Boerboel Dos and Don'ts

[Aescleah]

I think it might be a really good idea esp for new owners to have a thread of what not to do with Boerboels mistakes owners make that could effect thier health in particular. please feel free to chime in.

alot of times when a new puppy owner gets a little one they like to take them on long walks and dont realize that long walks can be very bad for puppies. my take on it is never walk further then you are willing to carry him back. 

never force your puppy to run or jump.

alot stairs are very bad and should be avoided as well.

small children riding boerboels or jumping on there backs causes all sorts of joint and back problems not only to the dog, but child could be biten or hurt as well.

never leave a puppy with children unattended esp near food toys and things like bones.

these are just some of them i will let the experts take over from here on the hows and whys and whatever else i neglected to add. 

Ashley

[Christa Morwick]

Ashley, These are all very good suggestions, I can't wait to see what others post.

Christa

[Carrie Kruczek]

Great idea for a topic, I know that are lots of owners with puppies. I'm not a boerboel expert, but I have learned something from experience that may save others from making this same mistake. This isn't a health issue, but my biggest "Do" would be SUPER SOCIALIZE! Hate to shout, but it is impossible to over socialize this breed. I'd raised many puppies of large guarding breeds like Dobes and Rotties, and I raised him with the same amount of socialization, but molossers in general, and this breed in particular are different. The amount of time we spent socializing Gage would have turned out a super-friendly social butterfly Rottie or Dobe. It was totally inadequate for my boerboel. My mistake. He attended puppy classes and obedience classes nonstop, visited Petsmart, took walks, visited friends houses. It just wasn't enough. You cannot overdo it with these guys. Take them everywhere: Home Depot, Lowes, Pet stores, Tractor Supply, strip malls, parks, let them meet little children, big children, people in wheelchairs, walkers, with canes, old people, people of other races,...you get my point. Especially do it when they are a manageable size. They will still be wonderful watch dogs when they mature. They are naturally suspicious and reserved by nature, as they should be, but if you take them to tons and tons of new places, and they meet literally 100's of "kind strangers" as puppies, they will be a much more enjoyable companion as 150 lb adults. That does not mean that they will grow up to be labs in personality, but they will be much easier to manage.

[Marco]

Great post Ashley!

DO
Training is a must, and should be for all dogs. Your just asking for trouble if you don't, especially with a dog weighing over 100 pounds.

Don't
It is important to avoid overfeeding puppies of large breeds. Large breeds are typically at risk for skeletal diseases such as hip dysplasia. Overfeeding and excess weight can increase the stress on the skeletal system. Keep them more on the slim side as they grow

[Marco]

Anyone care to add more to this?  Great post by Ashley would have like have seen more respond.

[Miki]

Hi, my do would be to get them used to having their ears and teeth cleaned!! Sounds weird but if they ever need to have check ups or drops for infections.  I have taught my boy to 'come and get your ears clean' he will come and lay down in front of me and let me check his ears... Michelle

[Marco]

Yes this is a great one for all dogs even more so for larger breeds like the boerboel.  It can be very difficult restraining a boerboel that does not want this done.  Good one, thanks for sharing!

[Rosita Thorn]

Everthig above is great advise. I am new to the Boerboel breed and only have one BB puppy, which is 3.5 mo old, but I have presently 5 Presa Canarios and 1 Cane Corso (and have been in Presas for 8 yrs) and one Presa male is an extreeme alpha male and he was a handful til he was 4 yrs. old, he finally is realizing that I am the total pack leader. He is very sweet and very sociable and can take him every where, he is a show dog and has many Championship titles as well as his ATTS and his CGC, but it took a lot of training and sozializing him. The girls are easier, at least mine are. The more exposure to people and strange places and especially as many noises you can expose your puppy the better it will be. I take mine to train crossings, for them to hear that loud noise, I will unexpectedly honk the horn in my car when they are right in front of it, I expose them to gun shots, I will knock over lawn chairs  on my deck, I will drop noisy pots on the floor in my kitchen right in front of the puppies etc.  and do it when they are very young, and make it fun, they absorb everything like sponges and they will not get spooked as they get older. Large breeds like this if they are not exposed to everything possible at an early age and they are confronted unexpectedly at an older age they can become scared and could possibly react  aggressively .  Likewise the grooming, I make this a very fun and loving occasion when they are young and teach them to stand very still on top of a grooming table while you still can lift them up, so as they get older and heavier you can manage them to stay still on the floor for grooming as well as examination

[Lee May]

All great points everyone. Congrats. and keep them coming. Peace

[Phil Harris]

all good points. the ear and teeth cleaning can be almost eliminated if feeding raw. No yeast and the teeth are cleaned at every feeding. 

My biggest training tip. Hand feed your puppy. Make him work for food. It is the most improtant thing, and if you require work you will cement training and leadership. Take turns hand feeding with you and your partner. 

When I get a puppy, I have a down position in the house and a sleeping position. I use crates to start. I will ignore dog for a couple of minutes and then take straight outside. High praise when eliimination occurs. When I get a new dog, I will take a week off. I will get the dog outside at the leaset every 3 hours. and after feeding and water. this way you never have accidents in the house. You are not house breaking the dog, but you are praising and encouraging the outside elimination. Usually takes me about one week. 

I always have a dog drag a leash for the first couple of weeks. I can reach out and give a little correction for any chewing or bad behaviours . I always reinforce. If there is a bad behavior I trick the dog into an encouraged behavior so i can reward. Correction without showing the proper behaviour is not useful. 

I intall simple one sylable markers. I use "Yes" and No for good and bad behaviour. remember to reinforce with treat for good behavior. Multiple word markers are useless. Good girl, you are a bad boy. etc. 

Remember with a pup. You have to catch the unwanted behavior almost as it happens , or correcting is useless.

Praise.Praise.praise. Consistant and fun training. If you are getting frustragted, stop. It has to be fun for you and the dog