[2024] Boerboel Dog Breed (Complete Guide)

The Boerboel Dog Overview

The Boerboel is a huge, muscular dog that moves with strength and quickness.

This dog has the strength to overpower and the agility to escape a wide range of deadly African animals.

This breed is also intelligent enough to detect danger, brave enough to confront it, and cautious enough to avoid it. The jaws are especially powerful.

It has a short yet thick coat. For increased protection, the skin is thick and loose. The Boerboel is highly pigmented to provide sun protection in Africa.

The dog is somewhat taller than it is long, with muscular, free-flowing movement.

Boerboel Highlights

The Boerboel is a huge and extremely muscular dog. They weigh the same as Great Danes while being much smaller in stature.

Many people speculate about which breeds were mixed together to create the current Boerboel, but their true lineage is unknown.

Dutch settlers introduced dogs to South Africa in order to protect crops from big lions and other wildlife. Only the toughest canines were able to survive South Africa’s hard environment and surroundings, and they became some of the forebears of the contemporary Boerboel.

After World War II, breeding was not regulated, and the Boerboel nearly vanished. It has made a comeback since breed enthusiasts began working to preserve the Boerboel in the 1980s.

Boerboels are considered to be very affectionate and protective of their human offspring. They are good protectors, yet they can be overprotective.

The Boerboel requires little grooming and has few health issues, but their requirement for training and socializing makes them an unsuitable choice for new owners.

Since its revival in South Africa, Boerboels have increased in popularity and have been exported all over the world. Nonetheless, they are regarded as a more rare breed.

Although they typically weigh between 110 and 200 pounds, Boerboels can reach well over 200 pounds.

The Boerboel is thought to be the most nimble of the Mastiff breeds.

Boerboels require socialization since they can be aggressive toward other dogs, particularly those of the same sex and breed.

Boerboel Breed Features & Ratings:

Rated base on a 5 Star Scale
ENERGY LEVEL: 3 Star
EXERCISE REQUIREMENTS: 3 Star
PLAYFULNESS: 2 Star
AFFECTION LEVEL: 3 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO DOGS: 1 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO OTHER PETS: 2 Star
FRIENDLINESS TO STRANGERS: 1 Star
WATCHFULNESS: 5 Star
EASE OF TRAINING: 2 Star
GROOMING REQUIREMENTS: 1 Star
HEAT SENSITIVITY: 3 Star
VOCALITY 5 Star

Boerboel Characteristics:

Dog Breed Group: Working Dogs
Height: 22 to 28 inches
Weight: 110 to 200 pounds
Life Span: 10 to 12 years
Type: Purebred
AREA OF ORIGIN: South Africa
DATE OF ORIGIN: 1800s
OTHER NAMES: South African Boerboel, South African Mastiff
Temperament: Confident, Dominant, Intelligent, Obedient, Territorial
Activities: Conformation, Obedience, Rally, Weight Pull, Agility, Stock Work, Protection Sports, and Therapy Work
Color: Mahogany or rich chestnut red
Litter Size: 7 to 10 puppies
Puppy Prices: $2000 – $4000 USD on average

Boerboel Health:

The Boerboel is a generally healthy breed, and a professional breeder will test breeding stock for health issues including elbow and hip dysplasia, heart disease, and two eyelid diseases known as ectropion and entropion.

As with all breeds, a Boerboel’s ears and teeth should be checked on a regular basis.

The National Breed Club recommends the following health tests:

Hip Evaluation
Elbow Evaluation
Ophthalmologist Evaluation

Boerboel Grooming:

Boerboels have short, straight, smooth, and lustrous overcoats that cover their soft, dense undercoats. They might be red, fawn, brown, brindle, or black in color.

Some dogs have white spots on their coat, particularly around the neck, face, and paws; however, it is considered a defect if more than 30% of the coat is white.

Dark marks surround the eyes, mouths, and noses of many Boerboels, and others have dark patches around their paws.

The coat sheds moderately and does not require much maintenance.

Brushing once a week and bathing once a month should help collect shedding fur and maintain the coat healthily.

Boerboel Exercise:

The robust, athletic Boerboel requires daily exercise, such as lengthy leash walks or play sessions with his owner in a securely secured area.

Boerboels require mental stimulation as well as relationship with their owners, in addition to physical activity. They will not tolerate challenges from other dogs, and visiting dog parks is not advised.

Because of its protective instinct, the Boerboel should never be let out of the house without a leash.

Obedience, rally, weight pull, and agility contests, as well as protection sports and stock work, are popular among the breed.

Boerboel Training:

The Boerboel is a protective, territorial breed that is not suitable for inexperienced dog owners. He is unwavering, quiet, extremely intelligent, and incredibly loyal.

Boerboels must be with their families and will not thrive unless they are treated as an extension of their human family.

Their natural guarding instincts necessitate early socialization and organized, long-term obedience training that begins at a young age.

Boerboel puppies are placid and obedient, and inexperienced owners may be lulled into thinking the dog will stay that way, while in fact, consistent training must be well-started before those characteristics fade.

Boerboel Food and Nutrition:

The Boerboel, like any other dog breed, requires a well-balanced and carefully adjusted diet.

However, just because it has a large frame doesn’t mean you should be stingy with treats or extra snacks.

Indeed, this breed’s huge size puts it at danger for joint problems, which can be exacerbated by extra weight. Maintain your Boerboel at a healthy weight with lean body mass.

Boerboel Temperament and Personality:

Boerboels are intelligent, lively, and eager to please. They are happiest when given a task to do, whether it be hard farm work, guard dog duties, or preparing for a competition where they may demonstrate their agility and strength.

This breed adores human family members, including children, but can be overprotective at times.

The instincts that make them good watchdogs and defenders can also cause them to be extremely possessive and violent if they are not properly educated or socialized.

When having visitors over, a family member should introduce them to the resident Boerboel so the dog does not feel frightened.

Boerboels are usually receptive to people they’ve met and trust, though they may still be wary.

Boerboels are dominant in training and demand an authoritative teacher who will offer positive reinforcement and set boundaries without being harsh.

This is not a breed for everyone. To reduce aggression, patient, regular training should be combined with early socialization, and Boerboels should be given enough mental and physical stimulation, as boredom and anxiety can lead to destructive behavior.

Long walks, energetic play sessions, and complex devices such as puzzle feeders can all help them get the exercise they require.

Boerboels require room because they are a large dog breed with moderate exercise requirements, therefore, an apartment is not a suitable place for this kind of breed.

They thrive in homes with a backyard and a high, solid fence that allows them to run about safely.

While these dogs are not for inexperienced owners, they will reward the appropriate owners with affectionate family pets who will defend their homes and humans at all costs.

Boerboel Care/Upkeep:

Proper Boerboel training and care begins the day you bring your dog home and needs consistency and commitment.

Boerboel is a quick learner who strives to please those he admires. The objective is to keep your pack position and not let a careless approach toward training undermine your position as pack leader.

The Boerboel has a natural propensity toward dominance and will want to assert itself if it detects a leadership vacancy.

The actual job of training a Boerboel, according to experienced owners, isn’t teaching the basics of sit, remain, and come.

Those abilities, as well as many others, come naturally to such a bright dog breed.

The actual job of training comes from the daily repetition of making your dog work for everything and consolidating your position as the dominant one.

The Boerboel is not your typical companion dog. Many inexperienced dog owners can create fundamental routines for their pets and get by without putting in the effort to train and reinforce pack status on a daily basis.

Though every dog needs constancy in training, a smaller dog has less at stake than a large breed dog designed to guard and have a bite force of 800 PSI.

To maintain a healthy relationship with these dogs, it is frequently noted that you must ensure that your Boerboel deserves everything, including food, affection, a favorite toy, and so on.

This necessitates mental fortitude on the part of the trainer. If you are not willing to put in this type of persistent effort, you may quickly find yourself with a dominant and powerful dog on your hands.

This can be a dangerous scene, and it is one of the reasons why some Boerboels end themselves in shelters or rescues.

At the same time, it is well worth the effort to train a Boerboel. They are frequently considered as excellent with youngsters and excellent watchdogs for home and property.

One thing to maintain in mind is that the Boerboel frequently appears unconcerned about his size.

This can be dangerous around tiny children, who this big dog could easily knock over. Supervision is always advised.

The breed is frequently described as distant to strangers.

There is no surprise that you will need to teach your dog early on how to tell the difference between intruders and guests.

In living together with other dogs and even cats, the Boerboel is generally amicable. Unfamiliar creatures, on the other hand, may set up this dog’s protective instincts.

Grooming a Boerboel is an easy process. The canine’s short, coarse coat benefits from a weekly brushing to eliminate stray hair and stimulate the skin.

A slicker brush or even a rubber grooming mitt are useful tools. You’ll also need to clean your dog’s ears on a regular basis, brush his teeth frequently, and trim his nails as needed.

You should start getting your dog used to these exercises as soon as possible so that you don’t have to struggle against a dog weighing 150 pounds or more.

Boerboel Relationship with Children and Other Pets

Boerboels adore their human families and are recognized for being exceptionally protective of their children.

However, they are enormous, active dogs who may accidentally knock over a child if things get out of hand. To avert incidents, children should be taught how to interact with animals.

No nudging or prodding, no matter how well-trained and placid a Boerboel is. Playtime with any dog should be monitored.

When children have playmates over, the Boerboel’s innate protective nature may become an issue, as the Boerboel may interpret play as hostility and defend its family.

That being said, this is a breed known for enjoying human children, and you couldn’t ask for a better kid protector than a massive, nimble Boerboel.

When it comes to other dogs, Boerboels get along well with those they’ve grown up with and share a home with, but they can be possessive and standoffish with strangers.

They can also be aggressive and competitive with other Boerboels of the same sex.

Early socialization can help keep the breed’s combative inclinations in check, but they may be best suited to homes with only one dog.

Boerboel Names

Rank	Boy Names	Girl Names
01	Max	Daisy
02	Buddy	Sophie
03	Toby	Lucy
04	Charlie	Ginger
05	Riley	Coco
06	Henry	Annie
07	Louie	Luna
08	Sammy	Roxy
09	Duke	Luna
10	Bruno	Stella

All About Boerboel

The Boerboel is a huge canine with a unique, blocky head that is robust, confident, and muscular. It is the most nimble of the mastiff-type breeds, despite its size.

The term “Boerboel” translates to “Farm Dog,” and it is a good working dog as well as a loving companion in its native South Africa.

Boerboel’s skin should be black on his stomach and under his fur, as well as the roof of his mouth, to protect him from heat and sun.

The coat is short and dense, and it can be brindle, brown, cream, reddish brown, or tawny in color.

Boerboel is confident and courageous. It is devoted to family and affectionate with youngsters it knows, but it can be violent with strangers.

Friends and other pets should be introduced to the dog with caution, preferably early in the dog’s life.

The Boerboel has an extremely high need for human companionship—loneliness leads to destructive and defiant behavior.

Boerboel History:

The term “Boerboel” is derived from the Afrikaans/Dutch words for a farmer (“boer”) and dog (“boel”), and they were truly farmers’ dogs when they were raised in South Africa by Dutch settlers beginning in the 1600s.

They were required to guard the farm and hunt dangerous species such as hyenas, baboons, leopards, and other large cats.

Large, robust canines imported by European settlers to South Africa bred with local domestic dogs and a variety of other breeds over the period of several centuries.

Bulldogs and Mastiffs were also brought by the English and crossbred with Boerboels, and the Da Beers diamond mining corporation imported Bull Mastiffs to defend their mines, which also bred with Boerboels to create the breeds we know today.

It is unknown which breeds contributed to the Boerboel’s genealogy, but only the strongest canines were able to survive the scorching heat and encounter with wildlife, contributing to the Boerboel’s tenacity and strength.

During the 1800s, colonists began to emigrate to the interior to challenge British authority in South Africa.

As a result, their dogs were dispersed and frequently taken in by distant villages, where they were needed for hunting, herding, guarding, and protection from dangerous people.

After World War II, South Africa grew more urbanized, and Boerboels began to be crossbred with other dogs without concern for breed integrity.

However, in the 1980s, a group of breed aficionados wanted to reintroduce pure Boerboels into the breeding program.

Because of their efforts, the Boerboel became popular in South Africa and began to be exported around the world. However, the breed is still rather uncommon outside of South Africa.

Where to Adopt Boerboel:

Although there are few and far between Boerboel breeders in the United States, it is not hard to find a puppy if you have your heart set on finding one.

Just be aware that you will most likely need to be patient and wait on a waiting list and maybe go out of state to pick up your new best buddy.

On the other hand, contact a local or national rescue group if you wish to adopt a Boerboel. These pets are frequently misunderstood and mistreated.

If you have a lot of experience with these types of dogs, you could be a wonderful candidate for rescuing a Boerboel.

The American Boerboel Club Rescue
The American Boerboel Breeder Listing
American Kennel Club Breeder Listing

More Dog Breeds and Further Research:

The Boerboel is a great example of a working dog whose sole purpose in life is to protect its humans and property.

Once you’ve earned a Boerboel’s love, you’ll enjoy their steadfast loyalty.

However, because of their size and intelligence, they are not suitable for everyone, so take the time to study more about this dog breed.

You might also be interested in learning more about the following dog breeds:

Boerboel Fun Facts:

In the 1800s, South Africa gave birth to the Boerboel.
The Boerboel is a cross between many dog breeds that combines the best characteristics of each.
The Boerboel is a fast runner who can subdue large game and gets along with most animals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Are Boerboels uncommon?

Since its revival in South Africa, Boerboels have increased in popularity and have been exported all over the world. Nonetheless, they are regarded as a more rare breed. Although they typically weigh between 110 and 200 pounds, Boerboels can reach well over 200 pounds.

Do Boerboels have a lot of barking?

A boerboel will bark at intruders who enter his domain, but he will not bark at every sound or change in his surroundings. The only time you’ll notice a boerboel becoming very talkative without a clear cause is when he’s bored or restless.

What is the top speed of a Boerboel?

However, the Boerboel is also mated with fast dogs like the Greyhound and other hounds, which can run at speed of up to 45 miles per hour.