Wiry hair? Could she have questionable parentage?

[newark]

First, I hope I picked the right forum to post - if not, I'm sorry in advance!

Our pup Jersey is greatly loved by us. In my eyes she is *perfect* but I get comments from other people familiar with boxers that she might have had questionable parentage. I thought they were all crazy, til we started seeing a beautiful boxer boy in the doggie daycare. His coat is soft and short and shiny. Jersey's coat is mostly wiry, very thick near her hindquarters and doesn't really have the same shine as the other dogs.

Just out of curiosity - could the difference in hair type be a throwback to previous generations, and be a normal trait in a boxer, or does my little girl perhaps have a bit of some other breed mixed in?

We never got papers (before we knew better, byb breed her two boxers), so it's entirely possible that some other stud got involved, but the whole litter looked just like pure boxers when we saw them. Again, my question is only out of curiosity, because Jersey truely is the PERFECT dog for me!kingicon

[Lizzie]

By no means am I an expert, but I do know that the hair texture can vary quite widely. I have noticed this with my two boxers - Diva has and always has had quite soft hair - very silky to the touch and always shining and gleaming. Whereas, Monty's hair is quite coarse and hard - it does have shine to it, but not nearly the lustre of Diva's.

I just checked out your gallery and Jersey is the sweetest looking girl!

[Rowdy's Dad]

A dogs environment can cause it's coat to be more coarse. Rowdy is outside alot during the day. He has a heated/cooled doghouse, but he is still out in the yard alot. I notice that his coat is not quite as soft as most of the apartment bound dogs. Another factor may be diet. Jersey is very cute!

[monty'smum]

I just think your Jersey is gorgeous too

Now my sister and i have siblings....Monty's coat is so soft....yet Sophie...his sisters is thick and wiry....he is a big lad...while she is a tiny girl......they both look so similar in markings...you can see them on my gallery....however it's only when you stroke them that you can feel the difference.....I guess hair texture varies in the litter just like colour.....Monty and Sophie were in a litter of 8....apart from their coat texture and size they looked identical but the others ranged from yellowy markings to fawn and then to reverse brindles.

[newark]

I knew it! It's the rest of the world that's crazy, and I'm the sane one. Heh, thanks for the feedback as I didn't know that there could be a difference in the thickness and softness of the coat. I'll happily point the next person that makes a comment about it to BW. My sweet angel is enough to make your heart melt!

[Lizzie]

Rowdy's Dad is right that environment does play a factor. Diva, whilst not being indoors all day much prefers to be inside if the weather looks even a wee bit inclement - won't even go outside for a pee if she can help it! Monty on the other hand will want to be outside rather than inside - quite happy to get soaking wet in the rain They are both in kennels and a large run during the day though.

[Cindy Creel]

I looked at your pictures and she is very cute. I would not worry about what other people say.

Cindy

[vaboxer]

My Hook's hair is the coarse type and my Dayla's hair is the soft type. Very different

Your baby is gorgeous

[Sally]

Well from personal experience with two siblings, as Jean (Kailee and Clyde's Mom) can also attest to, our prior boxers, Buddy and Roxy had distinctive coats. Buddy's was much softer than Roxys's. Roxy had a coarser coat. The environment was the same (lived two doors away). The diets were modified between the two due to their different digestive capabilities. At certain times of the year, Roxy's coat did soften a little. We loved her coarse coat and all . Tessa's coat (for the time being) is softer than Roxy's ever was.

Sally

[Adelle]

Our last boxer also had a thicker coat that was also longer on the back of his thighs and belly, and our current boxer has a much thinner softer shorter coat. So don't worry what comments other people make - she is very cute