Large breed puppies need to have a limited intake of protein to prevent damage to joints from growing too quickly. Recognition of this need in recent years has resulted in the development of kibble formulas specifically tailored for large breed growth requirements.

All my boerboels are fed Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed kibble, either Adult or Puppy. This is a very high quality formula and provides nearly everything a dog requires nutritionally. I will not go into the do’s and don’ts of different brand dog foods. Just know that a dog IS what it eats, and super market brand dog foods are lots of useless filler, preservatives, and by-products that simply pass through your dog without contributing anything to its metabolism.

Another consideration in feeding large breeds is to prevent your pup or dog from becoming obese. A healthy dog is trim with its ribs visible when it moves. Allowing a pup to become overweight during its primary growing cycle can cause a multitude of physical problems that will effect its health later on. A good example of this is degenerative joint disease.

I have studied the raw meat and bone, or B.A.R.F., diet during the last few months. I have also discussed it extensively with my vet. Considering the difficulty in procuring meats that are disease and hormone free with the time it takes to prepare and spoilage issues, I have decided to stick to a predominantly dry kibble regimen for my boerboels. I am very happy that this type of diet and more holistic diets works well for some people. It is just not an option for me.

Puppies

The bitch is fed puppy formula kibble throughout her pregnancy and lactation. She is also given daily calcium supplements throughout this same period. After whelping, the pups feed primarily on their mother’s milk for the first 3 weeks of life. If I do notice a pup not getting enough nursing time, I supplement its feeding with a specially formulated mother’s milk replacement, like Esbilac.

At 3 weeks, I begin to offer the pups puppy kibble softened in Esbilac. It takes a while to soak long enough to get completely soft, so I keep lots ready in the refrigerator. This way, they become accustomed to the taste of the food they will be eating for the first year of their life.

When the pups become adept at eating their semi-solid food….and when the bitch is beginning to wean them…I feed them 3 times a day with the softened kibble in Esbilac. By six weeks of age, I wean them away from the Esbilac and add goat’s milk to the softened kibble. Since they have their puppy teeth in at this age, I do not soften the kibble as completely as I did earlier.

From 8 to 12 weeks, I continue this regimen, 3 times a day, increasing or decreasing the amount given each meal according to their condition. The goat’s milk is slowly decreased and removed. I always moisten the kibble with warm water. Boerboel pups gobble their food so quickly that they easily get choked on dry kibble. Moistening the kibble also helps to ease in digestion.

My pups receive a multi-vitamin supplement, a brewer’s yeast/garlic/omega fatty acid supplement and vitamin C from about 6 weeks of age to 1 year. I drop the multi-vitamin after 1 year of age but continue with the others.

From 12 weeks to 1 year, I continue to feed the Large Breed Puppy formula but reduce the number of meals to two. All my dogs are fed twice daily to prevent gluttony and to help reduce the chance of one huge meal eaten too quickly developing into a life-threatening bloat condition.

Adult Dogs

I feed all my adult boerboels twice a day, morning and evening. They are fed moistened dry kibble, Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Adult formula. In addition they receive a brewer’s yeast/garlic/omega fatty acid supplement and Vitamin C supplement daily. I sometimes liven up their diet with boiled and ground liver in a gravy consistency, mixed veggies, or canned mackerel. They normally get all of these at least once a week, and I add a good quality vegetable oil once or twice a week to keep their coats in good condition.

You must take care in the amount of food you feed your boerboel. Most would eat themselves to death if given the chance. All of mine go at their food as if it is the last meal they will see in years…only Anneke is a delicate, deliberate eater. I do not measure the amount of food I give each dog. Normally their foods are mixed in large batches. I simply keep an eye on their condition and weight. If they seem to be getting too thin, I increase their intake. If they are getting too pudgy and soft, I decrease their intake. The amount of exercise your dog gets every day also effects the amount of food it needs to maintain optimum condition.

With dogs like these, an owner needs to be constantly vigilant since the onset of GVD, or gastric dilation, can be a life-threatening situation. The condition is rapidly fatal in dogs, causing shock, coma, and death within 6-12 hours. Common symptoms of GVD are: major anxiety and/or general restlessness, heavy panting and/or salivating, gagging, whining, swelling in the abdominal area after a meal, dry vomiting, pacing, shallow breathing, excessive heartbeat, or a weak pulse with gums not the normal healthy pink color (white, dark red, or blueish). If you think your dog may be in a bloat condition, take it to the vet IMMEDIATELY. It is a life and death situation.

Do not let your boerboel become a beggar. Remember the cute puppy today will be tall enough to put its head over the table edge and clean your plate. Many foods that humans consume can be very dangerous for your dog with chocolate and onions being two of the most common. Try to train your boerboel to stay away from your food, and try to train yourself to give them very few human food treats. If you simply must, give the treats in their food bowl or well away from your customary eating areas. This way they will not be a constant annoyance and will not be endangered by eating the wrong things.

Here are some links to health and nutrition issues for further study:
The Show Dog Super Site
Relationship of Nutrition to Developmental Skeletal Disease in Young Dogs

For a multitude of Canine Health Issues:
Storm Mastiffs - Links

And Vitamin C and Canine Joint Disorders:
Ester-C: Miracle Cure for Hip Dysplasia???