AboutJennifer Walker Expertise I can answer questions on breeding and genetics, including coat colors and white markings; breed-specific issues; general health and genetic disease; nutrition and raw diet; behavior and training; conformation showing; and basic obedience and agility competition.
Experience I have owned Boxers for over a decade; I bred my first litter (which produced my first AKC Champion) nine years ago; I am an officer of my local Boxer Club and a Committee Member and Committee Chair of the American Boxer Club; I answer all e-mail inquiries from the American Boxer Club website; I moderate several Boxer-related message forums and mailing lists, and administrate one of each, as well as actively participating on many others.
Organizations Michigan Boxer Club
American Boxer Club
American Boxer Charitable Foundation
Midwest Boxer Health Alliance
Publications The Boxer Ring
Boxer Champions - 1988-2004
Education/Credentials I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Michigan State University; since graduation I have taken online seminars on nutrition, breeding, and health.
Question I have a 9 month old boxer. He is fawn with a white spot on his chest, white back toes and a black mask. A few days ago I noticed he is getting long black very coarse black hairs (just like his whiskers) on both his front shoulders. It also looks like his white spot on his chest is growing in brown. Is this at all normal? He has a velvety coat, is it going to grow in coarse like whiskers?
Answer Pigment does continue to migrate as a puppy ages, so that may be what's happening. If he's a darker fawn color, a few black or black-tipped hairs aren't unusual - I have a fawn myself with some black hairs on the front of her shoulders (where they join the upper arm) - but they're basically the same length and texture as the rest of the coat. It could be that he's in the process of losing his puppy coat and the rest of his hair will grow in a little more coarse - though I haven't seen an adult Boxer with a coat quite as coarse as the whiskers.
