South African Boerboel Puppies

Spring has sprung . . . sort of

2011-03-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well, spring has sprung in some places! In others we are patiently waiting for the snow to melt for the third or fourth time; and spring to finally arrive.

Boerboel puppies are soon to be popping up all over, and puppy buyers are soon to be visiting the breeders to determine the suitability of the parent dogs.

WHAT? But First Dog, why would I want to visit the parents, why ever should you do that?

To determine the suitability of the offspring for your living situation.

So lets take it from the top; -- you've read the posts in this blog; re: temperament, family guards , why you even want a Boerboel.

So lets get down to the nitty-gritty. You are contacting the breeder to be put on a waiting list, you've done your homework re: the breed and your circumstances, you have contacted the breeder and they have invited you to visit them, either off property or at their home.

What are you looking for? How do you know whether this breeder is the one? Well follow along; dear potential Boerboel owner; and we shall see.

Meeting place -- If the breeder is willing to meet you both on/off property - they get a gold * If you are only provided the opportunity of one or the other; please dear reader; be skeptical. Why? Well there are many Boerboels who are confident on their own property, but totally unnerved in the real world. It is possible this type of dog simply lacks socialization; but -- you have to realize that unsocialized dogs will still have to encounter some different situations (vets/shows/etc.) and shouldn't urinate in fear or stand shaking with their tail tucked between their legs (or clamped to their butt if their tail is docked). To be met only on property is to limit the information you can gather about this dog; to be met only off property -- I would question the environment your puppy will be raised in -- if you want a puppy from non-kennelled parents and you never visit the property they live on; how do you know whether they are kennelled or not?
So you go to the meeting place; let's say off-property. What was the first thing you noticed about the potential parent of your puppy? Were they alert, confident, willing to meet you? Were they reticent, dopey, sullen? Temperament is genetic as well; and what you see in the parent will come out in the offspring. Did they appear healthy? How was the dog's eyes -- clear, no drooping lids, no watering? How was the dog's skin -- unwrinkled, pretty clean, glossy coat. Be aware; due to the size of these dogs; and their thin hair coats; they often get callouses on their elbows and hocks; not pretty but hard sometimes to get rid of -- consider it a neutral factor in your parent evaluation. If you were purchasing the puppies as a family dog; did you get to see the dogs with children? How were they with small animals? These are vital considerations for the safety of your kids and your pets. Training can improve/manage many situations; but familial tendencies tend to be born out; sooner or later. Better to know from the get-go; what you are potentially dealing with. How was the dog handled and how did the dog take to being handled. Please don't be turned off by the use of prong collars, or chokers or the like -- these are big dogs and sometimes need firm reminders -- but was the dog totally insane or could it be easily handled and if corrected; accepted it with grace; again information to be put on your checklist. Does the dog love its owner? Weird question -- but if you want a loyal guard dog; how loyal is the parent of your puppy to its owner? Seems like an appropriate question to me!

So in this choose-own-adventure scenario -- you go to the kennel/owner's property. Again, the same questions beg to be answered, with some additional considerations. When you arrived; were there any dogs out? And did you feel it was safer to stay in your car than exit the vehicle. If there is the space/fencing/availability for a dog to be out guarding the property and you were met in the driveway by the family's watch Boerboel -- good job eh? If you felt it was in your best interests to remain in the car, also a good job on the part of the guard dog. When the owner came out, did the dogs appear happy to see them, responsive to any commands? What was their general demeanour? Did they cower and slink about; or were they pleased that their owner was taking care of the situation. Did they stand by to protect/guard their owner? And when the owner came out; were they able to control the dogs without putting them up? If they did put some away; why? What was the reason? If a potential parent to your dog (any relative really) was one of the dogs put away; you don't want to hear nervous, frightened of strangers, unsure, we've only had her/him for a couple months (begs the question why they chose that dog to breed with) not sure of their reaction to strangers. Those are statements that don't cut it for a breeding/family dog. Maybe for guard-only/compound watch/junkyard dog. Next questions assume you are meeting the parents outside -- same as above {What was the first thing you noticed about the potential parent of your puppy? Were they alert, confident, willing to meet you? Were they reticent, dopey, sullen? Did they appear healthy? How was the dog's eyes -- clear, no drooping lids, no watering? How was the dog's skin -- unwrinkled, pretty clean, glossy coat. If you were purchasing the puppies as a family dog; did you get to see the dogs with children? How were they with small animals? How was the dog handled and how did the dog take to being handled.Does the dog love its owner?} If you have decided on a kennel dog; because that's what suits your family; ask to see the kennels your breeder houses the dogs in -- here; look for cleanliness, health of dogs, nobody is pacing or throwing themselves around (at least not the dogs related to yours). As a breed the Boerboel is better able to guard and protect from within the family household; so keeping one kennelled means they are outside of their preferred environment -- how are they handling it? Gives you an idea of how your puppy will handle it, too. If you have gone with the household dog; your conscientious breeder will likely invite you in to talk dogs (remember for a good breeder; you are being interviewed too!). Once inside; how do the dogs react? Are they comfortable, confident animals; or is there any nervous behaviour, slinking, tail tucked etc. RED ALERT Do not accept a puppy from dogs that you cannot behave as yourself around. If you are given strange directions such as how to talk; what to wear; how much to move -- listen please to the owner -- and as soon as you can comfortably exit; do so, that is a powder keg waiting to go off! Instructions for children are a bit different. There may be dogs in the mix that aren't the breeding animals; but are relatives and they may not be familiar with the noises, and movements of the children. As long as the owner has these animals on leash and under control; this is not an issue; especially if you aren't considering these dogs for your puppies parents (assuming the children are yours and you intend to keep them!) If the potential puppy's parents aren't overly social in the house; do not fear -- Boerboels are truly family guards and can often be standoffish to strangers; that is the element of guard dog. You most likely will be formally introduced to the dogs and then allowed to interact like Sunday company (no peeking in the bathroom cabinets, no running naked down the halls). While you are in the house with the owner's full attention; now is the time to get any/all information you need about the breed and these dogs in specific, out of the way. Boerboel owners love to talk about their dogs; so this part should be easy.

Hopefully your visit went well; and hopefully you found great parents that will produce the ideal Boerboel pup for your situation. Keep us linked; our next post is how responsible Boerboel breeders temperament test their pups and what you can expect from these tests.

Stick around.

The First Dog

What Happens During a Vet Appointment for PennHip

2010-12-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally made it.

It's been a round of rescheduled trips; but we finally got Dora in for her hip x-rays and elbow x-rays.

For those that are having these done; I will run through the process.

What we had done; hip x-rays for submission to the University of Pennsylvania for a PennHip rating. Click the link to discover more about the PennHip program. We also had Dora's elbows X-rayed for signs of dysplasia, to be submitted to our Ontario Veterinary College. To have her admitted to the stud registry of the SABT; she would also need verification of entropion/ectropion status and Vaginal Hyperplasia status. The Veterinarian at the Dunnville Veterinarian Clinic was able to provide us with paperwork verifying Dora to be free of entropion or ectropion; and we will schedule another visit when she is in heat to have the VH exam done.

We entered the clinic (of course my children decide that they want a mental health day today; so they came too), Dora was weighed (63.1 kg, or 138 lbs.), heart listened to, temperature taken (my son suggested that was gross and Dora probably felt violated!) and general health noted. We proceeded to the back where the x-ray machine is located, the technicians got their gear together, gave Dora a relaxant shot (which worked admirably fast; about 120 seconds and her head was nodding, probably 5 minutes; she was firmly out), they picked her up; positioned her on the table, checked the alignment; shooed me out (no need for me to be exposed to x-rays) and took about another 5 minutes to do the slides. Brought me back in; printed the slides; made sure they could read them and they were satisfactory for the University and the College, and they gave her a shot to bring her out.

She woke up; about another 5 minutes; starting with her tail, her head, back legs, front legs; she was a bit distressed; they have a door bell that rings whenever someone enters the clinic, so that staff in the rear of the building are alerted to someone entering; she barked and wanted to "check the door" whenever it rang. So of course; for my poor girlie, while she was wobbly and coming around; there were workmen coming in and out delivering, so she was rather confused; barking and trying to stand and go to the door; but not so capable.

I put her in the van; sorted out all the paperwork necessary for release of information and everything else; and we were out of there in 1 hour.

Total cost was $604 CDN including our crappy tax. That included 2 elbow xrays, 3 hip x-rays + an extra hip slide for myself that I can submit to OFA if I wish later; and/or keep for my own records.

The vet attending checked her elbow slides, saw no degeneration and checked her hip slides, no degeneration, good formed socket and tight-fitting ball, one hip was able to distract more than the other; but looked pretty good.

So now we await the official results which are mailed to my house, but the attending vet did say that he is given the results by email quicker; and since I provided my email, he can fwd the information to me.

So yay; we got some good stuff done today.

Good Ole' Canadian Girl - Proudfoot's Tad Bit O Tina - Dora - 30 mos.

Frosty Lips

More Frosty Lips

What is a Family Dog?

2010-12-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

There is a very popular kennel (I got my bitch Proudfoot's Tad Bit O Tina ~ Dora from this kennel), that has as their slogan; Farm Dog First . . . Family Dog Always, and they produce working-type dogs with an emphasis on the family.

You may well ask, oh First Dog; Why do you consider the Boerboel a family dog?

Well dear reader, if you take into account the recent history of the Boerboel, and it's traditional use on the farms and properties of South Africa; how could you not consider the South African Boerboel a family dog.

If a Boerboel was meant to be guarding the homestead; just who do you think that would be in deepest, darkest South Africa?

Why the family that was left at home, while the menfolk went off to war, to civil unrest, to town, to farm.

They are a mastiff breed; mastiffs are known the world over to be guardians of the homestead; gentle giants with their family and fierce defenders against all strangers that mean harm.

Again; you may ask; Why First Dog; why does it matter to the breed and why does it matter to me?

Good questions both; and I will attempt to answer them to your satisfaction.

Breed-type as Family Guard.

What else is a Boerboel going to be used for? They are not fighting dogs; although they are dominant and can be reactive. They are not draught dogs, they are not hunting dogs, they are not herding dogs. They belong to the wonderful and ancient guardian breed category.

A Family Guard from my perspective should be intelligent enough to realize what a threat is (dark, looming, scary stranger with deep voice, dubious behaviour, aggressive movements) as opposed to the neighbours unsupervised 3 year-old daughter that toddles onto your property. Bite one; but not the other.

A family dog shouldn't be so reactive that you can't take the dog camping, or to your son's soccer games or to your daughter's horse show. They should be confident enough to survive a trip to the grocery store and be fine with being left in the car while the family shops, they should accept the accolades of friendly strangers with indifference; but not outright hostility, they should look to you for direction; but react with enough force if it is warranted. I'm not asking a lot; I have this within my own dog; and aim to reproduce it with her progency.

If you are interested in acquiring a Boerboel; expect them to want to guard you; if you have a good one; they will also want to guard whomever is in your house, vehicle or party. Expect them to be a little unimpressed with rough-housing between you and your friends; but controllable none-the-less. Expect them to vocalize their displeasure if someone approaches the car too closely while you are inside; but they should settle when told, expect them to have your back while you are at the ATM. This is attainable when you select the right breeder and the right cross.

But First Dog; you ask; how will I know I have the right breeder; and how will I know I have the right parents for my future dog?

Good question; and research is the best way to gain useful answers.

A good breeder can indicate which breedings they are doing that will produce puppies that suit the family environment. To achieve a family dog is not magic; nor is it a given. It is the result of a breeder working within their own lines to develop a dog that enjoys the family, is low-key enough to accompany their family everywhere and comes from a long line of family guards.

A good breeder will also be able to arrange for you to meet some of the family dogs they have produced, they will have satisfied clients that are proud of their dogs, ideally you are able to meet the dogs off property, as well as at their own house; to give you an idea of what you can expect, in a normal living arrangement.

Second choice for a breeder would be one who has a integrated kennel environment; the dogs live in kennels, but visit in the house; or house-like structure. You should be able to get an idea of what the dogs will be like in a common living space.

Worst choice would be the breeder who has all dogs constantly kennelled. If the dogs are never given a chance to display their behaviour in a home environment; how can that breeder assure you that you can live with your dog once he or she grows out of the cute puppy stage.

Additional Questions to ask of the Family Dog Breeder

Do your dogs fight? Are they dog aggressive? How do you handle them?

As a large, dominant dog breed; there are bound to be scuffles; especially if the breeder has a number of intact dog living together; when hormones run high; so do tempers. But you want to be careful selecting a puppy from parents that constantly want to fight. Reactivity is to be expected, aggressiveness is something to put in the maybe box. If the dogs seem hot; but can be controlled by a look or a yell; they aren't all that dedicated to the brawl; physically having to constantly separate battling canines is not an enjoyable occupation for even the seasoned Boerboel owner.

2. Are your dogs good with small animals - cats, birds, small dogs? Merely tolerate, or enjoy?

Some Boerboels have a lot of prey drive and you have to be careful, some have less and you have less to worry about; but if you are a small pet owner as well as wanting to own a Boerboel; then it is an important consideration; so look to breeders who at least have experience with their dogs and smaller pets; breeders who have successfully homed pups that grew to adults in multi-pet homes; that would be your safest bet.

3. How are your dogs with kids?

This is a tricky question; and one again that is best asked of the experienced breeder; who either raises and manages their dogs daily in a house with children; your kid's ages; or has homed pups into similar environments.

Note the First Dog doesn't advocate unsupervised dogXchildren interactions; but you can't keep your dog crated ALL the time while the kids are running around; so you are looking for some sort of indication from the breeder; that their lines can handle children in the home.

4. How do your dogs handle off-property situations?

Probably best observed by meeting the dogs off-property, also by meeting past clients of the breeder; also off-property. Listen for the "good words", "Oh our dog Freddy just loves the neighbourhood kids; he can be walked by any of them; he's so sweet when they come over to play with our kids. He's such a good dog, he gets to go everywhere with us." <<<<<< examples of "good words"

Well; that's all for now; hopefully this has given you some ideas of what to look for; to make sure you are getting a reasonable representative of the Family Dog.

Training; or Continuing Education for your 'boel

2010-10-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

Many breeders require in their contracts that the prospective owners attend Obedience classes with their Boerboel puppy.

I'm here to tell you that training for a Boerboel is often a circumstance of Continuing Education; rather than a one-time seminar in How to Be a Model Dog Citizen.

But First Dog; I thought you said the Boerboel is an intelligent dog?

Yes, I have said as such and continue to state that I will not knowingly breed a "stupid" Barbie-type Boerboel (they exist; oh man do they exist -- dumb as the proverbial blonde). However the purpose of Continuing Ed isn't necessarily to "teach" your dog something new -- {although most good Boerboels and most good dogs of any breed enjoy the challenge of learning something new; and performing it well}, it is to emphasize to your dominant, ladder-climbing South African Mastiff that you still have the upper hand, you (commonly referred to as "The Owner") still dole out the cookies, you are THE BOSS!

So after Puppy Obedience, what comes next?

Well more obedience classes to be sure. You may not want to compete in obedience; but a lot of good learning goes on beyond Puppy Class.

You could ask your Trainer if you could prep your Boerboel for the CGN/CGC, which is a nice title to have for your Boerboel; that clarifies that your dog is a Model Citizen.

If you did want to compete; there is the option of competing in all venues of obedience, tracking, agility and rally, if your Boerboel is registered in the AKC-FSS program. Of course AKC shows only occur on U.S. soil; so that may limit those that get to participate; but it is an option. An AKC-FSS Boerboel also is able to compete in Herding events.

What else could your Boerboel "compete" in? Agility for one doesn't require registration in a specific Kennel Club, Schutzhund and other "protection" sports. There are also independent clubs that train tracking (which many Boerboels enjoy), train for Therapy dog certification, you might be able to train for scent discrimination, there are quite a few avenues for you to involve yourself in, if interested.

But First Dog I have 2 jobs, 2 kids, 2 households to run, etc., etc.; not enough time, what should I do to keep my Boerboel occupied, understanding and obeying the social order of things.
I would strongly suggest constant socialization and exposure then; starting from when you get the puppy at about 8 weeks until the dog is 2-3-4 years and beyond.

One hears plenty about how important socialization is for dogs; but often exactly what you are to do isn't clarified.

If you want to raise a good dog citizen you have to realize that you have thrust your domesticated, predatory animal into a hot-bed of human oriented situations; that the predatory animal may or may not understand.

So show them, and keep showing them.

Desensitize/socialize/expose your dog to what he/she will live with, be exposed to, participate in, etc. for the rest of your/his/her life.

Some suggestions;

Sleeping in a crate
Sleeping beside your bed
Sleeping in other people's rooms
Travelling in the car in a crate
Travelling in a car on a leash
Travelling in a car loose
Visiting children
Playing with children
Visiting playgrounds, playing on equipment
Hearing the noise from - garbage trucks, dump trucks, fire trucks, ambulances, police cars, fire works, yelling, kids yelling, pots clanging
Different footing - grating, gravel, snow (good luck you Southerners!), rain, grass, asphalt, wooden bridges, mud, wet leaves, hills
Having different moving objects go by; bikes, roller blades, walkers, joggers
Different animals - cats, rodents (maybe -- I expect mine to kill them; but whatever floats your boat), horses, cows, etc.
Different experiences, Hallowe'en, Parades, Festivals, elevators, community walks for fundraising, etc.

The reason I suggest such a wide variety of experiences (and not just for Boerboels; but for all dogs) is because we are teaching the mental capacity of a 2 year old (not necessarily accurate -- actual mental age compared to humans is debatable) how to live in the world as a 2 year old for 10-15 years. You would give your child every opportunity to learn about the world at large; so should you give your dog the same.

For all experiences; it is recommended the dog be neutral and you be neutral. It often helps to have an older dog model the correct responses.

TEMPERAMENT

2010-09-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

When choosing a dog breed to live with, temperament is a very important part of the package. It should actually be the most important; before health, size, colour, head size and other requirements.

Why is temperament most important?

Temperament is most important because if the temperament of the household members don't complement the temperament of the dog; then there is sure to be a miserable household. Dogs will typically be rehomed (successfully or not) if their temperament is not what the household members were expecting.

The criteria of temperament as it relates to dogs incorporates; activity level/energy, initial reaction (bold/shy), adaptability to circumstances, mood, persistence/attention span.

To properly address what temperament the Boerboel should exhibit, needs one to understand where and why the Boerboel originated.

The South African Boerboel or Mastiff was intended as a versatile farm dog (Boer = Farmer; so loosely Farmer's Dog) that could guard both homestead and animals; family members, and vehicles. He wasn't particularily a hunting dog; nor was he particularily a herding dog; although possibly he did both on the African frontier where he was developed.

He was developed as a "breed" in the 1980s, with various infusions from the breeds of; bull mastiff, english mastiff, bull & terrier types, Rhodesian Ridgeback/hunting hound types, St. Bernard types and generally in the beginning any good dog that could perform farm dog duties that was tough enough to survive the trials of the African continent.

What does that leave us (the Boerboel fan) with? Well; let's look at what would have been reproduced/encouraged early on;

1. Activity level -- varied; it depended of course on the size of the homestead, would also depend on what was needed from the dog -- were many miles/day to be covered with a horse/rider, or was the dog expected to just stay around the house; behind a fence, with the occasional jaunt in the rear of the bakkie into town for supplies. Homeowners likely kept some of each type; to ensure that any personal requirements were taken care of by the dogs at hand. Phenotype seems to have reflected activity level pretty closely; with the houndier/lighter builds having the highest activity levels; sometimes to the point of being compared with herders, as opposed to mastiff types, while the heavier/bulkier builds having lower activity levels. This can prove useful to you when considering what parentage to buy a puppy from.

2. Initial Reaction/Active vs. Reactive -- Consider the circumstances of South Africa; where in the frontier atmosphere there was legitimate fear from rather large violent wild animals, unfriendly native tribes and warring settler factions. A dog that leapt first and asked questions later, might find that he was a dead dog. A dog that was reactive could still defend, sound the alarm, get the household in gear and still live another day. There is much anecdotal evidence that the South African Boerboel possesses a decent blend of both active reactions (read forward, bold, unhesitating) and reactive reactions (read thinking, calmer, defensive). They are not a dog afraid of a fight, but they will also wait to make sure of the situation. They do not go charging off into the dark (filled with predators and evil men), but will remain close to hand with an alert and confident presence. They will engage, but not stupidly. Much is written about the Boerboel who will not venture far from his master's side; which seems about right in the view of guarding and defending his owner. This behaviour trait can lead to some poor decisions in puppy choice and in the case of a breeder choosing brood stock; making poor evaluations.

3. Adaptability to circumstances -- The Boerboel has been asked lately to fill many shoes; there are Boerboels who are performing at the highest levels of the Schutzhund sport, there are Boerboels who perform as Therapy dogs, there are Boerboels who participate in Ring Sport, Boerboels who are participating at Agility, herding Boerboels, Personal Protection Boerboels, Beauty-Boerboels, tracking Boerboels and the list goes on. Sounds wonderful, yet every avenue that offers competition to the Boerboel owner also potentially offers the incentive to create yet another "type" of Boerboel. Originally a tough, confident, medium to big-sized Farm Dog; the Boerboel breeders are doing their best to produce dogs that will appeal to owners that participate in these activities, often leaving behind the basic tenets that made Boerboels such a successful breed in their homeland.
The questions that need to be answered with regards to adaptability should be limited to a flexible and confident attitude that allows the breed to accompany their owner whereever they are needed in their guardian duties.
The questions that are being presented to the breed have become;
can the beautiful show dog with the pretty head, perfect colour, and large size (since large size is very often rewarded with top ribbons from judges) be the same dog that is able to compete on a traditional agility course, be the same dog that is able to defend against bear or mountain cat or robbers or rapists, be the same dog that is performing flashy obedience routines, deep nose footstep to footstep tracking and high intensity send aways to apprehend the decoy be the same dog that wants to sit with Grannies in the nursing home, be the same dog that wants to herd sheep or goats or cows or ducks?

Not that they can't, but should they?

Personal experience suggests to me that the more prey driven, drivier, tracking, Schutzhund oriented type is not going to work well on the horse farm; which requires a big brown farm dog-type to hang out, do some chores and guard the perimeter. The prey driven, drivier type that is suited to Schutzhund may not be the best type for Therapy work (Granny's don't do so well when the dog is pushy and always wanting to go, go, go), the prey driven Schutzhund type may be very suited to Agility; since theoretically you could channel drives; but may not make such a good beauty dog since if bigger = better in the minds of judges; bigger is going to have a harder time holding it together for the very active components of Schutzhund (and Agility for that matter).

Something for new owners to consider when they want to purchase a puppy -- what were the parents used for, what is the goal with this litter? I wouldn't suggest to people that want a good big brown farm dog for their small holding and family that they should be seeking the higher drive, Schutzhund type.

4. Mood -- Some Boerboels are happy-go-lucky; just like Labradors and Goldens, some are morose taking their guarding job very seriously, some are middle of the road. This can often be seen as puppies, and is usually firmly cemented by their second heat-season if girls, bit longer for boys. Some of it can be "trained", some of it is simply genetic. Not much you can do about choosing a puppy that is one mood or another; but acknowledging that you may be choosing a "serious" dog as opposed to a butterfly is a good thing to consider on the way in to Boerboel ownership.

5. Persistence/attention span -- There are people breeding stupid Boerboels and there are people breeding smart Boerboels. I'm going to suggest you find someone breeding smart ones; 100 lbs. of stupid is a lot to put up with. Housetraining, training, competing and generally living with an intelligent dog is far simpler and pleasant than constantly having to reiterate how the household works; to your 3, 4, 5 year old dog and beyond. They are manipulative and can pretend to be "stupid", but when push comes to shove and you "really mean it", the smart ones instantly recognize the change in situation and toe the line.

Now how does any of the above help someone buy a good Boerboel puppy so that they have a wonderful family companion for the next 10-15 years?

1. Visit your breeder, visit the parents of your pup. A lot of what I've written is genetic, people that are breeding for specific colours; either for or against aren't paying attention to what body type, activity level or intelligence level they are producing. Spend enough time with the breed to determine whether you can deal with them or not; listen closely to the pup's breeder.

Statements (when referring to broodstock) such as, "He/she is a wonderful dog; but they can't come in the car with us, drools all night when there is a hint of thunder, freaks out at the mailman, bites small children, eats other dogs, has dietary issues, needs constant meds, had hip problems at 9 mos., etc. is NOT a wonderful dog. Wonderful dogs don't have problems, they have life stages that you train through and don't revisit. They don't have repetitive health issues, just regular maintenance, like vaccines and flea medicines, etc.

The puppy's parents should be confident, outgoing (but not necessarily want to interact with you -- they are typically one-family dogs)not overly big, not overly lippy, be of good weight, not have droopy or watery eyes, sound in movement, decent coat without signs of mange or allergies and SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE VIEWED OFF PROPERTY and still project the kind of dog that you want to own.

Don't be wowed by huge size; unless you like picking up poop that a pony could leave behind, you have another couch/bed just for the dog, and you have a huge disposable income for dog food; raw or kibble.

Don't be wowed by a hugely reactive dog that hackles up, lunges and barks like a lunatic to minor alarms such as squirrels running by and children yelling. Interest and an alert expression is good, insanity is not!

Don't be wowed by a pedigree that is full of "Champions" and high Appraisal scores; just means to a judge either on a few days or a handful of days that your potential puppy's parents were "pretty". Doesn't verify temperament or health.

Don't be wowed by a "breeder" that continuously uses imports to breed with. The Boerboel is an international breed now; and unfortunately in its country of origin there seems to be numerous "breeders" who are selling entire litters to North America. These breeders also have upwards of 40 brood bitches; which begs the question -- how do you match up a puppy with a prospective owner?

BE WOWED by a breeder that health tests. Basics are hip dysplasia (OFA/PennHip/OVC) and elbow dysplasia; deeper are hearts, eyes, spine and any other body parts.

BE WOWED by a breeder that performance tests their dogs; or that has successfully produced dogs (by that potential puppy's parents) that have succeeded in events. Minimums include CGC/CGN, Herding, Temperament Tests, Obedience and can go as high as Schutzhund and Ring Sport. Ideally the dogs produced have participated in the event successfully.

BE WOWED by a breeder that produces successful family dogs, ask if you can speak to the families that own the dogs.

BE WOWED by a breeder that is using/creating their own line. All broodstock eventually traces back to South Africa; but a breeder that carefully chooses their broodstock and is developing their own line is using dogs they bred themselves and is able to more fully evaluate the genetics, behaviours and temperament they are working with.

The Boerboel is an amazing dog; when it is bred right, it is a devastating failure with huge potential for damage; when it is bred wrong.

ONTARIO RESIDENT - GOT DOGS - GET TO THIS PARTY!!!!!

2010-07-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

In case you've been under a rock for the past 5 years; Bill 132 - the Dangerous Dog Act went into effect 2005, with the restrictions being that no new APBT, Amstaff, SBT or any dog of similar characteristics could be added to a household; unless the additional dog didn't make greater the number of restricted dogs before the ban (i.e. your Amstaff died; you may replace with 1 more Amstaff)

“owner”, when used in relation to a dog, includes a person who possesses or harbours the dog and, where the owner is a minor, the person responsible for the custody of the minor; (“propriétaire”)

“pit bull” includes,

(a) a pit bull terrier,
(b) a Staffordshire bull terrier,
(c) an American Staffordshire terrier,
(d) an American pit bull terrier,
(e) a dog that has an appearance and physical characteristics that are substantially similar to those of dogs referred to in any of clauses (a) to (d); (“pit-bull”)

Now you'd think the above descriptions would have crossed South African Boerboels off the list, but you'd be wrong. Boxer dogs have been confiscated, American Bulldogs and their crosses have been confiscated, appropriately muzzled dogs who were attacked by off-leash dogs have been confiscated and the bullshit goes on! The Boerboel with it's short coat and muscular body is just a clerical error away from some stupid authority figure mis-identifying your South African Boerboel as a "pitbull".

This is a very serious bill, check it here Dog Owner's Liability Act with very serious consequences, including the ability of a peace officer to enter your facility and seize your dog if you are suspected of owning a "pitbull" and you haven't been abiding by the restrictions of the law. If they suspect you were not complying, they may also seize your dog on the street while you are walking it. Fines can be up to $10,000 and jail of 6 months.

The Dog Legislation Council of Canada has been the umbrella organization for a number of smaller groups who tried (without success) all the way to the Supreme Court to repeal the law as unconstitutional, there is even a private members bill in place to rectify the sweeping infringements upon citizen's rights that Bill 132 put into place.

They are hosting an awareness event and fundraiser on July 25, 2010, next event that lets you get in and see what concerned Ontario citizens are doing to educate the general public and raise awareness.

Got the Boerboel blues -- or is my dog a Blue Boerboel?

2010-07-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

Just a little more information re: the blue gene in dogs; presented in a format that might make it easier to understand.

D-Series - for dilution
The "D-series" has only two genes (or alleles) to have to learn and understand: "D" and "d" - making it nice and simple. Even better yet, there's a simple order of dominance in play: dominant "D" (requiring only one "D" gene to fully express Eumelanin color), and recessive "d" (requiring two "d" genes or "dd" to produce the dilution action, and exhibit a visibly diluted Eumelanin color).

What Can Be Diluted?

Dilution through the "D-series" primarily affects Eumelanin, or the "Black" or "Chocolate" colors of the coat. While there may be some minor affect to Phaeomelanin (tan or red) with the dilution action of "dd," the visible effect is minimal - if at all.

Both Black ("B_") and Chocolate ("bb") Eumelanin can be diluted. Neither of these colors is a dilute, in and of itself.

When the double recessive of "dd" is present, the Eumelanin color is diluted. Black Eumelanin is diluted to "Blue" ("B_/dd").

Dominant D

When the dominant "D" gene is present (and remember, as a complete dominant, it only requires a single "D" gene in the pair to visibly exhibit its dominant effect), the Eumelanin color is fully expressed, with no dilution. This means a dog who is "DD" may be visibly identical to a dog who is "Dd," even though they are genetically different.

It is readily apparent on a brown/black brindle that it is "dd"; they are a steely/slatey blue in color. On red dogs it is sometimes apparent; their mask/ears are steely/slatey blue in color.

It is when the dog only carries one copy and is Dd and is bred to another Dd that there is the possibility of surprise blue pups in the litter.

From chasing bloodlines backwards in known red/blue mask Boerboels and trying to spot blue in older fuzzy photos; I would suggest if you were interested; keep an eye on the lack of pigment on a dog's ears to signify some dilution (maybe not blue but some other Boerboel specific dilution factor) and check eye color. The lighter the eye colour; the more likely dilution in either dd or Dd would appear.

Boerboel puppies are like a box of Smarties ~ Boerboels true colours

2010-07-10T06:27:00.000-07:00

Just as the South African Boerboel is not a "rare" breed of dog, neither is there a "rare" colour/color that is more valuable than any other.

Except perhaps pink; if you find a pink one; let me know; I'd be interested to see it!

The SABT has these colours accepted in their standard; recognised colours are all shades of yellow, brown or brindle.

Dark pigment is emphasized due to the hot South African sun. Excessive white in the coat is not to be encouraged; but you will find some breeders have a lot of pintos. Guess it depends on where the breeder was located in South Africa; whether white was particularily bred away from or not. Some breeders (I will not mention names here) feel that piebald is a "disease" and breeding stock that produces excess white should be gotten rid of. Personally if you haven't researched your lines deep enough to know what is behind your dog; then you shouldn't be breeding.

In the horse world; white markings have been extensively researched with both scientific reporting and anecdotal reporting indicating that any white marking; from a small marking on the face to spotting on the heels is indicative of the "pinto" gene and when bred to a another animal with the same amount of expression (small limited markings) could (and have) produced animals with large amounts of white. It's nothing "disease-like", it's just a marking expressed on a coat colour/color.

My favourite website for dog coat colors is; Dog Coat Color Genetics

Ysterberg/Mouzer are Boerboel breeders located in South Africa who have used piebald/pinto dogs in their program, and seem quite happy with the results. Irish marked Boerboels without full body white are fairly common.

Brindle dogs are well represented within the breed; Egoli Boerboels have some pretty looking dogs.

Reddish brown, fawn/yellow, even pale cream; it's just a colour that appears in the breed. Nothing special or unique; nothing that makes the outside of the dog more valuable than any other.

Two colors that are often touted as "rare" are blues and blacks. Blue is pretty basic; a dilution of black and can often be passed along unknowing from a yellow or cream coloured parent; because the only black (blue) you would see is the masking on the face or ears and many people don't "see" the lack of black when the masking appears dusky coloured. Since pigment is supposed to be dark; there is also some hesitation in verifying a dog as having a blue mask as it is viewed as a fault.

Black is interesting and is quite the "controversial" subject right now; with different factions declaring the "history" of the black Boerboel vs. those that declare black as a new color introduced by breeding in "new breeds".

Whatever.

A good dog is a good dog; no matter the color.

If you are looking for a dog for the conformation show ring, high appraisal scores or any other cosmetic reason; keep an eye on the standards; make sure the breeder you buy your pup from breeds with the show ring in mind or save the worry and buy from a breeder who uses the more common brown/red/yellow/brindle dogs to breed from; and emphasizes temperament over colour.

If you are looking for the "big brown farm dog" sort of Boerboel; then seek out a breeder who emphasizes temperament over colour.

If you are looking for the "big brown family dog" sort of Boerboel; then seek out a breeder who emphasizes temperament over color.

(If you are still reading; you'll note some repetition in the previous sentences).

Anyway; just to reiterate;

A good dog is a good dog; no matter the color.

Bigger is not better . . .

2010-07-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

unless you are talking about food? Yummy, yummy food. Something like steak; yeah steak!

A 150 lb. dog is not better than a 120 lb. dog. A 200 lb. dog is not better than a 150 lb. dog. Unless you are breeding for the meat market; or raising a champion steer for the purposes of butchering; there is no reason to be concerned about the weight, shoulder width, or head diameter of your Boerboel.

All extra size lends is lack of agility (seriously what 200 lb-er is going to want to walk or jog with you; talk to your 200 lb friends vs. your 150 lb. friends; who goes for the longer walk/jog -- whose joints are going to last longer -- check any of your big guys in the NBA/NFL; how long do they last?), extra expense of veterinarian services, extra feeding expense, and most likely shorter life span; it takes more body energy to haul around 200 lbs. vs. 150 lbs.

It is ridiculous to hear people ask; how big is your dog, how big is your dog's head, I want the biggest puppy from her. Yuck. She's not a market hog; I don't care what she weighs.

Tell you what; see if you can guess the weight of this bitch; pictured above; Proudfoot's Tad Bit O Tina; Dora; most people have seen her before; heck she even has her own blog and her own Facebook page. I'll tell you; her weight on the veterinarian's scale shocked even me! And I feed the sucker!

Just post in the comments; what weight in pounds or kilograms (I'll convert it for the rest of us) you think she is.

Oh and Jeannine and Celine aren't permitted to post; since they already know; and her breeder isn't allowed either!

Why Do YOU Want a Boerboel?

2010-07-09T16:21:00.001-07:00

Actually the question could be; why do YOU want any large breed guardian dog?

There are some health differences between the large breed guardians; and there are some guarding-technique differences among the large breed guardians; but you have to be very self-aware of your family/life situation and what you are capable of controlling, managing and expecting from your dog; whichever breed you have chosen.

Size - Bigger is not always better. Might look better to you (read imposing/macho); but is not better for the dog (see Health for specific issues). Large sized guardian breeds range from 100 to 200+ lbs. Do you have room in your house? Do you have room in your car? In your room? In a crate? In your yard? In the boarding kennel? In your bank account? (Sorry for the Dr. Suess-like rhetoric, but significant reason for rehome/abandonment of guardian breeds is their size).

Temperament - Can you handle the harder temperament, dominant nature of a dog that is bred to protect your life? Do you realize that dogs will attempt to climb the social ladder in a household, and with a 100 lb+ dog; you don't want to be one of the lower rungs? A Boerboel takes easily to training, is a willing to please dog and wants a job to do. Are you able to provide the consistent training until the dog is past 2 years for a mastiff-breed? Are you willing to blend compulsion with rewards to create a pet that is happy to obey you; but knows where the line you have drawn on misbehaviour is located? Do you have a job for the Boerboel to do ~ be it active family guard, farm dog, yard guard or the like? If so; you might be a good candidate for Boerboel ownership.

Health - I've heard it, you've read it --- the Boerboel is one of the healthiest of the mastiff breeds due to natural selection in the wilds of South Africa, due to the hybrid nature of it's bloodlines, due to blah, blah, blah. Seriously; you don't believe that crap do you? If so; I've got a bridge to sell you; yeah, yeah; weak; I know.
But honestly the South African Mastiff or Boerboel is as riddled with health issues as any breed out there. In a later post; we'll list the organizations that provide tests and a brief rundown of the various diseases and what solutions are available.
Lets check the list shall we;

Hip Dysplasia - yup; you better believe it; and if you are buying a puppy; you better check the parents scores/ratings for yourself.
Elbow Dysplasia - oh yeah; parent's - the sire and dam can be checked for this too
Vaginal Hyperplasia - basically the female's internal reproductive organs balloon out her vulva and protrude; only a problem if you want to breed her; and due to correction by spaying; solves the problems of passing it on.
Entropion/ectropion - eyelid related issues; sort of cosmetic in nature; but might need surgery to prevent trauma to the eyeball
Systemic allergies - crappy immune systems; allergies to foods, environment (indoor and outdoor), cleaning agents, medicines, etc.
Degenerative myelopathy - slowly progressive loss of coordination in the hind limbs, with increasing weakness
Wobblers - narrowing or malformation of the spinal cervical (neck) vertebrae which causes pressure on the spinal cord by the lower cervical (neck) vertebrae
Bloat - often simply a management issue, but can be avoided sometimes by avoiding breeding deeper chested dogs; or not breeding from affected dogs
Thyroid
Cardiomyopathy - heart issues
Glaucoma - eye issues
ACL tears - ligament issues/connective tissue issues

Hmm; the breed doesn't sound exceptionally healthy anymore.
Breed Specific Legislation - the Boerboel; like the APBT before it could easily find it on the list of banned breeds; and depending on the country, state, province or jurisdiction is actually on a list of banned breeds already. Preventing the breed from being banned is usually hit or miss depending on the stupidity of your governing body; however keeping your personal dog under control and if you are a breeder; not selling to any Tom, Dick or Harry that comes by with a wad of cash; can help prevent episodes that encourage the banning of yet another fantastic breed.
All is not gloom and doom; keep reading; we'll come to the reasons for owning a Boerboel soon enough.

South African Mastiff - Boerboel History

2010-07-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

Search the web for the terms "boerboel history" and much romantic comedy has been written. As mystical as the South African Mastiff-Boerboel breed sounds; it's not!
Much of what is extolled as virtues unique to the Boerboel; are qualities that all mastiff/molosser breeds have exhibited in the past (until bred into parodies of themselves) or continue to exhibit to this day if they were kept as working dogs. Almost all countries/regions developed a mastiff/molosser breed of some sort. Some are still athletic, some are mere sloth-like shadows of their former guardian breed selves.
~ The Korean Dosa (a "guardian" breed)

The Boerboel; despite all the romantic verbiage to the contrary is no different than any other country's large breed guardian dog.

It comes in a variety of colours, a variety of temperaments, with a myriad of health problems, bred by an assortment of both responsible and caring breeders and those in it for the money.

Don't be baffled by the bull$#it.

Follow the blog the learn what to expect from your Boerboel puppy or Boerboel adopted adult.