The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word POOCHES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
O
O
C
H
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Boxers, for example" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case boxers, for example = pooches.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does POOCHES mean?
POOCHES noun- A dog.
- A dog of mixed breed; a mongrel.
- A bulge, an enlarged part
- A distended or swelled condition.