2008, A momentous year for us and our Boerboels

In a matter of hours, 2008 will roll by and a new year should roll in. As I reveiew the outgoing year and ponder on those things that we achieved and those thing that we didnt, I cannot but share what our experiences have been and in a nut shell, as far as the boerboels are concerned, 2008 has been a momentous year.

We started the year with some of our very dear BBs, Roenard Shumba, Grasland Vrystaat, Grasland Ojuolape who was nursing a litter of 9 pups from Shumba, Bundu Valley Zeta (Morenike), Asiwaju Adaeze, Asiwaju Ebube... A total of 10 boerboels. And our latest boy arrived from South Africa, Marvell Buddi Bhusasa from my friends at Bundu Valley Boerboels... He was such a stunner and we were quite sure he was going to help our breeding having seen some of his offsping in South Africa.

Ojuolape's litter from Shumba was such a delightful one. And I dare say that we had the privilege of having great dog people who opened their homes to them. I recall Simba at the Onanuga's residence, Sasha with Ayo Otuyalo, Tega with Emmanuel in Eket, and of course Charlie's Kike. 

With the kind of results we saw with these pups, we actually looked forward to repeat combinations in the immediate future between Shumba and Ojuolape and Shumba and Morire, the litter preceeding that. However, those were not be...

The 2 armed robbery attacks in transit on my person in february 2008 which pushed and shook us to the point where we concluded plans to relocate from Nigeria and then when we were trying to come to terms that for our boerboels' sake, Nigeria was again worth giving a trial and of course with the deluge of appeals from well meaning friends and family both home and abroad and the entire boerboel community world over, we decided to stay but then something else happened...

Our darling Roenard Shumba passed on. It was in the wee hours of the  morning of 1st of May 2008, I strolled to the kennel area of our property and I saw all the dogs calling me and greeting me but Shumba was on the floor in his kennel. A very unusual sight. My heart skipped some beats and was wondering what could be worng with Shumba. I may have to call the vet immediately.Shumba has never been sick in his over 2 years with us... Is he moving? Yes he is... No I can seem to notice any movement... I think he is breathig... Upon moving closer, I was confronted by the unthinkable...Shumba is stone cold! He has been dead for about 6hrs minimum. What could have happened.I examined his body for any signs of bites ...maybe it was a snake but nothing... My world came crashing and it appeared at that time that it was over. I havent been able to discuss or write about it as Shumba was our Shumba. Our real flagship boerboel. The one who has redefined Boerboels in looks, temprament and quality of progenies as far as breeding is concerened. I recollect the hullabaloo that greeted his arrival in Nigeria...to some he was the south African reject that was sold to us...of course the only reason they would sell such a dog was becuse he was sterile etc but whatever he it was, we were just happy to have him with us. He was good with the whole family and particularly the children....

I sat with Shumba's body in his kennel and one after the other, members of my family came around having heard my nerve wracking sobs and the quietness of the other dogs which was unusual. Nobody beleieved what had just happened, then everybody including our house keepers joined in the mourning of our dear departed Shumba. Oh Shumba!

The death of Shumba took away the desire to continue breeding, coming soon after we were just coming back after the experience with the armed robbers. But we were consoled that the only way we could finish the owrk we had started and to which Shumba had contributed greatly was to continue with what is left and see how we can use the Shumba lines that we had for consolidation of his good attributes while we minimise the faults. We have our own Adaeze and Erelu who are both Shumba's daughters from Morenike (Zeta) and Lexus Erelu respectively.

(To be Continued)

Skinny....

It is with such fulfilled hope that I write this piece. It has always been said that Nigerians are such hopeless people when it comes to dogs and their wellbeing and welfare in our country. While there are glaring cases of abuses and improper disposition to the canine members of our community, however my stand have always been that there are such good people in this country who will do their very best for their dogs and even other people's dogs even if it means that they will have to go out of their way to make that a possibility.

And in the category just described above is the story of a boerboel named Skinny rescued by a dog loving couple in Abuja, the federal capital territory of Nigeria. The story is told of how the wife visited a vet clinic in Abuja and saw this boerboel that was obviously malnourished and definitely lacking in care and she made it a point of duty and responsibility to take this dog home where she believes he will get the kind of care that he deserves. And that was how Skinny (who got his name from his condition at the time of rescue) joined the household of Mr. & Mrs Opuama and their other dogs; a GSD, a Rottweiler, a Dalmatian and incredibly one of our own very local dogs.

This dedication to animals by this family is just another proof that there are indeed honorable dog people in our country who are making their little contributions in their respective locations and believe me, the little contributions are making big impacts as it is encouraging more and more people to get involved with dogs for the right reasons.

And to Mr & Mrs Opuama, please stand up and take a bow! .....and Skinny, may you continue to have the good life and your story continue inspire and consolidate the new approach in our country.

Nigerian Bred?

"Nigerian Bred?" That was the response from the caller on the other end who had just called to enquire about the price of our boerboel puppies... The encounter with this person who happens be a Veterinary practioner has again set my mind thinking about some of the real issues plaguing the Nigerian dog community.

Imported Vs Nigerian Bred?

There is an extension of the larger society's perception that only that which is imported can be good and nothing that is Nigerian made or bred as it will apply in this case can be good enough. It also underscores the kind value that we place as a people on foreign ideas, concepts, products ...name it. And this has pushed many enterpreneurs who otherwise should have been proud of their efforts as Nigerians to now label their products that was produced in our country as products of foreign countries because of the perception that our people place on the 'foreign' brands.

And for an art that is dog breeding, where knowledge is a key factor, this caller who otherwise should have enquired about the quality of what is being offered rather had assumed that the price indicated was too high for a Nigerian bred boerboel but good enough for 'imported' ones. Wheras I have seen all sorts of BBs imported into Nigeria that are not fit to be called boerboels largely also due to th fact that those who have imported these animals do not have a clue as to what they are doing. As long as it is a big brown dog, then it is boerboel.

For us at Asiwaju Boerboels and some of our friends that we know, the art of breeding boerboels in Nigeria can now be compared favourably with the practice anywhere in the world. We have chosen our breeding stock very carefully from the top bloodlines and kennels in SA and have subjected our dogs to health checks before they are included in our breeding programme. Our BB boys are screened for both the Hips and Elbow dyslapsia that the breed is predisposed to and the females screened for Vagina Hyprplasia (VH) before they are passed as fit for breeding in our programme.

Furthermore, we also breed only from registered dogs with documented pedigree. And certainly you will agre with me that this is a remarkable clear departure form recent past where anything was going as far as dog breeding is concerned in Nigeria.

To cap this, we ensure that all pups that we place from our kennel are done with a Puppy Sales Agreement with full Guarantees against the genetic diseases that affect the breed. So if efforts are being made locally to breed the boerboel to the international quality and standard, why should it then arise that some people will continue to play the discrimination card between Nigerian bred BBs and the Imported ones.

Our BBs are indeed Nigerian bred and we are proud of that. We do hope that someday in the nearest future, our breeding dogs will all be Nigerian bred dogs and yet the better specimen and representative of the breed will continue to come from them...

Induna Peteru - 365days Already!

Indeed how time flies! It is hard to imagine that it is already 1 year that our darling Peteru passed on. The incidents leading up to his death have never left me since his untimely passage to dog paradise.

Peteru was such special member of our family. He was our first male BB imported from Induna Boerboels in South Africa. He was cuddly courageous family pet and companion. Peteru actually in his short lifespan (he lived for approximately 8 months) redefined our approach to BBs and he became the symbol of our love and commitment to the breed.

How did Peteru die? He died during 6 hours surgery to remove splintered chicken bones tha got stuck in the digetsive tract. Had I known that was goin to be his last meal on Saturday 14th January, I would have fasted him that day but alas that ws not to be, Peteru had this meal served him by myself and that happened to be the last as I knew it the moment he started guzzling the food out of excitement...

What is Special about Peteru? He was just special! He loves to play and was never afraid of nobody even at a tender age. Peteru was my friend and protector and he of course knew that he was special to me. Maybe the process that led to Ann at Induna sending him to me, maybe his stunning looks that dazed all and sundry including the skeptics when he arrived at the MMA International Airport in Lagos, maybe his extraordinary courage and willingness to please! All I know is that Peteru was and is still a special BB. We all as a family havenet recovered yet from his untimely demise.

Dear Peteru, wherever you are, I am sure that you by now know that no other dog has been able to take your place in our hearts. We remember with fondness all the times we spent with you. I recall the Ibadan trips by road from Lagos, your galantry in saving myself and the kids from the area boys in Marina a few weeks before your passage, the marks you left on Nike's (my visiting sister) arms, the jealous comments of those who wished they had you. Oh Peteru, I remember that fading gaze that signalled your departure on the operating table.

A lot has actually happened since you departed, the yard is now full of BBs that we have brought in to keep us company. Now puppies are running everywhere. Remember Arike? Of course I bet you do, you arrived together from South Africa the same night. She missed you sorely. She has also grown into a nice boerboel lady an has even had a litter but sadly we lost them all.

Dear Peteru, we all miss you terribly and we assure you that your place in our hearts will be forever guarded. Sleep on our Induna Peteru!