Although the Boxer is a loyal and intelligent family companion, his somewhat stubborn and self-confident character and high prey drives require careful consideration. He must be obedience-trained to control his exuberance and guide his mettle into acceptable channels. He is, after all, a big, strong dog.

He is also good-natured, suffering the pokes and prods of children with stoicism, accepting friendly strangers, and always ready for a romp or a game. Left to his own devices, he can get into trouble. Writer and gentleman farmer Louis Bromfield had several Boxers in his home at Malabar Farm outside Mansfield, Ohio. These dogs learned to open the French-handled doors and, so the story goes, managed to escape the house, climb in a visitor’s automobile, release the brake, and roll the car into a pond across the road.

Above all, a Boxer should be even-tempered, dignified but with a touch of impish spirit, and full of courage. Aggression, extreme shyness (not to be confused with independence), and hyperactivity are unacceptable in the breed; those who are considering a Boxer should al least check the parent dogs for these undesirable traits before even looking at the puppies.