Black Boxer Dogs: Clearing up the Myth

Do Black Boxer Dogs Exist?

Many people have made claims to owning black boxer dogs.  I’ve even seen breeders who advertise ‘rare black boxer dogs’ and sell them for outrageous prices.

But here’s the truth: Black boxer dogs don’t actually exist.

In the boxer community, this can be a cause for argument, but the fact remains that it is genetically impossible for a boxer to be black in color. The color gene responsible for a dog being black does not exist within the breed.

So Why Does My Boxer Look Black?

If you own a boxer that appears to be black in color, there are two possible explanations for this:

Your boxer is not purebred

It has been known to happen that somewhere down the line a boxer was bred with a mixed-breed dog and her puppies still have that boxer look. When breeds are mixed, certain genes can be inherited, like the gene that causes the black color.

Your boxer is a very heavy brindle (reverse brindle)

Brindle boxers are basically fawn colored with black stripes.  In some dogs, the brindle is so dominant it gives the appearance of being black.

The Recognized Boxer Dog Colors

Fawn

Fawn is the classic light brown, light tan, yellow, reddish mahogany, or stag red color that can be found in just about all boxers. It is the base color and is dominant in the majority of boxer dogs, as well as other dogs such as Great Danes and Pugs.

Brindle

Brindle boxers are basically fawn colored boxers with black stripes. These black stripes can vary in intensity, but they are never so thick that the dog is considered black in color. When the black stripes are extremely dominant, they can be referred to as ‘reverse brindle’, although this is nothing official.  No matter the intensity of the black stripes, they are still considered just ‘brindle’.

What About White Boxers?

Although it is true that white boxer dogs are indeed a recognized group of boxers, they are technically not white in color.  The white color, or ‘flash’ as it is called, is actually a lack of pigmentation.