The Boerboel is a large mastiff dog originating in South Africa. This breed was developed for guarding the homestead and used as first line defense against predators. The Boerboel also showed excellent skills when it came to tracking and holding the wounded game. The word "Boerboel" means "Farmer's dog" due to its great and valuable skills as a guardian dog and remarkable endurance in tough and dangerous South African conditions. This breed has height and weight between 23-28 inches and 150 to 200 pounds respectively. The dog has a large blocky head with square and flat skull. The face blends symmetrically with the head and can be with or without black mask. The muzzle is moderate with large and widely spaced nostrils. Broad eyes are any shade of dark brown while the V-shaped erect ears are set high and wide. The body narrows slightly towards the loin. Top line is straight and so is the back. The straight short tail is attached high to the body. The coat is short, dense and sleek and comes in different colours.
This dog is NOT recognized by AKC or most other major kennel clubs.