The South African Mastiff AKA The Boerboel.*

Boerboels have developed from a mix of mastiff type breeds that were taken to South Africa by the Europeans, and native South African dogs. More recently they have been used on the farms of South African and the breed name literally means 'Farmers Bulldog'. The tasks these dogs were expected to complete range from simply watching for intruders, to playing nursemaid to the farmers children, sometimes driving cattle, sometimes as a flock guard. Suffice to say the breed has a unique flexibility within it, and the variations that sometimes have been looked upon as disdainful in other breeds are what makes the Boerboel so adaptable.

They are not KUSA or kennel club registered, as the breed is still in a developmental stage, the original registry of the Boerboel was established relativity recently 1983, which explains the breeds great variations. This means that the dogs still retain many traits that have been lost the modern fashionable breeding regimes of other breeds; for example they have a level of athleticism rarely seen in dogs this size.

Breed Characteristics

Their heads are a very important part of the whole dog as they have very expressive faces, although they should not be bred for the head alone, the dog should be looked at in it's entirety.

They are as many mastiff breeds, loyal, intelligent, sometimes headstrong, family orientated, and most importantly level tempered. They are definitely not 'yappy' dogs, if your Boerboel is barking, you pay attention!

Some lines slobber more than others, if it concerns you make sure you see both parents of a prospective puppy. All make a bit of mess after eating & drinking, unfortunately it's also their favorite time to stick their heads on your lap! Boerboels require constant socialisation, more than obedience training, in general they are very well behaved pups, then they go through a adolescent phase, which can be testing, and their adult character stabilises around three years of age. When attempting to train a Boerboel, positive reward is far better than any attempt to bully the dog into completing a task this can have adverse effects, as this breed will not tolerate abusive behavior towards them, they are far more likely to respond to good pack leadership.

Generally speaking Boerboels can have good inter species relationships, they appear to perceive differing levels of strength and act appropriately. With people they form strong bonds, and are aloof with strangers, even older dogs can accept new families well and create long lasting bonds. To ensure your pup is well balanced when meeting new people early socialization is a necessity. They are very affectionate dogs who truly need to be part of a family unit, they are great with children, and can be very protective of them, common sense should prevail and any child - dog play whatever the breed should be supervised. A good start is to educate the child about dog etiquette in the first place to avoid any possible problems.

Socialization is key, and apologies for repetitiveness here, however it is most important, due to the Boerboel's strong protective instinct continuous training & socialization is required throughout the life of the dog. They instinctively know friend from foe, and can be suspicious of strangers, and without proper care they could be aggressive towards them.

Exercise Requirements

One long walk every day should take care of required exercise as long as there is sufficient off lead time for the dog to run. Mental activities should be incorporated into a routine to wear them out in a different fashion! However for dogs under 12 months caution should be taken to ensure the pup is not over stressed which can lead to joint or muscular problems.

Grooming Requirements

Whatever anyone tells you they DO shed! It may be minimal for most of the time, but they do drop more fur in the hotter months, and a lot depends on your locations climate. A short rubber palm brush should do a good job for grooming. They're pretty clean dogs and don't tend to smell to badly so they don't require frequent baths. Depending on the environment they live in they may need regular nail clipping.

Specific Health Problems

In general the breed suffers from the following problems fairly infrequently and the general health is described as robust due to the process of natural selection during their previous development. However if anyone is considering owning a Boerboel, they should understand that the breed is still in development and it is always a possibility that other health problems could occur as the breed progresses.

As with any large to very large breed, hip dysplasia is a problem. Suggestions are to make sure that both parents and grand-parents have been screened for hip & elbow dysplasia and not been bred if below the average score for the breed. Other joint issues are OCD - (osteochondrosis dissecans)Degeneration of the bone and cartilage of the joint, and DJD (degenerative joint disease). Lastly Patellar Luxation - instability of the knee cap, all puppies should be checked for this.

Eye problems, three most common are: Entropion; the rolling-in of the eyelid. Ectropion; the lower lids are loose, & can actually turn outward. Prolapse of the third eyelid Gland (PTEG or Cherry Eye)

One for the females, vaginal hyperplasia - (vaginal edema or vaginal prolapse) overreaction to normal estrogen, bitches with this condition should be neutered.

*NOTE:

This information has been contributed by, and is property of Lynne Berridge, Accolade Boerboels, and is gratefully used here with permission.

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