Tank - South African Boerboel

Hey guys! Today I wanted to introduce you to one of our pets and part of the Crowbar family, Tank.

We have had quite the variety of animals on our homesteads over the last few years, but we’ve also had several different types of dogs as pets prior to homesteading. Through these experiences, I’ve learned a lot about the personalities of dogs and what that means in terms of how they will respond to my temperament. It's not just about the dogs folks! 😁 We have to take responsibility for making sure we can handle the breeds we choose.

Check out the paws on this pup. Tank was 6 weeks old when we got him!

Now, before I go too far, let me preface with this. I know there are people out there that can make nearly any dog listen to them and want to obey them. I’m not even talking about Cesar Milan. I have a few friends I’ve seen do this with any shelter dog or mutt that comes their way. It’s amazing and inspiring! However, this does not come naturally to me. It was a struggle learning how to be an alpha, especially with such a large dog.

He tried very hard to be brave as a pup, but the sound of a garbage can rolling on gravel was guaranteed to send him yipping home with his tail between his legs!

When we made the decision to homestead and move to the hills, we knew we would be in mountain lion country and wanted a dog who could protect the family. We read up on South African Boerboels and visited a local breeder. We fell in love with these beautiful dogs, but again, they are rather strong-willed. They were bred to protect South African farms from large predators, like tigers!

Tank displayed a wonderful protective instinct within the first year. We were out walking the property when two strange dogs appeared. Tank started barking and took a few steps forward, positioning himself between them and my kids and I. He continued to bark as they left but never left us to chase them, rather, he kept looking back at us almost as if checking on us. Once they were gone, he came back to us.

Tank was a huge puppy and grew fast. For the first few years, but we could never get too affectionate because he would get excited and jump. Because of this, we created a gated area for him to be in when the girls were playing outside. Looking back, this created a problem.

Tank wasn't able to do his job of protecting, while fenced in. It also took a toll on the bonding that should have been taking place and the interactions that would have reinforced my role as an alpha. I regret this decision, but I am also patient with myself because with being pregnant and having 2 little girls, this dog was a little too much for me to handle without my husband around. But again, that is on me, not the dog. I wasn't adequately prepared to deal with him.

Once we moved Idaho, however, we didn’t have any fencing up so he was tied to a run until he became accustomed to the property. We were worried about him running off because a stray dog in this area, especially one that looks like him, is likely to be shot.

That's 160 pounds of intimidation right there! Our local UPS and FedEx drivers tell each of their new or temp drivers about "Tank". He's kind of famous around here!

Anyway, once we finally got him off the line, and he was also turning 4 that year, he calmed down tremendously. He is now a wonderful dog to have around.

He is incredibly patient and very sweet.

My 2 yr old adores him and while I don’t trust any animal enough to leave my child unattended, I am relaxed watching my boys interact with Tank.

The best advice I received about dogs was, “Research your dog’s breed. Find out what they were bred to do. If you have a working dog, make sure he’s got work to do, otherwise, he will find his own work to do, and it may not line up with what you want them to do.”

So, have you found a dog that suits your family's style and whose natural instincts align well with your family's needs? I find this very interesting and I think too often pets are chose because they're cute or cool, without consideration for whether they will be able to perform the job they instinctively want to perform. I'd love to read your thoughts, so please leave a comment! Thanks for stopping by!

I chose @Crowbarmama as a handle because I believe in doing the best you can with what you have on hand. The crowbar is a multi-purpose tool. You’ll notice my photography is a bit rough, my grammar is not the most polished, but as a homeschooling, homesteading mama of 4, if I waited to take my photos until the light was perfect or re-edited my posts a 5th time ( I shoot for 3 drafts), I would never get a post out!

Don’t sweat the small stuff, just Crowbar it!

If you like what you're reading, please upvote and subscribe! Also, I love feedback! Constructive criticism is one of the best ways to grow. I want to know what you think!