3 Possible Colors
The Boxer is a very interesting breed in regard to color. Some breeds can have over 15 color combinations. The Boxer has Only 3 Possible Main Colors:
The majority of Boxer dogs will be fawn or brindle with endless options of marking placement. We will discuss the meaning of Fawn and Brindle as it can be quite a range of colors on this dog breed. Not sure what color your Boxer is? Let's dive in a bit further and find out!
- Fawn
- Brindle
- White - Sometimes with colored patches, also know as a "Check" Boxer. White is recognized, yet not standard.
- Black mask
- Black mask, white markings
- White markings
- Brindle
- Fawn markings
The majority of Boxer dogs will be fawn or brindle with endless options of marking placement. We will discuss the meaning of Fawn and Brindle as it can be quite a range of colors on this dog breed. Not sure what color your Boxer is? Let's dive in a bit further and find out!
Now, there are also 5 types of markings that a Boxer dog can have. But, he or she actually does not need to have any of those markings.
If an SS Boxer is pairs with a flashy Ssw, puppies have a 50% chance of holding markings. If 2 flashy Boxers (Ssw) are bred together, the resulting litter will be puppies with markings, unless genes skip a generation to bring in the white coloring.
When people talk of a fawn or brindle Boxer, they are usually actually talking about a fawn or brindle Boxer with white markings and a black mask. While this is a common color combination, it is not the only combination for this breed.
Therefore, if your Boxer is just fawn or brindle, he does not need to have any of the white markings. He would just be considered to be fawn or brindle Boxer. Not all Boxers have white markings. These are known as plain Boxers, but the term is misleading, as it refers to the genes at work.
Puppies often change in color and markings as they grow. However, if a Boxer puppy was a fawn or brindle without any white, that dog would be registered with the AKC as a Fawn or Brindle and the Markings Section would not be checked off.
- Boxers without white markings carry the SS gene, known as the plain gene.
- Those with white markings carry the Ssw gene, known as the flashy gene.
If an SS Boxer is pairs with a flashy Ssw, puppies have a 50% chance of holding markings. If 2 flashy Boxers (Ssw) are bred together, the resulting litter will be puppies with markings, unless genes skip a generation to bring in the white coloring.
When people talk of a fawn or brindle Boxer, they are usually actually talking about a fawn or brindle Boxer with white markings and a black mask. While this is a common color combination, it is not the only combination for this breed.
Therefore, if your Boxer is just fawn or brindle, he does not need to have any of the white markings. He would just be considered to be fawn or brindle Boxer. Not all Boxers have white markings. These are known as plain Boxers, but the term is misleading, as it refers to the genes at work.
Puppies often change in color and markings as they grow. However, if a Boxer puppy was a fawn or brindle without any white, that dog would be registered with the AKC as a Fawn or Brindle and the Markings Section would not be checked off.
Rare and Unusual Boxer Dog Coloring
Since the Boxer breed can only be found in a handful of colors (unlike some other breeds that can be found in a wide range), there is almost never a question about what color a Boxer puppy or dog is. However, every now and then a unusual color will appear. Such is the case with a golden colored Boxer.
Since the Boxer breed can only be found in a handful of colors (unlike some other breeds that can be found in a wide range), there is almost never a question about what color a Boxer puppy or dog is. However, every now and then a unusual color will appear. Such is the case with a golden colored Boxer.
Since there is not a 'gold' option for coloring on registration forms, this Boxer would be dubbed a fawn.
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Flaxen (3 days old) Her father was a fawn and her mother was a brindle. The other pups in the litter were dark fawn and brindle. She is getting darker as she ages, yet is still a wonderful light golden color.
Normally, if gold is to appear it will be within a brindle coat. If there was golden brindle in the sire's bloodline, it would explain how this Boxer came to have this remarkable light golden coat. If you saw this color on a Beagle, it would be referred to as lemon. And with the white that appears, the dog would be a lemon & white. While fawn itself can range from light to very dark, most often a light fawn Boxer is of a color darker than this gold that you see. |
FAWN
This is a tan color that ranges from light to dark and can have reddish tones to it. It is solid and often described as the color of a deer. Though most think of this hue as being a light brown, it can also be a deeper, burnished red.
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Fawn- What exactly is the color fawn in regard to dogs? This sample is a typical fawn. However, as you will see, fawn is a range of hues.
To the left is a medium fawn she is the standard hue when referring to this terminology. With nice white flash markings on the chest and with black on the muzzle, this Boxer meets color breed standard very well. |
BRINDLE
Brindle Explanation
Brindle (one of the colors of this breed) is actually a pattern. Stripes running through the coat (partial or full) is brindling. These are often black hairs, but may be any color that is a darker shade than the hairs that run under it.
Depending on the exact color of these brindling pattern stripes, one may refer to a Boxer using one of the following terms (listed in order from a very light brindle to a heavy dark striping):
No matter which term above is used to describe the dog, he/she is technically a brindle (registered and shown as such)
Brindle (one of the colors of this breed) is actually a pattern. Stripes running through the coat (partial or full) is brindling. These are often black hairs, but may be any color that is a darker shade than the hairs that run under it.
Depending on the exact color of these brindling pattern stripes, one may refer to a Boxer using one of the following terms (listed in order from a very light brindle to a heavy dark striping):
- Light (super light)
- Golden
- Fawn
- Red
- Mahogany
- Dark
- Reverse
- Seal (very heavy)
No matter which term above is used to describe the dog, he/she is technically a brindle (registered and shown as such)
Brindle - A brindle colored Boxer is much different than a fawn. Brindle is a mixture of colors. There is always a base of tan (again, some Boxers will have a light base, others a dark base) and there will be striping (lines of a dark color crossing through the coat. Usually the overlay is black, but some dogs will have red or dark brown.
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Brindle - What is brindle? Brindle is not technically a color, it is a pattern.
The base is fawn and there is striping. The stripes may be light or dark, and density of the striping can range from thin to thick. Some brindles will look almost fawn and some will appear so dark that they look black. This Boxer shows the standard brindle striping. With white on his chest, paws and ankles and black on the muzzle, this Boxer also meets breed standards perfectly. |
A full white Boxer is not as rare as some think. About 1 in 4 Boxers are white or mostly white.
Although not recognized as breed standard to some dog clubs; a white Boxer is truly beautiful. However, sadly is prone to deafness. |
There are some Boxers that appear to be black. However, a solid black coat is not indicative of the breed.
So, how can this be? Markings and patterns can cause a black-like coat. There is a lot of talk about black Boxers dogs; some potential puppy buyers will actively seek out this colored puppy, but their searching is in vain. |
It may be hard to believe it when you see photos, but black boxers do not exist – the color gene responsible for black coat color does not exist within the breed. If you “see” a black Boxer, if that dog is a purebred Boxer, he or she must be a very dark brindle.
Brindle is a pattern of color, it is a striping effect. With most brindle Boxers, the dark stripes are clearly over a fawn background. However, with Boxer dogs that appear to have a black coat, this is due to super heavy reserve brindling. In fact, it can be so dark and so thick, that you cannot see any fawn beneath it. This gives the dog a very dark coat that does indeed appear to be black.
Brindle is a pattern of color, it is a striping effect. With most brindle Boxers, the dark stripes are clearly over a fawn background. However, with Boxer dogs that appear to have a black coat, this is due to super heavy reserve brindling. In fact, it can be so dark and so thick, that you cannot see any fawn beneath it. This gives the dog a very dark coat that does indeed appear to be black.
SO, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BOXER? fawn (which can range from a light, tan to a darker reddish tone) or brindle which is a striping pattern of tans and blacks. The black striping can be thin and well spaced apart (showing lots of tan - again any solid shade from light tan to a darker shade with red tones) or it can be very thick (often referred to as reverse brindling or in extreme cases, seal.