| While looking for a Boxer dog, you may have | | | | deafness been scientifically linked only to |
| been warned against getting a white one. If so, | | | | Dalmatians carrying an extreme piebald gene; |
| it's because white Boxer dogs have long been | | | | other breeds, including Boxers, have been tarred |
| considered second-class members of the Boxer | | | | with the same brush. The deafness occurs when |
| breed. Why? | | | | insufficient inner-ear pigmentation causes auditory |
| Until 1925, white Boxer dogs had been regarded | | | | nerve cells to die. But the American Boxer Club |
| by their European breeders as the equals of their | | | | never carried out its own studies on White Boxer |
| colored relatives. Boxer dogs, because of their | | | | dogs, which carry a double dose of the same |
| intelligence, strength, and fearlessness, had been | | | | gene, to determine if it affects them the same |
| used during World War I as guard dogs along the | | | | way. |
| German front lines. | | | | The ABC, instead, forbade in its Code of Ethics |
| They performed so well that, after the war, the | | | | the registration, sale, or placement of white |
| German Boxer Club initiated an effort to have the | | | | Boxers. Breeders could either euthanize their |
| German government recognize Boxers as police | | | | White boxer dogs, or keep them. And the Code |
| dogs. They succeeded, and in 1925, Boxers | | | | did not change until 1985, when the ABC relented |
| became official working police dogs for the | | | | and allowed White Boxer dogs to be placed, but |
| Bavarian police force. | | | | still forbade their registration or breeding. |
| But there was a catch, and it doomed white | | | | And, while there have been no official studies |
| Boxer dogs. Any boxer whose coat had significant | | | | supporting the claims that white Boxer dogs are |
| white markings was too visible at night, and | | | | susceptible to more health problems than colored |
| therefore not suitable for police work. So the | | | | Boxers, Hawkleigh Boxers of Australia did a |
| Bavarian police force refused to register white | | | | private survey among breeders who indicated |
| Boxers dogs--those more than one-third white--as | | | | that their white Boxer dogs actually had fewer |
| official police dogs, and from then until 2004, | | | | health issues. |
| white Boxer dogs were excluded from | | | | The white Boxer dogs, according to the breeders |
| registration in any of the world's Boxer breed | | | | surveyed, did experience more deafness and |
| standards. | | | | sunburn, but were less likely to suffer from |
| The Bavarian Police force's decision to exclude | | | | digestive problems, skin diseases and tumors, and |
| white Boxer dogs from police work was a | | | | spinal disorders. But the American Boxer club's |
| justifiable one, and it forced many breeders who | | | | lack of interest in verifying any white Boxer dog |
| were supplying Boxers as police animals to cull the | | | | health issues remains puzzling. |
| white puppies from their litters, so that the others | | | | The ABC, in 2004, did relent a bit and change its |
| would get a larger share of the mother's milk and | | | | Code of Ethics to let breeders offer limited AKC |
| attention. But the reason for the culling seems to | | | | registration and refundable spay/neuter deposits, |
| have been lost in history. | | | | and to charge for medical expenses directly |
| Kennel clubs ever since have attributed their | | | | associated with their white Boxer puppies. |
| decision to exclude white boxers to a | | | | But these beautiful, intelligent, loving white Boxers, |
| predisposition to health defects associated with | | | | who offer all the best traits of their breed, are still |
| the white Boxer dog. But the only health defect | | | | a long way from overcoming the stigma unfairly |
| associated with excessive white pigmentation--in | | | | given them because their police dog ancestors |
| both dogs and cats--is deafness. | | | | were too easily seen in the dark. |
| And among dogs, white-colored connected | | | | |