Sport: Now It’s Boxers

In the early ’20s, it was German shepherd dogs. Then came wire-haired fox terriers (1928-36), then cocker spaniels (1937-45). Last week, at dogdom’s No. 1 indoor spectacle, the Westminster Show in Manhattan’s Madison Square garden, another dog was having its day—the boxer.

Boxers, 139 strong, outnumbered every breed. Kennels specializing in the square-rigged, pug-ugly German dogs are selling them as fast as they breed them.

The boxer’s biggest asset is a boisterous personality. He looks like a cross between a Great Dane and a bulldog, weighs about 70 pounds, makes a lot of noise. A thoroughbred pup sells for about $150; full-grown, he eats about eleven pounds of horse meat a week. Though he looks like a troublemaker, he is generally regarded as “good with children.” Just what causes trends in dog buying is a question that kennelmen answer by asking another: “Why do women wear funny hats?”

The biggest feuding at the Westminster show was between the advocates of two prize boxers. White-pawed Warlord of Mazelaine had met Gentleman Jim of Ryetop twice before; each had won a decision. This time Warlord won easily, despite his one fault—lighter than usual bird-dog eyes. He went on to be chosen best in the working-dog group (over the collie, Doberman, Great Pyrenees). As far as the crowd was concerned, the dog he had to beat was a striking, woolly-haired Afghan, best of the hound group. The four other finalists: a Boston terrier, an English setter, a Pekingese, a wire-haired fox terrier. Judge William Prescott Wolcott, however, picked sassy, six-year-old wire-haired Champion Model Rhythm. It was victory No. 26 for terriers in the last 40 Westminster shows; and the boos almost drowned out the applause. But even with Warlord’s defeat, the boxer fans went away confident that the future was theirs.