Introduction:

In dictionaries and encyclopaedias one finds the following definition of a Boerboel: a large farm dog of uncertain origins. Thankfully, this is now a thing of the past. South Africa's own dog, the Boerboel, is now a fully-fledged breed.

Extensive research has revealed that the ancestry and bloodline of the Boerboel can be traced back to the time of Herodotus (440 B.C.) and to Tibet, Assyria and Babylon. In Assyria, dogs were used as soldiers and even equipped with reinforced armour to protect them. When Assurbanipal conquered Egypt, these dogs were taken along and so introduced further into the known world.

The Boerboel belongs to the Molossers that originate from the Tibetan Mastiff, as already stated above to some extent.

Later, Alexander the Great was responsible for introducing these dogs throughout Europe. Apparently in 326 B.C., he received a gift of 156 of these large dogs which had been specially trained to fight lions and elephants.

Through the centuries, these dogs developed into two definite strains, the mastiff type which was used for protection and as a soldier and the other which was used as a hunting dog. Both were hefty and well-built, typically large working dogs with only slight differences in appearance and build. It is reputed that all known dogs in the western world are descendants of these two dog types. Approximately 600 years ago, the Europeans began specialised breeding from these two dog types and a number of different breeds evolved through selection and crossbreeding. Some dogs were bred especially for hunting; others were taught how to retrieve prey or to guard livestock. There were an endless list of tasks the dog was used for but the basis of all these dogs was always the strong breed of the past.

When Jan van Riebeeck arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652, he brought along his own strong and large dog to protect him and his family in the wild and unknown territory. This dog was known as "De Bullenbijter", a large, heavy mastiff-type dog. By this stage the "archetypal dog" had diversified considerably and many western world countries had their own characteristic breed. The settlers who followed Jan van Riebeeck also brought along their strongest dogs to protect them and their families against the unknown dangers of this strange land. Thus, dogs arrived from many different countries. As the pioneers moved further inland, the dogs became more isolated and inbreeding was thus commonplace. This resulted in the reappearance of characteristic traits of the original Assyrian dog.

Survival was of the utmost importance and the hardiness of the Boerboel, which exists even to today, relates back to this. Since there were no veterinarians or medicine, the dogs largely had to care and fend for themselves. During the Great Trek, the characteristics of the Boerboel were clearly recognisable, as can be seen from the old drawings of the period. In the period after the Great Trek however, the Boerboel interbred further on the most distant farms and only the biggest and strongest dogs survived. The pioneer owners required them to be a good friend of the family, a worker, a guard dog and a fighter. They could not afford to have a disobedient, surly, sickly dog as they had to be able to rely on them to protect the family, to work, kill and fight.

Around 1900, the characteristics of the "archetypal dog" reappeared clearly again and the dog was known as the "Bole". The years that followed were almost catastrophic for the Boerboel. The move to the cities (urbanisation) led to a lot of crossbreeding and the Boerboel was no exception. Anything that could bark crossbred with each other and the typical "Bole" began to disappear. It was only in the eighties that a serious search got underway, with one goal in mind: to find the original farm dog. There is another part of known history that may also be of importance in the creation of the Boerboel as we known it today - namely, the fact the colony fell into British hands. In 1795, the British occupied the Cape. When the British Settlers arrived in 1820, they brought the Bulldog and a Mastiff-type dog with them and this is how the Bull Mastiff was created. The Bull Mastiff was first imported to South Africa in 1928 by De Beers to guard the diamond mines. It is also known that a champion male was imported in 1938. These "immigration" dogs played a role, together with the dogs that the settlers got from the Hottentots, in creating the Boerboel.

According to tradition, these dogs were crossbred after the Anglo Boer War of 1902 with the English long-legged Bulldog and in the late forties and early fifties with the Bull Mastiff. This history is especially known among the farmers of the North-Eastern Free State, Northern Natal and in parts of the old Transvaal.

A few spirited people took the initiative to form SABT, the South African Boerboel Breeders Association. Europe now has its own chapter of the SABT. The main aim of the SABT was to enable the original Boerboel to assume its rightful place as a uniquely South African dog among the other dog breeds of the world. A search covering thousands of kilometres ensued. Selective breeding began, followed by many disappointments but also immense joy. Finally, the dog of our forefathers was ready to be registered as a pure breed. In the meantime, the SABT had grown into a 500 member-strong association, spread over the whole of South Africa and Namibia.

In August 1980, Jannie Bouwer from Bedford and Lucas van der Merwe from Kroonstad undertook the first selection tour. Lucas's wife, Anneke, went along as secretary. A total of 5500 kilometres were covered to choose 250 dogs, of which only 72 were finally selected for registration.

The big dream was beginning to take shape.....