The Boerboel Price and Lifetime Costs: Can you Afford One?

If you’d love to have a good working dog by your side, then you may have already seen, and fallen in love with, the Boerboel.

You’re probably wondering about the African Boerboel puppy price.

As far as reputable breeder prices go, the Boerboel average price is pretty affordable at between $1,500 to $2,000. For adoption or at a rescue you can expect to pay a lower price.

This breeder puppy cost is still a lot of money to spend if it turns out the breed isn’t right for you.

You should, therefore, look into things like a breed’s temperament and activity level to give you a better idea of whether he’d be a good match for you.

The Boerboel, Up Close

It makes sense that the Boerboel started out as a farm dog.

However, farmers didn’t use early Boerboels for easier tasks like ratting, no.

Early Boerboels’ prey consisted of large cats ranging from leopards to hyenas. They also hunted baboons.

This is a good piece of information because you know the Boerboel is a hard worker by nature.

Interestingly, though, unlike other hunting breeds, the Boerboel is fine with other animals, so long as you raise them together.

Boerboel Temperament and Personality

There are some things you should know about the Boerboel before you consider bringing one home.

For instance, did you know people lump Boerboels in with Pitbulls as “dangerous dogs?” And, just like the Pitbull, the Boerboel does not deserve this reputation.

Keep reading for more info about the Boerboel.

They Love Children

Boerboels are protective dogs, and they never fail to protect their younger masters either.

However, you should supervise the Boerboel around your children, especially the little ones.

This is not because he’s dangerous but because he is so large that he could end up hurting someone by accident.

They Can Act Bossy

Boerboels have a bad habit of bossing their family members around. They may also do this with children.

If you train him early to understand who the true boss of the family is, he’ll eventually calm down.

However, in the meantime, you should probably refrain from letting your child have friends over the house. He may misinterpret their loud play and act accordingly.

Similarly, you should allow your Boerboel a proper introduction to anyone new who comes over. Else, he may try to protect you from them!

One thing’s for sure: this dog is not a good idea for a first-time dog owner!

They Don’t Get Along with Dogs of the Same Sex

Boerboels are also infamous for going toe-to-toe with another dog of the same sex.

So, if you ever consider adding another dog to the family, getting a dog of the opposite sex is the smart move.

You’ll also want to remain mindful of this when bringing your Boerboel to the dog park.

Make sure, if you can’t do it yourself, that you have someone around who can control your beast of a Boerboel if he starts in with another dog.

They are Incredibly Loyal

If your life was in danger, the Boerboel would think nothing of sacrificing himself to save you.

Boerboels are similar to Pitbulls in this way.

Both breeds get a bad rep as “dangerous dogs,” but it’s all in how you raise them.

Dogs are individuals just like people, and the Boerboel will worship the ground you walk on if you bring him up correctly.

They Can Make for Great Therapy Dogs

Despite the fact that they’re a little rough around the edges, some Boerboels actually go on to make great therapy dogs.

So long as their owners are patient with them and take the time to train them properly, Boerboels can become whatever you need them to be.

They’re Playful

Boerboels are active, playful dogs. They, therefore, need their space to run around.

Make sure you have a large, fenced-in yard for your Boerboel. This breed is too large to do well in an apartment setting.

Boerboel Size

When you look at a puppy, if you don’t know anything about the breed, then you can’t possibly know how big it will grow to become.

The Boerboel, for instance, is a very large dog.

If you don’t think you can handle a 23 to 28-inch tall dog who weighs between 110 and 180 lbs., then the Boerboel isn’t for you.

Boerboel Price – How Much Do Boerboels Cost?

The Boerboel dog price, as mentioned above, is between $1,500 and $2,000.

For a dog of this size, the Boerboel price range is not all that terrible.

And, of course, the purebred Boerboel price will be higher than that of a mixed breed.

To save yourself a few dollars on the price of a Boerboel, you may want to consider adopting or rescuing one.

Demand

Popular the Boerboel breed is not.

He comes in at #121 of a possible 195 breeds recognized by the AKC.

This is both a blessing and a curse.

The good news is people aren’t buying them all up, so you still have a shot at finding one.

The bad news is there isn’t much of a demand for Boerboels, which means breeders may consider them “rare” and overprice them.

Now that you now the Boerboel price range, however, you can arm yourself with information to prevent yourself from falling for a scam.

Boerboel Rescue and Adoption

Rescue and adoption are two more ways in which you can bring a Boerboel into your life.

Adopting a Boerboel at a shelter may cost you a lot less, but you’re less likely to find one at your local shelter.

You may have better luck if you let the shelter know you’re interested in a mixed breed as well.

If rescuing is more your thing, you can save a few hundred dollars there, too.

Giant Paws Boerboel Rescue is an organization that specializes in re-homing Boerboel dogs. Give ‘em a shout for some more information on how to rescue one of their dogs.

Boerboel Cost of Ownership

When you’re looking at a breed as large as the Boerboel, you need to seriously consider the other costs of ownership involved in homing one of these dogs.

For instance, are you going to be able to regularly feed a dog of this size? What happens when he needs medication, of which the dose will be larger than if you had, say, a Chihuahua?

Here are some factors to consider along with the purchase price when mulling over the idea of bringing home a Boerboel.

Cost of Food

It’s going to cost you to feed this monster.

A large bag of dog food will probably run you around $35.

However, while one bag of food might last a month with a mid-size dog, you may need to buy one every two weeks for a Boerboel.

And this is only if you stick to store-brand food and not go with a higher-quality brand. (You should always check with your vet for some ideas on what’s best.)

So, can you afford to spend (at least) $75 a month on food for your dog?

Health Care Expenses

Health care is definitely something you want to consider with a dog of this size.

You especially need to take note of the conditions that affect larger dogs. For instance, the Boerboel is more likely to suffer from:

• Bloat
• Elbow or Hip Dysplasia
• Eyelid problems
• Heart disease

In the grand scheme of things, this actually isn’t a bad list for such a large dog.

But, of course, any dog can develop cancer or a number of other problems that you need to prepare for.

Will you have someone around to help you if a dog of this size is too sick to get into the car by himself?

This is a serious concern when you’re adopting a potentially 180-lb. dog., and one you shouldn’t gloss over.

Training Programs

The Boerboel is definitely a breed who needs heavy training to become the very best he can be.

If you don’t think you’ll be able to train him in the ways that he needs, you may want to consider hiring someone to help you.

For instance, you may want to place your Boerboel into a dog training program to help him overcome his extremely overprotective nature.

And if your Boerboel puppy engages in behavior like jumping, you definitely need to train him out of this ASAP.

Sure, it’s cute when your puppy does it – but not when he’s 180 lbs.!

Grooming Costs

The good news is that while you may have to put some money into training your Boerboel, you probably won’t need to spend anything at all on grooming.

He’s an average shedder with a smooth coat who only requires a weekly brushing and a monthly bath.

If he doesn’t let you brush his teeth or clip his nails, however, you may want to consider a groomer for these things.

You certainly don’t want him to feel uncomfortable while he walks with nails that are too long.

And you definitely don’t want him to develop dental issues because you can’t brush his teeth.

Kailyn C.

Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.