Bang Away

Bang Away is the "enigma with a stigma" in the Boxer World.

On the one hand he was a transformational dog, especially for the American Boxer World: he was the pioneer of the "flashy", taller, more elegant Boxer so loved in on the show circuit, as well as in our homes, today.

However, though he took the breed to new levels of popularity in the USA , the combination of his prolific production of Champions (he sired 81) and the inbreeding practices of the day (the era before the 1980s), led to considerable negative implications for the Boxer breed.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Though some remedial action has been taken since, the 1970s and 1980s mark a "ebb" in the Boxer developmental tide, with regards to health and temperment. This period of 'setback' (or perhaps better phrased as a "slow-down") in breed development is due to a massive inbreeding program amongst a substantial proportion (with few notable and noble exceptions)of the Breeder establishment.

Since the early 1950's, it had been largely Bang Away's genes that were being "inbred".

The genetic problem grew exponentially, as each of the hundreds (thousands?)pups sired by this Canine Casanova were at risk of becoming owned by a kennel willing to practice less than farsighted breeding policies.

For example, Salgray Kennels owned a full kennel of near generation Bang Away progeny- and through their breeding program, basically dominated the show circuit in the 1960s and 1970s. One of the more blatant examples of this program was the breeding of a brother and sister (Bang Away decendants) to produce another champion, "Millan's Fashion Hint".

Dr. Theresa Garton has written a very interesting opinion on Bang Away's progeny.

The Good Stuff

Enough of the gloom and doom. Let's turn to why so many breeders WERE trying to replicate this superstar in the first place.

Although he wasn't the first Boxer to win the BiS at Westminster (that honor goes to Warlord of Mazelaine in 1947-see below) no single dog has had a greater impact on its breed than Bang Away.

For example:

to the left and center is Warlord and Zazarac Brandy of Mazelaine Kennels. Warlord was the first Boxer BiS at Westminster and the oldest of the group. While, Brandy was Bang Bang's main competition in the ring, at the time.

Bang Away is on the right. Not only is he noticeably taller than his companions, but his lines are much more graceful, and of course he is far more flashy. Prior to Bang Away, the Boxer 'standard' typically featured stockier and plainer dogs.

Bang Away presented a nobler look while simultaneously projecting, perhaps, a "softer touch" that is more in line with the Boxer's true playful and befriending personality.

The extent of 'Bang Bang's' break with the past can be seen in the somewhat conflicting quotes by Fr. Stockmann (the German propreitor of Vom Dom Kennels and exporter to the US of 3 of the 4 'founding sires' of the breed there, read more here (to do!)).

Fr. Stockmann spotted 'Bang Bang' when he was just four months old. She was judging his first show. Not only did she award the pup, but she famously said (something to the effect of), "One day this will be the most important Boxer in America".

However, later and perhaps in consolation for her close friends and Boxer proteges, the Wagners (owners of Mazeline Boxers), Fr. Stockmann wrote to them, "You know I like Bang Away, but I like Brandy more (Zacarac Brandy of Mazeline), because of him being more Boxer." (See: Winter-Churchill) In fact a common line about Bang Bang at the time amongst the Boxer crowd was, "He's not a Boxer, but he's is going to do a lot of winning".

It is interesting that Fr.Stockmann actually considered Bang Bang's gracefulness and unusual (for the day)litheness as somewhat effeminate, calling him 'bitchy' in one letter, and suggesting such dogs are generally poor sires.

Bang Away, either proved Fr. Stockmann wrong on the proloctivity issue, or proved that times had changed, or both.

It was probably exactly, 'Bang Bang's' relative grace, smootheness and perceived greater gentleness that greatly helped bring the breed out of the ring and into the American home.

To me (and I am no branding strategist), I even think the name "Bang Away" provides much 'smoother' market approach than that of the previous Boxer to win the Westminster BiS: Warlord of Mazeline.

Probably, through Bang Away's apperances, the uninitated got a glimpse of the real Boxer.

Pop Star

For obvious reasons, such an exemplar specimen of the breed "stole the show" when in the ring. Sometimes quite literally in fact: in one of the 8 shows Bang Away didn't win, the crowd actually rioted in support of the dog.

Chairs and bottles were thrown and the judge had to be escorted out of the auditorium by security for his own safety. He was later found to have been bribed and was kicked out of the AKC.

'Bang Bang' notched 121 BiS in his relatively short career. A record that still stands amongst Boxers and was a record for all breeds until relatively recently.

When he retired he received a steak dinner at the Savoy in his honor. If the American Boxer Club has ever before or since, bestowed such an honor, we are unaware of it.

But besides all the adoration lavished upon him from within the Boxer community, Bang Bang received at least as much attention from the public at large.

He was a true ambassador of the breed, and, according to contemporary observers, he seemed to bask in the spot light.

Not only was he featured in all major dog publications, but also in such general readership periodicals as , Life, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Time and Colliers covered his life and times.

Conclusion

To conclude, we go back to our "Enigma with a Stigma" quote from our first paragraph.

In fact, the dog was an enigma, and the stigma was provided by the breeders who were so understandably enamoured with "the specimin" that they were willing to go to any extreme of inbreeding in attempt to replicate him.

It seems in the last 20 to 30 years, industry self-regulation and an overall higher level of basic genetics understanding, has pulled the Boxer breed back from a dangerous precipice.

Yet, and I am not a breeder, there still appears to be areas, both 'grey' as well as 'black and white', where either show performance or the bottom-line, or both, appear to play a greater role in some breeder's strategies than does the long-term preservation of the breed.

This, in my mind, is tragic- as one need only do a 3 minute search of "Genetically Predisposed Diseases Dogs" to realise that the Boxer is probably the most prone of the recognised breeds.

No doubt, at least some of this susceptibility can be laid directly at the feet of the post-Bang Bang (not Big Bang!) era.

But pointing over our shoulders, does no real good.

Applying the lessons of the past will.

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