Boerboel, a.k.a. South African Mastiff

Owner Level

For experienced involved dog owners

Average Life Span

10-12 years

Colour And Appearance

Boerboel dogs are large, mastiff-type dogs and the most agile of their type. They are strong, balanced and imposing in appearance. Despite their size, they can move swiftly and powerfully. The face may feature a black mask, and the broad, horizontal eyes can be shades of brown or darker.
The medium-sized ears are V-shaped and set high on the head. The tail is straight and can be long or docked short, although tail docking is cruel and is illegal in many countries.
The skin is thick but loose, and coloured patches of darker skin help protect the dog against heat (usually on the stomach). The short coat comes in colours of brindle, brown, reddish brown, cream or tawny. Black coats are not common but possible.

Typical Health Problems

A full list of health problems which have been identified in the Boerboel would have to include:

Hip Dysplasia
Elbow Dysplasia
Vaginal Hyperplasia/Vaginal Prolapse
Ectropion
Entropion
Epilepsy

Personality

This breed is a confident working dog and loyal companion. They are intelligent but require thorough socialisation and obedience training.

While socialising this breed as a puppy, you should take special care to prevent them from having encounters with aggressive dogs. The dogs tend to carry those experiences with them and could react in a fearful or defensive manner when presented with similar situations later on in life.

The protective instincts are very strong in this breed; some people have reported that guests to their homes must be introduced to their dogs before they are permitted entry.

The breed will protect its family and property with its life, and unknown intruders will be met with fearless resistance. Because of the strong protective nature of this breed, Boerboels are not recommended if you’ve never had a dog before.

Although protective, Boerboels have a desire to please and become attached to their families. They can be very playful and affectionate and enjoy playing with children with whom they are acquainted. The breed gets along with dogs, cats and other animals, but this can vary based on each dog’s individual temperament (one person reported that despite his size, her Boerboel was terrified of small dogs).

Is this breed good with children?

Children and dogs should never be left alone and unattended, even for a moment. Young children do not have proper dog etiquette and dogs do not understand a child's behaviour. This can result in tragedy with any breed of dog. Boerboels tend to love and be dedicated to their human family and can be especially fond of children. The dog’s temperament, socialisation, training levels all need to be considered. Like children, each dog is different in personality, energy and patience levels. So, each dog and child relationship should be considered individually.

Is this breed good with other dogs in general?

Boerboels generally do well with other dogs if they have been socialised and trained properly. Socialising your Boerboel with other dogs is important from day one. For Boerboels, spaying/neutering is one of the most important keys to having a dog-friendly animal. Pack position is important and will affect and vary each dog's acceptance of other dogs.

Socialising this breed?

Socialisation is one of the necessary requirements to successful Boerboel ownership. Training and socialising is a must, not an option with this breed. The unsocialised Boerboel can be dangerous. Exercise needs are higher for this breed, and they would greatly benefit from having a yard for exercise and play. They should not be left to roam or unsupervised because they are wary of strangers and may perceive anyone they are not familiar with as a threat.

Boerboel dogs need socialisation and training, but they are intelligent. A dominant, strong person is needed for this powerful breed, and training should be constructive and not harsh.