What does the number I see after a Boerboel’s name mean?
The number after a Boerboel’s registered name indicates its appraised score from one of the two major kennel clubs who conduct appraisals, SABBS in South Africa or NABBA in the United States. An appraisal is an incredibly detailed conformation process that evaluates a dog from head to tail, mind and body. The Boerboel is the only breed of dog in the world that has such an evaluation process. The appraisal is a valuable tool for breeders to use to help pair dogs together in the hopes of improving faults in the breed and building a more complete dog. Appraisal scores do not mean everything though. A dog’s health testing, temperament, and working ability, are all important. As a general rule, a SABBS appraisal score over 80% indicates a solid, breedable dog. A NABBA appraisal score over 85% means roughly the same thing. SABBS dogs receiving scores over 85% and NABBA dogs receiving scores over 90% are exceptional dogs who meet and/or exceed ideals for the breed. Typically, a dog will receive its highest appraised score between the ages of 4 and 5, when it is fully grown and filled. If you are interested in buying a Boerboel puppy for the purposes of breeding or showing, the appraisal score is a valuable tool to help you make informed decisions about what the pups might be like from a breeding pair, but it is more important to look at the entire appraisal sheet rather than just the overall score, to see in which areas the parent dogs may be deficient.
Aren’t your dogs kind of small for the breed?
No. In fact, many breeders are breeding dogs well outside the original breed standard for size. If you want a 200+ lb. dog, I am not the breeder for you. The reality is that very few 200+ lb. dogs are healthy or will live as long of a lifespan as the same breed of dog that is shorter and weighs 60-100lbs less. Scientific studies have shown that taller, heavier dogs have more stress put on their heart and joints, and this can lead to more health issues, especially once they reach senior age. My question in return to people who want giant dogs is why? Can you lift a 200lb. dog into your vehicle if he needs emergency vet care? Can you afford to feed your dog 4 more cups of food a day than a 100-150lb dog would need? Can you handle walking a dog that outweighs you? Can you control a 200+lb. dog if it is engaged with another animal in a fight? I prefer to use dogs in my breeding program that meet original breed standards for size and weight, that can pass health testing, and have good working and companionship temperaments. Bigger is not always better and I can assure you, a 100-150lb. Boerboel or Mastiff is a formidable opponent for anyone who might try to do harm to you or your property. I outweigh my Boerboel boy by over 100lbs and he can take me down like an NFL linebacker. Please stop obsessing about size!!
What sets you apart from other breeders?/Why should I buy a pup from you?
I am an ethical breeder who breeds to the ORIGINAL standards set forth for both Boerboels and Mastiffs. When I buy a puppy/dog as a breeding prospect, I understand that I might be making an investment that won’t pay off. Many breeders stick any male and female dog together and assume they will make great puppies. I try to make conscious decisions about my breeding pairs and if I don’t feel I have a good dog on site that can complement one of my dog’s flaws, I will seek outside sources or not breed at all. The purpose of breeding should be betterment of the breed and creating pups who are sound of mind and body. My dogs all go through health testing (bloodwork, OFA or PennHip certification) and I offer a health guarantee that goes above and beyond what most breeders offer. I take health and temperament very seriously and the decisions I make regarding my dogs are always going to be focused on their health and well-being first. My dogs don’t spend their entire lives outside either, in small pens and runs. All of them get one-on-one time with me and friends in the house. They have large runs to play in and exercise outside. They get time interacting with livestock and other dogs too! I am one of the few breeders who also is recognized by Good Dog. Good Dog is a non-profit, no fee organization that recognizes breeders who are focused on responsible breeding. They give applicants a grade based on what health and DNA testing they do, the experience level they have breeding, vet records, and titles/certifications held. My kennel holds their second highest distinction level, currently, and I hope to one day be recognized as an “excellent” breeder. In addition, I also return proceeds made on the sale of my puppies to provide a better life for my own rescues and fosters, as well as those in the care of others. My goal is to provide a large annual donation each year to my local shelter, whenever I break even on my investment in breeding dogs. I am nowhere near there yet, but with patience and diligence, I will achieve that goal eventually! For right now I am doing what I can to help dogs with the means I have available.
Why are you using some dysplastic dogs in your breeding program?
I don’t want to. It has become a necessary evil, at this point. The Boerboel ranks #6 of over 400 dog breeds for incidence rate of elbow dysplasia and #14 for hip dysplasia. It’s an enormous problem with the breed that almost all breeders are dealing with now. As of July 2022, 1 in 3 of all health tested Boerboels submitted to OFA have elbow dysplasia. 2 in 5 Boerboels have hip dysplasia, and these are just the dogs owned by responsible breeders who actually health test, so the real numbers are much higher. No dog is perfect and dysplasia is certainly a serious issue that can affect quality of life, but it is possible to breed it out over generations with careful selection. The same thing cannot be said for dogs carrying genetic heart problems or certain forms of cancer, which are autosomal dominant and have also become increasingly common in the Boerboel. Temperament issues can also take many generations to breed out and those can pose a much greater risk to the owner and the people they interact with. I do expect about 1 in 4 of my Boerboel pups to be at risk for elbow dysplasia (pairing an affected dog with a clean dog), so this is a risk a prospective buyer will be taking buying a pup from me, but it is still lower than the risk buying any random Boerboel pup from another breeder, and likely a much lower risk buying from a breeder who doesn’t health test at all. Dysplasia is a manageable condition and a dog can live a full, healthy, highly active life with it, but it does mean the dog will need to be kept lean all its life to minimize stress on the joints and also may need daily supplements like fish oil and/or glucosamine/chondroitin. In severe cases, a screw can be placed through the bone to add stability and minimize pain. My Boerboels come from working lines where the majority of dogs have lived beyond 10 years and that are not plagued by heart, cancer, and temperament issues, which I feel are much more serious problems that you will find in many of the dogs coming from other breeders. I wish all of my dogs were flawless, health-wise. It is just not the reality with this breed, as wonderful as the Boerboel is. With careful selection, these issues will improve over the next couple of generations though and I will stand behind any dog purchased from me, monetarily, that is affected with a major genetic issue.