The Boerboel is a South African farm dog of the Mastiff type. Its calm and reliable nature, combined with a strong protective instinct, makes the large dog with a massive head an excellent guard dog that fearlessly defends its family against wild animals and intruders. As a family dog, the Boerboel is only somewhat suitable.
The name Boerboel (pronounced “Burbull”) is Afrikaans and translates to “farm dog” or “farm mastiff”. Indeed, the Boerboel was a popular dog among South African farmers as early as the 17th century. Its main task was to reliably protect the house, farm, family, and livestock from thieves, intruders, and wild animals. The required traits, such as fearlessness, courage, self-confidence, and a strong protective instinct still characterise the South African Mastiff today.
Nothing Escapes a Boerboel
Once a Boerboel has gained trust in its owner and family, it takes on the task of guarding and protecting with the utmost dedication. Its keen eye and excellent sense of smell miss nothing. No person or animal can approach its family without the Boerboel noticing. At the same time, the guard dog builds a very strong bond with its owner, enabling it to quickly and accurately assess situations.
If its owner welcomes a visitor as a friend, the Boerboel will also be calm and balanced. However, if the dog senses uncertainty or fear in its owner, it will instinctively take on the role of protector. It will face the intruder fearlessly and courageously, showing that it would do anything to defend its family.
Guard Dog with a “Will to Please”?
Aggressive behaviour is usually completely foreign to the Boerboel. Baring its teeth without real danger is unnecessary for the self-confident and intelligent Boerboel. Thanks to its loyal nature and close bond with the family, the Boerboel is easy to control and train. If treated fairly by its owner, it will also try to please its owner and family. Despite its great self-confidence and independence, the Boerboel shows a certain “will to please”, meaning the desire to please its people. The prerequisite for an obedient Boerboel is always consistent and loving training by a knowledgeable owner. Training based on trust that relies on rewards instead of punishment is essential.
A Successful Human-Dog Relationship Requires Trust
Despite its high willingness to learn and cooperative nature, the Boerboel needs a person as self-confident as itself. Its size and strength alone dictate that this dog should only come into experienced hands. It is less about authority and more about mutual trust and respect. The Boerboel must rely on its owner’s sincerity and judgement. It wants its needs and desire to work and guard to be taken seriously. If a foundation of honesty, trust, and mutual respect is laid, the Boerboel will display its many positive character traits and prove to be an obedient, stable, and incredibly loyal partner.
Is the Boerboel Suitable as a Family Dog?
Boerboels are loyal, calm, affectionate, and willing to learn. They are neither nervous nor aggressive and develop strong bonds with all family members, especially children. At first glance, they seem to meet the perfect criteria for a family dog. However, keep in mind that the South African Mastiff is originally a guard dog with a pronounced protective instinct and strong territorial behaviour. These traits might not be well-received by neighbours and other passers-by, especially in urban areas.
Living in the city or as a pure family dog, which regularly goes for walks but does not have its territory to guard, would not meet the needs of this South African dog. The Boerboel remains a farm dog that, besides loving people, should also have the opportunity to guard its territory and protect its “pack”. Families with a large farm in the countryside, far from the nearest neighbour, will surely appreciate these qualities.
The Boerboel is happiest when it gets to be outdoors.
Appearance of a Boerboel
The likelihood that a Boerboel will have to defend its family from an intruder is very rare. Most thieves will likely flee at the sight of this massive and powerful dog with its loud bark.
Outwardly the Perfect Guard Dog
With a height of 61 to 72cm at the withers, a weight of 45 to 70kg, and its muscular and symmetrically built body with strong bones, the Boerboel is undoubtedly an impressive canine presence. Its movements, body, and posture exude power, self-confidence, and endurance, making it outwardly a perfect guard dog.
Pronounced Gender Diversity
While males should be as large and muscular as possible, females can appear to be slightly smaller and “weaker” than their male counterparts. However, even female Boerboels reach a minimum of 55cm, making them impressive animals. Both sexes have short, smooth fur that is very dense and shiny. All shades of red, brown, and fawn are accepted in terms of colour. Brindle specimens are also allowed according to the breed standard. Other colours, patterns, or brown markings are undesirable, but a dark mask is allowed in all variants.
History of the South African Mastiff
The history of this farm dog dates back to 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck, the first Dutch administrator of the Cape region, brought a so-called “Bullenbijter” to Africa. In the following years, many Dutch and British settlers brought dogs from their homeland to the Cape region, seeking a canine guardian for their properties and livestock that also protected their families from attacks and wild animals. They primarily crossed British Mastiffs and other European mastiff breeds with local dogs to develop a canine specifically bred for guarding and protecting, capable of standing its ground against large African predators.
Breeding and Distribution
Despite the dogs’ excellent guarding and working qualities, the South African Boerboel was first defined as its breed in 1983. The South African Boerboel Breeders Association (SABT, now SABBS) defined it. Today, the breed is recognised by the Kennel Union of South Africa (KUSA) and classified under the Working Dogs group. However, the Boerboel is not yet recognised as its breed by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale).
Regardless, more and more breeders in America and Australia are taking up this impressive breed from South Africa. The Boerboel’s presence has also increased in Europe and Asia, particularly in Russia, in recent years. As the dogs become more widespread, breeding focuses on the dogs’ workability, health, uniform appearance, stable, and pleasant temperament.
What to Look for When Buying a Boerboel
Despite the increased recognition of the South African breed in recent years, the Boerboel remains a relatively rare breed. Those considering purchasing this dog will certainly not be able to do so “around the corner” but may have to travel a longer distance to a breeder. Because the FCI does not recognise the breed, one cannot rely on an FCI logo on the dog’s papers to determine a breeder’s suitability and reliability.
When selecting a breeder, buyers should look for other signs of reliability besides their gut feeling: Is the breeder in an association? How familiar is the breeder with the breed and its specific traits? Are the parent dogs proven to be HD and ED-free, meaning they have no genetic predisposition to joint diseases?
The breeding facility should also make a good personal impression: Is the breeding site orderly and clean? Do the dogs grow up close to the breeder’s family and are they socialised accordingly from the start? How do the dogs seem? Do they trust their breeder and do the animals appear friendly and calm, albeit distant, towards you? Does the breeder ask about your life circumstances and show interest in how the dogs will fare with you? Only if these criteria are met should you continue negotiations with the breeder.
The price for a healthy Boerboel puppy ranges from £1,500 to £3,500. The puppies should not be given away before 8 to 10 weeks of age and should have already received basic immunisation against known canine diseases at that time.
Health and Breed-Specific Diseases
A prerequisite for a healthy, long life for your Boerboel is certainly a species-appropriate and balanced diet. But which food is optimal for this breed?
BARF or Dry Food?
Many Boerboel owners swear by the so-called BARF diet, which stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding. This involves feeding the dog raw fresh meat, offal, bones, mashed vegetables, and fruit. The BARF method is based on the natural diet of the dog’s ancestors, the wolves, and is considered by many dog owners to be the most natural and healthiest form of dog nutrition. However, BARFing requires good knowledge of the various food ingredients and the dog’s nutrient needs. A one-sided raw diet that does not consider the dog’s actual requirement for vitamins, trace elements, and energy can lead to deficiencies and thus serious illnesses in the dog.
In this case, dog owners should opt for a complete dry food that ideally contains all important nutrients in the correct composition. Since the nutrient needs vary depending on the dog’s age, weight, size, and activity level, ensure the food matches your dog’s individual needs. Especially during the puppy stage, it makes sense to buy special puppy food. This should have a low protein content (less than 24%) to avoid promoting the already rapid growth of the Boerboel. Even for an adult Boerboel, owners should keep an eye on the weight. Overweight can lead to serious health problems and should be avoided at all costs. Do not overestimate your Boerboel’s food needs: Relative to their body size, these dogs get by with surprisingly little food – provided the food contains all necessary vitamins and nutrients in small quantities. Fillers like grain that increase food content without benefiting the dog should be avoided.
How Much Care Does a Boerboel Need?
Thanks to its short, smooth fur, the Boerboel is very easy to care for. Occasional brushing is enough to maintain the shine and texture of its beautiful fur. For heavy dirt, for example, after a thorough forest walk in the wet autumn or other rainy days, you can bathe your dog. However, avoid overusing dog shampoo. In addition to coat care, regularly check and clean your dog’s ears, eyes, teeth, and paws as needed. The claws also need to be trimmed regularly to prevent injuries.
Is a Boerboel Suitable for You?
The South African Boerboel is not only a very large but also a rather demanding dog – this fact is not mitigated by the relatively low grooming requirements. First-time dog owners looking for a loyal companion but can only offer a small garden and daily walks in the city park may quickly feel overwhelmed with this breed.
Although the Boerboel is a very people-oriented dog that feels most comfortable near its family, it is also a natural guard and protection dog with a significant prey drive. As such, it needs a large, securely fenced area to indulge its guarding instinct. In a dense row house neighbourhood, this dog would become bored and unstimulated.
The Boerboel usually has a serious expression on its face
Is the Boerboel a Fighting Dog?
A Boerboel not kept according to its fundamental needs and deprived of consistent and loving leadership by its people can become a serious problem due to its size and inherent protective instinct. This has led to dangerous situations involving Boerboels in various countries in the past.
Consequently, the breed is banned or subject to strict regulations in some European countries, such as Denmark, France, and Switzerland. If you are interested in purchasing a Boerboel, you should first familiarise yourself with the current regulations for keeping this breed in your country.
A Partner for Life
As with all dogs, the rule is: No dog is born a fighting dog; it is humans who turn them into one. A Boerboel is a remarkably peaceful and balanced animal that is not inherently more aggressive or quarrelsome than a Golden Retriever. With consistent training, patience, love and trust, and sufficient physical and mental activities tailored to its needs, a Boerboel is guaranteed to become a loyal and affectionate companion. A true Boerboel recognises the moods of its people like no other dog and will do everything it can to ensure their well-being.
Sabrina Quente
Animals have accompanied me for as long as I can remember - there is hardly a child's photo without a budgie on my head or a cat on my lap. For more than ten years, I have been writing as an editor about various topics ranging from health insurance to cat ownership. Always with me: my cat Mimi, who is the best source of inspiration for many texts and knows when it's time for a break from writing.
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