boxer Q&A WITH CINDY MEYER, SHARON STECKLER, ALBERTO BERRIOS AND ANN GILBERT
present from the lower edge of the stop running down on both sides of the muzzle. The Boxer’s eyes should be dark brown, generous in size, not too protruding or too deep set. Cheeks should be relatively flat and not bulging, maintaining the clean lines of the skull. The Boxer bite is undershot, the incisor teeth of the lower jaw ideally are be in a straight line, and the canines are in the same line to give the jaw the proper width. The upper incisors are slightly convex with the upper incisors fitting snugly in back of the lower canine teeth. Neither the teeth nor tongue should ever show when the Boxer’s mouth is closed. SS: New judges, particularly those from non-working breeds, sometimes worry excessively about evaluating the Boxer head, which, although extremely important, is only a part of assessing the entire Boxer. AB: New judges usually have problems understanding what a good head is and what details to look for. The Boxer is considered a head breed and it is the hallmark. You may find a Boxer with a square body and nice movement but without the proper head it would lack type. AG: Remember that this is a Working breed and a good dog should be of medium height, with a short back, good front and rear and with those virtues should sail around the ring to perfection. Dogs with a slight build do not represent what I have always considered the standard to require. 8. What five traits do you look for, in order, when judging Boxers? What do you consider the ultimate hallmark of the breed? AB: Type, balance, head, temperament and front. The hall- mark of the breed is its distinguishing and unique head. AG: When judging Boxers I look first for a medium-sized, square dog. I begin my examination with the head; it must be in balance with the rest of the dog. It is often said that the head is the hallmark of our breed and that is true to some extent but I also know that this breed does not go around the ring on their heads. A too large head, or not enough head can throw the balance off. Expres- sion is important, I want to look into those eyes and know there is somebody home. Good shoulders, a short back, good tail set and movement always come into play. Feet are also important to me, a dog with bad feet or flat feet will not move as they should. Lastly, but very impor- tantly, is temperament! A Boxer is a stand-your-ground dog and should be fearless in any situation. There is no room for a dog that is frightened of their own shadow. I will forgive a longer back, especially in a bitch, as long as the rest of the dog is balanced. Sometimes the tail set is a little lower than I would like but again that does not create problems in movement. The one thing I will not forgive is temperament. 9. Is there anything Boxer handlers do you wish they would not? AB: The most serious problem that I see with some handlers is when they try to influence your judging by bragging about the wins of their dog that I am about to judge.
Throwing bait is also a serious problem especially in the Boxer ring. AG: For years the Boxer has been considered a handler’s dog and there are many good Boxer handlers today and in days gone by. A good handler is invisible to me in the ring as my focus is always on the dogs. In recent years I have come to appreciate the owner handlers too, some do a remarkable job and it is always good to see the teamwork between them and their special dog. 10. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? CM: The Boxer should never be shy, his bearing should be alert, dignified and self-assured. Any evidence of shyness, or lack of dignity or alertness must be severely penalized. SS: This breed captured me from the start--Boxers are a joy to live with, as they are companionable without being clingy. Boxers can do anything and live to please the people they love (which is pretty much everyone)! That’s not to say the Boxer is not discerning--few breeds possess the ability to “read” people as well as the Boxer. Although inherently dignified (even regal), Boxers are playful throughout their lives. AG: The Boxer is a great family dog but that does not mean every family should have one. Lots of patience is required along with lots of love. I often tell people that a bored Boxer is a busy Boxer so you are wise to keep them active and engaged. 11. And, for a bit of humor: what’s the funniest thing you’ve ever experienced at a dog show? SS: It was a lovely spring day, and I was looking forward to showing my Boxer, Boomer, in a small show outside Houston. Unfortunately, I had sprained my ankle and was hobbled. So, I asked a young handler to help me out, and took my Boxer and crate to the handler’s set up. I guess I didn’t mention that Boomer was something of a Houdini when it came to escaping from crates. I made my slow, painful way to the ring to await the start of the Boxers. However, I didn’t see the young man who was to take Boomer into the ring for me that day, and was getting anxious. As I was waiting for the handler, Boomer came nonchalantly strolling up to the ring, by himself(!) and nudged my knee. I don’t know how he knew where “his” ring was or the time that Boxers started, but somehow he had managed to get out of the crate at the set-up and found me. Five minutes later, a panicked, frantic young handler came racing to the ring, lead in hand, to find Boomer patiently waiting to be shown. AB: When I was starting to judge the Working Group at a show, all the dogs were lined up and a dog came in to join the lineup. The dog did not looked like it was anything that belonged to the group. Well, everybody laughed since it was a Chow Chow. It was obviously an honest mistake by a new exhibitor. I proceeded to explain to her when it would be her time to come into the ring and judging proceeded well.
268 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , O CTOBER 2018
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