Ears – You may need to check their ears for rubbles and pests every day and also clean them as suggested by your vet. If your Boxador has folded ears, they may be more susceptible to bacteria and pest swarm, leading to ear infections. If there is any strong smell or the dog is continually scratching their ears, you may require taking the dog to the vet.
Eyes: You will require cleaning your dog’s eyes daily, just like you would do for your own. You can do it with a clean cloth or fingers to clear the discharge or debris that gets collected in the corners of the eyes.
Teeth: The main area of concern for your Boxador is taking care of oral health. A minimum of 3 sessions of brushing per week is required for your dog; please follow the instruction of your veterinarian on the process of brushing your dog's teeth.
Nails: You will be required to trim your Boxador’s nails every fortnight or every month. You need to ensure that the nails do not click against the floor.
Hair: They have short and shiny hair, which are very easy to groom. One session of proper brushing per week is sufficient to maintain their hair.
You can feed any of the high-quality dog foods available in the market, to maintain high energy and nutrition. These are food lovers and tend to overeat and gain weight easily that is why you need to monitor their diet properly.
Recommended daily amount: Boxador requires a diet of 4-5 cups of dry food per day.
What food to choose – Mix of dry dog food and canned dog food, high in calories is the ideal choice for a Boxador.
How to keep good shape: Boxadors tend to eat a lot and gain weight that is why they must get enough exercise daily. They need at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity, in addition to some playtime with toys and other games.
How many times to feed your dog – Their daily meal should be divided into 2 or more meals. You must strictly avoid giving your dog a single large meal.
Boxadors are considered a new entrant in the field of cross-breeds, hence there is not much data gathered regarding the health problems of the Boxador. Nevertheless, since both the parent breeds are linked with certain medical concerns. Naturally, those conditions may also be present in some of their pups. Following are some of the health issues faced by the Boxadors –
Hip & Elbow Dysplasia:
Condition – ‘Dysplasia’ means uncharacteristic development of joints. Here, this applies to the hips or elbows of the pups. This is a difficult condition where rudiments of the disease are linked with the genetic composition.
Treatment – Mild Hip and Elbow Dysplasia may be treated with proper rest and pain medication, while the acute cases need replacement joint surgery.
Bloat:
Condition – Any dogs with a deep chest are prone to bloating; here both the parents, Labrador and Boxer, have a risk of bloat, so is the offspring. This is a potentially life-threatening condition, even though it doesn’t sound so. It may lead to serious situations such as shock, collapse, and even death.
Treatment – The best way to prevent this is to completely stop the dog from exercising immediately after food, and giving a high-quality diet, low in fermentable ingredients like soy.
Entropion & Ectropion:
Condition - These are disorders distressing the eyelids. Entropion refers to the eyelids turned in and Ectropion refers to loose and saggy eyelids with under-bags. Both are very uncomfortable for the dogs, leading to pain, dryness in the cornea, itchiness, and discomfort.
Treatment - Remedial surgery is the best option. Once the position of the eyelids is corrected, the condition is treated and the problem is solved.
Training the Boxador is not going to be difficult, as this breed is brainy, compliant, and eager to please the owners. Boxadors listen and follow the instructions well and learn without requiring much of reiteration. You may need to use rewards, delicacies, and appreciation for positive reinforcement, as that will further motivate your pup. Negative comments and behaviors must strictly be avoided, as it never works on this breed.
Boxadors are big pooches that need ample daily exercise. They need to play at least 30-60 minutes each day, apart from playing indoors with toys and people. They need a lot of interaction throughout the day. You can let your dog run, take them for hikes, jogs, and walks to the parks. Interactive play periods including sports like fetch or tug of war are enjoyed by these dogs, as they crave physical and mental spur.
Boxadors are predisposed to joint diseases, at the same time they love playing too. That is why they mustn't be exerted too much as a puppy. You may need to avoid jumping from heights or involve in physical activities that put too much pressure on the joints. You must ensure that the pup never plays to the brim of its exhaustion, which may lead to limping and awkward walking due to damage to the tender joints.
