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From time to time members will be asked the question " Why won't you sell white Boxer puppies ? " or a similar question. We all know the reasons why but it is sometimes difficult to discuss the subject rationally as we are all liable to become somewhat emotive because we have experienced or heard of the pain and suffering of the young white Boxer as it endures futile treatment for extensive cancers, or the distress, anger and bewilderment of the owners (especially the children) at the premature death of their beloved pet.
To assist you to answer such questions, the following has been compiled from a submission from the National Boxer Council (Australia) to the Australian National Kennel Control. Members may find this paper useful to pass on to persons making enquiries.
White Boxers
The Boxer Association of Victoria Inc and the National Boxer Council ( Australia ) is most concerned about the increasing incidence of white Boxers. The advertising of white puppies in newspapers is becoming more common and the advertisements usually state that white puppies are rare and are thus much in demand. It has been noted in recent times that breeders are being asked to supply white Boxers to the public.
White puppies, it has been found, develop cancerous growths at a young age, some cancers have a known familial incidence ( Carlson and Griffin 1981 ). The Boxer breed has an established reputation for the incidence of growths in older animals. Whilst no long term studies using large control groups have been conducted it has been repeatedly documented that white Boxers do in fact experience much higher incidence of cancer and other congenital defects. These include deafness ( Whitney 1976 page 335 ) and congenital eye defects ( Carlson and Griffin 1981 page 119 ) and whilst corneal ulcers are found from time to time in Boxers, there has been an increased incidence in whites.
Most problems stem from the modern day Boxer's predecessor the Bulldog, and as the white Boxer is of the same type as the early bull-doggy types, these display most of the Bulldog problems which are associated with coat colour. The modern Boxer has inherited, not only characteristics of the early Bulldog but also the disease processes inherent to the Bulldog. Deafness in white coated dogs of the bullbreeds occurs in approximately 25% of puppies ( Whitney 1976 page 335 ). Thus the continued breeding of whites will introduce unwanted traits to the genetic lines of modern day Boxers. It only requires one bitch with one white parent to be bred with to affect a decline in the breed by introducing problems which have taken responsible breeders years to reduce.
The incidence of white Boxers being advertised for sale is of major concern to the Boxer Clubs and the Council because of their possible use in breeding programs by inexperienced enthusiasts.
When quoting Whitney, Denlinger 1976 page 28 states: " Coat color in Boxers belongs to the same series which is found in Great Danes, Greyhounds, Bulldogs and Bull Terriers.". Denlinger further suggests that when fawn dogs are mated to fawn bitches for consecutive generations, the fawn color becomes pale and washed out ( pages 28 - 30.). Thus it becomes very evident from this data that the breeding of white puppies will result in pale, albino type Boxers.
Whitney ( page 189 ) when discussing the chemistry of color in actual dog hair suggests that: " Each hair has a color base of chromogen as well as an enzyme which interacts with the chromogen to produce melanin in the form of granules. .... The distribution of the melanin granules in these layers produces the color we see.".
It has become common knowledge that the lack of melanin compromises the ability of the coat or skin to deal with the effects of ultra-violet rays from the sun. The results of this are known to many experienced breeders who have had dealings with white Boxers - that these dogs suffer from an abnormally high incidence of malignant growths.
Whitney further states that the harlequin white in Danes is what he terms fifth white (dominant) and that the gene is semi-lethal in nature. Semi-lethal genes are those which can, by selective breeding to individuals who carry them, effectively destroy a strain or 'line'. One often hears breeders bemoan the loss of a complete litter of puppies. Usually these litters have a high number of over-marked puppies of what Boxer breeders term " checks "; these are mismarked puppies which have a ground color of more than one third white. One may hypothesize that Boxers, by virtue of their coat colors, and their position in the same series as Great Danes, Bull Terriers and Greyhounds, may be subject to the same genetic traits conveyed by their coat colors. Harlequin is not a Boxer coat color however Great Danes do produce pure white offspring from time to time.
Similarly so do Bulldogs, and as the Boxer has at least one, and possibly more, Bulldog ancestors in its genus, one can further hypothesize that Boxers inherit those genetic disease processes that are inherent in Bulldogs. The semi lethal gene Whitney discussed may be very much a part of the genetic plasm of white Boxers. This being the case then one can argue that whites may eventually not only change the breed type but also cause the extinction of the Boxer breed.
One must reiterate that no one has conducted studies, however Whitney did categorize the different markings on dogs. He suggested that there was type 1 - those having minimal markings; type 2 - those having full collars and chest markings; and type 3 - those being almost pure white. He concluded that type 2 gave rise to type 3 in all matings he conducted, type 3 gave rise to a very high percentage of type 3 in all matings, but there were no cases of type 3 from the matings he conducted from type 1 individuals ( 888 puppies ) ( Denlinger , Whitney page 34 ).
Responsible Boxer breeders in all states are extremely concerned about the future of the breed because of the rising incidence of white Boxers being bred and offered for sale. The future of the breed is being adversely affected by novice breeders who are ignorant of the impact on the breed of the disease processes and type changes that will occur as more whites are bred and bred from. Whitney ( page 357 ) suggests that " it is often possible to create a new breed on ...... color alone.". Thus the breeding of whites may in the long term create a new type of Boxer, very similar to the old " Bulldoggy " types.
Experienced breeders are aware that white Boxer puppies display bulldoggy traits; are much heavier in bone at birth, and are much more aggressive babies, i.e. they tend to dominate the litter, being first to any available mammaries, and will thrive well as puppies. Those breeders also know that white puppies have an extremely high incidence of deafness and a very high risk of developing malignant cancers ( especially external ), and have a very short average life span.
It can be argued that the provision of white Boxer puppies is irresponsible and is motivated by commercial considerations without any real concern for the welfare of the animals. Such provision has a high potential for causing misery to the animal and distress for the unsuspecting owners due to the disease risk.
It should also be noted that, given the information and knowledge available concerning white Boxers, the provision or sale of white puppies could be regarded in law as negligence.,
Lionel Bleakley
President
The Boxer Association of Victoria Inc.
References:
Carlson, Delbert G & Griffin James
Dog Owners Veterinary Handbook
Howell Book House Inc - New York NY (1981)
Denlinger Milo G (et al)
The Complete Boxer
Howell Book House Inc New York NY (1976) Third Edition
Roberts M B V
Biology A Functional Approach,
Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd. Watson on Thames. Surrey (1983) Third Edition
Stockman, Friederun
My Life With Boxers
Translated from the German by Eric Fitch
Daglish Popular Dogs Publishing Co London WI (1968)
Whitney, Leon F
How To Breed Dogs
Howell Book House Inc New York NY(1976)
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