So you’re looking for a Boerboel dog and want to know the best place to find one? We’ve got you covered with our list of the 5 best Boerboel breeders in the U.S.A!
These massive dogs aren’t very well known outside of South Africa, where they originated, but anyone who’s owned or bred them will understand just how amazing they are. Although there are many dog breeders across America, you need to know who you can trust.
That’s not to say that those that didn’t make our list are not trustworthy or reputable, but it’s up to you to make up your own mind, based on what you learn here. It’s pretty easy if you know what signs to look out for!
To see what we mean, check out our list of the 5 best Boerboel breeders before we move on to look at this large dog in more detail.
Boerboel Puppies For Sale
Don’t be in too much of a hurry to buy from the first person that says this! These dogs are still rare and not always easy to find, but you can’t be too careful about who you buy from.
Reputable breeders don’t have to advertise, and they’ll never use puppy brokers or sites like Craigslist to sell their pups.
A recent study has shown that the vast majority of puppies for sale online are scams, and the last thing you need is to be caught out.
Many online breeders might sell you a mixed breed puppy instead of a purebred one, such as the Cane Corso Boerboel mix .
Ideally, you should find a local breeder that you can trust. An honest breeder will welcome you to the site to meet them and the parent dogs and will allow you to see the pups once they have had their first vaccines.
Good breeders will be interested in you and your lifestyle. They will ask questions to make sure that you are the right person for their pup.
Never be afraid to question them about any issue that concerns you, as they will be only too pleased to put your mind at rest. If you have any doubts, then walk away!
We’ve selected a handful of the best Boerboel breeders, and you can use these as a guide to find one that you can trust.
1. Paragon Boerboels
Although these are not listed in any particular order, Paragon deserves the first mention. Their website is very impressive, setting out Paragon’s mission statement, philosophy, and vision for their breeding program.
Any questions about the Boerboel breed that you can think of are addressed in the FAQs section. You can find information about topics such as their waiting list, how big your dog might get, and whether the breed is right for you.
Paragon Boerboels strives to maintain the traditional integrity of this noble breed while improving it through extensive health testing, an area that this Seattle-based breeder feels has been lacking in the past.
Website: Paragon Boerboels
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: @paragonboerboels
2. Black Iron Boerboels
Black Iron Boerboels captures the very essence of the breed on its website when it says that the dogs are gentle with kids and friendly with strangers when the breeders are present. This shows that they trust their owners and have made a judgment that these strangers are safe.
Even so, they are ready to launch into fearless protector mode in a second!
Although these are hobby breeders, they have over thirty years of experience and have gained a wealth of knowledge. Genetics is a real passion for them, and it’s clear that they adore this breed.
As well as being members of SABBS* (the South African Boerboel Breeders’ Society), they also have NABBA (North American Boerboel Breeders Association) membership.
They welcome visitors to the site only after they have successfully completed the application and been approved. Like all good breeders, they take an active interest in where their pups are going and will provide lifetime support. You can contact them for details of current litters.
Website: Black Iron Boerboels
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 765-661-1269
*SABT is the Afrikaans translation of SABBS
3. Tall Oaks Kennels
Bill and Beverly Shupe of Bowling Green, VA, are old-hands at the dog breeding business, starting back in 1975! As well as breeding, Bill and Beverly have also been deeply involved in the world of dog shows.
It’s safe to say that they have a consuming love for all things canine!
Just like the other breeders here, Tall Oaks imported some of their breeding stock from the best bloodlines and top kennels in South Africa. Even so, Bill and Beverly don’t feel that they overcharge for their pups (though you’ll have to contact them for prices).
As you’d expect, the breeding program at Tall Oaks isn’t about making money. Each litter is planned carefully, always giving the dams adequate time to recover. When they are bred, it’s always to make improvements and adjustments to create a beautiful dog that’s of sound temperament, healthy, and with excellent structure.
Website: Tall Oaks Kennels
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 804-633-9612
4. Qubitron Boerboels
This breeder is based in Chesterfield, Missouri, where they focus on health, temperament, and structure with the aim of producing the best Boerboel for your family.
Like all good breeders, Qubitron requires you to complete a questionnaire before they consider you for one of their pups. Each puppy is matched with the right family to ensure that it goes to a suitable home. All reputable breeders do this and will refuse to sell to anyone who they have any doubts about.
Qubitron clearly takes its business seriously and is a member of AKC, UKC (United Kennel Club), and SABBS.
Website: Qubitron Boerboels
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 586-295-6232
5. Barbarian Boerboels
Barbarian Boerboels is based in Grafton, Illinois, where Danny and Paula Gibson have a single aim: to be the number one Boerboel breeder in the U.S.A! Between them and their co-owner based in Battle Ground, Washington, they own and breed 29 Boerboels.
Their breeding program is meticulously researched and planned, with the intention of improving the breed wherever possible. Each breeding pair is matched carefully to enhance the best traits and compliment all other aspects, eliminating any inherent weaknesses.
The Barbarian Boerboels website contains a treasure trove of information about the breed, and Danny and Paula welcome any questions about their dogs and their work.
Barbarian Boerboels achieved fame a couple of years back when a London-based studio contacted them about filming their dogs. This resulted in exposure on the TV shows Dog Dynasty, Big Dogz, and Beastly!
These are seriously pampered dogs! They have acres of land to explore and exercise in, heated and air-conditioned accommodation, the best food and medical care, and they even have indoor wash stations. They are also fully health tested with relation to their hips, heart, and elbows.
All of Danny and Paula’s pups come with a lifetime of support.
Website: Barbarian Boerboels
Phone: 360-601-5743
Boerboel History And Breed Standard
Huguenot, Dutch, and German settlers in South Africa in the 1600s are believed to have brought large, Bullmastiff-type dogs with them. These were interbred with other large European dogs, eventually resulting in the Boer dog.
After some fine-tuning over the years, the breed became known as the Boerboel, or farmer’s dog. You’ll sometimes also hear it referred to as the South African Mastiff.
These dogs had to be robust, muscular, intelligent, agile, and fearless, as they were used to guard and protect remote homesteads from the masses of dangerous wildlife that threatened the livestock as well as the humans living there.
This didn’t mean that they were savage and aggressive. In fact, they show great affection toward their owners and are smart enough to assess any threats and decide when to act, with one eye always on their owner as they wait for a command.
These qualities are what make the Boerboel so amazing and explain their growing popularity today.
Despite this, the American Kennel Club (AKC) only recognized the Boerboel breed as recently as 2015.
For the full breed standard, you’ll need to check the AKC website, but here are the basic details:
• Height – Males 24 to 27 inches, females 22 to 25 inches.
• Weight – Between 150 and 200 pounds (sometimes more!).
• Colors – Brindle, tawny, cream, brown, reddish-brown, red.
• Markings – Black mask, white, Irish marked, piebald.
• Life expectancy – 9 to 11 years.
In countries where it is still allowed, tail docking is optional these days, as show dogs won’t lose points for having a natural tail. This fact doesn’t stop some dog owners or breeders from docking tails, even though it has been shown to have no medical or practical benefits. They argue that the tails are large and will break things in the home and that tails can be damaged. This is a pretty weak argument, as you could say this about other body parts. Paws and noses get damaged much more easily, but we leave those alone!
Originally, Boerboels were said to have had their tails docked because it gave baboons something to grab when the dogs were tackling them. This is unlikely to be a problem anywhere in the U.S.A.
Best Boerboel Bloodlines
As you might expect, the best bloodlines come from the Boerboel’s homeland.
Many Boerboel breeders in the U.S. import their breeding stock from South Africa, from kennels such as Afrika Boerboels and Targus Boerboels, as they believe that these are the best dogs to use in their breeding programs.
However, the most highly-respected name in the Boerboel breeding world is Klein Sandfontein, owned by Beverli Katz.
Beverli started breeding Boerboels in 2001 and has achieved worldwide recognition for her endeavors, using her extensive knowledge and experience of horse and pony breeding to perfect her outstanding Boerboel bloodline. To date, at least four dogs from the Klein Sandfontein stud have been classed as the highest appointed or highest appraised of their breed in the world!
Many of the best Boerboel breeders in America have breeding stock from the KS line, and these are worth looking out for as their offspring will be excellent quality pups.
How Much Do Boerboel Puppies Cost?
They generally cost between $1,200 to $5,000.
However, as always, getting an exact price isn’t easy! Breeders charge different amounts, depending on where they are located, how much they’ve invested in each litter, and the pedigree and bloodline of the pups.
There’s an added twist in that some breeders don’t advertise their puppy prices. This seems to be becoming more common, and the reason given for this is that it discourages competition between breeders. Any Boerboel breeder that’s a member of the American Boerboel Club (ABC) is committed to a code of ethics that prohibits them from displaying the price of their dogs.
The idea is that this will stop breeders from cutting corners to attract customers with discount puppies.
While this is a commendable sentiment, it doesn’t make much sense unless all breeders do it. And if a potential client inquires about a price, there’s no guarantee that they will buy from that breeder and may well seek out another that suits their budget.
In the end, transparency appears to be the best policy, along with educating the public toward choosing reputable breeders. Prices might be higher, but it’s always worth paying more for a healthy, even-tempered dog.
Are Boerboels Friendly?
Yes, they are. At least, they are loving, calm, very friendly, and affectionate to those within the home and family unit, especially young children. However, as always, any interaction between dogs and children should be supervised.
But when it comes to strangers (including children) and other dogs, they’re perhaps not always so friendly.
These massive South African dogs were bred to be formidable guardians, big enough and fierce enough to protect homesteads from threats that include wild animals like lions and hyenas. Although mostly known as farm dogs, they were also trained to hunt cheetahs and baboons.
They have a default setting of alertness, always ready to act when they sense a threat. For the most part, they are intelligent, calm, and watchful companions. Unlike some dogs, they don’t have a high prey drive and are not likely to chase after small animals.
Although they are still used as working dogs today, many people keep them in the home as companions, where they also serve as guard dogs.
Do they deserve their fearsome reputation? Definitely! They use intimidation as a tool to scare off any threats, but they are not known to back down if the intruder becomes aggressive.
So, why do people keep them as pets? Are they a danger to anyone?
The truthful answer is that any big or muscular dog can be dangerous if poorly bred, badly treated, and not properly trained or socialized.
Boerboels have been known to attack other dogs, particularly toward the same breed and sex. They are intelligent and eager to learn, so you should be able to reduce this instinct and teach them how to behave.
A well-bred Boerboel that has been properly trained and socialized is not naturally aggressive. For this reason, it’s essential to use only the best Boerboel breeders, as they will always focus on health and temperament and will begin the socialization process early. It’s then up to you to build on this. You must commit to full obedience training for your dog to ensure that it is even-tempered, calm, and manageable.
Is The Boerboel The Dog For You?
Photo from: @boerboel_universe
We’ve looked at the 5 best Boerboel breeders in America and offered some information that might help you understand this impressive giant.
So, is it the right choice for you? If you’re a first-time dog owner, then perhaps not. This dog needs an experienced, dominant personality that will always take the upper hand.
If you’re used to large dogs, then you should be fine, provided you train and socialize it properly.
You’ll need space, and plenty of it! A large, secure yard is a must, and you’ll need to ensure that it gets at least two hours of exercise each day. This should include a couple of long walks, as well as hiking, swimming, and vigorous play sessions.
One of the biggest concerns is the cost of keeping a dog of this size. Food alone will cost something like $75 per month, and that’s just for dry kibble. If you choose a raw food diet, the cost may well be higher.
Grooming shouldn’t be a problem, as the Boerboel has a short, smooth coat that only needs weekly brushing.
And aside from hips, elbows, and eyes, this is a pretty healthy dog breed, so you shouldn’t have too many problems. However, if anything does go wrong, your vet bill could be high, as big dogs tend to cost more to fix!
When you’ve considered all the aspects of owning one of these wonderful dogs, you’ll be in a better position to decide.
Read Next: Boerboel Growth Chart