Grooming a boxer requires a very little effort. Boxers are catlike in their desire to be clean. They will spend long minutes carefully licking off dirt and dust from their paws. However, it’s a good idea to spend some time grooming your dog, either every day or every week. It helps you monitor his health and well-being. Boxers love the attention and the chance to be with you, and they usually love the soft feel of the brush.

Those few minutes become quality time between the two of you.You’ll learn to appreciate his good condition. He’ll learn to listen better and bond more closely with you. Try giving him vigorous exercise before the grooming session. A Boxer full of energy and eager to get out for a walk finds it hard to hold still.

The Boxer’s coat is short and has a Teflon-like quality that repels dirt. He has no undercoat. Sometimes Boxers are advertised as “non-shedding” but that’s not true. Those very short hairs will shed, but you generally only see the white ones, and then only when you give your dog a good hug whole wearing a dark sweater.

Keep a towel by the door so you can ask him to wait and sit while you clean his muddy feet. You’ll be amazed at the amount of dirt even a small Boxer foot can hold. Boxer lovers are constantly sweeping up, but it’s a small price to pay for their lovely company.

Introducing Your Boxer To Grooming

If you start to familiarize your puppy with grooming procedures from his first days in your house, you won’t have any problems. He’ll know what you’re doing and love it. However, if you decide to skip this step, you’ll find you have a big adult Boxer who is frightened of being put on a table and will struggle and whine to get free. You’ll also have trouble getting him to stand still for an examination at the veterinarian’s office. Therefore, don’t skip this step!

From the first day, put him up on a table, hold him there, and talk to him. Run your hands over his body. He’ll wonder why he has to be up there and may be scared of the height. But he will easily get over it if you stroke him and give him some high quality treats, like cheese or meat. At first, keep him there just for a minute, then put him down. He’ll feel relieved. Do it again the next day. It will take about three days to get him comfortable with being up on the table.

Next, introduce him to the brush. Show it to him and let him sniff it. Gently let it touch his body so he knows what it feels like. Over the next day, show him all the things you plan to use on him: flea comb, cotton swabs, towels, and nail clippers. Letting him examine the grooming items first will build his trust.

If he seems scared of anything you show him, pull it back a little so it’s further from him. The idea is, “You’re afraid of this brush? Okay, I’ll move it away. Are you afraid of it if it’s a few inches away from you? Yes? Okay, I’ll move it to the end of the table. Now you are not afraid of it. Here, eat this treat while you think about it.”

Work in baby steps to desensitize him from being afraid. Every time you use a tool on him, respect him by showing it to him. If he’s afraid, move it away and work in baby steps to bring it back. Again, this is an exercise in building trust.

When he’s fine with being on the table, have him sit while you go over him, and then stand. Use this time to gently handle his feet. Dogs don’t like having their feet touched, so you’ll need to spend a little time on it. Work in baby steps, touching his feet for only a second at first. Then work up to three seconds, then five, and longer.

The face is next. At first, no Boxer likes his face fooled with. But it’s important for him to get used to this. Use your fingers to gently touch and rub his skull, cheeks, and muzzle. Practice this when the two of you are relaxing and watching television. Get him to see that having his head handled is normal, and even pleasant.

The teeth will take patience on your part. Dogs find it shocking that you want to look in their mouths. The first step is to rub meat on one finger and slip the finger under his jowls until you can touch his teeth. He won’t allow this at first. You’ll have to get him used to touching the edge of his lip and then a quick little rub in his mouth with your finger, working up to letting you lift his lip and look at his teeth.

A grooming table – a heavy metal table with a nonslip surface – is a great tool for grooming training. It makes it easy to put your Boxer at eye level so you can examine him. A metal arm can be attached with a noose to hold him still, which is useful when cutting his nails. Grooming tables can be purchased at any pet stores or from kennel suppliers online. If you don’t have a grooming table, you can also use a sturdy, stable table for this purpose.