Food & Nutrition Guidelines
Choosing the Right Diet
We highly recommend feeding a premium dog food brand that is NOT grain-free. If you choose to change your puppy’s food, please ensure the transition is gradual over 7 to 10 days to avoid upsetting their digestive system. For the first six months, we also recommend adding a daily probiotic (such as Purina Pro Plan FortiFlora or a similar high-quality brand) to support their developing gut health.
Our personal choice for our dogs is Purina Pro Plan®. This food is formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists, backed by rigorous scientific research, and subjected to strict quality control standards. We advise staying away from boutique “designer foods” that rely on clever marketing and pretty labels rather than science.
Growth & Life Stages
Proper nutrient ratios are critical to ensuring your puppy grows at a safe, healthy rate:
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Puppies (Up to 1 Year): Feed a premium puppy formula with approximately 28% protein and 14% fat. Excessively high protein levels can cause puppies to grow too quickly, which negatively impacts bone and joint development.
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Adults (After 1 Year): A maintenance formula with a 26% protein / 16% fat ratio is ideal for an adult Belgian.
Unless your teenage or adult dog is a heavily working canine, there is generally no need to feed a high-performance or “sport” food year-round.
Managing Weight & Condition
Belgians are naturally active, and it can sometimes be challenging to keep weight on a young dog because they burn calories so quickly.
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The Rib Test: A good indicator of proper body condition is the rib test. You should be able to easily feel your dog’s ribs under their coat with no downward pressure applied.
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Hard Keepers: If your young adult is struggling to maintain weight, you can temporarily switch to a higher-fat formula, such as a performance or sport diet, to help them fill out.
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Spayed & Neutered Dogs: Dogs often experience a slowed metabolism after being spayed or neutered and can gain weight quickly. Once a dog becomes overweight, it can be very difficult to get those pounds off.
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Weight Management: If your dog needs to lose weight, do not simply feed them less of their current food, as this deprives them of essential daily vitamins and nutrients. Instead, transition them to a high-quality “Weight Control” formula, which allows them to eat a full portion while consuming fewer calories.
Raw Food Risks and Guidelines
Here some articles about raw food.
FDA Guidlines for the Industrie
Feeding Raw Diets
