Boxer Dog FoodBoxer Dog Food, what we have learned....
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In spite of the Boxer dog's athlethicism and and seemingly endless supply of energy, the Boxer is, in fact, quite a sensitive breed, susceptible to a number of genetic diseases (for which diet can do little to prevent) as well as aquired disorders. In fact, it is that very "always on" energy level that may well add to some of the Boxer's health problems. But before we get into breed-specific food issues, lets look at some general principles that apply to most mid to large sized breeds. General Dog Food PrinciplesMeat and Fish
The most basic principle of dog diet, is that he is a carnivour, or meat eater.The pet food industry has spent millions of dollars trying to convince us that our pets need a 'balanced diet'(because grains are cheaper than meat) when in fact dogs would live best eating only a diverse diet of fresh, raw, meat. However,it is also a misconception that dogs in their natural state would eat only meat, because in reality wolves, for example, consume a considerable amount of undigested plant material when they devour their prey.
Experts vary on what proportion of the dogs' food should be vegetable in a raw meat diet. But certainly, the ratio of fruits and vegetable should not excede 30% and is probably optimal at about 20% to 25%,
Some animal nutritionists suggest dogs can live quite healthily off table scraps as well. However, this is only true for those rare families where the people of the household eat a consistent, balanced, and relatively high protein, high meat, diet. It is our opinion that what is healthy for the dog isn't always healthy for the master (or vice-versa)! 
We recommend you utilise a mix of all three feeding methods:1) Using the guidelines described below, and bearing in mind that a dogs natural diet is mostly meat with some fruits and veggies, select a good kibble as a base. 2) Nightly, mix some of dinner's boneless left-overs into his kibble. Occaisionally throw in whatever RAW veggies your dog likes (tomatoes, potatos, finely cut celery, whatever) 3) Two or three nights a week, mix 4 to 8 ounces of RAW, liver, beef, chicken or tuna fish into his kibble as a 'special treat'. (Hint: Raw beef cubes make EXCELLENT and healthy training aids, if you can stand walking around with them.) In our opinion, this method covers all the bases. In the worst case the dog is getting a well balanced kibble, while in the best case he is getting an affordable, balanced diet that is closely mimicking his natural tendencies. We handle raw diet recipes elsewhere, so for the rest of this page we will focus on selcting a good, commercial dog food, and in particular, a good boxer dog food. Dogs don't need grain!Not only are dogs (and particularly boxers) susceptible to allergies for many types of grains, their digestive systems aren't set up to metabolise the stuff.Whatever grain content you buy in that bag of kibble, soon winds up fertilising your garden. Wheat and soya are especially non-digestable and known causes of allergies in dogs. There is an ongoing debate about corn. Some experts claim that if it is prepared and ground properly it is highly digestable. If that is true, corn can provide an important sources of anti-oxidants, especially vitamin E and Beta-Carotene. These are important for boxers, since they are prone to cancer. However, if corn is listed higher than 5th as an ingredient on an ingredient list, it is probably providing too much of the protein source of the kibble. If it is in the top three, the food should be avoided. Since Corn has also been known to cause allergies, we try to to avoid it too, as a general rule. Some foods are using rice, now too. If so brown is better than white rice, which offers little nutritional value. Rice and some cooked chicken is a good bland meal for a dog with a tummy ache, but not really ideal for daily consumption. Plus, rice also causes allergies in some dogs too.
They are usually only found in the high end foods, though. In general, we prefer to see the 25% to 30% of the kibble that isn't meat or fish, made of whole vegetables or fruits. PreservativesSimply put, preservatives are carcinogenic, and Boxers are susceptible to cancer.Artifical colors and flavouring, ditto. And in their case they are useless from a nutritional standpoint- so their presence is an automatic ground for rejection, in our book. Concerning preservatives...Here are four of the most dangerous:
-BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) -BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) -ethoxyquin -propylene glycol Presence of these means automatic rejection as far as your pet's food is concerned! According to BoxerWorld.Com (one of our favorite sites) although Citric Acid is a natural preservative, it 'dramatically increases the risk of bloat if the Boxer dog food is moistened before feeding.' BoxerWorld also recommends going for foods preserved with tocopherols. We agree, but we would take things a step further, suggesting foods using specifically 'd-alpha-tocopherols'- as these are a natural source of Vitamin E. In general, there a number of natural preservatives that are actually either vitamins or natural anti-oxcidants. Dog Foods containing apples, for instance are also providing a natural source of vitamin C, which is a preservative. This goes for most fruits. The spice Rosemary, is a shrub that provides anti-oxidant as well as preservative qualities. In summary, there are enough safe preservative alternatives out there to not have to risk using foods with the "big 4" carcinogens listed above. Bear in mind,however, that while synthetic preservatives are dangerous, they do their job well. That is, they do preserve food for a long time, much longer than vitamins and natural anti-oxidents. So when going the natural route be sure to buy smaller quantities, and be prepared to make more trips to the store. It is worth the inconvenience. Boxer Specific Dietary ConcernsHere are some dietary tips relevant specifically to Boxer dog food and conditions or concerns Boxers are pre-disposed to:Heart: for Boxers with diagnosed heart problems veterinarians will normally recommend low sodiumn foods. For heart problem prevention, look for Boxer dog food with sources of
Taurine
and
L-Carnitine.
Antioxidants : especially Vitamin E and beta-carotene to support your dog's immune system and help prevent cancer.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate to help maintain joint and cartilage health. Natural Fish Oil: Natural fish oil provides Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. It is important that the oil is fish, as vegetable oils in Boxer Dog Food are not easily assimilated. Here in Hungary we have found Orijen to be the best brand for us. We alternate from the "Adult" (pictured) to the "Red" to the " 6 Fish" to maintain a balance. Unless they are very hungry we have found Boxers to be quite fussy about eating the stuff. Ours especially doesn't care for the fish. The stuff isn't cheap either.Only Natural Pet Store But if so mix in some simply cooked minced pork or tuna, they will usually gobble the stuff up, twice a day. (Note, we are in no way affiliated with Orijen, it is just the best kibble we have been able locate, locally, here in Hungary)PS.... if you by from the picture link below, you help support BPFS too! (besides this is cheapest deal we could find for this food too!).
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We have attempted, for our own and our best friends' sake to do a study into the best foods specifically for the Boxer breed.
Additionally, canines in the wild eat minimal amounts of grasses, fruits and nuts directly.
That said, a 50 to 60lb dog should consume about a pound of raw meat per day. Frankly, that can get quite expensive, even for a single dog owner. For multiple dog owners, let alone kennels, the cost becomes quickly prohibitive.
The best type of "filler" (and safest from an allergy standpoint) are potatoes, in our opinion. They offer some nutrition, and if they are less than third on the ingredient list, the correct amount and type of carbohydrates.
