page_title: Boerboel
section_title: Appearance
hierarchical_section_title: Boerboel / Description / Appearance
caption_attribution_description: English: Boerboel head shot taken by Denhulde. The picture shows a one-year-old male.
context_page_description: The Boerboel, is a large, mastiff-type dog breed from South Africa that is bred for the purpose of guarding the homestead and working the farm. Boerboel breeding is both a hobby and an industry in South Africa. These dogs are now exported from South Africa to other parts of the world.
context_section_description: The Boerboel is a large dog, with a strong bone structure and well developed muscles. The head appears blocky, but not overdone, with a short length between the stop and nose. 
  It should look impressive, carrying himself with confidence and powerful movement, which should be buoyant, and unencumbered, despite its size.
  It should be symmetrical and balanced, following the desired proportions for the breed.
  Males should be markedly bigger than females, there is a distinct sexual dimorphism, with the female less prominently developed physically.
  There is also a divergence of standards. The Kennel Union of South Africa does not accept the black coat but SABBS does, so a buyer needs to decide what standard to follow, as a dog that has a black coat, or is the descendant of a dog with a black coat, cannot be registered with AKC, UKC or BI.
caption: The Boerboel's distinctive facial characteristics.
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