We will not attempt to re-write the text books here.  Suffice to say that most of the major health problems are the result of a complex inter-reaction of genes.  Moreover, all lines potentially carry genetic defects.  Therefore trying to breed away from them in a relatively small gene pool is neither easy nor straightforward.

This makes it all the more important that breeders apply rigorous standards of selection to all breeding dogs, diligently research pedigrees, follow the development of the dogs they produce and share information as to known problems.   Any breeder may produce a dog with bad hips, eyes etc, however hard they try to avoid doing so.  Good breeders do their best to avoid perpetuating the problem and help others avoid them too.

The Boerboel has a relatively small gene pool, particularly in Europe.  This presents its own dangers; as dog breeds become more inbred, they tend in general to be less healthy.  The UKBC is endeavouring to promote open discussion of health problems and support breeders in making good choices both with regard to health and genetic diversity.

If you are considering buying a puppy, always ask the breeder what health problems, if any, the parents suffer from and whether there have been any health problems in previous litters.  A breeder who answers this honestly is a good breeder, every breeder will have one or two problems over time.

The UKBC recommends that only dogs which meet or exceed the following heath standards should be bred.  Breeding dogs should, of course, also have a stable temperament, overall good health, have passed an appraisal and been registered with Studbook in South Africa.  See the section ‘Code of Ethics’ for Accredited Breeder requirements.

• Hips should be scored under a recognised scheme and be average or better – current BVA guidelines state that the BVA average is 12.
• Elbows should be X-rayed at 12 months or older, and formally scored under a recognised scheme – a score of 0:0 is considered excellent. Dogs which have undergone elbow surgery due to injury, and have been X-rayed and certified in writing as ‘normal’ or ‘clear’ by a veterinarian, are also acceptable under these guidelines.
• Eyes should be certified as free of entropion or ectropion.
• Bitches should be certified free of vaginal hyperplasia.

In an ideal world every dog used for breeding would have perfect health in every respect.

REMEMBER – All dogs must be appraised and registered with one of the recognised South African registries (minimum score of 75%) and be free from other serious hereditary health conditions such as Wobblers etc.

AND FINALLY…

Any mating can produce dogs with bad elbows or hips but it is more likely if one or both of the parents themselves have poor elbows and/or hips.  Puppy buyers should insist on seeing the parents’ official health documentation to enable them to make an informed decision as to whether to buy or not.