The pitbull breed has a sizable following in the USA and although the boerboel breed is not very popular outside of South Africa and a small number of other Southern African countries, the popularity of the boerboel pitbull mix is starting to increase.
The initial idea behind the boerboel pitbull mix was to try and breed dog that would be able to help African farmers protect their livestock against the large predators that are common in Africa.
Although a pure bred boerboel is already ideal for the task and has an excellent track record of working as a farmer’s dog and protecting livestock, a small number of farmers started to mix the boerboel line with the pitbull line.
The results of the performance of the boerboel pitbull mix are questionable in terms of if they outperform a pure boerboel when it comes to protecting livestock but a few viral videos on social media has resulted in more and more people wanting to own a boerboel pitbull mix.
You have to keep in mind that just like with the majority of other mix-breed dogs, especially with breeds like the boerboel and the pitbull that are very different to each other, you really don’t know what you are going to get.
Just because there have been viral videos and photographs of cute looking boerboel pitbull mix puppies on social media does not mean that your own boerboel pitbull mix will look or act anything like them.
Is A Boerboel Pitbull Mix Right For You?
A boerboel pitbull mix can be a great dog and the majority of people who are looking at a boerboel pitbull mix for working purposes will almost always be better off going with a pure bred boerboel instead.
We know that a pure bred boerboel can cost as much as ten times the price of a boerboel pitbull mix but that is because they really are an outstanding dog breed for protecting livestock.
Many of the people we see reaching out about owning a boerboel pitbull mix are only doing so after seeing cute looking puppies online and this is not the correct reason to add any dog breed to your family.
Neither the boerboel or the pitbull are ideal for first time dog owners and the unpredictability of a mix of the two breeds makes the task of owning one even more difficult.
That said though, if you do have experience of owning any type of mastiff, shepherd, large terrier or high energy large bulldog breed then you already have an idea of what you will be info with a boerboel pitbull mix.
Keep in mind though that all mastiff lines such as a purebred boerboel have been bred for strength and power for hundreds of years and adding in the unpredictability of a pitbull temperament can be a bad idea, even for an experienced dog owner.
Can You Mix A Boerboel With A Pitbull?
Although you can mix a boerboel with a pitbull to make your own mix, the main question asked by established breeders is why would you want to.
A pure bred boerboel or a boerboel mixed with another type of mastiff will usually get you anywhere between two to ten times the price of a boerboel pitbull mix.
The various health issues with some pitbull lines are also considered to weaken the generally healthy boerboel line further restricting the potential buyer pool.
We know that there is plenty of evidence that a properly trained pitbull can be an excellent dog and tend to agree with it, there is no denying that some pitbulls can be unpredictable with their temperament at best.
Add that to the pure strength and power from the boerboel line and you may have a problem on your hands, especially if you are not working the dog correctly to burn off its every.
Even pureblood pitbulls have a high abandonment rate and with the correct paperwork, they probably cost around twice what a boerboel pitbull mix will so there is a higher than average chance that a boerboel pitbull mix will be abandoned too.
You could argue that a boerboel pitbull mix actually has a moderate chance of abandonment too due to so many of the people reaching out about the dogs are only doing so due to seeing photographs of them looking cute rather than wanting them as working farmer’s dogs.
The Best Food For A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
Although pitbulls tend to do well on a wide range of dog foods, boerboels do usually require a higher quality of food due to their metabolism trying to pack on pounds of muscle to maintain the dog’s strength.
Due to this, a boerboel pitbull mix may require expensive dog food products with biologically appropriate protein and healthy fats too pumping the cost of owning one higher than just owning a normal pitbull.
One of the best options for feeding a boerboel pitbull mix is to order custom, healthy dog food online that has been specifically designed for the breed that you own.
As you will usually subscribe for multiple months at a time, it tends to work out to be considerably cheaper than store-bought dog food that is suitable for any line with a boerboel in it.
This ensures that the food has plenty of healthy macronutrient sources in it as well as appropriate protein sources for your dog to live a long and healthy life.
Although a custom dog food option or making your own dog food in your kitchen will almost always be the better option for a boerboel pitbull mix, there are some commercial dog foods that can work well.
The Taste Of The Wild range is one of the more popular options for boerboel lines due to containing around 35% real animal protein in the food making it an ideal food source for a boerboel pitbull mix.
Training A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
Both boerboels and pitbulls can respond well to dog training techniques based around positive reinforcement but neither breed is considered easy to train, especially for a first time dog owner.
On the flip side of that though, there are definitely dog breeds out there that are more difficult to train so if you do have experience owning dogs, you may be able to train a boerboel pitbull mix with minimal trouble.
If you do find yourself struggling to train your boerboel pitbull mix then picking up a dog training aid can help to get your dog trained correctly and discourage any unwanted behavior.
A common mistake with these breeds is not giving them enough exercise so their energy builds up and they become frustrated encouraging unwanted and destructive behavior.
If you have only owned smaller dog breeds before then your dog training techniques may be working correctly and the unwanted behaviors in your dog are simply due to them having too much energy.
Increasing the frequency and duration of their walks and exercise can be a way to stop this from happening in the future without any additional action being required.
Health Issues For A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
The boerboel is considered a generally healthy dog breed but can sometimes suffer from hip/elbow dysplasia, heart disease, extropion, and entropion.
The pitbull tends to have a higher chance of developing health problems such as various bone diseases, hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, and kneecap dislocation.
This is why a boerboel pitbull mix can end up having a number of health issues that can end up being expensive.
This is why we would highly recommend picking up some cheap pet insurance for your boerboel pitbull mix to try and minimize any future costs due to ill health in your pet.
If you do notice any potential health issues developing early in your boerboel pitbull mix’ life then booking a video call with an online vet can be a quick, easy, and cheap way to reduce the chances of having any long term health issues with your boerboel pitbull mix too.
As we touched on earlier in the article, a high-quality, custom made dog food really is the best option for your boerboel pitbull mix too and should really be considered if possible.
Although it will not prevent genetic health issues from developing, the health fats can reduce the pain in your dog once they develop.
Raising A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
Provided you offer a boerboel pitbull mix plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and positive reinforcement during training, they can be surprisingly easy to raise.
That said we would still not recommend them for a first time dog owner as they do require active participation in their training as well as an above-average exercise routine.
Both the boerboel and pitbull are very intelligent dog breeds meaning that there is a high chance of a boerboel pitbull mix possessing a high intelligence level.
This is why normal dog toys are usually not recommended other than to be destroyed as a way for your dog to let out its frustrations.
Toys like the Nina Ottosson, Bob-A-Lot, and the Emarth Snuffle Mat tend to perform better for the more intelligent dog breeds like a boerboel pitbull mix.
Not only do they serve as a way to help train your dog but they can also help to stimulate them mentally as well as keep them occupied too.
Grooming A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
A boerboel pitbull mix tends to be easier to groom with a weekly brush and monthly bath often being enough to keep your dogs coat in top top order provided your dog is eating a healthy diet.
Although there is a small chance a boerboel pitbull mix will have excessive shedding, this is very rare and most will rarely shed large amounts of their coat at any given time.
As with most dogs, you should brush their coat in the direction of hair growth to remove damaged or dead hairs and promote the growth of new hair.
Brushing your dog’s coat once per week can also help to increase circulation and help their skin be healthier than it otherwise would be had you not brushed their coat.
Although your dog’s personality will come into play, it is usually safe to say that you will have a much easier time bathing your boerboel pitbull mix if you just take it into the yard and wash it with a garden hose or a bucket of water.
Most dogs don’t like getting into a bath due to not being able to grip the bath correctly as well as often feeling trapped or restrained in the bath with its high walls.
The Appearance Of A Boerboel Pitbull Mix!
Due to the boerboel pitbull mix being a relatively new sub-breed, they have no distinct look with most dogs usually taking the majority of their appearance from either parent.
There does seem to be more of a chance for the dog to have a pitbull like head and a mastiff like body from the boerboel though but sometimes it may just look like a normal pitbull or a normal boerboel with minimal differences.
The appearance of a boerboel pitbull mix is on of the reasons we feel so many people rushing to own one right now should wait a few months.
There have been a number of viral videos on social media of boerboel pitbull mix’ with a large mastiff body and a cute looking pitbull head while smiling making people presume that all boerboel pitbull mix’ will look like this but this is far from the reality.
Around half of boerboel pitbull mix’ will look more like the boerboel line than the pitbull line and not possess the features that seem to be attracting attention to the dogs on social media.
This means that if you are only looking to add a boerboel pitbull mix to your family for its looks then you should probably think twice.
Boerboel Pitbull Mix Temperament!
A boerboel pitbull mix can have a temperament that is based on a mixture of being stubborn, loyal, clownish, gentle, friendly, obedient, protective, courageous, affectionate, territorial, strong-willed, intelligent, dominant, and confident.
Due to having such a hodge podge of characteristics, they tend to have somewhat of an unpredictable temperament as puppies.
This is why training your boerboel pitbull mix as well as keeping it mentally stimulated and ensuring that it is getting plenty of exercise is so important.
This helps to burn the dog out and reduce the chances of any negative traits developing and encourages their calmer, more obedient side.
As we touched on earlier in the article, if you are experienced with working with larger, high energy dog breeds then you shouldn’t have any major problems with a boerboel pitbull mix.
The unpredictability of some pitbulls can transfer into any mix lines but this is not as common as most people presume.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over the boerboel pitbull mix to an end. We hope that we have been able to help you when it comes to adding a boerboel pitbull mix to your family and although they can be a great dog to own, the majority of people looking for a working dog breed will be better off just going with a purebred boerboel. If you are only wanting a boerboel pitbull mix due to the cute looking pictures on social media then we would not recommend this dog to you as they will be much more effort than you expect.