Box-Terrier Care

The Box-Terrier (BT), sometimes simply called the Brazil Dog, is a hybrid of a Boxer and a Bull Terrier--which makes these crossbreeds, athletic, strong, enthusiastic, and protective. Overall Box-Terrier care and maintenance will take a moderate amount of work, and will need to include daily exercise and some early training and socialization.

Below you'll find details on caring for a Box-Terrier including puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. For answers to your questions about raising a Box-Terrier, read on!

These hybrids are athletic and strong, so Box-Terrier exercise requirements are pretty high. Breed members will need a variety of activities that both condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports). They also make good jogging and bicycling companions, and they'll benefit from weight-pulling sessions as well.

The typical adult Box-Terrier will need at least an hour of proper exercise each day. You can start exercising your BT puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.

Precautions with Box-Terrier exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're 10 months old
• A leash is required when exercising in public
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Possible separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people
• Prone to gastric torsion (bloat); no exercising for an hour before or after eating

Exercising your BT every day is a must. These dogs are active and athletic, and without consistent activity they'll become frustrated, highly destructive, and even aggressive. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Box-Terrier exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Tug-of-War: Great indoor activity; use a rope or old tire
• Canine Sports: Box-Terriers can excel at agility trials and cart pulling
• Weight Pulling: Attach a rope to a heavy object like a spare tire, and the other end to a harness for the dog

When indoors, give your Box-Terrier ball and toys to let the dog burn energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule, such as walks or jogs in the morning and evening and playtime in the afternoon.

These hybrids will need moderate maintenance overall. Box-Terrier shedding is fair year-round, but drooling is only a minor issue.

BTs have short, smooth coats that shed regularly, though the shedding isn't really heavy. Owners will need to brush their BTs 2-3 times per week with a bristle brush to remove dead hairs; clanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be needed sometimes, but won't be a constant chore.

And a Box-Terrier might drool a bit in anticipation of food, after drinking water, or when especially excited or nervous--but the drooling won't be heavy or frequent like that of a Saint Bernard or Bloodhound. If your Box-Terrier is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Box-Terrier diet will need to include animal proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health. This means the best Brazil Dog food is premium dry kibble, as it has balance portions of the above-listed ingredients.

Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, and Taste of the Wild are three recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium food.

The typical adult Box-Terrier will need about 3½ cups of food per day, divided into two meals. BT puppies will need less: depending on age, about 2½ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months old.

(NOTE: This crossbreed is prone to bloat, an often-fatal condition in which a dog's stomach fills with excess air when it "wolfs" its food--so don't feed the dog an hour before or after exercising.)

For more info, see this feeding chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by mixing the two food types for a week.

If possible, try and stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these dogs will become overweight--and a fat Box-Terrier will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. Help control your BT's weight by having consistent feeding schedules, by not giving the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Box-Terrier is overweight, give the dog this test: run a hand along its side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise.