Black Boerboels

Wait a minute, Boerboels come in black?

Black dogs are typified as dangerous and aggressive, which is a harmful stereotype. Associating darkness with aggression is a human bias, and its one that dogs suffer from as well. Bigger dogs featuring black coats are everywhere, and popular guard dog choices like the German Shepherd and Rottweiler sport predominantly black fur. But what about the Boerboel?

Depends on the breeder that you ask.

However, the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries in South Africa once upon a time, did not recognize this breed of dog. 

But why? Will the color difference have any meaningful impact on the Boerboel’s behavior, intelligence, or temperament?

The black Boerboel has been banned to export in some countries, and breeders fought to prove that this particular kind of Boerboel has not just been developed for money. Because the origins of the dog were not known at the time of the ban, black boerboel breeders are fighting with the South African government to prove that the dog is not genetically modified.

“In the interest of the boerboel breed, and in order to ensure its sustainable conservation in the Republic of South Africa, the so-called black boerboel is not recognised as a breed in terms of Animal Improvement Act. The department is still awaiting a scientific report on the black boerboel from South African Boerboel Breeders Society (SABBS), after which it may be lawfully regarded as a breed,” DAFF spokesperson Steven Galane said in a statement, explaining the decision.

As a result of the ban, many breeders were unable to export dogs for over a year. 

Joel Mamabolo, the animal registrar in South Africa, demanded proof that the black Boerboel was indeed a boerboel and not a mix of breeds before it could be sold in black colors.

At the time, there was no agreed-upon origin for this kind of Boerboel, but some guessed that it is a mix between Boerboels and other European dog breeds when the country was colonized by the Dutch, according to Mail & Guardian.

Some breeders alleged conspiracy and did not support the ban, while others wanted to see the results of a lineage test before picking a side.

In 2017, a year after the ban, the breed was recognized once again after a lengthy court battle, according to Farmer’s Weekly.

“Legally, the appeal was supposed to take three months, but took two years. The exclusion of black Boerboel from breed activities is finally over,” Johann Kruger told Farmer’s Weekly. Kruger was among about 70 other breeders who filed an appeal challenging the action’s of the registrar.