Boerboel History

The Boerboel is a mastiff breed that originated in South Africa. The dogs weigh up to 200 lbs. and grow to be about 28 inches at the shoulder. The breed is not recognized by the American Kennel Club, which has the breed listed as one of the Unrecognised &Rare Breeds. The Boerboel is a working dog, strong and independent. The Boerboel needs an owner who is familiar with dogs and knows how to be in control. The Boerboel is very intelligent and will know when it is possible to be the boss instead of the other way around.

  1. Boerboel African Beginnings

    • As far back as 700 BC, a tribe in northern Africa known as the Cynomones were breeding large dogs used for hunting and to protect them from wild animals. The tribe was nomadic and over time migrated to what is now South Africa and brought their dogs with them. These dogs are thought to have originated in what is now modern day Iran in the days of the Persian Empire.

    Boerboel European Beginnings

    • The Romans also bred large dogs during the time of the Roman Empire. They brought the dogs with them as they conquered most of Europe. Trade began to flourish between Europe and Asia with trade routes going around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. In the 1600s, the Dutch East India Company opened a trading post at the southern most part of Africa, and they brought the decedents of the Roman dogs with them. They cross bred their European dogs with the African and these dogs; they were taken to the northern parts of South Africa by the Boers.

    Development

    • The breed developed over time, from the colonial period to the beginning of the 20th century by need, not by any desire to produce a specific breed of dog. The farmers of South Africa bred the dogs for protection. The farmers needed dogs who were bred to be big and fierce.

    The 20th Century

    • Things changed during the 20th century. The dogs were not needed so much for protection, as South Africa became less of a wildness and more and more settled. Up until about 1980, the breed was all but forgotten. It was then that the Boerboelm, which is Dutch for "Boer Business," began to be recognized as a true breed.

    Modern Times

    • From 1980 on, the breed has been taken seriously. Three organizations were formed: the Elite Boerboel Breeders Association of Southern Africa, the Historical Boerboel Association and the South African Boerboel Breeders Association. They established the criteria for breeding that resulted in the Boerboel of today.