The Standard

THE BU BOXER STANDARD INVITATIONAL

Early in 1999, Amendment B - "the deviation amendment" - which had been approved by 2/3 of the voting ABC membership, was approved by the AKC. According to AKC rules, that meant that it would be five (5) long years before the Boxer Standard could be amended again. Unfortunately, the passage of B, rather than clarifying the standard, has only served to demonstrate the Law of Unintended Consequences: Several ill-informed AKC judges have actually EXCUSED uncropped boxers from the show ring on the basis of their "deviation" from the standard’s statement that "Ears are cropped..."

We will be able to amend the standard again in 2004, just two years hence. Many U.S. exhibitors feel we should simply amend the standard at the earliest possible moment to allow natural ears in the show ring without penalty. Others think the standard needs a complete overhaul. And of course, some are delighted that a natural ears amendment was put on hold for five years.

Amendment A - the natural ears amendment - was sent to the ABC Standards Committee by a vote at the ABC membership meeting in 1998, with a mandate to come up with an acceptable amendment. No one knows what - if anything - the committee has done to date. Hence, the BU Boxer Standard Invitational: We believe that the damage done by Amendment B MUST be reversed; and we also believe that any other proposed changes need to be considered and discussed by the boxer fancy well before we are asked to vote on them. Our standard invitational is intended to start a productive discussion of revising the Boxer Standard. It is open to anyone who wants to try his/her own hand at standard amendment, and will be a regular feature of BU throughout 2002/03.

Our first "Mystery Reviser" is Bruce Voran. Bruce has chosen to do a pretty thorough revision of the wording of the entire standard (which we have printed next to a copy of the current approved standard), and has prefaced "his" version with an explanation of his changes. At the end of this article, you will find an online survey that will enable you to vote on various aspects of revising the Boxer Standard.

Reasons for Changes in Standard
by Bruce Voran

The opening paragraph of a Standard describes best the Boxer in general terms. AKC requires this of Standard statements.

Begin with GENERAL APPEARANCE

1st paragraph: The replacement of the word "good" with "sturdy" is needed to emphasize the word "sturdy" which only appeared in the latest Standard in the section on ‘Proportion.’ Also, an emphasis on gait to indicate that the Boxer is a "cut and weave" dog rather than a harness dog. The word "elegance" is replaced with "grace" because "elegance" is used later in the Standard to describe the nape of the neck. Leaving "elegance" here implies a contradiction with "sturdy." A Whippet is elegant and of good substance with clean, hard muscles.

The 2nd paragraph is eliminated because it is best covered under the heading of Head.

The next paragraph is a summary of how to evaluate the Boxer and adds a final sentence on the value of temperament not mentioned in the current Standard.

The section on Height, Proportion and Substance raised the height of each sex by 1/2 inch and sets a height preference rather than the current Standard’s statement that height of any size really doesn’t matter. There is no change in the section dealing with Proportion. In Substance, the wording is changed for clarity.

Under Head, the subsections have been deleted and everything condensed into a clear description. Measurements have been strengthened, flews (which are called a Fault in the current Standard but never defined) are now defined. The bite has a specific undershot measurement and the upper canines are described. The dark brown eye is now listed as the "preferred" eye color. And lastly, the untrimmed ear is described.

Under Neck, Topline, Body, the word "elegant" arch of the neck is emphasized. Under topline, the only addition is the word "level." The rest is for clarity.

Under Forequarters and Hindquarters, specific measurement lines are drawn, which adds to clarity.

Under Coat, descriptive clarity is used and a statement of "No preference is given to either color" added. A statement that "white markings are unnecessary" so that there is no confusion over a preference for the marked or unmarked Boxer.

Under Gait comes some significant changes. Economy of motion is emphasized over excessive energy. The addition that the Boxer doesn’t "single track" like other breeds may prove controversial. As the Boxer is a "cut and weave" dog and not a carting or harness dog, it’s structure is such that the depth and width of preferred chest change its basic tracking mechanism. The addition of a line drawn horizontally across the dog on the move is a point of reference to good fore and aft structure. The addition of head carriage moving to a position of level while the dog is in motion is a preference to the natural movement of the Boxer rather than a high head carriage.

Character and Temperament is basically unchanged except that excusals are called for when a Boxer displays undesirable characteristics.

Noteworthy is that all faults have been eliminated and everything then comes under a clarified description of the Boxer and that the "deviation from the Standard" statement remains intact.

The disqualifications remain the same.

"Altered by Bruce Voran October 31, 2001,
alterations not copyrighted by AKC or approved by ABC"

Don't forget to take the Survey located at the end of the Standard.