About the Boerboel

History

Historically the Boerboel developed as a general farm dog for the pioneers who settled in South Africa since the seventeenth century. These dogs often were a first line of defence against predators and were valuable in tracking and holding down wounded game.

Old farmers told many a tale of the strength, agility and courage of the Boerboel. The dangers and harsh conditions of Southern Africa allowed only the fittest to survive. As there was no defined breed standard farmers had the liberty to mix other breeds with the Boerboel (or "boele" as they were called then) which has resulted in a lots of "types" but the one factor that was never negotiable was the temperament.

In 1983 a few farmers collaborated to formalise the breed and developed a breed standard. They set out a vision of how they wanted this breed develop and defined in the breed standard, the picture of the "perfect" Boerboel. They also formed an organisation, SABT (Suid-Afrikaanse Booerboel Teelers - translated as South African Boerboel Breeders) to oversee the management and development of the breed. This vision was refined in 2 further revisions of the breed standard, with the final one being completed in circa 2002 by Kobus Rust. It is this vision that we at Kaizen subscribe to.

In 2010/11 a few farmers collaborated to formalise the breed and developed a breed standard. They set out a vision of how they wanted this breed develop and defined in the breed standard, the picture of the "perfect" Boerboel. They also formed an organisation, SABT (Suid-Afrikaanse Booerboel Teelers - translated as South African Boerboel Breeders) to oversee the management and development of the breed. This vision was refined in 2 further revisions of the breed standard, with the final one being completed in circa 2002 by Kobus Rust. It is this vision that we at Kaizen subscribe to. See a timeline of the Boerboel

Function and Temperament

The protective character of the Boerboel is today still evident and is much sought after, as is the calm, stable and confident composure of the breed. It remains the guarding breed of choice amongst current day farmers and is very popular for the same reason in the urban communities.

The original job of the Boerboel, its primary function, can be best summed up as follows:

“He must be a resolutely good watchdog for all to see and loving towards the family with a special liking / preference for children.”

This is a direct quote from the original 1983 breed standard. It should be noted that the reference to children was of particular importance as it highlighted that the dog must be able to co-exist in a family environment and be part of that family structure to effectively perform its role as family protector.

This also requires the dog to be gentle around those in the family circle, while still being fearless and courageous when any in that circle is threatened.

Appearance

The Boerboel appearance is quite varied. This is due to its developing nature as an established breed. You will find an array of “types” within the Boerboel as breeders move towards the ideal vision of the perfect Boerboel as set out in the breed standard. Below is a brief description of the general look of the Boerboel:

Balance is the keyword for the Boerboel. A large, well-muscled, solid dog, there is nothing extreme or out of proportion.

Males will measure from 60 to 75 cm at the withers and weigh from 55 to 80 kg though no weights are specified in the standard.

Females will usually be somewhat smaller.

The short, smooth and dense coat may be piebald, yellow, tawny, reddish brown, brown and all shades of brindle, according to the SABT standard. The color black was introduced solely for commercial reasons and goes against the vision the founders had for the breed.

The Boerboel may have a black mask though it’s not required.

The short, wide and large head is one of the breed’s most important features, revealing the character of the Boerboel.

The broad, flat skull blends into a visible but not prominent stop.

The muzzle is straight and deep with a loose upper lip that covers the lower lip but does not hang below the jaw. A scissor bite is preferred.

The wide-set eyes are any shade of brown as long as they’re darker than the coat color.

The V-shaped ears are high set and form a straight line with the top of the head when the dog is alert.

The loose skin may crease into slight wrinkles on the brow when the dog is attentive.

A muscular, medium length neck flows into a broad and deep chest.

The back is straight and wide with visible back muscles and a short loin.

The broad rump ends in a high set tail that is usually docked to a length of three vertebrae.

To complete the picture, the Boerboel moves with a gait that has been described as "fluid," "buoyant,""smooth" and "purposeful."