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Boerboel experiences
Visited a breeder to meet the breed and really liked the breed. I am interested in anyones experiences with this breed as a family pet. Also, only ever having owned single animals would 2 unrelated bitches get on (in a perfect world, socialised etc...).
Thx in advance,
Bigeye
Thx in advance,
Bigeye
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These are questions that I would expect a reputable breeder to answer. Provided you are willing to train and socialise a very large guarding breed and provide it with a job to do then you may find that they suit your lifestyle. However, any of the mastiff type breeds need a strong handler who is able to maintain a position as leader of the pack, or else the dogs will take on the job theirselves, at which point they could become difficult to handle or integrate with other dogs/people.
Is your present bitch spayed? How old is she?
How old would the new dog be? A pup would be a better bet to get along with a resident dog.
One word of warning - when adult bitches fight they fight much worse than dog/bitch or dog/dog. If bitches decide they don't like each other they can and will fight to the death!
I had GSD litter sisters (rescued one). I did manage to keep them together but they had a good couple of really bad fights each year, because they were perfectly matched physically they had to be seperated otherwise they would have fought to the death. They were both spayed. I think unspayed bitches are worse because hormones and 'the time of the month' come into things. Mind you, you never can predict whether dogs will get on - both my GSD's got on fine with my entire BSD bitch!!
If your present bitch is a laid back breed/dog then a pup would probably be OK - but the danger point would be when the pup became adolescent - especially if your present bitch was still young.
Why not go for a male? There would be less chance of fighting then.
How old would the new dog be? A pup would be a better bet to get along with a resident dog.
One word of warning - when adult bitches fight they fight much worse than dog/bitch or dog/dog. If bitches decide they don't like each other they can and will fight to the death!
I had GSD litter sisters (rescued one). I did manage to keep them together but they had a good couple of really bad fights each year, because they were perfectly matched physically they had to be seperated otherwise they would have fought to the death. They were both spayed. I think unspayed bitches are worse because hormones and 'the time of the month' come into things. Mind you, you never can predict whether dogs will get on - both my GSD's got on fine with my entire BSD bitch!!
If your present bitch is a laid back breed/dog then a pup would probably be OK - but the danger point would be when the pup became adolescent - especially if your present bitch was still young.
Why not go for a male? There would be less chance of fighting then.
Barbaric tools of torture? My ridgeback is a pleasure, infact we have just spent the evening in the company of children ranging from the a of 3 weeks to 12 yrs along with a boxer and a jack russell. The tools of torture had a really nasty effect here. Anyway thats a diffeence of opinion.
Kita your reply worries me, do you think with proper socialising potential for fighting is still there. I�ve seen a boerboel kick off and it was fearsome.Is bitch fighting guarenteed or is it symtomatic.
Answerbank readers I condone any training method that is effective when used correctly.
I guess there aren�t too many Boerboel owners on the Bank.
Kita your reply worries me, do you think with proper socialising potential for fighting is still there. I�ve seen a boerboel kick off and it was fearsome.Is bitch fighting guarenteed or is it symtomatic.
Answerbank readers I condone any training method that is effective when used correctly.
I guess there aren�t too many Boerboel owners on the Bank.
Further to my last,
my intention was too foster ridgbacks but my job takes up too much of my time to solve problems which means I�m not well aversed with large guarding males that I can return if there is a real problem.
A bitch would be easier to handle for my wife, though more temperamental than a male, just as our current model is.
I�m offended by the label torturer when I have a dog that fears nothing, especially me (except cows for some reason?).
I would encourage anyone that likes molosser breeds to visit a boerboel breeder and see how nice they are.
I really want one but is the sofa big enough? TBD
my intention was too foster ridgbacks but my job takes up too much of my time to solve problems which means I�m not well aversed with large guarding males that I can return if there is a real problem.
A bitch would be easier to handle for my wife, though more temperamental than a male, just as our current model is.
I�m offended by the label torturer when I have a dog that fears nothing, especially me (except cows for some reason?).
I would encourage anyone that likes molosser breeds to visit a boerboel breeder and see how nice they are.
I really want one but is the sofa big enough? TBD
Metz,
I haven�t used the collar for 18 months, I no longer live near trigger happy sheep farmers.
I�ve found boxers to be a totally different temperament. A boxer owning friend of mine tried to wrestle my dog to the ground rubbing her head, an acceptable move to most boxers. She scratched his arms to bits in an atempt to retreat to a safe distance.
Admittadly I have only met nice boxers.
I haven�t used the collar for 18 months, I no longer live near trigger happy sheep farmers.
I�ve found boxers to be a totally different temperament. A boxer owning friend of mine tried to wrestle my dog to the ground rubbing her head, an acceptable move to most boxers. She scratched his arms to bits in an atempt to retreat to a safe distance.
Admittadly I have only met nice boxers.
Your friend (and yourself) may like to read this (about the 'Alpha' role):
http://www.4pawsu.com/DebunkingDomMyth.pdf
Also this is interesting if you believe in the 'pack' methods of training:
http://www.4pawsu.com/267alphastatus_english.p df
To answer your question about fighting, yes it is possible with any two bitches. I know of a breeder of Great Danes, she took a bitch to a show, when she returned she let the bitch into the living room with her two other bitches - they started to fight, the lady had to have a vein taken out of her leg and put into her arm to replace the one torn out by the dog bite she received trying to split the dogs.
Socialisation does not come into it. If a bitch takes a dislike to another bitch you have major problems. Imagine if you (or your wife) were forced to live with someone you took an instant dislike to! Dogs are like people sometimes they just don't like the other dog for whatever reason.
I think you really need to think long and hard about getting this breed. Does your wife want the dog as much as you? After all it sounds like she will be doing alot of the work with the dog.
I have a giant guarding breed, he is now 12 and has totally taken over my life. He has pushed me to the absolute limit many times. I have been heavily involved in dog training for a lot of years and I thought I knew what I was taking on, I studied the breed for 10 years before I got him. I knew nothing!!
IF you get it wrong with a dog of this size there is really only one option. Put it to sleep. Retraining is not a feasable option.
http://www.4pawsu.com/DebunkingDomMyth.pdf
Also this is interesting if you believe in the 'pack' methods of training:
http://www.4pawsu.com/267alphastatus_english.p df
To answer your question about fighting, yes it is possible with any two bitches. I know of a breeder of Great Danes, she took a bitch to a show, when she returned she let the bitch into the living room with her two other bitches - they started to fight, the lady had to have a vein taken out of her leg and put into her arm to replace the one torn out by the dog bite she received trying to split the dogs.
Socialisation does not come into it. If a bitch takes a dislike to another bitch you have major problems. Imagine if you (or your wife) were forced to live with someone you took an instant dislike to! Dogs are like people sometimes they just don't like the other dog for whatever reason.
I think you really need to think long and hard about getting this breed. Does your wife want the dog as much as you? After all it sounds like she will be doing alot of the work with the dog.
I have a giant guarding breed, he is now 12 and has totally taken over my life. He has pushed me to the absolute limit many times. I have been heavily involved in dog training for a lot of years and I thought I knew what I was taking on, I studied the breed for 10 years before I got him. I knew nothing!!
IF you get it wrong with a dog of this size there is really only one option. Put it to sleep. Retraining is not a feasable option.
Make sure any breeder is SABT registered. Also do the breeders ever keep unrelated females together in the same house/pen? If not then take note - they have a very good reason for it!
This is from a breeder's site:
A Boerboel needs to be educated, not trained the hard way. This means you may never try to make it do things it doesn't like by forcing it. Give it confidence; show it with praise what you want and it will do it because it wants to please you. Never be brutal to a Boerboel, because it will destroy the relationship between you and your Boerboel, the bond between dog and owner, a bond of trust, mutual respect and devoted love. Be consistent in your education.
This is from a breeder's site:
A Boerboel needs to be educated, not trained the hard way. This means you may never try to make it do things it doesn't like by forcing it. Give it confidence; show it with praise what you want and it will do it because it wants to please you. Never be brutal to a Boerboel, because it will destroy the relationship between you and your Boerboel, the bond between dog and owner, a bond of trust, mutual respect and devoted love. Be consistent in your education.
I think most of the priciples for a rigeback apply to the boerboel. My only real worry is having two girls. I wouldn�t be confident enough to get an adult that could already have problems so it would defo be a pup. Ours spent all xmas playing with a JR pup with no problems. The articles are intresting thx.
Part of the visit was to take the dogs for a walk which opened my eyes as there was an incident with a friends dog.
As for allocation of work between us its even with my wife playing with her more.
The breeders were very proffesional
Part of the visit was to take the dogs for a walk which opened my eyes as there was an incident with a friends dog.
As for allocation of work between us its even with my wife playing with her more.
The breeders were very proffesional
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