Late in the 19th Century in Germany, a mastiff-type dog known as the Brabanter Bullenbeisser was crossed with the British Bulldog, and the Boxer was created. It was primarily a security, guard, and work dog. Early breeders tried unsuccessfully to create an all-black dog and settled on the fawn and brindle colours commonly seen today. Early on, these Boxer were prized for hunting, bull baiting, and for pulling carts. A bit farther down the family tree, Boxer ancestors became cattle dogs, and were used to round up livestock. They were also popular circus and theatre dogs because they learned tricks so easily. Breeding was rather indiscriminate until the first Boxer studbook was started in 1904, stabilising the breed standard. In spite of its German origins, "Boxer" is an English name that suitably describes the dog's punchy fighting style. Though early Boxers may have been quite ferocious, the breed today is a very gentle, loving family companion.

Appearance
The head is the most distinctive feature of the Boxer. The breed standard dictates that it must be in perfect proportion to his body and above all it must never be too light. The greatest value is to be placed on its muzzle being of correct form and in absolute proportion to the skull. The length of the muzzle to the whole of the head should be as 1:3. Folds are always indicated from the root of the nose running downwards on both sides of the muzzle and the tip of the nose should lie somewhat higher than the root of the muzzle. In addition a Boxer should be slightly prognathous, i.e., the lower jaw should protrude beyond the upper jaw and bend slightly upwards in what is commonly called an underbite.

Character
The character of the Boxer is of the greatest importance and demands the most careful attention. He is renowned for his great love and faithfulness to his master and household, his alertness, and fearless courage as a defender and protector. The Boxer is docile but distrustful of strangers. He is bright and friendly in play but brave and determined when roused. His intelligence and willing tractability, his modesty, and cleanliness make him a highly desirable family dog and cheerful companion. They are the soul of honesty and loyalty. The Boxers are never false nor treacherous even in old age.
 

Temperament
The most important characteristics of the Boxer are his alertness and self-confidence. However, he is also a playful dog, although gentle and patient with children. He is fiercely loyal, intelligent and easily disciplined; he is cautious with strangers but responds quickly to friendly invitations. These qualities make the Boxer a well-loved family guardian and pet.

It's best if obedience training is started early since they also have a strong personality and therefore can be harder to train when older. This, in addition to their strength, might present a challenge for a first-time dog owner. Boxers have earned a slight reputation of being "headstrong", which can be related to inappropriate obedience training. Owing to the Boxers intelligence and working breed characteristics, training based on the use of corrections often has limited usefulness. Boxers often respond much better to positive reinforcement techniques such as clicker training. It is also true that Boxers have a very long puppyhood and adolescence, and are often called the "Peter Pan" of the dog world. The Boxers are not considered fully mature until two to three years of age, one of the longest times in dogdom, and thus need early training to keep their high energy from wearing out their owner.

The Boxer by nature is not an aggressive or vicious breed but needs socialization to tolerate other dogs well. Their sometimes over-protective, territorial and dominating attitude, often most intense in males, can be problematic. Boxers are generally patient with smaller dogs but can be dominant with larger dogs of the same sex. A poorly bred or trained Boxer is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.

Exercise/Training
The Boxer needs daily mental and physical exertion. It likes to run, but its exercise needs can also be met with a good jog or a long walk on leash. Playing and obedience are very good types of mental exercise. 20 minutes obedience and playing with your Boxer will be more useful for the dogs exercise then an hour walk on the leash can provide.

Color
Boxers are typically either fawn or brindle, often with a white underbelly and white on the front or all four feet. These white markings, called flash, often extend onto the neck or face, and Boxers that have these markings are known as "flashy". "Fawn" denotes a range of color, the tones of which may be described variously as light tan or yellow, reddish tan, mahogany or stag/deer red, and dark honey-blonde. In the UK, fawn Boxers are typically rich in color and are called "red". Some brindle Boxers are so dark that they give the appearance of "reverse brindle", fawn stripes on a black body; however, the breed standards state that the fawn background must clearly contrast with or show through the brindling. The Boxer does not carry the gene for a solid black coat color and therefore purebred black Boxers do not exist.

Grooming
The coat of the Boxer needs only occasional brushing to remove dead hair. A good nutrition and regular brushing keeps the proper coat of the Boxer shine and the skin healthy. Bathing doesn’t harm the coat of the Boxer as long as you use a good quality shampoo that doesn't dry the skin and coat and is formulated for a canine coat. The ears of the Boxer should be kept clean and regularly inspected as well.

Any breed described as "good with children", the dog must be accustomed to children. Any dog that is not well socialized with children will not behave predictably around them. As with all dogs, they should never be left alone with young children.