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Boerboel

intelligent / confident / calm
Working Group >>

Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.

Height

24-27 inches (male)

22-25 inches (female)

Weight

150-200 pounds

Life Expectancy

9-11 years

Breed Traits & Characteristics

Affectionate With Family
  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    80% 80%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    40% 40%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

Affectionate With Family

  • Independent Lovey-Dovey
    100% 100%

How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.

Good With Young Children

  • Not Recommended Good With Children
    80% 80%
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.

GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS

  • Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
    40% 40%
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.

Shedding Level

  • No Shedding Hair Everywhere
    60% 60%
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.

Coat Grooming Frequency

  • Monthly Daily
    40% 40%
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.

Drooling Level

  • Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
    60% 60%
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.

Coat Type

Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.

Coat Length

Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.

Openness To Strangers

  • Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
    60% 60%
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!

Playfulness Level

  • Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
    60% 60%
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.

Watchdog/Protective Nature

  • What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
    100% 100%
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.

Adaptability Level

  • Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
    60% 60%
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.

Trainability Level

  • Self-Willed Eager to Please
    80% 80%
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!

Energy Level

  • Couch Potato High Energy
    60% 60%
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.

Barking Level

  • Only To Alert Very Vocal
    60% 60%
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.

Mental Stimulation Needs

  • Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
    80% 80%
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.

About the Breed

Protecting distant South African homesteads from vicious predators is where the Boerboels learned their craft as imposing yet discriminating defenders of house and family. They are strong and self-assured, intelligent, and ready to learn. This sleek-coated avenger, who may reach as tall as 27 inches at the shoulder and weigh as much as you do, has a no-frills, no-nonsense air about him. It is clear from its big, blocky head, strong jaws, and thick muscles from the neck to the rump that it is a member of the ancient’molloser’ dog family, which served as the ancestor of the modern mastiff-type breeds. The Boerboel may be the most nimble breed of mastiff when moving. The powerful Boerboel is committed to safeguarding the people and places he cares about. Early socialization and training are essential to prevent a pup from developing into a domineering adult. This breed is adaptable and trainable, and it loves to be around the people it loves. A Boerboel, however, can be far too much dog for a new owner to handle.

What To Expect When Caring For a Boerboel

Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.

Health

The Boerboel is normally a healthy breed and a professional breeder will test breeding stock for diseases like heart disease, ectropion, and entropion, two illnesses that affect the eyelids. Other diseases that may be detected include elbow and hip dysplasia. Like all breeds, a Boerboel requires regular ear checks and frequent brushing of the teeth.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
  • Hip Evaluation
  • Elbow Evaluation
  • Cardiac Evaluation

Grooming

The Boerboel sheds only slightly through its short, dense coat. To keep the dog looking his best, brush him once a week using a soft-bristle brush, a rubber grooming mitt, or a hound glove. A thorough brushing also encourages the growth of new hair and helps to maintain the quality of the coat by distributing skin oils throughout it. Boerboels only occasionally require a bath. Like all breeds, the Boerboel should have its nails cut periodically since they can become painful and interfere with its ability to run and walk.

Exercise

The powerful, athletic Boerboel needs daily exercise, such as lengthy leash walks or playtime with his owner in a securely fenced yard. Along with physical activity, boerboels require mental stimulation and relationship with their owners. They won't take kindly to challenges from other dogs, so staying away from dog parks is advised. The Boerboel should never be let off leash because of their natural need for protection. The breed frequently takes pleasure in competing in obedience, rally, weight pulling, agility, protection sports, and stock work.  

Training

The Boerboel is not a breed for inexperienced dog owners because it is a guarding, territorial breed. He is unwavering, collected, extremely smart, and incredibly devoted. Boerboels require their people and must remain an essential member of their human family in order to survive. Early socialization and disciplined, long-term obedience training that is started at a young age are essential due to their innate protective tendencies. Because of their docile and laid-back personalities, Boerboel puppies may fool inexperienced owners into believing that these traits will persist. However, constant training is necessary before these traits start to wane.

Nutrition

The Boerboel should thrive on a premium dog food, whether it is manufactured commercially or is made at home under the guidance and agreement of your veterinarian. Whatever the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior), the diet should be suitable. Watch your dog's calorie intake and weight level because certain dogs are prone to obesity. Treats can be a valuable training tool, but offering them in excess might lead to obesity. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any worries about your dog's weight or diet, consult your veterinarian. Fresh water that is clean should always be accessible.  

History

The name “Boer,” which comes from the Dutch word for “farmer,” was given to the Dutch, German, and Huguenot settlers of South Africa who started arriving in the middle of the sixteenth century. They acquired enormous guard dogs, such as bull and mastiff breeds, to keep their isolated homesteads from predators. The Boer Dog, which was utilized by Boer settlers as a big-game hunter and guardian, was created in South Africa through the interbreeding of these and other European bloodlines.

The Boerboel (“farmer’s dog”), a courageous mastiff that specialized in house and hearth security, later emerged as a result of further modifications. Their extraordinary power and agility proved in handy while escaping from or tangling with violent species, such as lions or gangs of roving baboons.

This does not mean that the Boerboel was a vicious animal that was always looking for a fight. Boerboels had to be sensitive and intelligent enough to distinguish between friends and foes and accept cues from people they protected because the breed was developed primarily as a family protector. Although a Boerboel has never been known to back down when challenged, its usual dignified watchfulness serves as its default behavior. Boerboels are strong enough to succeed at weight-pulling competitions, but they have also found success as calm therapy dogs with a big heart for kids.