His Grace the Duke Has Inspected the Troops and Found Them Adequate
Shoulders squared and chin lifted, a brindle Boxer poses with the unmistakable bearing of a duke who has inspected the troops and found them adequate. His tiger-striped coat gleams in warm shades of brown and black, with a white blaze running up his chest and a dark, wrinkled muzzle. He wears a double-breasted coat of midnight blue velvet with two rows of shiny gold buttons, a heavy golden epaulette on one shoulder, a delicate gold chain draped across the collar and an elegant lace cravat at his throat. A fluted column and green drapery frame him in the shadows.
Double-breasted coats, gold buttons and epaulettes were hallmarks of formal dress in the early nineteenth century, when portraits of officers and nobles emphasized rank through rich fabrics and gleaming details. Boxers make fitting dukes thanks to their powerful, athletic build. Originally bred in Germany, they were used in a variety of working roles and are now beloved family companions known for loyalty and playfulness. They tend to stay puppy-like for years and thrive with daily exercise, structured training and plenty of time with their people. Their short coats need minimal grooming.
Beneath all that velvet and gold, this duke is probably just waiting for someone to throw the ball. Even nobility needs a little playtime. A duke, after all, deserves a good game of fetch.
