The Boxer Golden Retriever mix is an adorable short-haired dog that will find its way into your heart and home in no time. For most owners, the Boxer and Golden Retriever mix will produce a high-energy, faithful companion dog who will walk or run beside you and then curl up into your bed at night!
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Boxer Golden Retriever Mix – At a Glance
| Weight: | 50–65 pounds |
| Height: | 23–25 inches |
| Lifespan: | 10–14 years |
| Coat colours: | Brown, fawn, black. |
| Temperament: | Intelligent, energetic, loyal, loving. |
| Suitable for: | Families with or without children, couples & single individuals. Not suitable for the elderly. |
What Does a Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Look Like?
The Boxer Golden Retriever mixed breed will borrow its looks from its parent breeds, likely borrowing the Boxer’s more defined stature and short fur length. It will probably have a wedge-shaped head, with the forward-facing floppy ears of the Boxer, as well as circular eyes.
Its most prominent Retriever characteristic will be its coat colors. While Boxers tend to have brown coats, your Golden Boxer will likely have a golden coat.
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Although, as a designer dog, you can expect a variety of physical characteristics, so don’t be surprised if your Golden Boxer looks a little funny!
The History of the Boxer Golden Retriever Mix
As a designer dog, the Golden Boxer’s history is an enigma. No one’s sure how or when the Boxer and Golden Retriever were first cross-bred. However, mixing dog breeds became very popular in the United States in the 1990s and early 2000s.
We can glean from this that the Golden Boxer was only created recently – sometime in the last 20 years – likely due to intentional breeding. This makes it all the more important to examine the history of the parent breeds. We will take you through some of that history by exploring where the Boxer and Golden Retriever come from – and how their histories could help shape your Golden Boxer dog.
The History of the Boxer
The Boxer’s history began in Germany in the 19th century. Developed from crossing mastiffs, Great Danes, and possibly a Terrier, the Boxer was initially bred as a bull-baiting dog – a horrible sport that involves running a bull ragged around a field till it collapsed or till the Boxer is killed.
Following the outlawing of ‘bull baiting’ in Germany in the mid-late 19th century, Boxers became cattle-herding dogs in butcher shops. They were then exported to England, where they took on similar roles and were eventually imported to the United States following the conclusion of the First World War.
How Popular Are Boxers?
Given their late arrival in the U.S., Boxers have done reasonably well for themselves in terms of popularity. According to the American Kennel Club rankings, they ranked as the 14th most popular dog in the United States in 2021.
Long before they were a mixed breed of dogs, Boxers were used in military and police functions and remain one of the most popular breeds for those functions today.
Who Are Boxers a Good Dog For?
The Boxer is a medium-sized energetic breed that loves to participate in family activities. It does best with an active, fun-loving family that can give it all the necessary exercise of an active dog breed.
The Boxer isn’t well-suited for the elderly, as they tend not to be able to handle the Boxer’s exercise requirements.
How Did Boxers Come About?
Boxers were first introduced into the German dog population in the early to mid 19th century, initially as bull-baiting dogs, then as butcher’s helpers – herding cattle. Boxers later became stalwarts of American policing and the military following their importation from Europe at the end of World War One.
When Did First Cross-Breed The Boxer?
Given the history of the Boxer is a relatively recent breed, it’s hard to pin down exactly when the Boxer might have been crossbred with other dogs. Although crossbreeding in the United States did gain significant popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Boxer was likely crossbred to create a designer breed.
The History of the Golden Retriever
In significant contrast to the violent and bloody history of the Boxer, Golden Retrievers have quite a different origin story. Beginning in the late 19th century, Scottish kennel owner and politician Sir Dudley Marjoribanks bred the Golden Retriever from the now-extinct flat-coated Retrievers with Tweed Water Spaniels and Red Setters.
This intentional breeding led to creation of a golden-colored dog with high activity levels. The newly-gazetted Golden Retrievers were first used as show dogs, then became avid companions for Marjoribanks’ hunting parties – it is suspected that Marjoribanks was looking to create a Retriever that would be able to accompany him on duck and small game hunts.
Today, Golden Retrievers are affectionate, loving, intelligent, family-centric dogs with beautiful temperaments. They’re free of destructive behaviors if adequately trained and socialised and make one of the world’s most popular dog breeds.
How Popular Are Golden Retrievers?
In the United States, Golden Retrievers are the third most popular dog in the United States, only pipped to the top spot by Labrador Retrievers. Golden Retrievers have been used throughout American history as guide dogs for the blind, show dogs, and faithful companion pets.
Who Are Golden Retrievers a Good Dog For?
Golden Retrievers are beautiful dogs for just about anyone, except for the elderly, due to their activity levels and exercise requirements. Golden Retrievers will love you and your family until they can love no more.
Their gentle nature befits that of a family with children. Golden Retrievers aren’t the largest dogs in the world and therefore don’t take up a whole lot of space, so they’re OK with apartment living but are better suited to a small home or a larger home.
Golden Retrievers can also sometimes suffer from separation anxiety, so consider this when you consider how your living and working situation stacks up against adopting a Golden.
How Did Golden Retrievers Come About?
Golden Retrievers were initially created by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, a Scottish kennel owner, businessman and politician. Marjoribanks bred the Golden Retriever from several different Retrievers and Terriers to create a sandy-golden-colored, medium-sized dog with large paws and enough athleticism and stamina to accompany Marjoribanks’ on his hunts and collect small game.
When Did First Cross-Breed The Golden Retriever?
Given that the Golden Retriever is one of the world’s most popular dogs, it’ll shock no one that the dog is also routinely crossbred. Mainly for its temperament, frequently as a balancing act with another dog of a slightly less even character.
Goldens are very popular crossbreeds with other types of medium and larger dogs. However, they tend not to be crossed with much smaller breeds due to the physiological differences that make natural breeding impossible.
The Golden Boxer is one of the instances where crossbreeding naturally is possible and is more likely to produce an even-tempered, standard-looking mixed breed dog.
How Important Is a Dog’s Temperament to Your Family?
One of the most important things you can do before you adopt any dog is to conduct thorough research on its temperament, health issues, and more. The average mixed-breed dog’s temperament can vary wildly, depending on the mix you’re looking for.
A dog’s temperament can be determined by its environment, history, and genetics. Researching and knowing what you’re getting into will save you time, energy and money in potentially training a mix that you know is unlikely to be a good fit for your family.
Active family dogs tend to do better with busy families. Likewise, a laid-back dog with a laissez-faire approach to life isn’t going to do well with a playful, outdoorsy family that constantly leaves their dog behind when they go off adventuring.
A failure to adequately research your new pet could lead them to need re-homing, which can be incredibly traumatic for the dog, you and your family. Make sure you research your mixed-breed dog well!
What is the Temperament of the Boxer Golden Retriever Mix?
Fortunately for most owners, the Golden Boxer is exceptionally likely to have a balanced temperament. The Golden Boxer borrows both dispositions from its parent breeds, resulting in a friendly, loving, energetic dog. The Boxer’s excitability is somewhat tempered by the Golden Retriever’s calm approach to most situations.
The Golden Boxer may exhibit separation anxiety symptoms early on in the ownership timeline, although this can be corrected with training. The Golden Boxer will inherit plenty of its intelligent, clever nature from both parents and may surprise you with some of its early antics.
Is The Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Friendly?
The Boxer and Golden Retriever dogs are usually very friendly, so you can expect Golden Boxers to be equally friendly. The ease with which they fit into family units makes them excellent family pets.
Is The Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Easy to Train?
You can expect that your Golden Boxer may exhibit substantial energy levels to start with. This can make training somewhat tricky. As Goldens tend to be ‘Yes Sir, No Sir, Three Bags Full, Sir’ dogs, positive reinforcement may be required.
Boxers tend to have a more stubborn nature than the ‘bred-for-purpose’ Golden Retrievers, but you may find that the Golden’s obedient nature balances the Boxer quite well.
How Much Can A Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Weigh?
The average weight of a Boxer Golden Retriever mix is between 50 and 60 pounds.
How Tall Can A Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Get?
The height of Golden Boxers is typically between 22 and 25 inches tall.
Similar Sized Breeds
There are a few similar-sized breeds to the Golden Boxer. These include the Labrador Retriever, the German Shepherd and the Rottweiler.
Does the Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Shed?
While the Golden Boxer will typically inherit the short hair of the Boxer, your Golden Boxer may inherit longer hair, similar to the wavy-coated Retriever. Either way, the Boxer Golden Retriever mix is a moderate shedder that will require brushing once per week.
How Much Exercise Does A Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Require?
When you combine Golden Retrievers and Boxers, you combine two dogs that are exceptionally energetic and are used to high activity levels. You should expect to walk your Golden Boxer for at least 30-45 minutes each day as an adult, slightly less with mixed-breed pups.
How Long Can a Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Live?
The average lifespan of a Boxer Golden Retriever mix is between 10 and 14 years, barring any significant health concerns.
What Health Conditions Could the Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Have?
- Hip Dysplasia (Joint Issues)
- Elbow Dysplasia (Joint Issues)
- Patellar Luxation (Kneecap Dislocation)
- Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (Bloat)
- Degenerative Myelopathy (Spinal Cord Disease)
- Ear Infections
How Can You Find a Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Puppy For Sale?
Before you go down the route of finding Golden Boxers as puppies for sale, we initially recommend you try adoption. Adopting a “Golden Dox” can be challenging, as they’re not often found among your traditional adoption routes.
If you fail to locate a “Golden Dox” by visiting your local veterinary clinic or animal shelter, you can try visiting https://www.petfinder.com/. This online search directory allows you to search locally for a Boxer Golden Retriever mix.
How Much Does a Boxer Golden Retriever Mix Puppy Cost?
If you are still looking for a Boxer Golden Retriever mix puppy online, you can still pursue a purchase through a reputable breeder.
Before searching for a reputable breeder, we highly recommend reading the American Kennel Club’s guidelines on finding and working with a reputable breeder.
Is the Boxer Golden Retriever Mix the Right Breed For You?
Finding a dog can sometimes be challenging, particularly when looking at mixed breeds. Although there are few better-mixed breed dogs out there than the Boxer Golden Retriever mix, the calming, loving and gentle nature of the Golden Retriever balances well with the excitable, energetic Boxer.
Consider adopting a Boxer Golden Retriever mix to give a new dog a wonderful home.