Jerry & Angie Turner

Dothan, AL

334.692.4405

Breed Standards

Perfection... 

demands strength.  

Deviations


Any serious deviations and/or combinations of deviations from the Breed Standard that affect the dog’s health and/or performance negatively are considered unacceptable and can lead to disqualification in the appraisal ring, at the discretion of a senior appraiser.

Temperament & Character

  • The Boerboel is manageable, reliable, obedient, and intelligent, with strong protective instincts.
  • The Boerboel is self-confident and fearless. Uncontrollably aggressive and fearful Boerboels are unacceptable.

General Appearance

  • The Boerboel has prominent and well-developed musculature over the entire body with buoyant movement – an impressive and imposing figure of strength.
  • Males are distinctly masculine, while bitches are clearly feminine.
  • The ideal size of a male dog is 66cm – lower than 60cm is unacceptable.
  • The ideal height of a bitch is 61cm – lower than 55cm is unacceptable.

Important Body Proportions

  • The Boerboel is a perfectly balanced dog with all body parts being in proportion with one another.
  • The head is large and typically Boerboel. The head is short, broad, deep, square, muscular, and has well-filled cheeks.
  • The plateau is wide and flat with prominent musculature.
  • The face gradually blends with the skull, and may be with or without a black mask.
  • The stop is visible but not prominent.
  • The section between the eyes is well-filled.
  • The nose is completely black with large, widely spaced nostrils.
  • The nasal bone is straight and parallel to the line of the cranial roof.
  • The nasal bone is deep, broad, and tapers slightly towards the front.
  • The nasal bone is between 8 and 10cm long and is in proportion to the head.
  • The top lip is loose and fleshy and does not hang past the bottom jaw.
  • The top lip (under the nose) covers the bottom lip.
  • The bottom lip is not too loose and fleshy, with no excessive lip.
  • The jaws are strong, deep, broad, and taper slightly towards the front.
  • The teeth are white, well-developed, correctly spaced, and complete, with an obvious scissor bite.
  • An obvious excessive under or overbite is unacceptable.
  • The color of the eyes can be any shade of brown.
  • The eyes are set on the same horizontal level.
  • The eyes are widely spaced.
  • The eyelids are firm, well pigmented, and have no structural deviations.
  • The earflaps are medium-sized, obviously V-shaped and in proportion to the head.
  • The earflaps are set quite high and wide. When attentive, the top of the earflaps must form a straight line with the plateau.
  • The bottom edge of the earflap is in line with the dentition.
  • The neck forms a noticeable muscular arch with a high attachment at the shoulders.
  • The neck is of average length and in proportion to the rest of the dog.
  • The neck forms a unit with the head and shoulders.
  • The neck is strong and muscular with a firm attachment at the head. This attachment gradually broadens towards the shoulders.
  • The dewlap is loose from under the chin and becomes taut between the forelegs.
  • Bitches appear more feminine due to supple musculature.
  • The forequarter is strong and muscular.
  • The shoulders are well attached, with well-defined musculature and correct angulation.
  • The chest is strong and muscular.
  • The chest is broad and placed deep between the forelegs.
  • The upper arms are muscular.
  • The elbows are parallel with the body.
  • The forelegs are thick and strong, with well-defined musculature, and are perfectly vertical as seen from the front and the side.
  • The front pasterns are short, thick, strong, and are in proportion to the length of the forelegs.
  • The front pasterns are a vertical extension of the forelegs as seen from the front and the side.
  • The forepaws are large, well-padded, and ball-shaped, with strong, curved, black toenails.
  • The forepaws point straight forward.

The Center Piece

  • The body of the Boerboel narrows slightly in the loin area.
  • The top line is straight without deviations.
  • The back is straight, broad, and has prominent back muscles.
  • The loin is short and strong.
  • The ribcage is well-sprung and well-filled behind the shoulder blades.
  • The hindquarter is strong, sturdy, and muscular; it is in proportion with the rest of the dog and has the ability to propel movement effectively.
  • The croup is broad, strong, and has well-defined musculature. Seen from the side, it drops slightly.
  • The tail is set high.
  • It is straight and preferably short (three segments).
  • Long tails are permissible.
  • The upper thighs are broad, deep, well-shaped, and muscular as seen from the side and from behind.
  • The secondary thighs are well-developed with prominent musculature.
  • The stifles (knees) are strong and firm, with the correct angulation as seen from the side.
  • The hock joints are strong and firm.
  • Straight hind legs are unacceptable.
  • The hind pasterns are relatively short, strong, thick, and are parallel with one another as seen from behind.
  • Seen from the side, the hind pasterns are vertical.
  • The front of the hind pastern is in line with the back of the haunch.
  • Dewclaws may be removed.
  • The hind paws are slightly smaller than the forepaws.
  • They are well-padded, well-shaped, and point straight to the front.
  • The toenails are strong, curved, and black.
  • The skin is thick, loose, and well-pigmented, with moderate wrinkles on the brow when the dog is attentive.
  • The coat is short and sleek with dense hair coverage. The recognized colors are all shades of yellow, brown, or brindle.

Pigmentation

  • The Boerboel is well-pigmented, especially on the lips, palate, skin, footpads, toenails, the anus, hair around the eyes, and the skin and hair around the genitals.

General Health

  • The general health of the Boerboel is of a high standard.
  • The reproductive organs are well-developed.
  • Male dogs have two well-developed testicles, each in their scrotum.
  • Bitches have at least 8 teats.
  • The vulva is firm.

Movement

  • The movement of the Boerboel is easy, smooth, strong, and purposeful, with good propulsion by the hindquarters, and parallel movement of the legs.
  • During movement the straight top line remains fixed.