Although some breeds will always remain popular as pets, others will fall out of favour while newer, more unusual breeds may start to appear. One such breed is the boerboel (pronounced bor-bull), also known as the South African mastiff. As one of many mastiff breeds, these large dogs can make good pets for some people, however some aspects of ownership need consideration before committing.
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History of the Boerboel
Although this may be an unfamiliar breed to many, the origin of this breed goes back as far as the 17th century. Incoming Europeans, setting up homesteads in South Africa, were given the name Boer: a Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer. Many brought dogs with them, often mastiffs or other large breeds, for the purposes of guarding and protection, or to use for tracking and hunting. The dogs were needed to protect both owner and property from wild animals, including baboons and lions, which can be highly dangerous and often travel in groups.
Interbreeding of the various introduced breeds along with local dogs resulted in the Boer dog. Refinement of these earlier crosses produced the modern-day boerboel. Active recorded breeding only began in 1983 with the formation of the South African Boerboel Breeders Association. Recognition of a breed standard followed in 1987. The breed is now available across other countries and is gaining more attention.
Introducing the Boerboel
Like other mastiffs, the Boerboel is a large breed dog that is stocky and muscly. Adult males stand at 60 – 68 centimetres in height, and adult females stand around 56 – 63 centimetres. With an average adult weight of 68 – 91 kilograms, these are heavy-set dogs. Their heads are broad and square, and they have a strong jaw. As is typical with mastiffs, their face has some skin folding, or wrinkles, over the muzzle and around the eyes. Their jowls appear to droop at the corner, and drooling can be a feature of this breed.
Behind the head, they have large muscles from the neck down to the rump. Their skin is naturally dark, and their short fur is typically brown, red, fawn, or variants of these, including brindle. Despite their stocky physique, they are surprisingly agile for a mastiff. As is typical of large breed dogs, they have a shorter life expectancy of 9-11 years, compared to small breeds.
Boerboels as Pets
Although bred for guarding and protection, boerboel are classed as calm dogs that like human companionship. They are generally affectionate dogs that are highly loyal and show interest in what is going on around them. Because of their size however, their confident nature can appear intimidating, and, in some circumstances, they can come across as dominant.
They are a smart breed that is very trainable. Training needs to begin early to allow continued control as they grow in size. This brightness means that they need mental stimulation as well as physical stimulation. They can thrive on lifelong training, from obedience to agility, as well as sport and physical work. As an active breed, they need daily exercise. This personality and lifestyle need means they are not a good breed for a novice dog owner.
Personality aside, boerboels have an innate need to protect. This confidence and boldness can make them difficult to stand down if they feel provoked. They should only be exercised on a lead, and not taken to a dog park. Their size and unwillingness to back down can make them defensive to another dog’s approach or make them unwilling to give up a chase. Even at home, they are best suited to a solo pet household.
Socialisation, like training, needs to start early. Their gentle nature towards the people that they are loyal to can make them suitable as a family pet with older children in the household. However, their size, their confidence, and their need for lifelong training and control should be a big consideration for households containing young children. As with any dog, supervision around children is always recommended to ensure everyone’s safety.
Boerboel Health Issues
Although bred for robustness, like other breeds, Boerboel have some health predispositions. They also have some general care requirements to bear in mind when considering this breed as a future pet.
Skin and coat
Although short-coated, they are moderate shedders. Bathing is only generally necessary on an as required basis. At the least, their coats may only require occasional brushing. Their facial wrinkles do need regular checking though, with eye discharge and drool potentially getting into these crevices. More pronounced wrinkles can become infected and uncomfortable if not regularly cleaned.
Eyelid issues
How the skin sits over the facial bones can also affect the likelihood of eyelid abnormalities. Entropion refers to an inward rolling of the eyelids (upper and/or lower) into the socket. This can be a painful condition due to eyelashes and fur rolling inwards and rubbing on the eyeball. Repetitive contact with the eye’s cornea can result in ulcers and scarring, affecting your dog’s vision.
The opposite problem is ectropion (an outward rolling), which usually affects the lower eyelids. Ectropion looks like a sagging of the eyelid and exposes the sensitive conjunctiva around the eye. It also interferes with tear distribution across the eye surface, contributing to dry eye. Without the protection and lubrication of the tears, the eyes can become red, irritated, and more prone to infection.
GDV
As a deep-chested breed, they have an anatomical predisposition to bloat (gastric dilation), and its life-threatening progression: torsion (gastric dilation and volvulus, GDV). This most commonly occurs when a full stomach swings like a pendulum inside the abdomen with exercise. To reduce the likelihood of this, large breed dogs should be fed small regular meals across the day rather than one large meal. Avoiding exercise in the immediate few hours after feeding also reduces the risk. Additionally, there is some evidence that an elevated food bowl increases the likelihood of bloat developing.
Heart disease
Boerboel are at an increased risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in their lifetime. DCM involves thinning of the heart muscle and enlargement of the chambers of the heart. Collectively this reduces the pumping action of the heart which can lead to heart failure. DCM is a form of acquired heart disease, meaning it appears during their lifetime. Your vet may at first detect a heart murmur on an examination, but it can eventually lead to reduced exercise tolerance, coughing, and premature death.
Joint health
A common health issue in large breed dogs is dysplasia of the hip or elbow joints. Dysplasia occurs during the growth period of an individual and results in a malformed joint. This can lead to pain and lameness during weight bearing or exercise. Eventually it causes early-onset osteoarthritis. Aside from the anatomical problem of dysplasia, exercise and weight play a role in the impact and severity of the disease. Your vet can monitor your dog’s weight and advise on the appropriate exercise regime during the critical growth phase.
Nutritional needs
It is important that such a large dog receives appropriate nutrition during its growth and adult life stages. Several pet food companies produce diets specifically targeting the needs of a large breed, with puppy, adult and senior variants available. If a home-prepared diet is to be provided in lieu of a commercially available option, then it is important to utilise a veterinary nutritionist to ensure your dog’s nutritional needs are being met. Your veterinary team can recommend an appropriate diet for your dog or refer you to a nutritionist for meal planning.
Final Considerations
Something that is often overlooked, but shouldn’t be, when considering if a breed is right for your family, is the expense of pet ownership. Given the size of boerboels, just feeding a dog of this size will have a big impact on your shopping bill. Aside from food, health care will be more costly for a large breed dog compared to a small breed dog. Preventative health care, such as flea, worm and tick treatments are dosed according to weight. Higher doses mean greater costs to purchase. Likewise, common medical therapies such as pain medication and antibiotics are also dosed by weight, with associated higher costs.
Breed screening to assess for elbow and hip dysplasia is performed using x-rays once over a year old. The cost of these, as well as surgeries to correct eyelid issues or GDV, and even routine neutering procedures, are all impacted by the size of the dog. Therefore, affordability of healthcare should be considered before obtaining a boerboel, and insurance options should be explored as well.
Conclusion
Boerboel are large, loyal and affectionate dogs. For an experienced dog owner that has the time to train and adequately stimulate one, they can make a great pet. However, their innate protective behaviour has implications on its safety around others. Both their size and health needs require careful financial consideration also. Reviewing all of these aspects in the context of your household, will help determine if this breed is the right fit for you.
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