Boerboel is derived from the Afrikaans/Dutch words of boer (farmer) and boel which is a reference to the Bullenbijter (Bullbiter) ancestry that the breed comes from. So in a nutshell the word Boerboel literally translates into “farmer’s mastiff”.

The exact ingredients that went into the recipe that created the modern Boerboel are not precisely known but what is beyond dispute is the Boerboel’s mixed African and European heritage! The history of the Boerboel dog breed traces all the way back to 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck (the founding father of the Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope) arrived in southern Africa.

Jan van Riebeeck took with him a very large and impressive looking Bullenbijter (Bull biter) to serve as protection against the real and imagined dangers found on the African continent. His Bullenbijter was a large mastiff-type dog that was more than capable to multi-function as enforcer and protector! Other settlers followed Jan van Riebeeck’s lead and soon enough the settlements were teeming with large forbidding dog breeds that originated from all across Europe. The British arrived in tow with their own powerdogs most of which at the time were typically a cross between the long-legged Bulldogs of the period and the large English Mastiff. The Germans and the French not to be outdone took their own canine powerdog specimens with them.

With time inevitably crossing of these various powerdog breeds occurred resulting in the genetic legacy upon which the Boerboel breed was developed. But that is just a tiny portion of the history of how the Boerboel became the dog it is today

The Breed Almost Becomes Extinct!

Although the existence and status of the Boerboel dog breed today is secure and growing stronger this was not always the case! Twice during its history the existence of the breed skirted the fine line of extinction. The first time occurred during the Anglo-Boer war of 1899-1902 following Lord Kitchener’s “Scorched Earth” policy and the next was a little more recent (as well as more subtle) and was due to the inevitable march of urbanization!

In the face of urbanization the Boerboel dog found itself in the crosshairs of a dilemma; those traits and characteristics quintessential to the Boerboel dog breed on the farm proved to be an inconvenience in the city. As a consequence Boerboel dog owners resorted to breeding their dogs “with anything that barked” to the point that pure Boerboel stock literally disappeared!

Fortunately small pockets of original Boerboel genetic stock could still be found in farms located in remote regions.

In the early 1980s, lovers and fanciers of the breed pained by the seemingly inevitable demise of the Boerboel dog breed decided enough was enough! The South African Boerboel Breeder’s Association (SABBA) was duly formed with the main objective and purpose of reviving the Boerboel to its genetic purity and original stature.

In the August of 1990 an extensive search covering over 5,500 kilometers was undertaken by a few devoted individuals with the express purpose of finding and selecting those Boerboel specimens that best embodied the Boerboel breed in its purest form. Out of 250 dogs examined only 72 passed the grueling selection criteria.