The White Boxer: what the veterinarian thinks

E. On December 27, 2004 and on the address of acquaintances I am going to the veterinary study of Dr. Roberto Biondi I arrive late in the evening, towards closing time, but the doctor is still busy with the last patients. While I wait, I review the photos and pictures, tribute of the customers, who find place in the waiting room: my attention focuses on the portraits of the boxers in which I recognize many samples of today and of the past. I Carpish the voice of the doctor who illustrates to a distracted hunter the diagnosis of his unfortunate dog. From the timbre of voice and from the firmness of the words, I understand that I have found what I seek: a serious and competent person, but above all with very clear ideas! Finally his day of work is over, now it is up to me. Given the hour, I think it is not the case to go long and I go straight to the point. After a short presentation, I start with my questions.

In what areas and for how long has he been in his profession?

I am a specialist in small animals and have been a free veterinary profession for over thirty years. I have a history of communal veterinarian and currently I am ASl Manager, Animal Health Area and I am interested in urban hygiene. Although at amateur level I raise yorkshire, I call myself a boxerist. I am very well known in this environment for personalized conchectomy surgery.

When did you get close to the boxer?

My passion for dogs develops with the Portuguese perdiguero but from the seventies, thanks to the friendship with some Livornian breeders, I begin to approach with greater interest to the boxers. I remember with pleasure the comrade Marrico Rivarola, Ivo Archibusacci (Allevamento La Gorgona) and Ivano Gambacciani (Allevamento dell.Alto Fondale). The latter now devotes himself to the pinschers but at the time had a 26th female Faliva, Lola, and his breeding was born from a descendant of dogs of the war period.

Your first boxer?

I took my first boxer in 1979, King, a white male. In the seventies until the mid-eighties, in Livorno there were many white boxers, about 30 percent. Later I had four other females, obviously always and only white. The last is Randa who is three years old and was given to me by a Lucca kennel. Before this there was Vela who made me company from 1990 to 1999 and who was a really exceptional bitch.

You often hear that white boxers are sick or carriers of genetics. What do you think?

I have seen about four hundred white boxers: never seen deaf or with skin sensitivity or with particular predisposition to allergies, eczema and the like. Instead, I have found more cases of pyodermitis in the Fullivans than in the tiger or in the white.

L.Italian Boxer Club, has been actively committed for months to release the ENCI pedigree to white boxers. What do you think of this initiative?

I appreciate your effort and as a boxer, I can only be happy with this news.

Probably l.ENCI will release such certificates with the words "not suitable for reproduction." What do you think about the possibility of using white boxers in the breeding?

I think there is no problem. I have produced three litters using white fattrics and I have not found any problem in the puppies. The problems of the boxer are quite other than the color; one could consider the possibility of having whites reproduce as long as they are subjected to the proper controls, for example by submitting them to the tests of ecodoLmer, dysplasia and spondylosis. To discriminate only on the basis of color, means to disperse the genetic heritage and to discard subjects that for health, beauty and character could improve the race.

The interview ends here; I thank the Doctor for the time he has spent with me and leave him with the promise to come back and greet him as soon as possible. He told me more than I hoped. I was not wrong: he is a person with very clear ideas.

Further details on Boxer White visiting the dedicated section on the site .