GrootTrek.com
Title
Groot Trek Boerboele
Description
I was introduced to this wonderful breed through my Afrikaaner son-in-law. His family owns boerboels, and he has known these dogs and people who raise them most of his life. He and my daughter went to South Africa for the holidays in December, 2000, and returned with my first pup, Anneke. I have owned and experienced many breeds of dogs in my life, but I must say that never have I met a more intelligent, loyal, and intuitive dog than the boerboel. I fell head over heels in love with them. I cannot imagine a more wonderful feeling than sitting in a comfortable chair with a boerboel’s head resting on your feet or knee. The only thing that might match that feeling is the warmth in your heart when you see a huge boerboel lying in the floor with a toddler leaning on its shoulder, sound asleep.
I decided to breed boerboels because I feel so strongly that they are the ideal family member and guardian for someone who wants a large breed. Unlike many “giant” breeds, the average lifespan of a boerboel is similar to that of smaller breeds. It is not unusual for boerboels to live well into their teens. They do not normally reach full maturity until they are 3-years-old. Another way that boerboels differ from most guardian breeds is that they do not single out one member of the family group as their one-and-only person. A boerboel bonds to the entire family and devotes its life to loving and protecting its family. All it asks in return is lots of praise and affection. During the last two years, I have been privileged to meet a few wonderful people in South Africa who breed and who appraise these wonderful dogs. I have also been privileged to get to know a few SABT breeders here in the US who, like me, only care about breeding dogs with sound physical bodies and wonderful temperaments. This is the beginning of a learning process that I am certain will continue for years.
I have chosen to breed only SABT dogs and to support the SABT wholeheartedly because they are the breeder’s association who set the soundest and most thorough standard for the breed. Their appraisers are very well trained and must continually appraise dogs in order to retain their certification. Their requirements are stringent and no dog will receive breeding papers unless it has attained an appraisal score of 75% or better. This appraisal is not only a comparison of physical characteristics to the ideal standard, but is also a judgment of the dog’s overall temperament. Overly aggressive dogs, no matter how perfect physically, should not be bred or given breeding papers. You may learn much more about the SABT by clicking here.
