A Catahoula Boxer is a mix of many dog breeds. However, its immediate parents are the Catahoula leopard dog and the Boxer. I will tell you some features of their parents so you can easily identify a Catahoula Boxer mix. Note that the puppy’s appearance, behavior, and health are determined by the parent’s dominant gene.
For example, healthy Catahoulas and Boxers weigh about 65 to 90 pounds. Therefore the Catahoula Boxer mix will weigh just as much. In addition, the parent dogs shed light to moderate hair year-round. Therefore, you may notice shedding on a Catahoula Boxer mix. If you take good care of the crossbreed dog, it can live up to 12 years.
I have given you a further description of a Catahoula Boxer mix in the next section. This article will help you distinguish a Catahoula Boxer mix from other resembling dog breeds. You will also learn how to care for a Catahoula Boxer mix. It is a beautiful, energetic dog that will get along with family and pets if you start socializing it from puppyhood.
What is a Catahoula boxer?
A Catahoula Boxer is a crossbreed descending from a Catahoula and a Boxer dog. They usually have white markings, dropped ears, and tight-fitting skin.
The dog is of a medium to large size and weighs between 65 and 90 pounds. It is an extremely energetic, and athletic dog breed requiring significant mental and physical stimulation.
Catahoula Boxer’s coat is short and slightly coarse. Like its parents, the crossbreed will shed its hair throughout the year. The frequency of shedding depends on the weather, the parent’s genes, or health issues.
I don’t recommend them for an apartment. A Catahoula Boxer mix needs a lot of space to walk, run, and play. However, caring for the dog is pretty simple.
Take the dog for regular walks in the dog park or on the beach. That also allows the Catahoula Boxer to interact with strangers and calm its anxiety. If you train the dog properly from an early age, it will get smart, independent, and fun-loving.
Catahoula leopard dogs have an instinct for hunting and herding and Boxer dogs are guard dogs. Therefore, Mixing the two dog breeds means you will get an energetic and extremely powerful Catahoula Boxer. If you don’t give it adequate space to release its pent-up energy, a Catahoula Boxer mix can become destructive. The dog can dig and bite clothes or books everywhere in your house.
Catahoula and boxer mix info
Here is some in-depth info about a Catahoula and a Boxer crossbreed:
1. Breed information
The crossbreed between a Catahoula leopard dog and a Boxer dog is called a Catahoula Boxer. The dog mix might have occurred through accidental breeding. Genetic mapping reveals that Catahoula Boxers originated from the Southern United States.
A female Boxer will crossbreed with a Catahoula to give birth to seven Catahoula Boxer puppies in two months. However, a female Catahoula leopard dog crossbreeds with a male Boxer and gives birth to about 10 puppies.
It is a medium to large dog that shares many similarities with its parents. The head, mouth, and nose of the Catahoula Boxer resemble that of Boxer dogs. The coat and hair color looks like that of Catahoula leopard dogs.
Genetic results also show that Catahoula Boxers have some wolf traits, which brings us to the dog’s diet. A Catahoula Boxer mix likes raw food to give it the wolf experience. Other highest-rated dog foods for a Catahoula Boxer include Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo Freedom, and Merrick Grain-Free Dry Food.
You can shop for a Catahoula Boxer or adopt one from the rescue. It is always good to adopt. If you opt for adoption, consider the dog’s health, exercise needs, shedding, and the extra family responsibilities that come with it.
2. Size
As I said earlier, a Catahoula Boxer mix is a medium to large-sized dog. They vary in size but will reach between 51cm and 63 cm tall and weigh about 40 to 80 pounds. They have extended chests like a purebred Boxer dog.
You can estimate your puppy’s weight for next year by dividing its weight in pounds by its age at 16 weeks and multiplying the result by 52 weeks.
Since they will grow to medium and big sizes, use their 16th week birthday as the predictor for their adult size. 52 is the number of weeks in a year.
Despite its size, the crossbreed is a rather friendly dog when trained properly. Let’s look at the dog’s temperament and family friendliness below.
3. Temperament and family friendliness
The Catahoula Boxer mix has a strong protective instinct. It will not be friendly to strangers or other pets unless you socialize or train them in their early life. But generally, a Catahoula Boxer is friendly and will always try to herd you and your loved ones. They make excellent guard dogs.
A Catahoula Boxer is agile, energetic, and loyal. Like Catahoula leopard dogs, the crossbreed is very loving with family members. They earn their reputation by being very patient and protective of children.
However, a Catahoula Boxer is not as intelligent. You can train it good habits and socialization skills, but it will learn slowly.
Although training the dog takes a lot of effort, it is worth it because once they are used to a routine, Catahoula Boxers will stick to it.
Always introduce Catahoula boxer mix to strangers gradually. If the person will stay with you much longer, feed your dog next to the stranger, then alongside the stranger, and then let the stranger start feeding your dog.
4. Color and appearance
The Catahoula Boxer mix has white markings and tight-fitting skin. The dog has a single coat that is quite coarse but not very rough.
Although their Catahoula leopard parent has striking eye colors, the crossbreed rarely does unless the eye color is part of the parent’s dominant gene. In that case, a Catahoula Boxer mix might have amber, blue, brown, or green eyes on one or both eyes.
Another identifiable characteristic of the Catahoula Boxer is their ears, mouths, and faces. First, the ears are dropped, and the dog’s head and mouth closely resemble that of a purebred Boxer dog.
Most importantly, they are not hypoallergenic dogs. Catahoula Boxers will occasionally lick and bite their coat, leaving allergens that could endanger the life of anyone allergic to dog dander and saliva. That is because Catahoula mix will shed hair throughout the year.
I will tell you how to deal with Catahoula Boxer mix shedding in the general care info.
5. Lifespan
The correct care will give a Catahoula Boxer mix an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. The dog’s lifespan is dependent on the health of the puppy. That is why it is essential to examine the puppy’s parents before taking the Catahoula Boxer home.
If the puppy’s parents appear sickly and malnourished, leave and look for a Catahoula Boxer elsewhere. Petfinder is a great place to start. They have rescued several dogs, treated them against common dog infections, and fed them appropriately.
Therefore, Catahoula Boxers adopted from Petfinder have higher chances of reaching ten years and above. However, that does not mean you will not treat your dog forever. A Catahoula Boxer is prone to certain health issues that can lower its life expectancy if left untreated.
6. Health issues
The most common health issue the Catahoula Boxer faces is hip dysplasia. It occurs when there is a non-uniform growth of the dog’s hip bones. The first signs of hip dysplasia in Catahoula Boxers are decreased range of motion and difficulty running, jumping, or climbing.
Another significant health issue you should be aware of is Degenerative Myelopathy. The white matter in the dog’s spinal cord is lost, gradually paralyzing a Catahoula Boxer. The first signs are weakness and loss of coordination of the dog’s hind limbs.
General care info
Here are some ways to care for a Catahoula Boxer mix:
- Take your dog to the veterinary once a year or whenever it shows signs of sickness
- Have a one or two-month parasite control routine with dewormers and sprays
- Brush the dog’s hair once or twice a week to remove dead hair and keep their coat shiny
- Bathe a Catahoula Boxer mix 3 to 4 times a year or whenever they are dirty, dusty, and muddy
- Feed them high-quality dog food and raw food to give them the wolf experience
- Adequate physical and mental stimulation through exercise and training
References
Texas A&M University. (2022). Time for a summer cut? Tips for warm weather dog grooming. Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical SciencesThe American Kennel C. (2022). Boxer: Bright / Fun-Loving / Active. AKC