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Boxita (Boxer & Akita Mix) Dog Breed Info, Pictures, Traits and Facts

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By Nicole Cosgrove

Boxita (Boxer & Akita Mix)

Height: 23–25 inches
Weight: 65–95 pounds
Lifespan: 10–15 years
Colors: Fawn, white, brindle, black, red, brown, silver; all colors can have markings, including black masks, white markings, and pinto
Suitable for: Active families, those looking for a large and powerful dog with plenty of personality
Temperament: Brave and loyal, energetic and intelligent, fun-loving yet protective

If you’re looking for a large dog breed that’s just a little bit different, then you should consider the Boxita. This hybrid breed is a cross between the Boxer and the Akita. With both breeds being large and powerful dogs with plenty of motivation to watch over and protect their owners, the Boxita is going to share those tendencies.

This is a high-energy breed that will be quite happy with as much exercise as you can throw at them. They’re the perfect choice for active families looking for a loyal and intelligent breed. They’re not for everyone, though. Their large size, protective nature, and high energy needs mean that they need a family who can keep these dogs well-trained and exercised.

As a reasonably new breed, you might not know that much about the Boxita. All that is about to change! Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about this amazing Boxer Akita mix.

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Boxita Puppies

Energy
Trainability
Health
Lifespan
Sociability

We know that Boxita puppies are incredibly cute, so you might find your willpower severely tested if you go to meet a litter of pups. But waiting a little longer to do your research and find out if you can provide everything that a Boxita will need is the right decision.

Boxitas are powerful dogs, with a strong protective instinct that their owner needs to know how to channel positively. This breed is best suited to dog owners with experience socializing and training large breeds. These dogs will also sometimes try to assert themselves with other dogs, especially ones of the same sex. A Boxita owner needs to know that they can handle these situations and monitor their dog closely.

This hybrid breed also has a great deal of energy, so you’ll need to dedicate a fair amount of time to make sure they’re exercised both mentally and physically. Bored Boxitas will often make their own fun, and a dog this size can cause major issues!

3 Little-Known Facts About the Boxita

1. The Akita breed is the star of the movie “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale.”

The Boxita is an extremely loyal breed, but that’s also a trait of their Akita parents. This extreme loyalty was perfectly demonstrated by an Akita called Hachiko. Hachiko used to walk his owner to and from the train station every day. While his owner was at work, Hachiko would patiently wait at the train station for him to return, and then they would walk home together.

One day, when Hachiko was 1.5 years old, his owner died suddenly at work. When he did not arrive home on the train, Hachiko continued to wait loyally at the train station. He waited there for his owner to return for 9 years, 9 months, and 15 days.

Hachiko died at the age of 11, from old age. His remains were cremated and buried next to those of his owner whom he had waited so long to be reunited with. The movie “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” was released in 2009 and is Hollywood’s homage to this faithful pupper.

2. Boxers are an ancient breed.

The Boxer’s history can be traced back to as far as 2,000 B.C. Along with the ancestors of the Bulldog and the Mastiff, they were used as war dogs and protectors. More recently, we know that the Boxer is descended from the larger Bullenbeisser breed that was used for hunting for bears, wild boar, and deer.

By the late 1800s, the Bullenbeisser had been bred into a smaller type, the breed that we now know as the Boxer. Over the years, the breed has excelled at working as service dogs, guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, and other working categories.

3. Boxitas are like a box of chocolates.

If you’ve watched the film “Forrest Gump,” you’ll know what line comes next. It’s true: with a Boxita, “you never know what you’re gonna get.” Because this is a relatively new hybrid breed developed from crossing two pedigree dogs, there are more variabilities when it comes to predicting the temperament and appearance of the puppies.

Generally, where characteristics overlap between both breeds, the puppies are highly likely to inherit the same characteristics. So, like their parents, Boxita puppies are going to be large, intelligent, and energetic and have a strong instinct for protecting their families.

It’s harder to predict things like their coat color and type, as there’s more variation between the breeds. Your pup could end up with the coloring of a Boxer and the thick double coat of the Akita, or vice versa. They could also end up with a mixture of the two.

The only way to ensure that you’ll be the right family for a Boxita pup is to make sure you like both the parent breeds equally. If you know that you could happily live with either a Boxer or an Akita, as well as be able to provide everything each breed needs in terms of exercise, training, and so on, then you should be able to meet any of the Boxita’s needs with ease.

Parent Breeds of the Boxita
Image Credit: Jumpstory

Temperament & Intelligence of the Boxita 🧠

The Boxita is an attractive and smart dog, but their strong guarding instincts can overshadow some of their other traits. While the strong personality and large size of the Boxita won’t suit everyone, they certainly have plenty of wonderful characteristics to make them a great choice for the right person.

They are loving and loyal to their families; in fact, you’ll often be privileged enough to see a sweet and soft side to these dogs that they won’t necessarily show to a stranger. These pups will naturally want to protect you and your home, so effective socialization as soon as they’re born will help your Boxita grow up knowing when it’s okay to guard and when they should relax.

Boxitas need an above-average amount of exercise to keep them feeling content. It’s best if this consists of a blend of physical and mental activities to keep both their bodies and brains in the best of health. Remember that a Boxita has the potential to become aggressive with other dogs, especially those of the same sex. This is something that you as an owner need to take seriously and be fully prepared for. While your puppy may end up being good-natured, Boxita owners still need to be confident enough to handle a large dog.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🏡

Boxitas can make great family pets as long as everyone is confident in dealing with a large dog with plenty of energy and personality. They’re not the best match for families with very young or old members, simply because their large size and bulky bodies can mean that they might knock someone over when they’re full of energy and excitement.

They make a great choice for families with older kids who would love playing games with them in the backyard, although these dogs may be a bit too strong for young teens to walk on their own. You might need to enlist all family members to help make sure these dogs get enough exercise!

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets? 🐶 😽

The answer to this will depend on the personality of both your Boxita and your other pets. If your Boxita has inherited the strong prey drive of their Akita parent, then you’ll need to be extremely cautious when it comes to introducing your dog to cats and rodents.

Take your time to keep introductions short to start with, and make sure each animal has a safe spot in the house that they can retreat to if they need it. Never leave your Boxita unattended with smaller pets.

Keeping a Boxita in a house with other dogs can be difficult because they don’t always get along with other dogs, especially those of the same sex. Introducing a Boxita puppy to an older dog of a different sex will often work, but you may encounter problems as your Boxita matures.

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Things to Know When Owning a Boxita

Owning any dog breed is a significant commitment in terms of the time and money that you’ll need. The Boxita is one of the more high-maintenance breeds in terms of the amount of energy that you’ll need to put into keeping them well-exercised and trained. So, before you make your decision, there are a few more things to know.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

The Boxita should be fed a diet designed specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of large breeds.

It’s recommended to feed a diet dog food to adult Akitas over the age of 7, to help protect against kidney disease, which they are prone to. You might want to speak to your veterinarian about whether this is something you should consider for your Boxita as well.

Boxitas can easily pile on the pounds if they’re not getting enough exercise or too much food. So, make sure to steer clear of the fatty table scraps, and remember to account for any treats used in training when calculating your dog’s daily ration.

Exercise 🐕

Boxitas need plenty of exercise, so you’ll need to set aside at least 90 minutes per day for this. It’s best to split their walks into two or three per day, as well as allow your Boxita to spend time playing in the backyard.

The Boxita can escape from insecurely fenced areas, especially if they spot local wildlife that they feel like chasing. It’s also best to keep your Boxita on a leash when on walks. They can be aggressive toward other dogs, so you need to stay alert to that possibility.

Training 🦮

Mental exercise is just as important as physical exercise for the Boxita. They need correct training from the start, and an experienced breeder will begin the process of training and socializing the puppies before they even leave for new homes.

Signing up for puppy classes is a good way to make sure you keep this training up, as well as helping you work out the best techniques for these large and somewhat headstrong dogs. Boxitas can come across as stubborn, and if they aren’t interested in what you’re trying to teach them, they will quickly switch off.

Spending time training your Boxita to accept having visitors to your home is also important if you don’t want them to become overly protective.

Grooming ✂️

The amount of grooming that you’ll need to do will depend on what kind of coat your Boxita inherits. Most Boxitas seem more likely to inherit the short and smooth coat of their Boxer parent, and if that’s the case for your pup, then a weekly groom is all they’ll need to keep their coat in good condition.

They may also inherit a thicker double coat from their Akita parent, which will also need a weekly brush but will shed twice a year. At this point, prepare for your house to be full of clumps of hair. Daily brushing will be needed until the coat is fully shed.

You’ll also need to keep an eye on your dog’s nails, teeth, and ears to make sure everything is clean and free from infections.

Health Conditions ❤️

Hybrid breeds like the Boxita are usually healthier than their purebred cousins, but that doesn’t mean they’re always going to have a completely clean bill of health. Certain conditions can still affect this breed.

Minor Conditions
  • Bloat
  • Heat and cold intolerance
  • Arthritis
Serious Conditions
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Elbow dysplasia
  • Heart conditions
  • Cancer
  • Thyroid conditions
  • Eye disorders

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Male vs Female

Perhaps you’ve now decided that the Boxita is the perfect breed for you. But the question is, would you choose a male or female dog? Usually, we recommend waiting to meet the puppies before deciding, but with this breed, there are a few extra considerations.

Male Boxitas can mature to weigh up to 95 pounds and are extremely powerful. While they’re gentle in the home and with their families, they won’t hesitate to switch into protection mode if they perceive a threat. Remember, their definition of a threat may be different from yours! Female Boxitas are smaller and sometimes easier to handle.

All Boxitas have the potential of taking a dislike to another dog, but if you’re out on a walk, this is easier to manage with a smaller female dog. You need to be sure that anyone who will be walking your Boxita can cope if the dog suddenly sees another dog and decides to investigate. Can your teenager who wants to take the dog for a walk handle that situation?

With good socialization and training, these scenarios can certainly be reduced, but it’s important to remember male Boxitas are going to be extremely strong.

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Final Thoughts

You might have fallen in love with the looks of this breed, and they’re certainly striking and handsome dogs.

But the flip side of the coin is that they need way more than your average dog in terms of the amount of time and energy that you’ll need to spend. And your food bill is going to be quite big!

These dogs are devoted and dedicated to their families and need careful socialization and training, so make sure you can communicate with and control this large breed. But if you’re looking for an active family dog who also wants to loyally watch over their humans, the Boxita is going to tick all those boxes.

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Featured Image Credit: hannahsnyder, Shutterstock

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