Do Boxers Shed Lots?

Boxers are smart, athletic, loyal dogs and are among the most popular breeds in America. According to the American Kennel Club, over the years, they’ve been used as police dogs, war dogs, watchdogs, and even guide dogs.

They do shed, though.

Boxers have short, single coats that shed a moderate to high amount throughout most of the year. Except during spring when, as with most dogs, the shedding tends to increase. They’re fairly easy to groom though, a quick brush once or twice per week with a bristle brush or rubber brush is normally enough to maintain their coat and limit how much fur they drop.

Read on to learn more about how much Boxers molt and what they’re like to groom, so that you have a better idea on what to expect before adopting.

Boxer Shedding

Boxers are a moderate-to-high shedding breed.

Many people think that short-coated dogs, or dogs with a single layer of fur, don’t shed much. But that’s simply not the case.

There are plenty of high-shedding dogs with short coats, like Dalmatians and Great Danes, for example. So it’s actually a myth that short-coated dogs don’t shed, the length of a dog’s coat doesn’t determine how much they molt. It just tends to make the fur they drop less noticeable than longer-haired dogs.

Also, even though they are single-coated dogs, meaning they don’t have an undercoat, they still molt more heavily during seasonal changes. So you may notice an uptick in shedding during seasons like spring and fall. But not as much as breeds like the Malamute for example, because they don’t have a thick, woolly undercoat.

Sometimes, however, excessive amounts of fur loss can be caused by things underlying health issues (like allergies or hormonal imbalances for example) or things such as fleas, irritated skin, or poor diet. So if you are noticing heavy shedding and you don’t think it is normal, then it may be worth contacting a qualified veterinarian.

Either way, if you adopt a Boxer, you will notice some hairs around the home because shedding is normal among healthy Boxers. And managing it isn’t difficult given how low maintenance their coat is. Brushing once or twice a week will go a long way in limiting how much of the fur ends up on your floors and furniture.

Grooming Your Boxer

Boxers are very easy to groom, only minimal effort is required.

This is thanks to their short, smooth, single coat. Brushing once or twice per week with a firm bristle brush or rubber brush is all that is needed to maintain their coat and this will help limit the shedding. Or at least, how much of their fur ends up in your home.

A bristle brush is just a regular dog brush that is made up of either hard, medium or soft bristles, and a rubber brush is a term used to describe a brush with rubber on the ends instead of bristles. This is also known as a curry comb or curry brush, and can also come in the form of a hand mitt.

Related: Different Types of Dog Grooming Brushes Compared

Either brush is fine and works well on dogs with short coats as the Boxer has. And not only can this help limit the amount of fur he drops, but also helps to spread his coat oils, which in turn promotes a healthier, moisture-rich coat.

What about bathing?

Boxers are fairly clean dogs, and don’t tend to have much of a doggy odor, so only occasional bathing is needed. It is tempting tp bath more often, since this can help remove a lot of excess fur, but over bathing can cause dryness and irritation in the skin, which can actually increase the shedding.

So it’s important not to over bath him, and when you do bath, use a good quality dog shampoo that doesn’t dry out his coat.

Can You Stop the Shedding?

You can’t stop a Boxer from shedding. All dogs with hair shed at least some of it. Shedding (or molting) is a natural process whereby your dog is simply dropping his older hairs to make way for the new batch. More specifically, it has to do with the hair growth cycle.

So you can’t stop molting. But you can manage it and limit how much of the fur ends up gathering around the home. And this mostly comes down to proper grooming and diet.

We’ve already spent some time discussing the grooming aspect. Brushing a couple times a week should be enough, and this won’t take very long given how easy his coat is to care for. However, some people prefer to use a de-shedding brush during shedding season, as these can be very effective at removing the dead fur.

Related: 13 Ways to Stop Excessive Dog Shedding

When it comes to diet, speak with your vet about selecting the best possible dog food for your Boxer. A high-quality dog food, that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and things like Omega-3, can not only improve his overall health and wellbeing but also help with shedding.

Firstly because it can help eliminate any excessive shedding caused by a diet that isn’t optimal. And second, a healthy, well-balanced diet can improve his skin and coat. Which in turn can lead to stronger hair follicles and less shedding overall.

There’s no “magic” dog food that will stop the shedding. Nor are there any supplements that will eliminate the problem either. But with proper diet and grooming, you can manage it and keep your home as fur-free as possible. The key is consistency.

Bottom Line

Boxers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States and other countries like Canada and Australia, and it’s not hard to see why. They’re smart, active, and playful but also versatile enough to be used as highly capable working dogs.

And even though you probably will notice some fur around the home, managing it is fairly straightforward. And they have a very low-maintenance coat, so brushing isn’t a chore.

However, if you’re looking for a low-shedding breed or one that is less likely to upset your allergies, there are some great alternative breeds.

Like the Boxerdoodle, for example, which is a mix between a Boxer and Poodle (low shedding breed). Just keep in mind that, even though Boxerdoodles shed less, their coat is higher maintenance.

Or if you’re looking for a low shedding, low maintenance dog, then breeds like the Basenji and Boston Terrier are great examples of this.