Feeding at Tuebor Boerboels
A dog's well-being starts with the basics—and nutrition is one of the most important foundations. At Tuebor Boerboels, feeding is not an afterthought but an integral part of our responsible breeding philosophy. We've been feeding our dogs primarily on a raw diet since 2010, and over the years, we've seen how a balanced, varied, and dog-appropriate diet directly impacts health, vitality, and overall well-being.
It all began with our first dog, Sirius (a hound mix), who suffered from chronic yeast infections and digestive issues. After trying countless kibble brands without success, we decided to explore raw feeding. At first, we used a 50/50 approach—half kibble, half raw—but the positive changes were so obvious that we soon transitioned all our dogs fully to raw. And we've never looked back.
Why Raw Feeding?
With raw feeding, you know exactly what you're giving your dog. You can adjust the diet based on the dog's age, activity level, health, and season. Raw feeding is not just about meat—it includes a balanced mix of muscle meat, bones, organs, vegetables, grains, and supplements. The goal is not rigid uniformity but natural variety, mimicking what a dog might eat in the wild while ensuring all nutritional needs are met.
What Do Our Dogs Eat?
Our dogs eat a wide range of meats, depending on what's available: pork, beef, chicken, turkey, mixed ground meats, lamb, horse, venison, and other wild game, along with fish such as smelt, salmon, perch, and pike. This variety keeps the diet natural and nutrient-rich.
Once a week, we include organ meats such as liver, heart, kidney, and lung from different animal sources. Bone meals consist of pork and chicken frames, pig trotters, whole chickens, turkey necks, wings, and similar meaty bones.
We also add ingredients like raw eggs, plain yogurt or kefir, cooked rice or buckwheat, and occasionally grain porridge. Seasonal fruits and vegetables like banana or carrots are added when available.
As supplements, we rotate different oils (such as fish oil and flaxseed oil), seaweed or dried nettle, zinc, calcium, crushed eggshells, biotin, and other vitamins as needed. During the winter months, we add pork fat and increase the overall fat content of the diet to meet the dogs' higher energy needs—especially for those who spend a lot of time outdoors in the cold.
Responsible Raw Feeding
Raw feeding isn't complicated, but it does require knowledge and commitment. We don't recommend switching your dog's diet on a whim—like any aspect of dog care, it should be approached thoughtfully. Poorly balanced or overly simplified raw diets can do more harm than good. We encourage anyone interested to thoroughly research feeding models, learn from experienced raw feeders, and pay close attention to their own dog's condition.
One of the greatest benefits of raw feeding is control: you can influence your dog's health meal by meal. You also have the opportunity to utilize nature's offerings—such as nettles, berries, and fish in summer—and source waste-free, nutritious parts from local hunters or abattoirs that are not suitable for human consumption but are excellent for dogs.
Looking Ahead
In the future, we dream of raising part of our dogs' food ourselves—rabbits, chickens, and sheep—for both our own use and for the dogs. This kind of small-scale self-sufficiency would enhance transparency and sustainability in our feeding practices. While that day hasn't come yet, it remains a long-term goal.
