Collection: Personalised Boerboel Gifts

Muscular, confident, and surprisingly gentle, the Boerboel (Africaans for farmers dog) was bred to protect its family and their farm animals in South Africa. They are a tough breed and always respond courageously when threatened. There are anecdotes of the Boerbell fighting off anything from baboons and hyenas to lions and leopards! You can be sure that this pooch will protect you if necessary. They are pretty high maintenance as they need to be carefully trained and socialised, but on the plus side, they are rarely ill and don’t need grooming often.

The history of this breed is a bit unclear, however, we do know that dogs native to South Africa mixed with the dogs brought over with Dutch settlers. The emigrated dogs include the Mastiff and the Bulldog. Naturally only the strongest of breeds could survive attacks from predators and the harsh conditions of the country. Over many years, the Boerboel became a breed in its own right, and many farmers in South Africa owned one. After World War Two, crossbreeding increased, meaning the purity of the breed started declining. Thankfully, in the 1980s, a group of dedicated breeders set out to fix this.

The Boerboel was exported worldwide as both a working and companion dog. However, several countries have banned their residents from owning the breed. The reason for this is because when trained incorrectly, they have a territorial and aggressive nature. Romania prohibited ownership in 2002, followed by Denmark, Switzerland and Bermuda.

When trained correctly, Boerboels are an impressive household pet. They are gentle towards children and love to play around with them. They are fearless (which isn’t surprising as they were bred to fight off cheetahs!) and will protect you at all costs. If you are a first-time dog owner, then this is not the breed for you. They need someone assertive and experienced in training, or they will most likely turn aggressive and uncontrollable.