White Boxer Dogs
What the color is, how it is bred, and what it means for you.
A white Boxer dog is a fawn or brindle Boxer whose white markings have spread across most of the coat. White Boxer puppies are purebred, they are not albinos, and they are far from rare; they can turn up in any litter where both parents carry the white spotting gene.
They also bring a few things to settle before you choose one: a higher risk of deafness, pink skin that can burn, and no place in the conformation ring. None of that stops a white Boxer from being a fine family dog. It does mean checking a few things first, starting with a hearing test.
Our past litters have included white and check puppies, like the ones in our photos.
Looking for a Puppy? See Our Other Colors
We have no white puppies right now. Our fawn and brindle puppies are ready to go home, or tell us what you are hoping for and we will keep you posted.
What Makes a Boxer White?
Boxer white comes from the white spotting gene, often called the piebald gene, which researchers have pinned to a pigment gene known as MITF. It affects how far pigment cells spread through the skin before birth. A Boxer with one copy of the white version gets the familiar flashy chest and feet; a Boxer with two copies gets white over most of the body.
Underneath, the dog is still genetically fawn or brindle, which is why many white Boxers keep a fawn or brindle patch on the head or body. The standard draws the line at one third: past that, the dog counts as white. White Boxers with bigger patches are often called checks, covered on the black and white and check Boxer page.
Are White Boxers Albino?
No. Albinism is a separate condition in which the body makes little or no pigment at all. A white Boxer makes pigment normally; the white spotting gene simply leaves large areas of skin without pigment cells. Most white Boxers have brown eyes, and many have dark skin on parts of the nose, lips or eye rims, plus a colored patch or two. Pink noses and pink eye rims do occur, and they are worth protecting from the sun.
Are White Boxers Deaf?
Most are not, but the risk is real. The genes that produce white are linked to congenital deafness in dogs, and the American Boxer Club estimates that 18 percent of white Boxers are deaf in one or both ears. Deafness of this kind develops in the first weeks of life and is permanent.
A puppy deaf in only one ear behaves like a hearing puppy. The veterinary deafness research team at Louisiana State University notes that one-sided deafness cannot be picked up without a proper test, so clapping behind a puppy proves very little. The test is the BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response), which checks each ear separately and usually needs no sedation. Before you settle on a white puppy, a BAER test is worth having, whether the breeder arranges it or your own vet does. The guide to Boxer health problems covers the breed's other main health issues.
Can White Boxers Be Registered or Shown?
They can be registered. White has its own code in the AKC's list of Boxer colors, marked as outside the standard. They cannot be shown in conformation: the standard disqualifies any Boxer whose white markings total more than one third of the coat.
The American Boxer Club's Code of Ethics bars its members from giving full registration to white puppies or breeding from white dogs, so a white puppy from a club member comes with limited registration at most. Limited registration means a dog's offspring cannot be registered. Outside the breed ring, the club is clear that white Boxers are equal to colored ones as obedience, agility, therapy and service dogs, and as companions.
Why Do Two Flashy Boxers Have White Puppies?
A flashy Boxer carries one solid copy of the white spotting gene and one white copy. Each parent passes on one copy at random, so when two flashy dogs are bred, some puppies can inherit the white copy from both sides. On average that works out to about one puppy in four, though any single litter can have more or none.
| Parents | Puppies to expect |
|---|---|
| Plain and plain | Plain |
| Plain and flashy | Plain or flashy, no white puppies |
| Flashy and flashy | Plain, flashy or white |
Other genes shift the amount of white a little, so a plain dog may have a small white chest patch and flashy dogs vary in how bold they are.
Do White Boxers Get Sunburned?
Yes. The American Boxer Club lists sunburn as one of the realities of a white coat, because the skin under white hair is usually pink and unprotected. The nose, ear tips and belly, where the hair is thin, are most exposed. Keep a white Boxer in shade during the strongest sun, and ask your vet about a dog-safe sunscreen for long days outdoors. Redness, flaking or crusting on pale skin is worth showing to a vet.
What Is a White Boxer Like to Live With?
A white Boxer's markings are settled at birth. Colored patches stay put and may look a little smaller as the puppy grows into its frame. Day to day, white shows every muddy paw and grass stain, and white hairs cling to dark clothes, so a weekly brush and a damp cloth after walks go a long way. If a puppy turns out to be deaf, it can still learn well: hand signals, a vibrating collar and a fenced yard are common tools.
For how white compares with fawn, brindle and the rest, see the Boxer colors guide. When we have a white puppy, it will be listed on the available puppies page.
White Boxer Questions
Is a white Boxer a purebred Boxer?
Yes. White Boxers are born to purebred fawn and brindle parents and are genetically fawn or brindle themselves. White is simply the far end of the breed's range of white markings.
Are white Boxers rare?
No. White puppies appear regularly in litters where both parents are flashy. The American Boxer Club estimates that about 20 to 25 percent of all Boxers are born mostly white.
Do blue eyes mean a white Boxer is deaf?
Not by themselves. Louisiana State University's deafness research notes that blue eyes are not, on their own, a sign of deafness, though in some breeds blue-eyed dogs are statistically more likely to be deaf. Only a BAER test answers the question.
Do white Boxers have more health problems?
Hearing and sun sensitivity are the two issues tied to the color. Beyond those, a white Boxer faces the same breed health questions as a fawn or brindle.
Can a deaf white Boxer be a good pet?
Yes, with an owner prepared to train with hand signals and keep the dog leashed or fenced, since it cannot hear a recall or traffic. Many deaf dogs live full, ordinary lives.
Hoping for a White Boxer?
Tell us what you are looking for and we will let you know when a puppy like that is ready.