--Stephanie Abraham
Judges’ Education Chair: American Boxer Club
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Some years ago, a well known multi-breed judge stated to me in
consternation, “This breed is so hard to judge—why, you have 16 points in the
Standard on ‘head’ alone!” As I thought
about her remarks, it occurred to me that she might be technically correct, but
that no one judging the Boxer ought to be dissecting the Standard (and the
breed) by despairing that she might not be able to appreciate all “16 points.” While our Standard is, I believe, an
intelligent and defining document, and of the greatest value to judges and
breeders alike, it is the overall “sense” of it that all of us should take away
after reading it. It actually defines
essential breed type. And isn’t it ‘type’ that remains the most important
characteristic of any breed, and one that is often the most elusive?
Type is actually detailed in
the opening paragraph of the Standard, revised by the parent club in 2005,
telling us that the Boxer is a medium size, square dog, combining “strength and
agility with elegance and style… In judging the Boxer first consideration is given to
general appearance and overall balance. Special attention is then devoted to
the head, after which the individual body components are examined for their
correct construction, and the gait evaluated for efficiency.”
SOooo...the Boxer is square and medium sized,
elegant, stylish, and balanced. We then pay special attention to the head (all
16 points!) and evaluate the overall dog. Several considerations come to mind:
First, what does “medium size” mean? We have all seen many very tall dogs and
bitches in the ring in recent years. Yet
we have no size disqualification. The
recommended heights are 21 ½-23 ½ for bitches and 23-25 for males. It is up to the individual judge if he wants
to reward a 26” or even taller dog, or whether he penalizes a 22” one …all
sizes are acceptable under the breed Standard. The parent club did not raise
the height limits in its 2005 revision of the Standard—except at the LOWER end,
therefore stating its preference to keep the sizes moderate. Nonetheless, a glorious taller dog or bitch
may prove irresistible to both judge and breeder alike—and is perfectly “legal”
under the Standard.
Squareness in the Boxer should be greatly
prized. The “form and function” adage
never more clearly applies than in this concept. The Boxer was used to run down and hold
fierce wild game—bear and boar—and had to be square to make quick turns through
the forest at breakneck speed when pursuing his prey around trees and boulders over
uneven terrain. So the “squareness”
proviso has a historical precedent and should be heeded by the modern judge,
even though the dog is no longer used as a hunter. Again, it comes down to a sense of how well
the Boxer in front of us is likely to do the job for which he was bred.
The Boxer’s lines are clean and easily
analyzed—there is no long hair to disguise the outline for good or ill. Therefore ‘style,’ or how the judge
interprets that, is evident at a glance. To me, taut musculature without
coarseness, all contributing to ‘strength,’ the long arched neck properly set
as it flows into the shoulders, and balanced angulation front and rear all
contribute to this elusive notion of ‘style and elegance.’
Certainly the most difficult portion of
the Standard to understand is proper head type. Indeed, across the country
excellent heads are sadly becoming harder and harder to find, and too many of
us are forgetting that form follows function in head type as well as body
type—i.e.: we are not valuing the construction that allowed the Boxer to be an
efficient hunter.
First, the Boxer’s jaws are not those
of a ‘slasher’ with a scissors bite.
Instead, the Boxer’s undershot jaw, ideally wide and straight across for
greater gripping power, was used to catch hold of a struggling prey animal and
keep it under control until the human hunter arrived on the scene to dispatch
it. I am often asked “What amount of space should
there be between upper and lower rows of teeth?” The answer is that there is no exact
measure—if the jaw is too undershot, then teeth or tongue will show when the
mouth is closed. If the dog is barely undershot, he may be afflicted with an
overlip that may make him look like Andy Gump (the upper lip covering all or
part of the chin). But if the lips meet
evenly, the upper one just touching and lying on top of (not over) the other,
and the chin is perceptible from the front and the side—he is probably ok. Don’t worry about precise distances. All of
the contours of the head accommodate these many features in a unique way. Once you see an outstanding head, you will
always remember it. We do not count teeth in the Boxer, but wider jaws are
preferred to narrow ones that would have less ability to ‘hold’ simply because
they would grip a lesser amount of skin and flesh.
When
viewing the Boxer head from the front, the first thing that should be apparent
is that the expression is sweet and kind—the jaws are formidable, but the eyes
impart a gentle look, have plenty of ‘fill’ under them, and are frontally
placed (as are our own). They are generous,
dark, and full—all so that the dog could see his fleeing prey better. There is
nothing harsh or sharp in a Boxer’s facial features, and definitely no slanted
or almond-shaped eyes on the side of the head.
It may seem odd that such a fierce pursuer would have a sweet
expression, but we must remember that the Boxer was never a killer, but rather
a ‘holder.’ The ears (cropped or
uncropped) are set on high to catch every nuance of sound in the forest. Wrinkling on the forehead is moderate and
contributes to the gentleness of expression. Most critically, the tip of the nose lies
higher than the ‘stop,’ which allowed the dog to breathe while holding a mouthful
of moving fur. This is an essential breed characteristic, and one that is most
obvious in profile. The fact that the blunt
muzzle is approx. 2/3 the width of the skull and 1/3 the length of the head
from the occiput to the tip of the nose will help to define a ‘look’ that will
become apparent to you without ever having to actually think in terms of measurements
again.
No proper hunter could accomplish his
goals without essential soundness. The
Boxer should be balanced for efficiency of gait, and have excellent reach and
drive for propelling power at the gallop and the trot. His movement, however, does not differ
appreciably from many other working dogs—it is the square outline and the head
that sets him apart in the show ring. The
slightly sloping topline levels out in motion, and as speed increases the head
and neck stretch forward unless (sadly) pulled up by handlers in the ring. The Boxer definitely single tracks, and
imbalances of angulation are evident in those dogs who sidewind or move wide
behind or have a hackney gait in front. Those compensations are due to structural
flaws and should at once be a red flag to the judge that something is not
right—often a lack of correct balance.
The
Boxer must be as fearless in the ring as he was at the hunt—and we implore
judges NOT to reward timid specimens. To
that effect, any dogs that shy away from the judge should be severely
penalized, as the Standard advises.
While obvious displays of shyness are clear, some are more subtle. For example,
in the Boxer, the tail is carried erect in motion, and a tail held in a tucked
position indicates an unhappy, insecure animal.
Likewise, the nervous dog that is constantly swiveling around, looking
for bogeymen behind every chair, is not of sound temperament. We do tolerate modest displays of aggression
towards other dogs, so long as they are controlled. Thankfully, such displays are rather
infrequent, and you will almost never see a Boxer who is aggressive towards
people.
When the Boxers enter the ring to be
judged, it should be evident at a seemingly casual glance which specimens are
to be most prized. Balance is clear;
square outline is clear; attitude is clear.
When you come up close to the dog, head type and expression are obvious—you
must educate your “eye” so that you do not have to think twice about what all
those “points” really mean. Markings (or
lack thereof) are not so important, and we usually advise judges to be
‘colorblind’ in the ring. While
attractive white markings may appeal, they are not required in any way, and the
so-called ‘plain or classic’ Boxer should enjoy parity with his flashier
cousins. In other words, as the old tale
advises, just imagine an elephant and chip away all the parts of him that are
not “Boxer.” Then you will see your near-perfect specimen materialize before
you, and can rely on your good judgment to reward him properly so that he makes
his mark on this glorious breed.
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