Boxers are a breed that lives up to their name…up to a point. This working breed is strong, sturdy, and actually can throw a punch during playtime. The breed’s also a high-energy goofball that practically lives for playtime. So what toys satisfy their urge to play the most?
OUR PICKS FOR THE TOP TOYS FOR BOXER
**Clicking the links above will take you to Amazon, where you can see prices, customer reviews, product specs, etc.
How a Boxer Plays
Boxers are enormous bundles of energy, and this vigor needs to be burned off diligently. They require a long brisk walk every day, and they will also fill the gaps between walking sessions by wanting to play. This is especially the case during their puppy phase, which can last up to three years – one of the longest puppy phases in the canine world.
Their rambunctious energy can be channeled properly through training, although their stubbornness can make this a challenge if training and socialization happen later on in life. Because of his gentle, fun-loving nature, a properly trained boxer can be an exceptional dog for families with children.
Because boxers are exuberant critters that love to run around as much as possible, they are about as natural of a fetch partner as you can get in the dog kingdom. They particularly love to play with round objects such as balls, since their spherical shape allows the breed to live up to its name and bat them around with their paws.
They also like a good romp with people that they trust, and they will use their paws to playfully “wrestle” with their owner. If you have children in your home, you may want to work with your boxer to teach him to pull the reins back on this kind of play with your kids. Sometimes, he may not let things get carried away.
Boxers are also natural athletes that can excel at outdoor activities such as flyball or swimming. However, you should be mindful of the weather if you’re planning on playing outdoors with your pooch. The breed’s combination of short coat and short muzzle means that he doesn’t handle extreme heat or extreme cold particularly well.
Our Recommendations
Hyper Pet K9 Kannon K2 Ball Launcher Gun
Because boxers are athletic and are teeming with energy, it’s wise to find creative ways to help your four-legged friend burn fuel. The Hyper Pet K9 Kannon K2 Tennis Ball Launcher Gun provides you with an innovative outlet. It also helps prevent you from wearing out in the process.
The launcher gun works because it won’t wear your arm out after a long period of repetitive throwing. This means that you will be able to engage your boxer in a game of fetch for an extended period of time.
To say your boxer will appreciate this is an understatement. This is a breed whose boundless vigor allows him to play and romp for quite some time, and because he’s smart enough to figure out how to get his way, he’ll work on you to keep you playing even when your arm’s too tired to go. This toy eliminates this issue.
Boxers are quite adept at playing by themselves. Sure, they enjoy getting you to be an active participant in their playtime, but it’s wise to have a sturdy, fun toy they can retreat to when they (finally) get the message that you need a break from romping around.
Planet Dog’s Orbee-Tuff Cosmos, Luna is an ideal toy for these times when doggie play time overlaps with your downtime. It’s a ball, so your boxer will find joy in batting this sturdy sphere around with his paws. It’s also quite sturdy, so you won’t have to worry about him ripping it to shreds.
But the coolest feature about this toy is that it glows in the dark. This is a tremendous feature because it will allow your pooch to engage in play when the lights are off. While this rationale seems like a no-brainer, this could have tremendous dividends.
You could very well have a boxer who wakes up rip-roaring and ready to go in the early morning before the sun rises and light shines through the house. A glow in the dark ball will be a beacon of playtime for him during this time period. Better yet, this form of easy self-entertainment means he won't drag you out of bed to play with him.
Plus, when the lights are on, the ball can double as a pretty effective conduit for a game of fetch. This provides a level of versatility that you should be looking for in a boxer toy to begin with. After all, your boxer will always be up for playtime.
And really, that ceaseless need to goof around is the precise reason why boxers are such a lovable, enduring breed. It’s the kind of silliness that possesses the power to make you smile broadly, no matter how rough your day has been. You really can’t ask for much more than that when you’re looking for the perfect canine companion.
What Toys Work Best for your Boxer Buddy?
You can't go wrong with fetching toys for boxers. Because they are natural athletes that are constantly looking for ways to burn off energy, engaging them in a classic game of fetch will enable them to use that vigor for good. This certainly makes for a better alternative to tearing up your furniture – something bored boxers are known to do.
The preferred conduit for fetching here is a ball, and with a very good reason. Because boxers are capable of making amusement by themselves, they will enjoy batting the ball around on their own during those times when you’d prefer to take it easy. If you don’t give him an outlet for self-play, he may be unwilling to give you a break from playtime.
What Boxer Toys are Bad Ideas?
If you bring home a squeaker chew toy for your boxer, he will shred it to bits within minutes. That’s not to say avoid chew toys at all costs – sturdy chew toys, particularly ones that can double as fetching devices, are a good idea. But your bright doggie will look at a squeak toy as a challenging puzzle instead of a chew.
You should also avoid getting a rope toy for your boxer. Because boxers drool a lot, a rope will get covered in slobber very quickly; because they aren’t as easy to clean or wipe off like a ball or other fetch toys, they can get very stinky. Plus, your boxer may get a little too rambunctious while playing.
Things You Need to Know about a Boxer
The boxer’s reputation for more or less being a four-legged toddler belies the breed’s roots. Developed in the late 19th century, the breed’s roots go back to the now-extinct Bullenbiesser, which was initially bred to hunt big game. The breed’s muscular frame and headstrong, intelligent nature are clear signs of these origins.
While the body, square head, and actual breed name still may be imposing for those not in the know, today’s boxers are considered one of the most playful, energetic doggies on the planet. They are essentially big ol’ goofballs whose rambunctious, silly behavior tends to elicit joyful smiles from their owners.
A lot of the boxer’s common behavioral traits seem to be built around silliness. They live up to the breed name while they’re at play, as they like using their paws to bat at inanimate objects and the people they love. Also, because their tails are short and stubby, their whole butt tends to wag when they’re happy – another extremely endearing quality.
While their tendency to bark at things that strike them as odd makes them solid watchdogs, the breed is also known for its ability to make an odd sound called a "woo-woo" when they get wound up. It's a sound that some people describe as the breed's way of communicating "look at me – I'm over here!"
Boxers aren’t all fun and games, though. For one thing, they are a drooling machine that also has a reputation for being gassy. Because of their short muzzle and their pronounced underbite, they also tend to make loud snorting and wheezing noises, particularly as they sleep.
They also require a lot of patience and fortitude on the part of the owner. Boxers are a smart, stubborn breed that will look for ways to game the system so he can have things his way. This trait may make them a less than optimal breed for first-time dog owners.
Yet if you have a good measure of patience and can cope with unique sounds, smells, and slobbering, then the boxer will effortlessly warm your heart. And their penchant for silliness tends to trump all of their potentially negative traits for a lot of people, making it one of the most popular breeds in the U.S.