Differences in boxers noses

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rvngal

Boxer Booster
Iv'e noticed a distinct difference in some of the boxers noses as I'm looking at the pictures posted. Some look to have a shorter pushed up nose and yet others (like mine) have a straighter, but not long, nose. Why is that??
 

Chiefsmom

Boxer Insane
Iv'e noticed a distinct difference in some of the boxers noses as I'm looking at the pictures posted. Some look to have a shorter pushed up nose and yet others (like mine) have a straighter, but not long, nose. Why is that??

I've been curious about that too! :) Glad you asked!!!!
 

Biff

Boxer Insane
I met a guy (a prat actually!) with a boxer, who informed me that Biff's "longer" nose meant he was pure Scottish bred, whereas his dog (really squashed shorter nose) showed English blood lines

As I said he was a prat, and I didn't pay much attention to him (he was going on about how I shouldn't get Biff neutered, he was going to breed his and make lots of £££££'s etc)

I think the length of the nose does come from the breeding, but my Biff is perfect, and like his Mom, he is proud to be Scottish :LOL:
 

Slobberchops

Boxer Insane
Good on you Barbara for sticking up for your Biff,our babies are all originals despite their blood lines.... Love their noses whatever shapelovicon
Talking about bloodlines,My Dad was a Geordie,born in Newcastle-on Tyne in 1908(I think)
 

gmacleod

Elusive Moderator
Staff member
Some look to have a shorter pushed up nose and yet others (like mine) have a straighter, but not long, nose. Why is that??

It comes down to breeding. The boxer head is man-made (or at least, man-perpetuated). Left to nature, all dogs would have long noses and scissor bites, much like those on a GSD. On the boxer, and other brachyecephalic breeds, it is man who has deliberately bred specimens with particular characteristics (or even deformities, depending on which way you care to look at it) together for repeated generations in order to create particular breeds that will then 'breed true' (that is, their offspring will have the same characteristics).

The boxer though is actually a very young breed - only 100 years or so old. That head is the one characteristic that sets them apart from other breeds. But it's also something that is generally acknowledged as the most difficult thing to breed 'correct' and consistent. Even amongst those breeders who pay proper attention to the head, there is going to be quite a lot of variance. And when people pay no attention at all to that characteristic - mother nature wins some ground back ;) That is, the noses get longer and the bite closer to a scissor.

Per the breed standard, btw, the tip of the nose should be slightly turned up and higher than the root of the muzzle. As mentioned, it isn't that easy to achieve with uniformity.
 

M&L_Gauer

Boxer Pal
Our dog Max has a longer nose.
He is full of boxer characteristics from his stance, to his play, kid beaning, build, etc. AND he even had his first tumor removed today! (<-- humor).

I found him in the street so I don't know his blood lines. Could he have been dumped by a breeder?

Our vet seemed certain from the first time he saw him that he was boxer. Since then every self proclaimed genius has had their own opinions of which I'm not going to argue because it's not that big of a deal to me.

From a health and genetic predisposition persepctive it is important to me though.

The pictures are in my gallery, I hope you can view them from here and tell me if it is more common than I know of for a boxer to have a snout like Max's. From what gmacleod wrote it seems to vary quite a bit.

How is a boxer with a nose like Max's (if he isn't mixed breed) referred to?
 

gmacleod

Elusive Moderator
Staff member
...AND he even had his first tumor removed today! (<-- humor).

ROFL! Sadly, a boxer characteristic indeed. From your pictures, however, I could not conceive that he's a full boxer. I think you're looking for opinions?

Your pics aren't large, but it's the head shape that tells that there is another breed than boxer here. He has a tapering head and muzzle - whereas a boxers should be square. From the side, we see that his upper jaw is longer than the lower, and we see that his nose protudes (as the vast majority of breeds' noses do) to a point beyond the jaw. Again, on a boxer it should be the opposite. I would guess him to have a scissor bite also. And lastly, there is no sign at all of the characteristic black mask that should extend from nose to the eyebrows...

In short, no, I do not think this is a boxer (even without seeing the full body shape). It is not the strict length of his muzzle that indicates that, but it's construction. It's possible he's part boxer - so from the genetic standpoint, considering the disorders this breed is prone to is worthwhile.
 

M&L_Gauer

Boxer Pal
ROFL! Sadly, a boxer characteristic indeed. From your pictures, however, I could not conceive that he's a full boxer. I think you're looking for opinions?

Your pics aren't large, but it's the head shape that tells that there is another breed than boxer here. He has a tapering head and muzzle - whereas a boxers should be square. From the side, we see that his upper jaw is longer than the lower, and we see that his nose protudes (as the vast majority of breeds' noses do) to a point beyond the jaw. Again, on a boxer it should be the opposite. I would guess him to have a scissor bite also. And lastly, there is no sign at all of the characteristic black mask that should extend from nose to the eyebrows...

In short, no, I do not think this is a boxer (even without seeing the full body shape). It is not the strict length of his muzzle that indicates that, but it's construction. It's possible he's part boxer - so from the genetic standpoint, considering the disorders this breed is prone to is worthwhile.

Thank you for your response gmacleod. It's funny having a dog and not knowing know what breed he is. I'm curious to see how he develops as he gets older.

When he was a puppy he looked like pitbull, then we went through his rhodesian ridgeback look, and for a while he looked like a miniature great dane.

I'll keep everyone updated as he grows up. He's 9 months sold and 55 lbs so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's not going to get much larger than that.
 
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