early years
The Boerboel’s early bloodlines originate in South Africa and Europe. Its European bloodlines, mainly the Mastiff portion, can be traced back as far as the Roman Empire, which then spread through Europe and the British Isles with the colonists as they moved south into Africa. The African bloodlines are from a tribe in southern Ethiopia called “Cynomones” and they referred to them as “Indian Dogs”, the only breed with origins in South Africa.
The collection of dogs that was eventually dubbed the Boerboel (“Farmer’s Dog”) is thought to have started in 1652 with Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck and his Mastiff-type Bullenbitjer (Bull-Baiter) when he landed in the Cape of South Africa. Though a definite answer on the fate of this Bullenbitjer remains a mystery, it is assumed that it bred with Cynomones dogs. As more Dutch settlers brought their working dogs to the Cape, the Boerboel breed began its evolution.
At the time of South African settlement by the Dutch there were no regulated breeding standards. The settlers needed dogs that were strong, intelligent, loyal and hardworking. In addition the dogs faced extreme natural selection pressures including harsh environmental factors, abundance of large predators and potentially dangerous game species; all of which they had to be able to survive. The selection pressures combined with settlers needs shaped their dogs into an all-purpose versatile breed, a loving family dog that could hunt, guard and protect from predators.
By 1806 the Cape had come under British rule and shortly after the Great Trek began. Between 1835-1843, approximately 12,000-14,000 residents of the Cape Colony began to migrate inland to the rural expanses of the Highveld grasslands and southern Natal, bringing their dogs with them. Bred for hunting large game, tracking and holding down wounded game, used as protection of property against wild animals and later for farm work because of their great strength, these dogs had many of the characteristics shared with today’s registered Boerboel breed and interbreeding combined with selection pressures helped to solidify these traits.
The Boerboel has persevered under enormous selection pressure both natural and human-influenced. In addition to its ability to thrive in the harsh South African wilderness, the breed has endured through some of humanity’s horrors of history including the First and Second Boer Wars, the Influenza pandemic and the Great Depression.
Then in 1983 Lucas van der Merwe of Kroonstad and Jannie Bouwer of Bedford sought to identify and catalogue the dogs of South Africa to find the original Boer dog. Of the approximately 250 dogs they saw in the 5500 square kilometers, 72 individuals or almost 1 in 3 dogs found were chosen as a representative of the breed and a registry began.
The collection of dogs that was eventually dubbed the Boerboel (“Farmer’s Dog”) is thought to have started in 1652 with Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck and his Mastiff-type Bullenbitjer (Bull-Baiter) when he landed in the Cape of South Africa. Though a definite answer on the fate of this Bullenbitjer remains a mystery, it is assumed that it bred with Cynomones dogs. As more Dutch settlers brought their working dogs to the Cape, the Boerboel breed began its evolution.
At the time of South African settlement by the Dutch there were no regulated breeding standards. The settlers needed dogs that were strong, intelligent, loyal and hardworking. In addition the dogs faced extreme natural selection pressures including harsh environmental factors, abundance of large predators and potentially dangerous game species; all of which they had to be able to survive. The selection pressures combined with settlers needs shaped their dogs into an all-purpose versatile breed, a loving family dog that could hunt, guard and protect from predators.
By 1806 the Cape had come under British rule and shortly after the Great Trek began. Between 1835-1843, approximately 12,000-14,000 residents of the Cape Colony began to migrate inland to the rural expanses of the Highveld grasslands and southern Natal, bringing their dogs with them. Bred for hunting large game, tracking and holding down wounded game, used as protection of property against wild animals and later for farm work because of their great strength, these dogs had many of the characteristics shared with today’s registered Boerboel breed and interbreeding combined with selection pressures helped to solidify these traits.
The Boerboel has persevered under enormous selection pressure both natural and human-influenced. In addition to its ability to thrive in the harsh South African wilderness, the breed has endured through some of humanity’s horrors of history including the First and Second Boer Wars, the Influenza pandemic and the Great Depression.
Then in 1983 Lucas van der Merwe of Kroonstad and Jannie Bouwer of Bedford sought to identify and catalogue the dogs of South Africa to find the original Boer dog. Of the approximately 250 dogs they saw in the 5500 square kilometers, 72 individuals or almost 1 in 3 dogs found were chosen as a representative of the breed and a registry began.
present day
The Boerboel is now recognized by; AKC – American Kennel Club, CKC – Canadian Kennel Club, UKBC - United Kingdom and Ireland Boerboel Club, HSBA – Historical Boerboel Association of South Africa, SABT/SABBA – South African Boerboel Breeders Association, EBBASA – Elite Boerboel Breeders Association.
The AKC now classifies it as a mastiff type in the miscellaneous category.
The AKC now classifies it as a mastiff type in the miscellaneous category.
Legends/Myths
There is also a legend from the Cynommones tribe that it was once crossed with a tiger. Another story said that a boerboel was owned by Alexander the Great, given to him by the King of Albania. The dog was said to be bored with Alexander’s “small game” hunting trips and ordered it killed. After hearing this the Albanian king explained that the dogs were bred for hunting lions and wild horses. The king sent him another and Alexander brought it on all his “lion and elephant” hunting trip, when the dog did well he earned the respect and love of his owner.