A study of the Boxer Breed and how Show breeders changed the breed to look completly different than it did originally. This was accomplished by breeding dogs exhibiting “hyper type” and then inbreeding on those traits to exaggerate them further. While also no longer working the dogs to test them for physical health and stamina.
The original boxers were powerful and athletic dogs capable of helping their masters perform a variety of tasks.
In 1894, three Germans by the names of Friedrich Robert, Elard König, and R. Höpner decided to register the breed and put it on exhibition at a dog show. This was done in Munich in 1896, and the year before they founded the first Boxer Club, the Deutscher Boxer Club. The Club went on to publish the first Boxer breed standard in 1904, however the breed standard has now been changed 9 times!

How can a breed standard change and be the same breed? There are multiple examples of breeds that came from the same gene pool and were once considered the same breed.
However due to a physical difference of type and function these dogs became separate breeds that now look and act completly different from one another.

The only way that a breed standard changes is to validate the dogs being bred that don’t match the original standard. (Which completly defeats the purpose of having a breed standard in the first place.)

This does nothing to help the breed. It only serves the breeders who have bred those extreme traits into the breed.

SOURCE FOR BOXER STANDARD CHANGES: https://www.harvelboxers.com/1902-1904.html

In 1904 the AKC registered it’s first Boxer, however the breed did not become popular till the 1950’s and the evidence of this becomes quite clear when viewing a timeline of the breeds evolution. From the moment the Boxer went from a local working dog to a registered show dog it started to change. This change was pushed into overdrive when the dogs became popular in the AKC.

I have also posted 2 pedigree’s of the early dogs showing how breeders inbred the dogs to get these extreme traits in the boxer breed.
The sad thing is many people dislike the boxer face (me included)…but the original boxer had a beautiful head with a lovely topline with good muscle.

With all the known health problems and the face many people have grown to despise…

Can we really say this is a success?
If not then who is to blame?
Who do you trust when it comes to responsible breeding? Breeders who stay true to breed type? Or breeders who breed hyper type dogs for personal recognition in the show ring?