Boxer Husky Mix Breed: The Boxsky Guide

Want to know the single word that sums up the reason why people prefer purebreds over cross breeds or mutts?

Prestige.

While they may not be as prestigious as purebreds, mixed breeds have their own advantages. The beauty of having a crossbreed pet is the uniqueness they offer. This is especially true for designer breeds that have opposite characteristics, like the boxer husky mix.

Born from a boxer and Siberian husky, the “boxsky” is considered a marvelous canine for dog breeders and pet owners alike.

Before birth, it can be difficult to predict what this crossbreed will look like or be like in terms of temperament and trainability. But that is exactly what makes boxskies a great choice for pet owners.

Boxer Husky Mix Key Characteristics

• Adaptability: 60%
• Affection Level: 80%
• Apartment Friendly: 40%
• Barking Tendencies: 60%
• Cat Friendly: 20%
• Child Friendly: 80%
• Dog Friendly: 60%
• Exercise Need: 100%
• Grooming Needs: 80%
• Health Issues: 80%
• Intelligence: 100%
• Playfulness: 100%

Husky Boxer Mix Breed Highlights

• A boxsky is a crossbreed born to boxer and Siberian husky pure breeds. It has unique characteristics that can rarely be guessed because of the contrasting traits of its lineage.
• Boxers emerged from Germany in the 19th century as hunting dogs while Siberian huskies were introduced by the Chukchi tribe in northeast Asia 3,000 years ago as sled-pulling canines.
• Boxer Husky mix breeds are trainable and very smart dogs. They are loyal like their boxer parent and are smart and energetic because of their husky bloodline.
• This crossbreed is not recommended for new pet owners because of their stubbornness and independence.
• As offspring to two energetic breeds, boxskies require tons of exercise and physical activities and should be kept on a leash always.
• Boxskies are expected to bark less than other crossbreeds, but they are quite vocal. They growl or howl, depending on which parent they take their temperament from.
• A mature boxsky eats an average of 3 cups of dry dog food or $50-worth in a day. They also like to eat meat, fiber-rich cereals, and fruits.
• Boxskies should not be fed people foods and drinks such as alcohol, coffee, chocolate, grapes and raisins, citrus fruits, Macadamia nuts, salty foods, and desserts that contain Xylitol.
• The most common health concern boxskies face is hip dysplasia. Other rarer conditions include progressive retinal atrophy, cataract, and congenital heart ailments.
• Boxskies aren’t hypoallergenic pets because of their excessive shedding. These crossbreeds require regular daily brushing.
• Teeth, ears, and nails of a boxsky should be maintained, but it doesn’t need to be bathed every day.
• A boxsky’s puppy litter size will depend on its size, health, age, and diet. Since it is a big dog, it may have a maximum of 8 puppies on a single litter.
• Boxsky puppies are sold at an average of $800 to $1,000, same as its Siberian husky parent.
• Boxskies are a great alternative to pet owners who want a boxer guard dog but cannot afford its $1,000 to $1,500 price tag.
• Boxskies aren’t recognized by the American Kennel Club but it is registered with the acknowledged by the Dog Registry of America, Inc. (DRA).

[responsive_video type=’youtube’ hide_related=’1′ hide_logo=’0′ hide_controls=’0′ hide_title=’0′ hide_fullscreen=’0′ autoplay=’0′]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3csmnzm1hU[/responsive_video]

Boxer Husky Mix Appearance

Like other mixed breeds, understanding the boxsky requires deeper knowledge about its parent breeds. This means going through the purebreds’ characteristics one by one.

Appearance-wise, breeders take on a significant amount of guessing before the boxer-husky cross pups are born. Since boxers and huskies are quite opposites in terms of their looks, there is an equal chance of the pups taking after either parents or even both.

Boxers are known as dogs that are “brachycephalic”—a term used for canines with a squashed face like bulldogs and pugs. They have saggy ears and droopy eyes. Its short, straight coat usually has a tan or fawn color, which is sometimes highlighted by a black mask or white flashing.

It is a large breed of dog, with males reaching roughly 24 inches and females at 22 inches tall. It weighs between 50 and 80 pounds, depending on several factors that include its gender.

Meanwhile, Siberian Huskies are slightly smaller, with a height range of 21 to 23 inches and a weight of 35 to 50 pounds. This sled-pulling canine sports a medium-length double coat with a wide variety of color combinations and a pair of upright ears akin to that of a wolf.

Taking these physical traits into account, you should expect your Boxer Husky mix to have a medium length coat that may vary in color, particularly white, black, or fawn. Interestingly, its fur often has a dense feel to it and repels moisture, much like its husky parent.

The color of its eyes also depends on which parent it takes more on—the husky’s blue or the boxer’s brown. However, it is important to note that most boxskies have brown eyes.

Its ears can either be floppy like a boxer’s or erect as with its Siberian husky parent. It can even be a combination of both— floppy during its early years only to become erect later as it grows to full maturity.

The bottom line is that it will all depend on the boxsky’s genetic makeup.

As for its size, boxskies are big dogs because its parents are relatively huge. It can have a standing height of 20 to 35 inches on average and weigh 35 to 75 pounds.

You should also understand that the environment the puppies grow up in as well as the quality of nourishment they get play significant roles in determining how big they grow into.

Boxer and Husky Mix Breed History

Like other mixed breeds, the exact origins of the boxer husky mix cannot be pinpointed precisely. Even so, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to the history of this crossbreed’s parents.

As purebreds, both the Siberian husky and boxer have histories that were accounted based on both official and unofficial records. Read on to learn more.

Boxer Breed

The boxer’s first appearance can be traced to Germany. In the 19th century, boxers were developed from a hunting dog known as “Bullenbeisser,” a large canine that was utilized to track and take down wild preys like wild boars, bears, and deer.

The boxers later became a well-known working dog that was employed as canine help in slaughterhouses. At the time, they were called “boxl.”

People became interested in the dogs’ unique manner of playing which eventually became the root of its breed name. With its forepaws, the canine looked so much like a human boxer during sparring.

After World War I, boxers arrived in the United States where it rose as the most popular working dog. They were also the first breed of dogs to be trained and employed as police canine partners.

Despite its rough and tough background, boxer dogs have also become popular as a family pet. In fact, many pet owners noted its particularly high fondness of children.

In 1904, the American Kenner Club officially recognized the boxer as an official purebred canine.

More than two decades later, the AKC acknowledged yet another hyperactive and loyal working dog in its growing list of purebred canines—the Siberian husky.

Siberian Husky Breed

Before it got its official recognition in 1930, the Siberian husky had been traced back to the Chukchi tribe in northeast Asia more than three millennia ago. At the time, these densely coated dogs known to be born from a line of spitz ancestry helped humans pull the sled up snowy mountains.

Because of the breed’s agility and impeccable endurance, huskies became one of the most famous sled-pulling dogs in the world. In fact, it made its public debut during the Alaskan Gold Rush in the late 1800s, where the Chukchi tribe introduced them during sled dog races.

At the time, Huskies performed quite admirably and were later renowned for their speed and stamina despite their relatively small frame compared to Alaskan Malamutes, another sled-pulling dog.

This breed’s popularity in sled racing became even more pronounced after one team overcame 340 miles of difficult terrain through a snowstorm. They were even featured in stories and movies such as “Balto” as hero dogs and received recognition from all over the world.

Now, Siberian Huskies are famous as family pets while still pulling sleds as well as skis in snowy mountains. They have also built a reputation as the go-to breeds if you like dogs with piercing blue eyes and a howl that sometimes sounds like human speech.

Boxer Husky Mix Trainability

The short answer is “yes.” But, like most other questions that have the same answer, there’s more to it than that.

Boxskies are born from two very active and energetic breeds which is why you may need to double your effort in training them. Because of its husky lineage, these crossbreeds can be very stubborn at times. This is the reason why they should be kept on a leash all the time.

It also may also seem like the boxsky has a mind of its own, with ideas that may not go well with what you want. Because of this, it is important to start training this dog as early as possible.

As an outgoing crossbreed, boxskies also require tons of exercise—about 14 miles of walk per week or 70 to 80 minutes of physical activity daily to be precise.

Also, it is highly recommended that you let your boxsky play in a fenced area which has enough space to blow off steam while keeping the canine within limited grounds.

This will help you avoid unnecessary destruction in your home, garden, or even neighbor’s properties while providing his much-needed exercise without needing to bring him for a walk every single day.

Because of its overly active personality, boxskies are not recommended if you are a first-time dog owner. If you still want to get a boxsky, make sure to read about its temperament first.

Siberian Husky Boxer Mix Temperament

Aside from looking quite different from each other, the boxer and Siberian husky also have different temperaments that you should look out for when raising a Boxer Husky mix puppy.

Siberian Huskies are smart but quite tenacious to the point that you may see them seeking independence. Even so, they still thirst for human affection and company.

With this confusing combination, Huskies need to have gentle training as early as puppyhood to ensure that they become loyal and obedient pets.

Since they are sled-pulling dogs and are practically bred to run, huskies are also very active and have tons of energy to burn. Because of this, huskies are expected to feel overcome by their love for running rather than the need to obey their owners’ wishes.

On a positive note, these purebred canines are great with dogs and love being around children, especially those that they grew up with. However, they are quite eager to chase other animals, especially cats, chickens, ducks, and other livestock.

Because of their origins, Huskies also tend to dig holes during summer. This is their way to create a cool place they can lie in. They also don’t back but they do howl, like the wolves they take their looks from.

Contrary to Siberian Huskies’ howling, boxers either bark or growl. However, both breeds are quite similar in terms of the level of noise they produce. While Huskies simply don’t bark, boxers don’t bark without reason.

Since they are loyal, intelligent, and playful dogs, boxers always want to stay with their owners. This is because they want to guard their owners as well as their family and home for dangers that may lurk around.

They are good with other animals that they grew up with but may chase those that aren’t. They are particularly notorious for chasing other dogs in the neighborhood.

When combined, these two purebred canines produce an exceptional offspring in the Boxer Husky mix that is super energetic and hyperactive. It is vocal but is also quite reliable as a guard dog due to its boxer bloodline. It is smart, curious, and independent like its husky parent.

Boxer Husky Mix Diet

Since the boxer husky mix is a relatively big dog, it requires more calories than smaller ones. On average, it can consume as much as 3 cups of dry dog food per day which sums up to about $50 monthly.

It also likes to eat real meat, particularly pork and lamb. It can also be fed vegetable-based meals like fibrous cereals and even fruits.

Of course, like any other dog, you should avoid feeding your boxsky people food that can have a different effect on canines, including:

• alcohol, which has adverse effects like diarrhea, vomiting, and difficulty breathing;
• citrus fruits, which contains citric acid that can cause indigestion;
• caffeine-containing foods and drinks like chocolate and coffee that can cause seizures, tremors, hyperactivity, and excessive urination in dogs;
• grapes and raisins which are both toxic to canines of any breed;
• salty snacks that cause excessive thirst and sodium poisoning;
• macadamia nuts that may result in dog depression, hypothermia, and tremors; and
• foods sweetened with Xylitol which causes an excessive release of insulin in the dog’s body, resulting in hypoglycemia.

Health

Boxer-Siberian husky mixed breeds have a lifespan of 8 to 10 years, with proper care and nutrition. While this may be several years short compared to its purebred parents (10 to 12 years for boxers and 12 to 15 years for huskies), boxskies are very healthy dogs.

In fact, they don’t have too many major health concerns recorded so far, with hip dysplasia being the only major medical issue based on reports from boxsky owners.

Still, there are several medical conditions that occur in these crossbreeds occasionally, including:

• progressive retinal atrophy, a condition characterized by a malfunctioning retina that fails to reflect, absorb, and perceive light and cause blindness;
• cataracts, or the increased opacity in the dog’s eye lens that lead to blurry vision; and congenital heart defects
• characterized by malformation of chambers, valves, or great vessels in a dog’s heart.

Regular check-ups are necessary to keep your Boxer Husky mix healthy. In most occasions, your veterinarian may require tests to make sure that your pet is safe from any of these ailments, including physical examinations, radiographs, optical tests, and an angiocardiogram.

Grooming

Caring for a boxsky also entails knowing about its proper grooming. Daily brushing is required for this breed because of its excessive shedding.

If you have allergies or asthma, it may be best to choose a different breed of dog as the boxsky often experiences coat blowouts that may trigger allergic episodes and can worsen your condition.

One of the tools you would need to maintain this dog’s fur is a rubber curry brush for removing dead hair. You may also opt to use a slicker brush, a regular comb, and the ol’ reliable deshedder for when the boxsky’s shedding is at its peak.

On a more positive note, this breed doesn’t drool too much so you won’t have to bathe it every day. You just need to keep its teeth healthy by brushing it twice or thrice a week.

You should also regularly monitor your dog’s ears for potential wax buildup, which can be easily avoided by keeping his ears dry after a swim or bath.

Boxer Husky Mix Puppies

If you’re looking to breed your boxsky, it is important that you know all about this crossbreed’s pregnancy and puppy litter size. To determine this, we must first discuss its parents.

For boxers, the average puppy litter size is roughly around 5 to 8 pups. However, one purebred in California broke the world record in 2014 by giving birth to as many as 14 little canines in a single litter. Unfortunately, one of them died upon birth while the other was sick.

Siberian husky dams, on the other hand, give birth to about 4 to 6 puppies in one litter.

It is important to note that these numbers may change depending on several factors, including the dam’s age, health, physical size, and diet.

Size

The different breeds of dogs are created in a way that they will only produce the number of puppies that their body can handle. This means that a small dog, like Pomeranians and toy poodles, will only have a small litter while bigger dogs, like Bullmastiffs, can have as many as 13 pups in a single litter.

Health

While there is a number range set for puppy litters based on the breed’s size, breeders still have a chance to maximize it by caring for their dams until they are in the best shape possible.

This means that a boxer breeder who wishes to get the most of the dam’s pregnancy should keep it healthy. Fatter dams also have less chance of reaching the maximum number of puppies in one litter, so it is best to keep the female dog slim prior to mating.

Age

The age of the dam, as well as the stud, also plays a role in the size of the puppy litter. The general rule is that dogs that are below 5 years old tend to produce more pups than those that are older. However, the female dog’s age has a bigger effect on the puppy litter compared to the male one.

Diet

It has been revealed in a study that well-fed dams produce more puppies. Aside from a sufficient supply of high-quality dog food, the dams that produced the biggest litter were also given cottage cheese and meat.

Price

One boxsky puppy can cost anywhere between $800 and $1,000 in the U.S. That is the same price range as a Siberian husky but a lower one compared to a purebred boxer, which is pegged at $1,000 to $1,500 per pup.

On top of that, you’ll have to spend some $600 annually for their food, based on a boxer husky mix breed’s average consumption as mentioned earlier.

As for medical fees, you should need a lot less money for raising a boxsky, but make sure to consider all the potential tests needed to ensure that your pet is safe from even the rare medical conditions they may have.

Boxer Husky Mix Breed Organizations

Unlike its purebred parents, the boxer-Siberian husky crossbreed still awaits its official recognition from the AKC. However, this canine has already been acknowledged by the Dog Registry of America, Inc. (DRA).

Conclusion

Prestige aside, the fact remains that the Boxer Husky mix is immensely popular among families and public safety and security industries alike. If you consider this breed’s lineage, it shouldn’t be hard to decide to go through with the adoption as it is an animal that’s incredibly loyal to its owner.

As man’s best friend is most popular for, boxskies are very reliable companions to guard your people you love most against danger. This level of commitment is a gem, so you should cherish it while you can.

I would take loyalty and friendship these crossbreeds can offer over the prestige their purebred parents have any day. Would you?