History of the Boerboel

The word “Boerboel” derives from “boer”, Afrikaans/Dutch for farmer, and “boel”, old Afrikaans/Dutch for dog. Boerboel, therefore, translates as either “farmer’s dog” or “Boer’s dog” and should be pronounced somewhat like “boo-er-bool.” (not Burbull).

Despite the Boerboel’s long breeding history, there is great uncertainty as to how many and which breeds were used to create it. It is generally believed that the breed was created from interbreeding native African landrace dogs, such as the Africanis, with breeds brought into South Africa by Dutch, French, and British settlers.

The most likely origins date back to Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival to the Cape in 1652, who brought with him a “Bullenbijter”, which is Dutch slang for Bulldog. Other original and later European settlers brought large, strong dogs that almost certainly bred with the indigenous domestic dog breeds of South Africa.

In the early 1860s, when military posts were scattered across the South African frontier, bloodhounds, staghounds, greyhounds, bulldogs, terriers, mastiffs, pointers, and occasionally foxhounds were to be found at each post. The Boer dog was a cross between these breeds. It was generally in the vicinity of military posts where the best Boer dogs were to be found. In addition, the best dogs for hunting leopards and baboons were a cross between a mastiff and a bulldog.  Later, in 1928, the diamond mining company De Beers imported Bullmastiffs to South Africa to guard the mines. This breed was also crossbred with Boerboels in the region.

The Boerboel was first introduced to purebred enthusiasts throughout the world, including the United States, by the American anthropologist Dr. Carl Semencic, first in an article in Dog World Magazine and later in his book entitled Gladiator Dogs which was first published by T.F.H. Publications in 1998 and later republished by another publisher in 2013. Semencic credits his early familiarity with the breed to his own travels to South Africa, but especially to his frequent correspondence with the head of the first South African Boerboel club, one Mr. Kobus Rust. Later, the Boerboel Breeders Association was established in 1983 in the Senekal district of the Free State with the sole objective of ennobling and promoting the Boerboel as a unique South African dog breed.  Today, there are more than 10 Boerboel organisations, including countries like Australia, EU, Russia and the USA.

Source: Wikipedia