Boerboel

Also known as the South African Mastiff, the Boerboel, pronounced "boo-r-bull," is an incredibly large dog initially bred to help protect livestock from all manner of predators, including lions, leopards, and hyenas. Boerboel is a combination of Afrikaans and Dutch languages that roughly translates to farmer's dog. And while their intimidating appearance comes in handy when working, these dogs were also bred for companionship. Although their true origins are unknown, they are believed to be a mix of Mastiffs, Bloodhounds, Bulldogs, Staghounds, and Terriers that were brought from Europe and later bred with local African dogs.