1. BREED STANDARD CRITERIA

The Breed Standard is a guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament and appearance of the breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function. The aim of this Breed Standard is to provide guidelines to breeders, appraisers and judges, who should at all times be vigilant to avoid obvious conditions or excessiveness, that would be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or absolute soundness of the Boerboel.

Type, conformation, functional efficiency, mentality and composure are equally important in the evaluation of the Boerboel as a whole. The protective character of the breed is evident, as well as its impressive demeanour, good temperament, controllability and mobility.

Although the Boerboel has become a popular breed internationally, the centre for breed specific knowledge remains in South Africa, as this is where its character is embedded.

Faults: Any departure from the Breed Standard shall be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault shall be regarded, shall be in exact proportion to the degree and its effect on the health and welfare of the dog.

Disqualification: Any serious deviations and/or combinations of deviations from the Breed Standard that may affect the dog’s health and/or performance negatively shall lead to disqualification at the discretion of the senior appraiser. (Refer to 3.3: Disqualification).

1.1 TEMPERAMENT AND CHARACTER

The Boerboel is:
a) manageable, reliable, obedient, trainable and intelligent;
b) self-confident and fearless;
c) a dog with a strong protective instinct and loyal to members of the family;
d) shows courage when threatened;
e) steadfast and calm, with a balanced and confident nature when approached and
f) a dog requiring training and firm handling from an early age.

1.2 GENERAL APPEARANCE

The Boerboel is:
a) a large dog with a strong-boned structure;
b) perfectly balanced within the desired proportions for the breed. The main structural components of the dog should show acceptable proportions to each other. The body is approximately 10 – 15% longer than the height (at the withers) and is measured horizontally, from the prosternum (breastbone) to a vertical line at the rear of the rump;
c) a dog with prominent and well-developed musculature;
d) impressive and imposing in appearance, created by a combination of conformation, carriage, confidence and powerful, buoyant and unencumbered movement – notwithstanding its size.
e) Males are distinctly masculine, larger and more heavily built with stronger bone, while females are distinctly feminine, but without weakness of substance or structure. Sexual dimorphism must be clearly evident.
f) The ideal height of a male is 66 cm but not lower than 60 cm.
g) The ideal height of a female is 61 cm but not lower than 55 cm.
h) Height must always be in relation to mass (minimum of 1:1 and a maximum of about 1:1.25), overall balance and conformation of major body components.

1.3 HEAD

The shape and size of the head is a typical feature of the breed. The head
a) is large and typically Boerboel with no signs of another breed, and in proportion with the rest of the body components;
b) circumference equals the height to the withers (upper point of scapula);
c) is short, broad, deep, cubed, muscular and has well-filled cheeks.

Head characteristics are quantifiable in terms of:

1.3.6 NASAL BONE (MUZZLE)

The nasal bone is defined by:
a) Shape:
i. Deep, broad, cubed shaped, and tapers slightly towards the front, but not snipey.
ii. Straight and parallel to the line of the cranial roof.
iii. Well attached and filled below the eyes.
iv. The nostrils are large and widely spaced.
b) Width and depth:
i. The width is almost equal to its length.
ii. The depth should equal the length.
c) Length:

The nasal bone is in proportion to the head, and measures approximately a third of the total length of the head, i.e. approximately 10 cm for a male of 66 cm and 8 cm for a female of 61 cm. (Refer to 3.1.3 above.)
d) Pigmentation:
The nose leather is black.

1.3.7 LIPS

Lips
a) The upper lip (under the nose) covers the top of the bottom lip.
b) The upper lip does not extend below the underline of the lower jaw.
c) The bottom lip is moderately tight (not too loose and fleshy), without open or excessive lip.

1.3.8 TEETH

a) Dentition is complete.
b) Teeth are correctly spaced.
c) Teeth are ideally in a scissor bite.

1.3.9 JAWS

The jaws are strong, deep and broad and taper slightly towards the front.

1.4 NECK

The neck is defined by:
a)Shape:
i.Forms a unit with the head and the shoulders;
ii.muscular and ideally with a discernible crest.
b)Length:

The neck is of medium length and in proportion to the rest of the dog. The length equals about 1/3 of the height at the withers.
c)Scruff and dewlap:
i.The scruff is loose.
ii.The dewlap is noticeable and loose from under the chin.
iii.The dewlap becomes taut between the front legs.

1.5 FOREQUARTER

The forequarter is well muscled and correctly angulated from the well-sloped shoulder blade down to the elbow at an angle of 90°.
The forequarter characteristics are quantifiable in terms of:

1.5.1 CHEST

The chest is:
a) strong, muscular and broad;
b) well pronounced and placed deep between the front legs with good volume;
c) the point of the prosternum is level with the point of the shoulder.

1.5.2 SHOULDERS

The shoulder blades are well attached with an approximate 70 mm space in between.

1.5.3 ELBOWS

a) The elbows are stable, parallel to and carried close to the body when in a stationary position and during movement, not limiting the optimal volume of the centre piece/torso.

b) The height of the elbows is equal to ½ of the height at the withers.

1.5.4 FRONT LEGS

The front legs:
a) have a substantive bone structure;
b) are thick, strong and sturdy;
c) have a well-defined musculature on the in- and outside of the upper parts and
d) are vertical, as seen from the front and the side.

1.5.5 PASTERNS

The front pasterns are:
a) short, strong and of adequate girth as seen from the front and the side and
b) are a vertical extension of the front legs as seen from both the front and the side, but slanting forward at a slight angle.

The front paws are defined by:
a) Size:
The front paws are large in circumference.
b) Shape:
i. Well padded, ball shaped and tight;
ii. Strong, curved, with dark pigmented toenails.
c)Tread:
The front paws point and tread straight forward.

CENTRE PIECE

The centre piece (torso) must be of adequate width and depth with a level, straight top line and a slight abdominal tuck-up. The length of the chest, loin and croup (rump) is approximately proportioned (2:1:1).

The centre piece characteristics are quantifiable in terms of:

1.6.1 RIBCAGE

The ribcage (the area from the first chest vertebrae to the last rib bone)
a) is well-sprung with a deep, rounded brisket;
b) must ideally have a length proportion of 2:1 to the loin;
c) the depth is equal to ½ the total height of the dog at the withers, descending slightly below the elbow;
d) is filled behind the shoulder blades.

1.6.2 BACK

The back (from a point behind the top of the scapula to the last rib bone) is:
a) broad;
b) flat;
c) straight and
d) well muscled.

1.6.3 LOIN

The loin (from the last rib bone to the front of the primary thigh) is:
a) of adequate depth (slightly less than the length of the loin);
b) short (ideally ⅓ of total torso length);
c) wide and flat when seen from the top;
d) strong and muscular and
e) moderately tucked up.

1.6.4 TOP LINE

a) The top line (from a point behind the top of the scapula to the beginning of the croup) is straight without any deviations.

b) A very slight, non-flexible dip just behind the shoulders is normal.

1.7 HINDQUARTER

The hindquarter is broad, of substantive depth, well muscled, in proportion to the rest of the dog and correctly angulated.

The hindquarter characteristics are quantifiable in terms of:

1.7.1 CROUP

The croup is:

a) broad, strong/muscular;

b) correctly angulated at 23° – from the ilium to the ischium and

c) the height should not exceed the height at the withers.

1.7.2 TAIL

a) The tail is a natural extension of the spinal cord; therefore it is set fairly high, of adequate girth and straight.
b) Docked tails should ideally be docked at the third caudal vertebrae, leading to an ideal adult tail length of about 8 cm.
c) Long tails are permissible and are sabre shaped and should reach approximately to the hocks when the dog is standing.

1.7.3 PRIMARY/UPPER THIGH

The upper thighs are broad, deep and with well-developed muscular definition when viewed from the side and the rear.

1.7.4 SECONDARY/LOWER THIGH

The lower thighs are well developed and display adequate, visible musculature down to the hock.

1.7.5 STIFLES (KNEES)

a) The stifles are strong and firm.

 

b) The angulation between the femur, tibia and fibula must be approximately 110° as seen from the side.

1.7.6 HOCKS

a) The hock joints are strong and stable;
b) correctly angulated (45°) as seen from the side and
c) parallel with each other when viewed from the rear.

1.7.7 PASTERNS

a) The hind pasterns are relatively short, strong and of adequate girth.
b) When viewed from behind, they are parallel with one another.
c) When viewed from the side, they are vertical.
d) The front of the hind pastern is in line with the back of the haunch.
e) Dewclaws may be removed.

1.7.8 HIND PAWS

a) The hind paws are as the front paws but should be slightly smaller than the front paws.
b) The hind paws point and tread straight to the front.

1.8 SKIN 

The skin is:
a) thick and loose, and
b) should show dark eumelanin pigmentation.
c) There are moderate wrinkles on the brow when the dog is attentive.

1.9 COAT

The coat is short, sleek and shiny with dense hair coverage.

The recognised colours are:
a) All shades of brown (tan, red) or fawn.
b) Solid black.
c) Brindle: a colour pattern with irregular apparent vertical lines of only black hair on a brown (tan, red) or fawn base colour.
d) Piebald: white spots on a brown (tan, red), fawn or brindle dog.
e) Irish: a brown (tan, red), fawn or brindle dog with a white blaze, a white chest that can extend to a white collar and white feet and legs.
f) All the colours and associated patterns should be accompanied by good pigmentation.
g) No other colours or colour patterns or tan markings are acceptable.
h) Undesirable colours are:
i. Excessive/large white areas in all colours are undesirable, and must be eliminated.
ii. More than a third white of the total body surface is undesirable as it may influence pigmentation.

(Definitions: “Undesirable” means: Not recommended, but acceptable. “Unacceptable” means: Disqualification)

2 ILLUSTRATED BREED STANDARD TERMINOLOGY

Body length measured from A (prosternum) – B (rear of the rump/croup)

Body height measured from C (withers) to the ground (D)

Forequarter: A – C

Centre piece: C – F

Loin: E – F

Back: C – E

Croup/Rump: F – G (tail setting)

1. Nose leather, 2. Nasal bone (muzzle), 3. Stop, 4. Cranial roof, 5. Plateau, 6. Ear, 7. Muscular arch on neck, 8. Withers (top of scapula), 9. Dewlap, 10. Shoulder blade (scapula),11. Shoulder joint (point of shoulder), 12. Upper front leg (humerus),13. Elbow, 14. Lower front leg (radius and ulna), 15. Front paws, 16. Pastern joint, 17. Front pastern, 18. Tail, 19. Ilium (point of hip), 20. Ischium (point of buttock), 21. Primary thigh, 22. Femur, 23. Knee (stifle), 24. Secondary thigh, 25. Tibula and fibula, 26. Hock, 27. Hind pastern, 28.Hind paws

3 DISQUALIFICATION -  http://www.boerboels.com.ua/disqualific.html