The black color in the Boerboel breed has been around almost as long as the breed itself. In and around 1929 the black Boerboel was a very known and loved color in the Ottosdal area of South Africa.
There have been quite the controversy around the black color in the breed. Some call it an inferior version of the breed. Others are more concerned about what effect the black color itself will have on the gene pool. Other than the genetic reasoning the black Boerboel was excluded from breed standards as it was feared that they will be crossbred with Dobermans, resulting in very vicious, man eating monster dog.
The black Boerboel have been a registered breed color since 2008. Since then they have been accepted as a breed color by many of the dog breeding associations around the world. Regardless the discussion seems to continue and extreme measures are sometimes taken to have the color banned.
Why the need for a Black Boerboel?
- The fear of black dogs: It is well know that certain population groups in South Africa have a well known fear for any black dog. These fears are mostly based on ancestral beliefs. The black dog is a necessity on South African farms where the incidence of farm attacks and brutal farm murders are on the rise. I refer to South Africa especially since this is where the breed originated and black was accepted as a breed color.
- A popular color: Black is a popular color for dogs, especially dogs kept for guarding purposes. The black dog almost totally turns invisible at night, adding a big surprise element to their guard duties. Blending in with the night serves a very practical purpose. This color choice is evident when you consider other breed used for guarding; the Doberman, German Shepherd and Rottweiler.
- The beauty of black: Black dogs seems to be favored for their shiny coats, you rarely ever find a short haired black dog that is not shiny. Combined with the Boerboels impressive physique the black color has a very striking appearance.
Sometimes it happens that black pups are born in standard Boerboel litters. This is a complete normal occurrence. It has since been discovered that; brindle, white, fawn and brown are diluted genes that originated from the black color.
A lot of breeders are now aggressively focusing on keeping the black Boerboel a viable breed. This conscious effort to safe and promote the black Boerboel mainly focuses on breeders aiming solely to breed the black color. We think the black color variant is here to stay.
