By Willie Davis
For decades, dogs have been entwined into human beings' lives. The alliance between humans and dogs serves as the oldest among all other animals and such alliance has been quite long. This academic article focuses on the four types of South African Boerboels, which is a dog breed with no comprehensive educative information as other dog types. It stresses the primary difference in every Boerboel breed, the DNA in their ancestry creating the Boerboel types, and lastly, the origin of this breed.
The Big Difference in Every Type
The South African Boerboel dog breeds entailed any dog that would work. The types involved in this kind of breeding were Mastiff, Hound, Terrier, and Bulldog (EABB, 2019). Almost the four types might have a resemblance in their physical appearance, such as being tall with pronounced tuck up their underneath, and other traits. For example, in their sizes, male Boerboels were 24-27 inches high, while 150-200 pounds heavy. On the other hand, female Boerboels were 22-25 inches high, and 150-200 pounds heavy (Lazhar Limited, 2015). However, being highly effective and active farm dogs with the primary purpose of homestead protection, acting as watchdogs, and working as farm dogs, the primary difference in every Boerboel type occurred in their functionality.
First, Mastiff type the heaviest and with the thicker skin dog was too slow and big, thus lacked drive essential to catch a crafty poacher. On the contrary, bulldog type being too vicious could tear up poachers badly and would even cause severe injury and even death (EABB, 2019). Additionally, due to its slowness, mastiff would stay around the homestead property to guard the livestock and family. The hound type had the hunting ability reflected in its good speed, good stamina, and a good nose for the ground, hound dogs were known as running dogs venturing out with horses and owners to tend to cattle and sheep (Brownlie, 2008). Lastly, unlike other Boerboels, the terrier type with its shorter back length and thinner legs, was more prey-driven and hyperactive. Its scissor-like good and bite teeth were for hunting prey.
Source: https://thisbugslife.com/2013/04/14/different-kinds-of-boerboels/
DNA in Boerboel Ancestry Creating the Four Boerboels Types
These four Boerboel types are the primary South African dogs developed to protect farms or homes (VetStreet, 2020). Historically, Boerboels' precise ancestors are unknown. Nonetheless, specialists believed that the Boerboels originated from the native African canine species and those breeds taken to South Africa by the French, Dutch and English settlers in the 1600s (Louviere, 2020). For example, Bullenbijter, a gigantic Mastiff-type dog brought by one of the settlers in 1652, is regarded as the Boerboel ancestor since it mated with Africanis, the native dogs to bore homestead protectors, working farm dogs, and watchdogs (Lazhar Limited, 2015).
Similar to improving the current dogs to the original South African Boerboels, the ancient group also used the biohacking method to have surviving dogs with desirable protection, guarding, and working features. Genetically, they had a DNA-based genetic profile of the gigantic Mastiff-type and bred with the Africanis to yield the four Boerboel types (Davis, 2019).
The Origin of the Four Boerboel Types
‘Boer’ means a Dutch farmer. As a result, it is the Dutch that bred original and gigantic bull and Mastiff-type to yield the four Boerboel dog types (Braby, 2020). Historically, Boerboel stems from Africans/Ditch word for ‘Boer’ farmer and ‘boel’ dog. The Boerboels thus became the farmer’s dogs after being bred by the Dutch settling in South Africa in the 1600s. Needed for homestead defense and hunting dangerous wild animals, like leopards, hyenas, big cats, and baboons, the four Boerboel Types with different characteristic traits erupted (DogTime, 2020).
These European settlers brought with them to South Africa gigantic and original Mastiff and Bulldogs that were strong and large dogs. Upon breeding with the indigenous Africanis, they crossbred to yield Boerboels to guard the mines (EVI, 2020). The crossbreeding proceeded until the 1980s, when pure Boerboels, like Mastiff, Bulldogs, Hound, and Tierre Boerboels reappear. In the end, the 1980s’ crossbred pure Boerboels are the current popular breeds in South Africa, which were then exported internationally (DogTime, 2020). Meaning, the four types of currently known Boerboels are the result of repetitive crossbreeding of the fore dogs owned by European settlers (types like Mastiff, Bulldogs, and others) and African domestic dogs (Dogmal, 2020).
References
Braby, E. (2020). Boerboel vs. Bullmastiff: Breed Differences & Similarities. Retrieved from https://www.loveyourdog.com/boerboel-vs-bullmastiff/
Brownlie, S. (2008). AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BREED: Available from http://www.sandaharrboerboels.com/introduction-to-the-breed.html
Davis, W. (2019). About Us Contact. What is a Biohacked Boerboel?. Retrieved from https://www.biohackedboerboels.com/blogs/30-biohacked
Dogmal. (2020). Boerboel dog breed. Overview of the Boerboel dog breed. Retrieved from https://www.dogmal.com/boerboel
DogTime. (2020). Boerboel.More About This Breed. Available from https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/boerboel#/slide/1
EABB. (2019). South African Boerboel and Bull Mastiffs. Exotic African Boerboel Breeders. Good Beginnings Never End. Available from https://boerboelpuppy.com/bullmastiffs-and-african-boerboels/
EVI. (2020). About Boerboel Breed. Embark Veterinary, Inc. Boerboels on Embark. Retrieved from: https://embarkvet.com/resources/dog-breeds/boerboel/
Lazhar Limited. (2015). How To Breed Boerboels. Breeding Business. All Rights Reserved. Available from https://breedingbusiness.com/how-to-breed-boerboels/
Louviere, A. (2020). Boerboel History. Breed Education. Wisdom Panel. Available from https://www.wisdompanel.com/en-us/breed-library/boerboel
VetStreet. (2020). Vetstreet. All rights reserved. Boerboel Breed Characteristics Overview. Available from http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/boerboel
