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Head
The chiseled head must be in
correct proportion to the body.
The broad, blunt muzzle must be in proper form and
balance with the skull. Wrinkles on the head of the Boxer
should contribute to the facial expression of intelligence and alertness. Folds
are always present from the lower edge of the stop
running downward on both sides of the muzzle. They should not be excessively deep, neither shall the head appear to have no wrinkles.
The top of the skull is
slightly arched, not rounded, flat nor noticeably broad and slopes
slightly downward from occiput to stop. The cheeks should be
relatively flat and should mark
the outer edge of the width of the skull. There should be a slight,
graceful curve which tapers from the cheeks to the root of the muzzle. The
root of the muzzle where it attaches to the skull is directly under the
center of each eye and is 2/3 the width of the headpiece. The top of the
muzzle should not slant down; however, the tip of the nose should lie
slightly higher than the horizontal line of the muzzle. The blunt muzzle
is 1/3 the length of the head. The muzzle is measured from the tip-up of
the nose to the slight indentation of the stop and the head measured from
the occiput to the tip of the nose. The muzzle should be nearly the same
in length and depth and have no wrinkles.
The muzzle has a shape
influenced first through the formation of both jawbones, second through
the placement of the teeth and third through the texture of the lips (flews),
which should not be excessive in
length, too thick or too thin.
The upper jaw tapers
slightly to the front. The nose is black and broad. The lips meet
evenly in front and are supported by the lower
canines. The lower canines and incisors should be broadly set and in
a straight line, which contribute to a broad and squarish view from the
side.
The Boxer’s
bite is undershot; the lower jaw should protrude by no
more than 1/4 inch beyond the upper and curves slightly
upward. The upper incisors are slightly convex with the
corner upper incisors fitting snugly behind the lower canine teeth on each
side. The upper canines, which
lean rearward, together with the well padded upper lip form the width of
the muzzle at the nose. When the mouth is closed, neither the tongue nor
teeth should show.
The mood-mirroring
character of the preferred dark brown eye is essential to a unique quality
of expressiness. The third eyelid in both eyes should be pigmented.
The ears are set at the
highest points of the sides of the skull and when trimmed, cut rather long
without too broad a shell, and are carried erect. In an untrimmed Boxer,
ears are moderate in size, thick to the touch, set wide apart at the
highest points of the skull and lying flat and close to the cheek when in
repose. When the dog is alert, the ears should fall forward with a
definite crease.
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Head
The beauty of the head
depends upon harmonious proportion of muzzle to skull. The blunt muzzle is
1/3 the length of the head from the occiput to the tip of the nose, and
2/3 the width of the skull. The head should be clean, not showing deep
wrinkles (wet). Wrinkles typically appear upon the forehead when ears are
erect, and folds are always present from the lower edge of the stop
running downward on both sides of the muzzle.
Expression-Intelligent
and alert.
Eyes-Dark
brown in color, not too small, too protruding or too deep-set. Their
mood-mirroring character combined with the wrinkling of the forehead gives
the Boxer head its unique quality of expressiveness.
Ears-Set
at the highest points of the sides of the skull are cropped, cut rather
long and tapering, raised when alert.
Skull-The
top of the skull is slightly arched, not rounded, flat nor noticeably
broad, with the occiput not overly pronounced. The forehead shows a slight
indentation between the eyes and forms a distinct stop with the topline of
the muzzle. The cheeks should be relatively flat and not bulge
(cheekiness), maintaining the clean lines of the skull and should taper
into the muzzle in a slight, graceful curve.
Muzzle-The
muzzle,
proportionately developed in length, width and depth, has a shape
influenced first through the formation of both jawbones, second through
the placement of the teeth, and third through the texture of the lips. The
top of the muzzle should not slant down (downfaced), nor should it be
concave (dishfaced); however, the tip of the nose should lie slightly
higher than the root of the muzzle.
The nose should be
broad and black.
The upper jaw is broad
where attached to the skull and maintains this breadth except for a very
slight tapering to the front. The lips, which complete the formation of
the muzzle, should meet evenly in front. The upper lip is thick and
padded, filling out the frontal space created by the projection of the
lower jaw, and laterally is supported by the canines of the lower jaw.
Therefore, these canines must stand far apart and be of good length so
that the front surface of the muzzle is broad and squarish and, when
viewed from the side, shows moderate layback. The chin should be
perceptible from the side as well as from the front.
Bite-The
Boxer bite is undershot; the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper and
curves slightly upward. The incisor teeth of the lower jaw are in a
straight line, with the canines preferably up front in the same line to
give the jaw the greatest possible width. The upper line of incisors is
slightly convex with the corner upper incisors fitting snugly back of the
lower canine teeth on each side.
Faults-Skull
too broad. Cheekiness. Wrinkling too deep (wet) or lacking (dry).
Excessive flews. Muzzle too light for skull. Too pointed a bite (snippy),
too undershot, teeth or tongue showing when mouth closed. Eyes noticeably
lighter than ground color of coat.
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