28/09/2026
🐾 HOW TO FEED & CARE FOR A BOERBOEL PUPPY FROM 8 WEEKS TO 12 MONTHS 🐾
A Boerboel puppy doesn't need to grow as fast as possible. It needs to grow correctly. ❤️
Boerboels are a large, powerful breed, and the first year is an important time for developing healthy bones, joints, muscles and overall structure.
Here is a simple guide for new Boerboel owners:
🥣 8–12 WEEKS
At this age, puppies are growing rapidly and need a quality large-breed puppy food that is complete and balanced.
• Feed approximately 4 small meals per day
• Follow the feeding guide for your puppy's expected adult size, then adjust according to body condition and growth
• Fresh, clean water must always be available
• Avoid adding calcium or other supplements unless recommended by a veterinarian
• Keep treats small and don't allow treats to replace balanced meals
🐕 EXERCISE
At 8–12 weeks, exercise should be gentle and mostly about exploration and play.
✔ Short walks
✔ Free play on suitable surfaces
✔ Gentle interaction with people and other safe, vaccinated dogs
✔ Mental stimulation and basic training
❌ Avoid forced running
❌ Avoid long walks
❌ Avoid repetitive jumping
❌ Avoid excessive stair climbing
🦴 3–6 MONTHS
This is another important growth period.
• Usually move toward 3 meals per day
• Continue with a properly formulated large-breed puppy diet
• Monitor your puppy's body condition regularly
• Your puppy should be lean and athletic rather than heavily overfed
• Keep exercise controlled and age appropriate
Remember: Bigger is not always better.
Carrying excessive weight while the skeleton is developing can place unnecessary stress on growing joints.
🐕🦺 6–9 MONTHS
Your Boerboel is becoming a young dog, but the body is still developing.
• Continue feeding a balanced large-breed growth diet according to the manufacturer's guidelines
• Many puppies can now eat 2–3 meals per day
• Continue regular but controlled exercise
• Increase walking gradually as fitness develops
• Continue obedience and socialisation training
• Give your puppy plenty of rest and sleep
Avoid trying to "build" a massive Boerboel through overfeeding.
A healthy young Boerboel should have good muscle development without excessive body fat.
💪 9–12 MONTHS
Your puppy may look almost grown, but development is not necessarily finished.
• Usually 2 meals per day is appropriate
• Continue a complete, balanced diet suitable for large-breed growth unless your veterinarian recommends another approach
• Maintain a healthy body condition
• Gradually increase exercise as your dog matures
• Continue muscle-building activity through normal movement rather than excessive forced exercise
• Keep training and socialisation going
🦴 PROTECT THOSE JOINTS!
During the first year, remember:
✔ Keep your puppy at a healthy weight
✔ Provide good-quality nutrition
✔ Use non-slip surfaces where possible
✔ Allow plenty of rest
✔ Build exercise gradually
✔ Avoid repetitive high-impact activities
✔ Don't force a young puppy to run long distances
✔ Don't give calcium supplements simply because you want bigger bones
❤️ WHAT ABOUT SUPPLEMENTS?
More supplements do not automatically mean a healthier Boerboel.
A properly formulated complete puppy diet should already provide the nutrients your puppy needs. Unnecessary calcium or mineral supplementation can interfere with the carefully balanced nutrition required during growth.
If your puppy has a specific nutritional or joint-health problem, get professional advice before adding supplements.
🌿 DON'T FORGET THE REST OF THE PACKAGE
Nutrition is only one part of raising a healthy Boerboel.
Your puppy also needs:
🐾 Regular parasite control
💉 Appropriate vaccinations
🩺 Routine veterinary care
🦷 Dental care
🧠 Socialisation
🎓 Consistent training
😴 Plenty of sleep
❤️ Love, patience and companionship
And most importantly...
Don't rush the growth of your Boerboel.
A Boerboel is supposed to become a large, powerful dog, but the goal should be healthy development, not maximum size as quickly as possible.
The puppy you raise carefully today is the adult Boerboel you will enjoy for many years tomorrow. ❤️🐾
Lala's Boerboels
Where new family members are born. 🐕❤️
