Boxador (Boxer and Lab mix)
 What is a Boxador? Boxador is a cross between the Boxer and the Labrador Retriever. Also known as the Boxerdor, Boxerlab, and Laboxer, Boxadors have inherited many good qualities from both of their parent breeds.
Intelligent and very devoted, Boxadors are great companion dogs for active single people and for energetic families that enjoy long daily walks with a family dog. These medium to large-sized dogs are in tune with their owners' mood and most of all they love to get is loads of attention.
Baxadors are easy to train and get along with everyone in the household, including children and other pets. Boxer Lab mix dogs want to be a part of everything that their family does. Due to their playful nature, Baxadors thrive well in homes with large yards where they can play. Boxadors should not be left alone for long hours and may start various bad behavior such as barking, chewing and digging when bored or lonely.
Boxer and Labrador Retriever Mix Life Expectancy
What is the lifespan of Boxador dog? Boxadors live on average from 12 to 13 years. Factors such as lifestyle, diet, overall health of Lab and Boxer mix dog will affect the dog's life expectancy.
Boxador Size
How big do Boxador dogs get? Labrador Retriever and the Boxer dog are medium to large size and Boxador dogs can either be larger or smaller depending on the sizes of the parent dogs. Boxer Lab mix dogs typically weigh between 50 and 90 pounds while their height ranges between 23 and 25 inches at the shoulder.
Boxer and Lab Mix Temperament
Boxadors are intelligent and have high energy levels. Some Boxador dogs may be easy to train while others, especially those Boxadors that take after the Boxer's stubbornness will need some convincing. Although with early training the stubborn streak can be managed easier. Boxadors do well in families that have large yards since they love to play. To keep the Boxer mix dog stimulated you will need to lavish loads of attention and activities.
A dog owner who is not always home should consider assigning someone to keep the Boxerlab dog active. Boxador dogs are most suitable for people who have lots of time and attention to dedicate to a family pet. Leaving the Boxador dog bored and alone for hours may result in destructive behaviors such as barking, chewing and digging.
Start socialization classes early during Boxador's first months of life. Socialization will introduce the dog to other pets in the homestead as well as new surroundings, sounds, and experiences. Boxadors will generally get along well with other pets since they don't have any strong prey instincts. Although with other dogs, Boxador dogs may be somewhat aloof, which is a trait that can be easily curbed through early socialization to other friendly canines.
Boxador Exercise Requirements
Given that Boxadors are high-energy dogs, Boxer Lab Cross dogs need quite a lot of exercise. From one to two hours of daily exercise should be ideal to ensure that your dog stays strong and healthy and burns some of that abundant energy. Lab Boxer mix dogs also require lots of mental stimulation such as training or playing interactive games that keep your pet's brain active.
Boxadors also find games such as frisbee and fetch very interesting. However, avoid high-impact exercises that could predispose your pet to joint-related diseases down the road and especially when they are puppies and their joints are still growing. High-impact are exercises that involve lots of jumping or jumping and running, jumping up or down the stairs and so on. Low-impact exercises such as walking and swimming are great for dogs such as Boxador.
Keep off activities that include high jumping and those that put the dog's joints under pressure. Avoid exhausting the Boxer Lab mix dog to a point that will leave them walking awkwardly or damage the immature joint areas. Invest in dog toys that keep the dog mentally stimulated such as puzzle toys and treat dispenser toys. Having a spacious fenced yard is a big plus for any high-energy dog owner because Boxadors love to explore and get some exercise in a yard in addition to daily walks. If the Boxador is still acting hyper, it usually means the dog could use more stimulation and still has plenty of energy.
Are Boxadors suitable for families with children? Boxadors do well with children of all ages and make great playmates as well. Dog owners should teach children how to interact with dogs safely and properly. Tail pulling or taking the dog's food away while still feeding are not behaviors that dogs should be subjected to by the kids. Teach the children not to interfere with the dog while the pet is either sleeping, resting or eating.
Do not leave the dog with the children unsupervised. The dog will do perfectly well with other pets in the homestead including cats when socialized early in life.
Potential Boxador owners who intend to purchase their puppies should do so from knowledgeable breeders. This is because they can provide information about the puppy's appearance, personality, and even size once they grow up. They should also be able to provide medical records of the puppy's parents to rule out the possibilities of hereditary diseases. Many people choose to adopt a Boxador from a local shelter, which is a wonderful way to save a Boxador and give the dog a happy life. Learn as much as you can about the dog that you are adopting and don't forget to ask many questions in regards to dog's temperament, how the dog is around other dogs and people, health history if available, training level and so on. The more you know about the Boxador you are planning to adopt, the better prepared you will be when the dog arrives home.
Socialize your Boxador puppy as early as possible with other pets and different kinds of people. Expose him to various environments, sounds, and places. This will improve the puppy's social skills while stimulating their minds at the same time. Remember to keep socialization experiences short and positive to ensure that your puppy gets the most benefit from these important life lessons.
What do Boxadors look like?
Boxadors are large dogs with robust and athletic bodies. With slightly tucked up waists, these pups are well proportioned with deep chests and long legs. Unlike their Labrador parents, Lab mix dogs have broader and heavier skulls, while their snouts are slightly more elongated than those of the Boxers.
Boxadors have drop ears that vary in size ranging from small folds to long folds which resembles those of the Labradors. Boxadors have dark brown eyes and exhibit short coats that come in an array of colors. With mixed dogs such as Boxadors it may be next to impossible to predict how a Boxador dog will look like once full-grown. Unlike purebred dogs, Boxador dogs inherit various traits from their parent dogs which makes each Boxador dog so unique in appearance and in temperament.
How to groom a Boxador dog?
Boxadors dogs feature a short coat that comes in a variety of colors which include black, brindle, brown, white and tan. In other instances, the Labrador Boxer mix dog may have a combination of colors and may exhibit a mix of black and white, tan and brown or white and brown. The overall maintenance, however, depends on which parents' genes dominate in the Boxador.
Boxadors with longer coat will require more grooming compared to those with less fur. Expect increased shedding during the spring and fall seasons, which will require the coat to be brushed more often. Generally, grooming a Boxador is quite easy, since most of them have short coats that need an occasional brushing.
Boxadors are not suited for extreme weather conditions due to their short coat. Dog owners will need to have the dog dressed in a warm coat during the cold season.
Caring for a Boxador
Keep up with the veterinarian's checkups to ensure that your dog is always healthy. Your vet can as well help you with a care routine schedule.
Watch out your dog's diet, let it be well balanced and with the required nutrients. Feed your full-grown Boxador twice a day to help prevent Bloat. Use slow feeding plates for dogs.
Cleanliness should also be highly upheld by ensuring that you check your dogs' ears regularly for pests and debris. The Boxadors ears are often folded and may be prone to pest infestation and bacteria which can lead to ear infections if not well cleaned.
Boxador's nails should also be trimmed when they grow out. Dog's nails should not be heard clicking on the floor. If you can hear the dog's nails making a clicking sound when the dog walks on a hardwood floor, it's time to trim the dog's nails. Be careful to only trim the very tip of the nail to avoid accidentally hurting the blood vessels located in your pet's nails.
Boxador's oral health is another factor to look out for, they require that their teeth be brushed daily with a canine toothpaste only. Taking good care of your pet's teeth ensures that your dog is free of plague build up on the teeth as well as bad breath. Good dental care helps to keep your dog healthy.
Boxer Lab Mix potty training
Take advantage of the fact that he loves eating, while still using small treats as rewards to any milestone achieved. Do not forget to stay calm and focused while incorporating positive reinforcement techniques. Being harsh with the dog will not bear any positive results. Keep the training sessions short and fun. Young puppies may not have a long attention span and longer training sessions may be counter productive. Five minute long training sessions that happen 3 to 4 times during the day can be very effective, especially with positive reinforcement.
How to potty train a Boxador puppy?
Boxadors are highly intelligent pups but they can be a bit stubborn when they do not want to do something. Early training is a good start. Start potty training immediately upon the puppy's arrival to your home to start forming good habits right away.
Here are steps to follow while potty training your Boxador pup
As soon as the Boxador puppy gets to about seven weeks, they are capable of walking and learning. Start the potty training at this stage. Do not wait until when the puppy gets to 12 weeks and above. This will be too late for the puppy will have already began developing bad habits that will not be easy to curb.
Choose a permanent location in your yard where your puppy will be going every time he needs to poop. Avoid confusing the Boxer Lab mix puppy by taking him to a different location for poop.
Attach the leash to the Boxador puppy's collar as you lead him to the potty area. You can decide to use words such as let's go potty or go pee. Stay in the area until the dog does his business.
Praise your Boxador puppy every time he goes properly. Words such as "Good Job!" can be used to encourage your puppy to it well next time. One can as well choose to also reward the puppy with some treats a nice walk or with a favorite toy.
Maintain a schedule by taking your puppy out to poop at the same time every day. Maintaining a regular feeding schedule will help predict when the puppy needs to pee. Although many puppies are ready to pee after a play session, after eating or drinking, after sleeping and every time before going to sleep at night to help prevent accidents.
These steps should be repeated several times and will do better for owners with fenced yards. The dog will soon go to the bathroom by himself without any leash. It may take several weeks but it will soon pay off. All that is required is your attention to the dog's potty readiness behavior, some patience and consistency.
In case of an accident happening in the house, clean the area thoroughly. Do not ever punish your dog for accidents - that will only confuse your pet further. Such behavior will reduce the bond between you and your puppy or worse still the puppy might start fearing you, which is not what you want to happen.
Pros and cons of owning a Boxador
Lab Mixes
Lab and Border Collie Cross
Labrador and Poodle Cross
Labrador and Australian Cattle Dog Cross
Lab and Golden Retriever Cross
Boxer Mixes
Boxer and Poodle Cross
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