Bringing Home a Boerboel Puppy: A Week-by-Week Guide
The first weeks home shape your Boerboel's confidence, manners, and bond with you. Here's a practical plan.
Before pickup
Puppy-proof your home, buy a crate sized for a giant breed, and confirm your vet. Review the breed's needs in our Boerboel breed guide.
Week 1: settle and bond
- Keep things calm and predictable. Establish a feeding, potty, and sleep routine.
- Begin crate training as a positive, safe space.
- Start gentle handling of paws, ears, and mouth.
Weeks 2–3: foundations
- Introduce name recognition and "sit" with reward-based training.
- Begin short, positive exposures to household sounds and gentle visitors.
- Book the first vet visit and confirm the vaccination schedule.
Weeks 4–6: socialization window
- This is the critical period. Expose the puppy to varied people, surfaces, and friendly, vaccinated dogs — always positively.
- Continue basic commands in short sessions. See our training tips for new owners.
Weeks 7–12: build on success
- Add "down," "stay," and loose-leash walking.
- Keep exercise low-impact to protect growing joints (about five minutes per month of age, twice daily).
Consistency now prevents problems later. When you're choosing your puppy, start with a verified breeder who has already begun socialization.