The South African Boerboel is the only South African dog specifically bred for guarding and protecting without being aggressive. Dating back to 1652, this breed is a descendant of the Boer dog. In the 20th century, the Boerboel was nearly extinct. They were revived, and are steadily gaining in worldwide popularity with dogs being exported and bred in Australia, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Russia, and the U.S.A.