The Boerboel's history and genetic makeup are what makes this breed so unique.
In the 1600s, Dutch farmers settled in Cape Town, South Africa, they brought the “Bullenbeisser” Molosser or Mastiff family to the region for protection, safeguard the homestead, families, and livestock (farms). These imported canines began to mate with Africa’s native Mastiffs and Hounds. At some point, the South African Boerboel developed into a purebred due to its distinctive features. The “Boer” is Dutch for farm and “boel” is the Afrikaan language for an enormous and muscular dog. However, beyond South Africa, the breed was not so notable in other parts of the world for many centuries. In 1998, the Boerboel was presented to animal enthusiasts international by the American anthropologist Dr. Carl Semencic in his book Gladiator Dogs. The rest is history!
