Frequently Asked Questions

We take payment through Venmo (preferred), PayPal, credit card and accept cash.

We are more than happy to space our payments to your schedule. However, we require all puppies to be paid in full prior to pick up.

Breeding rights are available on select litters at an additional cost and move you to the front of the line. Contact us directly to discuss details and availability.

Delivery is available for an additional fee. We charge $200 to the Milwaukee area, $375 to $500 for Chicagoland, and $700 to the Twin Cities for ground transportation. Rates subject to change.

Puppies can be shipped via in-cabin flights. Whether you fly yourself or use a flight nanny service, we’ll meet you at the Madison (MSN), Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE) or Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) airports. We can help you arrange this.

Shipping via private ground transport or via flight nanny is available on a case-by-case basis. We can usually provide this directly or refer you to a reliable pet transport service.

Pricing to ship a dog will depend on the method, required vet health checks, and containers. You’ll know all pricing prior to shipment. Payment in full is required before shipping.

All puppies are microchipped using AKC Reunite’s International (ISO) Microchip. These microchips include prepaid registration. This means we’ll register the puppy to you at pick-up.

We do list Badgerland Boerboels as the alternate on the microchip, this is so we can help you get the dog should the dog escape the pet sitter, etc. while you’re out of town.

We vaccinate all of our puppies with the 5-way initial puppy vaccine. There is a high probability the dog will not gain immunity from this first vaccine, due to the mother’s immunity still being strong in the dog. This is why it is important to follow up on the additional vaccinations in the puppy series with your vet. Schedule an appointment with your vet within the first week of your puppy arriving home.

We understand that sometimes life happens. For this reason, we’ll take any of our dogs back at any time, in any condition, no questions asked.

We will ask questions regarding the dog and the dog’s needs, but we will not ask about your personal situation. We don’t believe any of our dogs should ever end up in a shelter, please contact us if you are having issues.

According to the AKC breed standard, the preferred height for Boerboels is 24 to 27 inches for males and 22 to 25 inches for females with the average weight ranging from 120 to 150 pounds.

While some owners may choose a Boerboel approaching 200 pounds or more, we select our pairings to align with the traditional breed standard. We believe that an athletic, leaner dog has a better chance at a long, active healthspan with happier joints thoughout its life.

And remember, a muscular, powerful 145-pound Boerboel is still an impressive and effective guardian! She will just be easier to manage in your home and cost less to feed 🙂

Obedience training is non-negotiable for successful Boerboel ownership. At first, a number of our own personal Boerboels went through a 2-week board and train followed by ongoing daily reinforcement during their first two years. These sessions offer an excellent way to bond with your Boerboel and establish patterns for a long, rewarding life together. The Boerboel is a dominant breed, but they are intelligent, loyal dogs with a strong willingness to please. Your strong leadership and high expectations combined with a natural calm, confident temperament means they are very trainable.

If you are not ready to devote time each week to training, wait until your schedule will support this before adding a Boerboel to your family. Or, we can recommend some excellent board-and-train options locally.

Our Boerboels are fed a raw diet and the amount is calculated based on their weight and age. Our adult male Kobe is 170 pounds and eats about 4 pounds of raw food each day. Or, roughly 3-5 cups of dry kibble.

The biggest struggle happens with people who are not realistic about their level of commitment to owning a large, guardian dog. While many dream of self-sufficiency on a homestead, buying a Boerboel does not change your lifestyle overnight.

#1 These dogs require routine, consistency and structure; they need a calm, assertive leader.

#2 These dogs require a training plan; they are powerful, intelligent and require mental stimulation. Consistent obedience work is necessary.

#3 These dogs prefer to be with their people. Yes, they are crate trainable and do not exhibit separation anxiety. However, they are lovingly known as “Velcro dogs” because they like to have eyes on their people all the time.

Although Boerboels have been around since the 17th century, the American Kennel Club (AKC) officially recognized the breed in 2015.

According to SABBS (South African Boerboel Breeders’ Society), there are roughly 800 registered Boerboel breeders in the world. For comparison, there are approximately 5,000 breeders of Golden Retrievers in the US alone. 

No, Boerboels are not hypoallergenic.

The Boerboel breed has a short coat which makes it a moderate shedder.

From the AKC Breed Standard: The recognized colors / patterns are with or without a mask; however, the black mask is desirable. Red, Brown, Reddish Brown, Fawn, Cream, brindle in any accepted color and Irish Marked.

With a short, smooth coat, Boerboels require occasional brushing. They require regular nail trims, teeth brushing and ear cleaning. There are fun ways to engage your puppy and get them acclimated to nail trimmers. We provide details for new owners in the Puppy Pack.

According to the AKC, the Boerboel drooling level is moderate. Our experience is that we need a towel on occasion but much less frequently than we did with our American Bulldog mix.

With our adult dogs, we find that a 10 minute walk 2 to 3 times per day is sufficient. We find that obedience walks are an excellent way to tire them out because of the heavy thinking required. However, our dogs often enjoy very active days, spending hours outside while we work on the property. The Boerboel breed is generally calm, its movement is powerful and with purpose.

The life expectancy of the average Boerboel is 9 to 11 years according to the AKC.