What is a white boxer?

A white boxer is a fwan or brindle boxer with large white markings. This white coloring pattern is fairly common in dogs, and can be found in breeds like Sealyham Terrier, Great Pyrenees and English setter.

A white boxer is in all ways a normal boxer, and has the same strong and weak points as any other boxer. There are no defects connected to this color pattern, so white boxers are in no way more prone to disase or have any larger frequency of defects than colored boxers. The only documented problem is deafness, but the frequency is low - since most white boxers are not allowed to live, there are no reliable records of how prevalent deafness is.

Boxers with white markings - see illustration below will give birth to an average of 1/4 white puppies. These puppies have traditionally been put to sleep because the breeders have been led to believe there is something wrong with them.

In some countries the whites can be fully registered, in some they can only receive limited registration.

More and more breeders worldwide are letting their white puppies live.

 

The various breed standards around the world have different things to say about the color.

The AKC breed standard states white is a disqualifying fault:

Color

The colors are fawn and brindle. Fawn shades vary from light tan to mahogany. The brindle ranges from sparse, but clearly defined black stripes on a fawn background, to such a heavy concentration of black striping that the essential fawn background color barely, although clearly, shows through (which may create the appearance of "reverse brindling").
White markings should be of such distribution as to enhance the dog's appearance, but may not exceed one-third of the entire coat. They are not desirable on the flanks or on the back of the torso proper. On the face, white may replace part of the otherwise essential black mask and may extend in an upward path between the eyes, but it must not be excessive, so as to detract from true Boxer expression.

Faults--Unattractive or misplaced white markings. Disqualifications--Boxers that are any color other than fawn or brindle. Boxers with a total of white markings exceeding one-third of the entire coat.

The Britsh Kennel Club Breed Standard says:

Colour
Fawn or brindle. White markings acceptable not exceeding one-third of ground colour.
Fawn: Various shades from dark deer red to light fawn.
Brindle: Black stripes on previously described fawn shades, running parallel to ribs all over body. Stripes contrast distinctly to ground colour, neither too close not too thinly dispersed. Ground colour clear, not intermingling with stripes.

Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

 

The FCI standard is almost identical to the British.

 

Here are the colors boxers come in:

Brindle.

This dog has a brindle ground color, with no or very small white markings.

Also called solid or plain.
Brindle and white.

This dog has a brindle ground color with white markings covering 10-30% of the body surface.

Also called flashy.
Brindle and white - or white and brindle.

This dog has a brindle ground color with white markings covering more than 30% of the body surface.

Also called white.
Fawn.

This dog has a fawn ground color, with no or very small white markings.

Also called solid or plain.
Fawn and white.

This dog has a fawn ground color with white markings covering 10-30% of the body surface.

Also called flashy.
 

Fawn and white - or white and fawn.

This dog has a fawn ground color with white markings covering more than 30% of the body surface.

Also called white.