white boxer puppies

Question
My question is how can you tell from a boxer puppy that they are blind or deaf?  Does it happen in time? Or do the blue eyes mean anything when they are young?  Thanks so much...

Answer
If a Boxer is going to be deaf, you'll know by 7 weeks.  A BAER hearing test is the only definitive method however, there are things at home you can do to be relatively sure.

Keep the puppy's attention focused on someone else.  Rattle keys behind him to see if he startles.  You can keep him in another room (supervised) and bang pots together in the kitchen...see if he reacts.  Almost all puppies are interested in exploring sources of noise...if there is no reaction, chances are they are either unilaterally (one ear) or bilaterally (both ears) deaf.  Be careful, if doing home tests, to not do anything near the puppy that could cause a vibration.  This is why it's a good idea to do something in the next room.  Deafies are very sensitive to vibration and will react.

Deafness does not happen over time...save old age hearing loss.  If they're deaf, they will be, again, by about 7 weeks.

The white gene does not carry with it the trait for blindness.  That white Boxers are at greater risk for being blind is not factual.  If you have a blind puppy, it would have nothing whatsoever to do with his coat color.

Blindness can happen over time, though, due to health issues.  Loss of site due to age is a possibility as it is with any breed.

Blue eyes have nothing at all to do with site or the lack of.  Some white Boxers are born with blue eyes, some with brown and some with one of each.