Boxer Colours and Markings
An introduction to Boxer base colours, white markings and the genetic combinations behind solid, flashy and white Boxers.
The Boxer has two base colours: fawn and brindle. Both base colours can occur in different shades and variations.
Fawn can be deep red, but it can also tend towards yellow or greyish tones. The base colour is still fawn and the dog will be registered as fawn.
A brindle base colour can show the same variation, from deep mahogany shades with stripes to more yellow or greyish shades with stripes. The amount of brindling can vary: there may be a moderate amount of stripes, so many closely spaced stripes that the Boxer appears almost black, or so few that the Boxer appears fawn with only scattered stripes. All are still brindle in base colour and are registered as brindle.
The Boxer's markings are white, and there are three variants:
- Solid (genetic code SS), where only very small white markings are seen on the chest, on the tips of the toes and possibly a small blaze on the head.
- Coloured with white, “flashy” (genetic code Ssw), where white markings do not cover more than one third of the fawn or brindle base colour.
- “White” (genetic code swsw), where white markings cover more than one third of the base colour and the Boxer therefore appears white.
These are ONLY markings. The fawn or brindle base colour is always underneath; it is simply not always visible to the eye.
The “white Boxer” is therefore not a different colour variety from the fawn or brindle Boxer, nor is it a different breed. It is a fawn or brindle Boxer with extensive white markings.
