Controversial general size of Boerboels

[Dries Lloyd]

would love to know general opinion re. general size of bb's. i.e. over-sized head, bone etc. vs. functional working type dogs.this has been a topic very close to my heart, and probably the most important issue why i have decided to get involved with an organisation that takes this seriously. in the long term, and if you look back, this why founding members started an organisation to not only protect, but ensure longevity of unique characteristics of this - our beloved Boerboel i.e. protecting unique temperament, unique loyalty, guarding ability, functionalilty ability. commercial scoring, showing, and eventual migration to suburban homes impacted seriously on selection, appraisal, allevetion of SCORES which impacted in a major way in selection, elevation of animals not reflecting the true bb. your thoughts please.

[Jay Cohen]

For the sentiments you expressed I decided not to buy from a confirmation breeder and went to a working dog breeder- David Harris in Kansas.  The traditional values of working ability and temperament outweigh confirmation.  

[Marco]

Great topic Dries, may be a touchy one for some, but I hope others will give their thoughts on the subject.  There is so much that can be said here, I will try to give my thoughts the best way I can.  I am not the best at putting my thoughts to words so forgive me if i jump all over the place.  Plus I am at work with constant interruptions. :)  The boerboel seems to have changed a lot from some of the original photos I have seen floating around.  Not only just by the photos I have seen but what I have heard from breeders about the original boerboels.  Not sure how "Original" they were but regardless you can definitely see a change from over the last 10 years or so.  From what I have seen, and heard, they appeared to be smaller, and even more houndy looking than now.   The ones I see now are much larger over all, and less of the hound look.  I also feel they are becoming less functional, and moving away from what they were originaly bred for.  Why has this change happened??  Well I am no expert, and these are just my thoughts.  Dog breeds are normally created to meet a specific need, and from what I know the boerboel was bred to be a farm dog.  A farm dog must be capable to do the work required from them, or they are of no use to the farmer.  I grew up on a farm all the dogs we had were mixed, and handed down from other farmers in the area.  These dogs worked all day out in the fields, doing all sorts of things.  Honestly most the boerboels I see now would not be able to do the job.  With that said where are all the farms, and jobs for them to do?  The need for farm dogs have grown less, and less over the years.  This has to have some type of impact on all the working breeds as a whole.  Most farms nowadays can't exist the way they use to, but that is a entirely different subject.  The point is, the breed will always shape towards the demand, and what its needed for.  Most peolpe that are buying boerboels today do not own a farm, live in the city, or have just a small amount of land.  A high drive working boerboel in a city home can be chaos, and very dangerous.  It can be done with the right handler, lots of exercise, and by giving the dog a job to do.  The question is should it be done??  Our need for dogs now are so different than 100 years ago.  Yes I know there are some that still live on a farm, and still have the need but its much less.  So who is to blame for what we are seeing now, Breeders, buyers, the breed itself, or how about change???  I think its all, and then some.  Breeders who are breeding "the true working boerboel" should not just sell to anyone but to those who have a need for that type of dog.  Though if breeders went by that they would not have as many people to sell to, and the amount of breeders there are now would not be.  Hmm so breeders are a part of why the breed is what it is today?  Yes, and not just breeders in the USA, its all over.  Very few breeders breed for function anymore, the demand is just not there for it.  Much more can be said about that but on to the buyers who should know first off what they are getting into, and what the breed was designed for though this has changed.  As far as the breed itself I honestly feel is still in development, this is also another discussion or maybe a reply later on to this.  So how do we fix this?  Can we fix this??  Do you want it fixed???  I personally want a healthy functional boerboel, which is more important to me than conformation.  However I also want a boerboel that looks like a boerboel :)  One that does not get tired quickly, one that I can hike with, jog with, maybe do some agility work, pull work, and more.  Is that the boerboel of yesterday, today, or not at all?  Most seem to want a cuddly bear, I don't know you tell me.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for the working dog.  I just try to look at the bigger picture.  I know theres a lot more going on as well as far as the showing of boerboels, and how that effects them.  As I mentioned before there is much that can be said about all this.  I hope others will post their thoughts on this topic  More to say but getting busy at work.

[Elton Black]

I think many, if not all breeders derive a sense of achievement from breeding a high scoring dog. The shift toward a less functional dog is therefore arguably the result of the criteria on which the breed is judged. In my view, associations and their respective judging criteria should provide leadership, by way of adapting scoring criteria to not only reward in accordance with conformity to the breed conformation standard but also to itsfunctionality standard. Associations, Judges and breeders, in that order, are responsible for directing the breeds future.