South African Guard Dogs Tough, Smart

South African Guard Dogs Tough Smart LIVESTOCK DOGS Willy and Deb Malcolm have always had large breed dogs on their Canadian farm But none have fit in as well as the South African Boerboel breed “We have predators on our farm so we wanted an alert dog guarding livestock ” Deb Malcolm explains In her research the Boerboel breed kept coming up With a history that dates back to 1652 at the Cape of South Africa the Boerboel breed was developed from Mastiff and long-legged bulldog breeds to be loyal obedient and great protectors The Malcolms’ first dog was a male born in Canada on Christmas Day 2010 Shortly after they purchased a female from a South African breeder who Malcolm got to know through her research Currently they have eight Boerboels and are among a growing number of registered breeders in the South African Boerboel Breeders Society SABBS Maintaining the breed standard is important Malcolm says and dogs must have a score of 75 percent or more at official appraisal events to be registered Space to run and play and being around “family” is important also “This is a big breed that is athletic agile and quick to train They seem to think things through catch on very quick and problem solve They are a dominant breed and if they can they will outthink you You need to train them when they are young ” Malcolm explains Despite their size as much as 190 lbs for males and 140 lbs for females she says they often act like lapdogs They also adapt to strangers and are intuitive about children who are afraid of them and respond gently Malcolm adds that they sense when someone is not well She experienced it herself with a health issue first detected by one of her dogs The Boerboel’s guardian nature is one of its best qualities On evening walks she has had incidents where she knows her dogs detect danger - coyotes or bears - and a dog will get in front of her and push her back Boerboels like being around livestock and going on “patrol” They will attack predators that threaten livestock Because they are shorthaired they need to be indoors during cold weather but they don’t drool or bark unnecessarily They need to be around people and not be left alone for long periods of time The number of available Boerboels is limited so they are expensive Puppies from registered dogs sell for $2 000 to $3 000 Boerboel organizations don’t recommend crossbreeding in order to maintain standards and build up numbers Like other big breeds Boerboels can have hip health issues and their lifespan is about 12 years For more information Malcolm suggests going to organization websites “I hope to have a Boerboel all my life ” she says “They keep you active – both your mind and physically They make great service and therapy dogs ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Willy and Deb Malcolm Box 157 Pine River Manitoba Canada R0L 1M0 ph 204 263-5488; Facebook: Rocking Chair Boerboels; rockingchairbb@yahoo com or South African Boerboel Breeders Society www sabbs org

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.