Behavioral Differences?

[Hanna Banana]

For those who have Euros & UK  (and those who dont).

Do you find compared to the american bred dogs that there is a difference in their temperment compared with the imports - like their drive or they are more eager to please?  Easier to train??

Or is that all just a myth about the "working" dogs compared to the americans.  I know a boxer is a boxer, but I know the imports are geared (and bred) more for the "working" drive and just wondered if anyone noticed the difference ?  or is it all a falacy?

[Bugsys Mom]

Good question Heather.  I was always under the impression that the Euro bred Boxers were bred more for Schutzhund because if the difference in the eith prey drive and temperment.

[Newcastle]

My personal experience with UK Boxers is that they are more 'collected' than their North American counterparts, and more stand-off-ish with strangers.  I haven't noticed significant differences as far as training, except that perhaps the better self-control might at times promote faster learning.

I don't have much personal experience with Continental dogs; what I have heard is that, in general, they have a different drive than North American dogs, which makes them not always well-suited for a pet home.  Then again, this is also in large part due to breeding - most of the people that I know with Continental dogs have them specifically for 'work/sport' - Schutzhund and the like - and have obtained them from breeders who are focusing on breeding the drive and temperament that is desirable for that venue.  Continental dogs in the general conformation population may well have very different temperaments; I only know offhand of one here in the US, and I've never met him.

[RocketBoxer]

I haven't had any personal experience with UK boxers but I did grow up in South Africa with boxers, and my family down there still has them today, and most of their lines stem from the UK and some from Europe. However, I don't believe that any of these dogs came from breeders that were breeding them for work/sport (Schutzhund).
From my experience I really haven't noticed any major differences. I have 3 boxers at home and all of them have differing personalities - some more closely aligned with the boxers that I grew up with, and some not.

I have met one boxer that had the most incredible drive and she was USA bred - but I would think that a lot of the breeder's (USA or Euro) who are breeding for work/sport are breeding dogs like this. Other than, in the USA I have seen many differing personalities - some very eager to please, some not, some with strong prey drive, some very distractable, others not so much, some laid back, some wild etc.

I know a boxer is a boxer, but I know the imports are geared (and bred) more for the "working" drive and just wondered if anyone noticed the difference ?  or is it all a falacy?

I believe this to be true of some of the dogs coming from Europe (and even some bred here in the USA) but as far as I am aware the dogs coming from the UK are not bred specifically for working drive. Or am I wrong?

[BranwenBoxers]

My girl is part american and part AU ....  She is a Great family dog , but has a very high pray drive  .  She is is kinda easy to train , but will loose her focus if something else is going on .  She is my ADHD dog    , well that is what I call her sometimes ......   


Good Question Heather !

[Boxermom,K]

Great question! I have found that the UK/Euro boxers do tend to have a higher prey drive and are more "focused". Both of my pups have Euro working lines.