogs with a smooth coat in either fawn or brindle with or without white markings. That is the ideal boxer. However, some boxers will have an access of white markings, or even be completely white. Any boxer with white markings covering more than one-third of their body are called a "white" Boxer. This colour marking is not rare. Genetically, when a flashy boxer is breed to another flashy boxer, approximately 20–25% of the litter produced will be considered white. (flashy refers to the amount of white on the body - typically face, chest, legs. It cannot exceed 1/3 of the body's colour or it is outside of the breed standard)

(Flashy boxer with her pups. Notice how 2 of them are also flashy, while one has little/no white, but the 4th is white)

(This boxer is considered a "white boxer, because it has more than 1/3 white covering it's body)

The white boxer is not an albino. Albinos have a complete lack of pigment and their eyes are red. White boxers have an access of white in their coat. Most white boxers will have some colouring to them, either in coloured patches or in light or dark spots. Also, they will have brown-coloured eyes.

(Here's another white boxer pup, with just a little coloured patch around one eye - like the dog from the Little Rascals!)

As for health problems, a white boxer can easily get sunburned easily or have sensitive skin and/or allergies. The extreme piebald gene, which is responsible for white markings in Boxers, is also linked to congenital sensorineural deafness in dogs. It is estimated that about 18% of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears.

In the past, breeders often euthanized white puppies at birth because they are disqualified from conformation showing by the breed standard, and are prohibited from breeding by every national Boxer club in the world. They can, however, compete in non-conformation events such as obedience and agility, and like their colored counterparts do quite well as service and therapy dogs. Today, most breeders place white puppies in pet homes with spay/neuter agreements. They are the same as any other boxer in personality and make excellent pets.

Always be leery of someone advertising "rare white boxers for sale". Typically this is someone out to make a quick buck, and will try to charge a higher price for this so-called rare colour. Reputable breeders will charge less for non-showing pups or pups with spay/neuter agreements, not more!

My Sophie is pretty much all white. She has a black nose with dark spots around and in her mouth. There are some lighter spots on her ears and some even lighter spots on her belly. She does get sun burnt easily and everything shows up on her, from blemishes, to scraps and cuts, to mosquito bites. One thing I'm very grateful for is that she is not deaf. Her hearing is just fine - excellent in fact when I get cheese from out of the refrigerator!