Nearly 1 in 4 households have a boerbull here in South africa.. and we know this is a no nonsense dog that you just don't ever take a chance with, you never ever go into someones yard or home without being formally introduced and brought in every single time..
Well we need them to be like that here in sa cause of the crime and farm murders. They think that one is big they should come this side, mine is currently 82kgs and his muscle and slender 😂. They are great dogs but as owners you need to always make sure strangers know his job and you need to make your guests safe by having them put up or kept at safe distance
Yes but in South Africa most people know what to expect with a Boerboel. How to handle them. What is wrong here is an American who didn't properly socialize the dog as ANY guard type dog has to be properly socialized to avoid problems............... More than likely the guy thought this breed is docile/easy to handle like the plodding overtimes obese not necessarily muscular mastiff breeds - bull / english / neo mastiff - far more typical of American households.
I can’t wait to see progress on this dog in a month! The owner seems committed to him. The owner and beautiful Boerboel clearly have a bond. Now it’s about sharing that bond with other people and dogs in a friendly way!
So ni e to see a owner who is aware that he might have a problem later on. If a lot more people did this these breeds would not get the bad name they so often do nor deserve. Well done you !
👍 awesome. I had an English Mastiff so I loved this video. 😊 Because they’re like having a loaded weapon, I start training us, immediately. My girly went through 2 fear/dominant periods. We worked w/ trainers off and on over 3 years. She came out a confidant, gentle ambassador. We went everywhere together. She was my BFF.
Great inside look at an evaluation on a potentially dangerous dog, and what to do so he will come out of his fear period a gentle giant. Kudos to the capable owner. What a gorgeous dog!
never seen a boerboel as a gentle giant. I've seen a couple of them very calm until it's time to not be calm. And will allow A LOT when on a walk. But never a gentle giant. Especially when they're in their "territory". Only hope around these monsters is when the owners say "this person is ok". Other than that? Make sure your affairs are in order....
Yay new lessons! Lol no a bite from a giant boy like that would probably be disabling. I still love me a big dog! There's nothing better than a big good boy.
Wow thank you so much Joel for sharing this big dog video. I can totally relate. Yes the fear period with these breeds can totally cause a dog to freak out. Socializing is key, right from the get go. Also I have experienced the mastiff breed can be really stubborn and get bored quickly. Stimulation is key.. Glad to see the lead for better control.
This video is a good one for me, we have a Boerboel puppy that is 3 months old and he is such a great dog but a little strong willed which I can handle. I have owned a couple of Mastiff dogs before so I am familiar with big dogs but seeing videos like this there is always something to learn. Thank you
You are such a big help. This is VERY VERY important work you are doing, and you're totally a natural at it. Experience, a big brain, strength, empathy and sensitivity. A winning combination.
this hand shake thing really does work both my dogs go nuts right up until I do this with people I have even started passing treats this way so they can treat them after they sit down like you have said in other videos treats from the scary stimulus
This really hit home. Great to see this type of lesson. I am suspicious that the 4year old rescue I got a year ago, did not get the stimuli during his fear period. His fear period seems to have lasted and he barks, lunges, and has bitten people. Since going through a board and train program he can chill out when I meet people outside on the leash but still cannot be a "happy dog" around strangers. It is nothing but CONTROL like you said, Joel. Trying hard to stay positive that I can help this dog get over this issue.
At 4 years (probably 5 by now) the dog has fully developed their personality. You might never be able to change the fact that the dog is not comfortable around strangers. But as long as you set boundaries on acceptable behavior, it's fine if he never is "happy" around strangers. As long as he doesn't bark, lunge, and bite them.
Im glad I found this channel now. I have a 9 month old pitbull mix who's growing into her strength. I don’t think she's in a full fear period, but its something to be aware of. And a good reminder I need to be both gentle and firm in the next few months.
Every breed is different. Different in how they think, what drives them, how they respond to stimulus, etc. If people understand this the more power to you.
My Boerboel had a full undocked tail and for multiple reasons I would highly recommend that all Boerboels be docked at birth. A boerboel's tail is very rigid like a weapon.
@@michelewood925 Not sure about a St Bernard but I'm glad my Alabai's tail is docked. A lab does not have a strong rigid tail like a Boerboel and is not comparable at all. I really regretted my Boerboel's tail not being docked but I suppose it's because he came from an accidental pregnancy and the owners did not have the experience or forethought to do the right thing. Some suffering could have been avoided/mitigated but I suppose my Boerboel and I got by ok anyway.
In South Africa the reason we get these dogs is purely for protection and guarding. This treat thing will not work in SA as dogs get poisoned this way if they are used to receiving treats.
I have an 8 month old gsd and I from what I can gather from a couple videos is that he is also starting his fear period. He was doing really well with listening and greeting new people but now his behavior has gotten a little excessive. He’s bagan barking at neighbors and people he’s known for months and sees quite a bit every week even if they don’t continuously greet him. And he’s began to kinda rebel and ignore commands. He’s never really been food motivated so his treats don’t work to get his attention either. These videos are really helping with what steps I should take and I’m debating signing up for a lesson :) P.s.: I just found this channel about week ago and I really love the amount I learn from every single video👌
@@anneh1890 hey I have a gsd who’ll be a year old in 4 days and he’s a tiny bit reactive but we’re working on it and it’s going great and like his basic obedience is to my liking, and overall he isn’t a problem but may I ask you what are some jobs I could give him to stimulate his brain
@@SkyGuyA yeah wwhat Topcatwarrior said. Giving him something that he can do builds so much trust and also relaxes the dog. I knew this one guy who let his gsd hold the paper when he went out to buy it all the way back home (but dont let him guard the paper, he should release when asked to). Cesar Millan did this thing with junior where he hid his favorite toy. Make it a job by connecting a command to it (and ofc a reward). Typically a gsd will even be happy when asked to lay down and stay (staying is the job). You could put out treats and elongate the time he needs to stay before releasing the dog to the treat. ANYTHING could be a job (they dont know). Laying a treat on top of its head and holding still (and the process of teaching him to hold still) could be a job. It's like if you work and you never get any result of it, you'ld get bored. The dog is happy with every result (treat, his favorite toy). Sometimes people will say: ooh just let him have it. But a GSD wants to work, they are horses ;)
@@anneh1890 oh well never mind I’m fine, I make him earn everything. And my family is always like “just give it to him”, but he always has to do something to get what he wants
Serious dog needs exercise discipline and lots of training ..the brain stimulation is something I didn't know about say the same walking route that's was very informative. Good video
I have a large guardian breed, not a Boerbel, who is 4 months old and I take him out in public every single day, wether I need to or not. We go to Home Depot, Starbucks, etc, just so he can see and interact with people daily. I also send him to puppy daycare twice a week, to socialize with other dogs. We're going to obedience class once a week on top of that. Did the same with my past dog, who is a German Shepherd and is now 7 years old. We also have a 4 years old Pyrenee. I'm a 5'1 female and mom to a 7 years old little girl and just couldn't afford to have a dog who would be stronger than me and not respecting me. I wanted a protector and friend, not a liability. It's a lot of work, but it's a small price to pay to have a lifelong, well adjusted friend. I can bring my dogs everywhere with us and they are happy, confident animals and a joy to have around. I wouldn't recommend trying to break in my house, but if I say someone is invited, I never have a problem. Except this one dude whom my shepherd couldn't stand. I didn't like him either... byebye
@@anishussain7093 Not sure how it's relevant? I am married, though, and while he doesn't do much of the actual training, he loves the dogs as much as I do!
Beautiful dog. The owner needs to be more attentive and ready to counter his movements, timely corrections are going to be key to have him under his control which will be key for everyone's safety. Love the vid!
I think people should start with the 2 foot leash before going with a 6 footer. He was attentive but before he can do anyhting the dog dog had already took a whole step forward. Even when my rotty disobeyed on a 6 ft leash or while offleash, I resumed the walk back on the short one as a punishment, gives the dog pretty much no freedom to go anywhere at that point
I hate the way he holds the leash. At times he holds it with like 2 fingers. If the dog wants to go, the dogs going to go and there isn't a thing the guy will be able to do to stop him just because of the way he holds that little leash.
@@vikingdogmanship Thank you so much, unfortunately he's over the rainbow bridge now, and I still miss him, nothing can replace a good Dobe once you've had one :-)
@@2112wedge Im so sorry for your loss. I choose to believe that someday we will see our beloved furfamilies once again. Hope you are having a good day✌ Bless you
Hi there, did you know that the Boerboel is a cross between a Bullmastif and a Rhodesian Ridgeback that was bred by farmers to keep their animals safe from predators. They are the most amazing dogs, our family has always had this breed. Just love them!
Handsome fella! It's great to learn how to handle the fear period. Only thing I notice is owner using his body to control the dog. Instead of his voice. I think that is important the dog respond more with the handlers voice. Maybe owner was nervous about being on camera, I know I would be!
When I put my Potcake's picture thru the dog app. Boerboel / Bull Mastiff / Pittie comes up everytime. She has the Mastiff face with bully body. Moose is very handsome
Really nice video that got me thinking about my dogs issue with people, we adopted a 2 year old German Pinscher that will not let anyone touch her, is this a result of under socialization during the fear period or is it something else?
Boerboels are very sneaky deseptive dogs. We've had about 4 when I was growing up and they are the only dogs that doesn't care untill it's too late for the victim. They are extremely loyal but if they go for something u can't stop them
@@ConserveMore I'm from south africa and we have a farm. In SA it's dangerous not to have a strong dog if your living on a farm cause the township people will do unspeakable things to you if they get in your house. Boerboels are big enough and territorial so if they sense something they will bark and inspect the danger. Kept us safe for a years. So I guess we had boerboels cause they are very relaxed and they keep their territory guarded
We have a 3 yr old boerboel. These dogs are so strong and have a bite force similar to a shark. They must be trained because if they get ahold of something and aren't trained it will be BAD. I am a strong big AKA really fat (lol) woman and my dog can drag me if he wants to. On the other hand he's so sweet and loving and protective. They just have to be trained well.
TL;DR: I realize that I need this because my OP is to long. I watched your age apropriateness video and you say that training should be focused around 7+ months as younger puppies can't really process info before that age. I have a 6 months old corgi pup who used to be an INSANE puller (he basically breathes heavily, chokes himself and was often on his hindlegs). I introduced a softer version of your leash pop as a transition method and it's been better ( it's more of a pull than a pop yet). When can or should I commit to the pop method? When is the "knock it off" moment on the leash? Is he still to young to work on that or should I have started earlier? OP: Hey Joel! Haven't watched this video yet, but I'm digging through all the material you've been sharing on youtube and I'm mostly looking for leash reactivity/pulling etc. I'm a pro positive reinforcement kind of person and started with Zak George Videos, and you have been suggested to me, so I started looking at your content. I like Zak a lot, even though lately, hid content is mostly about clickbait and becoming reality TV show. I try to look at all the 'major schools' of dog training and want to give each and every ideology a chance and see what I can learn or use from a specific school. I have a Corgi pup who's 6 months old now and I have quickly npticed that positive reinforcement only gets you so far, especially with a dog that is not particularly food driven. I'm going to try to keep it short, otherwise this will be a bible. I saw your video on age appropriateness. You say that 8-14 weeks is basically bonding and potty. At 14 weeks to 7 months you say it's mostly about satiating yor pup to reduce nipping, jumping etc. You then follow up on saying that 7 months to a year is the best period to train the dog. You say that before that they're still babies and can't really process information and learn as well. Does that mean that I should not insist too much on the leash pulling yet? Currently what I used to do is stop walking when he pulls on the leash and wait for him to calm down and look at me before moving on. Also, as soon as he is released, he tends to go right back to pulling. Doing that means that I sometimes need 1h to walk around my block becaude he really doesn't give up on the pulling, no matter if I reinforce looking at me with treats. He'll only start giving in roughly 30min in where he'll give me more attenton and be better. Is it to soon to start the leash pop method? I am not yet fully committed to the method because I don't want to potentially scare him of the leash, he seems to be generally hesitsnt of the collar because often times he pulls so much, he basically chokes himself. So what I started doing now as a "transition method" is that when he's about to leave me, I go one step back right before he reaches the end of the leash. It ends up being more of a pullback than a real pop to the leash for him. He pulls a lot less generally but he still doesn't really pay attention to me yet, he tends to still not look at me and go back to where he wants to go, but he pulls a lot less. I got a loose leash about 60% of the time and tense leashes 35% of the time and the occasional fully tense leash with my dog on his hind legs trying to go where he wants. Should I fully commit to the leash pop, or should I wait for a specific age? The reason I am willing to use this type of correction is that I feel like it's going to be actually less punishing and hurtful for my dog to get the occasional pop and get better on leash, than to let him choke himself constantly by trying to make him stop through positive reinforcement. This was very long, and I'm sorry, but I can't seem to find anything saying when you should start the leash pop method and why. Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Half way thru the video, and I have to say I’m scared my little georgy starts going crazy on me , that fear period thing is actually real…. I had no clue 😪
Moose is a gorgeous Valkyrie warrior breed guard dog, BoerBull! I love it. I’ve been also watching that dogmessiah guy in TX that works with Cane Corso and there are some great techniques that seem to be guard dog instinct animal languages that work. Like the clockwise or counter clockwise turn and sit stay. He talks positive to the dog a lot. “Good good… “ Which gets a bit annoying. But reactive guarding breeds need that from my observation.
My dog is a king shepherd, American Eskimo, lab and chow chow. She’s extremely protective. Is there any breed specifically in there that very protective
I just don’t personally like people who are not going to be in the immediate circle of any dogs life should be feeding them. This is how your dog will end up dead if someone was to really want in your home
What if a big protection dog comes out of the fear period without confidence? I’ve been trying to work on my female cane corse who spent her fear period with my now ex. She had basically zero exposure to people and positive enforcement during that time. She’s now very protective and quite a bit fearful, like she urinates even when I’m doing things with her, such as re-sitting her while feeding if she moves.
I’m really struggling with enforcing dominance over my dog. He’s always testing me. I feel like it’s so much easier for men. I thought maybe it was a size thing bc I’m pretty small and most men are bigger but maybe it’s just a natural dominance that men have that most women don’t have. Cesar Milan is a small guy and it’s easy for him to enforce dominance over a dog. I try my hardest to be stern and loud with my voice but my dog still doesn’t listen to me most of the time. And he’s really strong already at only 6 months, eventually he will outweigh me.
I am a female with three dogs, two are large breed and the third is a medium breed. What works for me is pitching my voice lower when I am correcting any one of them, in a firm no nonsense manner. Being consistent and staying calm is important, and also patience as you are still training a puppy. Good luck!
@@topcatwarrior thanks! I have an aggressive Saint Bernard and he is a lot to handle! I feel like I need to start lifting weights so I can be stronger to control him! Lol And I’m having a hard time finding a good trainer that deals with aggressive dogs. Its all pretty much just positive reinforcement and agility training.
I'm also a woman, what works for me and my dog is to never let him/her to do what they want. If I want them to sit, they will sit. Never scream, but always be firm and show that you are not here to allow "bs" behavior. Good luck!
I am a 70 yr old. Woman small and thin my GSD tested me for 2 yrs obedience great but lunged at cars bikes humans to close mental with other dogs I cried most nights but would restart every morning with 2hr walk play train she never knows which way we will go until I move.but she is now 3 years and the most loving gentle obedient girl we never miss our morning routine every thing just faded now I just enjoy her so don't give up it will all come together
Funny how poeple pronounce the breed in wrong way. It is actually boerboel (boorbull - boer means the farmer in Dutch) but besides that very interesting video with some good points.
A neighbor down the street had a dingo looking dog and no fence but he would put it on a cable run in the day and left it in the house at night. The dog was 2 and the kid is 14 with ash burg and he won’t talk to people hardly. The guy next door to him was burning some brush and the smoke was coming in his house so whe the guy left the boy went and was putting it out with water hose but the guy pulled in and the two of them got into it. Well when the cops got there they cuffed the boy because the guy guy told them he hit him in his he’d with a 2by4 . The boy was hollering and cussing the cops but when the boys girlfriend open the door the dog ran for it and was taking up for the boy and it bit the cops arm but didn’t break the skin and the cop shot him.(for doing his job)
Yeah I think I made a mistake with my dog my telling her not to bark at fear period. At first she was a confident, excited telling it off, now just worried and can’t stop saying ”buff”. 9 months to now a 1yr 2 months.
Please explain the fear period a bit more, my dog XL bully x American Staffy is terrified of men because whilst on a walk she was minding her business and a man “offered to pet her” and instead booted her, now it’s a year and a half later and I’m still trying to fix the damage
I always loved the fact that Boerboels were on the smaller side of large dogs but are very strong! Probably due to their weight - but still, very impressive strength!
@@OptimusPrime-dz9md I’m not saying they are small, plus, I was referring to their height and overall size, not weight. They are one of the smaller “giant” breeds. There are two coming to my dog park every day and they are not any larger than your average U.S line German Shepherd - they are bulkier though. For example, my Persian Mastiff dwarfs both Boerboels that come to our dog park. He stands at 87cm measured at shoulders and he appears twice as large, even though he is not. I was just saying how for their size
A Boerboel male should be at least 24 inches at the shoulder. The South African standard says the ideal height is 26 inches. The big boys can get to 28/29 inches at the shoulder and 200 pounds plus.
Joel, please: Does this mean I should NOT correct my 10-month, 45-lb, pup, who is in a fear period, when she growls at another human? Seems important to get her socialized before she is one year old, because after that it's harder. But, are you saying a pup in a fear period should not be corrected? No corrections, even if she growls or snaps? Just make her sit ? Praying you might respond, because I'm introducing her to a new family tomorrow. Can anyone else on this thread comment on this?
He doesn't want the correction to be overdone let's say a gentle tug to the side with a gentle no are shoosh compared to a hard tug with a loud no you don't want to install fear during a fear period it's like yelling at your 4 year old for not using the toilet they just don't completely understand are able to take in your commands there is to much going through there heads I litterly had to show my dog why a pink play house was nothing to be scared of 3 weeks ago because he's never seen something like that while walking him and he started jumping back and to side cuz he feared it
@@larrygomez2219 Thanks, Larry. Very helpful. "gentle tug, gentle no". Now I feel much better prepared. (Luckily, the meeting with the new people (6 kids!) got postponed until tomorrow.) Many thanks.
I mean great video and please give updates but damn looks like this is where your threshold is. Usually you take the lead and pop collars and take control but you were afraid of this dog. I was just thinking yesterday I want to see him work a massive dominant dog but I guess this is all that can be done with a dog this massive? I will follow along and see how things develop but seems you got to take things slower when its a dog and is so potentially dangerous.
Owner seems too shy to up banter with a woman. But with a guy he goes up a notch. It's the owner who's baing trained. Who forgot the muzzle etc. Am dealing with training owner RIGHT NOW. Its all in there.
I adopted a border collie cross staffy who is eight months old. And she barks at everyone she sees apart from me. She runs towards them barks and growls then turns direction to hide behind me. Watching you talk about the fear period is making me think that's maybe that's what's going on with her