Have you ever seen a 'black' Boxer dog? Well, let me tell you something that you may not know. There is no such thing as a black Boxer dog. Do you believe me? Have you read ads selling 'black' Boxer dogs? You do need to know the truth, so read on for more information.
Recently in the Boxer community there has been a surge of a supposedly rare variety of the species that their breeders refer to as "black Boxer dogs." According to the breed standard, Boxers can only be fawn or brindle in color, with or without white markings. Where then are these black Boxer dogs coming from, and are they really worth the extra cash their breeders generally charge?
Boxer Coloring:
All Boxer dogs have a base coat of fawn. Although brindle is usually referred to as a coat color, it is really just a pattern of black stripes on the fawn base coat. Some Boxer brindles are more heavily striped than others, and this striping can make the dog appear to have a black base color. These dogs are known as "black brindles," "reverse brindles" or "seal brindles," but they are not pure black.
In order for a Boxer to meet breed standards, the fawn coloring must show through the black striping, or the dog is disqualified. This is because Boxer dogs simply do not carry a gene for black coloring.
Black is a dominant coat color, so if the dog had only one gene for black coloring from either parent, it would appear black. Because of this, it is impossible for the black color to remain "hidden" for generations, as a Boxer cannot carry the gene for black coloring without being black itself. Where are these new black Boxers coming from all of a sudden, then?
Gene Mutations in Boxers:
One possible explanation for the recent reemergence of black coloring in Boxer dogs is that there has been a random gene mutation in individual members of the breed.
Gene mutations are incredibly rare, however, and the chances of even one dog in the Boxer population having a gene mutation for black coloring are miniscule, let alone several different individuals in different breeding pools. Chances are, then, that gene mutation can be ruled out for a majority, if not all, of the black Boxers on the market today.
Crossbreeding:
The only other explanation for the black coloring in Boxer dogs is that a Boxer has been crossbred with another species of dog to obtain its black coloring. This would mean that black Boxers are mixes, and not the purebred Boxers they are normally advertised as.
The American Kennel Club has put out a position statement in which they explain, "As a dominant color, a black coat cannot lie hidden for generations. Therefore, any Boxer with a solid black coat must have another breed in the background." They disqualify any solid black Boxers from registering as purebred Boxers for this reason.
The Verdict on Black Boxers:
Responsible owners who really care about Boxers breed their dogs in such a way as to improve the breed. Because breed standards for Boxer dogs do not allow for black coloring, any breeders who breed for this color are not responsible breeders, as they are purposely breeding disqualifications in their dogs.
If you want a healthy dog with a good temperament, it is important to get a dog from a responsible and caring owner who has bred to improve their dog's weaknesses. Buying from an irresponsible owner who is breeding dogs against breed standards just to try and pass their puppies off as a rare variety is risky. Most likely these breeders have concentrated solely on the superficial appearance of the dogs and have not put any thought into the strength or disposition of the puppies they are breeding.
Irresponsible breeders are also likely to have neglected to screen their dogs for genetic diseases before breeding them, so your chances of having a healthy dog are decreased when you buy a black Boxer. Black Boxer dogs may be aesthetically pleasing, but the health and temperament of the dog you are getting are far more important than its coat color.
