How Much Water Should A German Shepherd Drink
Adult German Shepherds should drink one ounce of water for each pound that they weigh every day. Other variables include age, size, activity level, type of food eaten , weather, medication, or lactating. Puppies will generally drink more, despite their smaller size.
Always make sure your dogs water bowl is filled up at all times and frequently changed throughout the day. If your dog is reluctant to drink water, here are some fun ways to keep him hydrated:
- Give your dog ice cubes.
- Make doggie ice-pops.
- Add water to dry food.
- Make fun playtime with a hose in the summer.
PRO TIP! Get a dog water fountain such as the PetSafe Drinkwell from Amazon. I like this one as it has two large tiers and even comes with filters.
Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food
Puppies and adult dogs have different nutrient needs. To help puppies grow into adult dogs, they require more protein, micronutrients, and carbs. Puppies also require a high amount of calories to help them grow, so its essential to purchase a high-quality food brand for your puppy.
A puppys mouth is smaller than an adult dogs mouth, which helps explain why their food is not as big as adult kibble. Feeding puppies adult dog food can be dangerous because the kibble is larger and the texture is harder to chew. Giving a puppy adult dog food, it can cause damage to their teeth, jaws, and overall health.
If youre looking for high-quality food for your little friend, perhaps you could try The Farmers Dog, one of our top picks for fresh dog food. Its a healthy solution for dogs of all ages.
Transitioning To The Raw Wild Diet
Transitioning to a raw diet can be stressful for dog owners. But unless you have a finicky eater, you should be able to make the transition smoothly.
Raw Wild recommends the following steps to transition a puppy to the Raw Wild diet:
For adult dogs, Raw Wild recommends making the transition like this:
If after two days your dog is still resisting the new food, do the following:
Keep in mind that many dogs vomit up their first raw meal. My Charley did precisely that and promptly ate it again.
So don’t stress out if it happens, it’s normal and likely because they wolfed their new dog food down too quickly.
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Raw Paws Preparation And Food Safety
Raw Paws have left no stone unturned and give great advice on how to prepare and handle their raw food.
They recommend transferring the food into the freezer immediately. And you should only thaw a portion for 3 days worth of feeding.
If you read between the lines here, you can tell their food contains no preservatives. If it did, it would last much longer when thawed.
This is a fantastic and healthy benefit for your dog. And a point of peace of mind for you.
When it comes to thawing, Raw Paws suggests doing this in the refrigerator not on the counter or in the sink. Of course, this ensures there’s no room for bacteria to breed.
Once the food is portioned for thawing, wrap the remaining food tightly and place it back in the freezer.
Tip: Use separate cutting boards and utensils to prepare the food.
This, by the way, is the same protocol for handling the raw foods that we cook for ourselves and our families.
For storing food in the refrigerator, keep raw food stored in a plastic bag or a bin and store it on the lowest shelf to prevent cross-contamination.
After handling raw food, wash your hands and clean all preparation surfaces with a disinfectant such as bleach.
Typically A Barf Raw Diets For Dogs Follow This Formula:
| Nutrient | |
|---|---|
| Broccoli, celery, squash, pumpkin, spinach, leafy greens, and carrots. Fruit such as apples, cranberries, and blueberries. Fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, and oregano. | Fruit provide antioxidants while vegetables have carotenoids, flavonoids, antioxidants, and many other phytochemicals that are beneficial to immune function and health dogs. |
These nutritional percentages can vary depending on your dogs unique needs. If your dog is sensitive to organs, a 2% liver will provide essential vitamin A, minerals, and other minerals.
You can add some dairy, such as cottage cheese, plain yogurt and/or raw eggs for more protein sources.
Note: It is critical that you use high-quality grade meat.
Dr. Dobias advises rotating the type of meat fed every four days to mix things up. Feeding your dog more than one meat and varying the fruits and veggies on the same day is okay. Dogs would not be eating one type of protein if they were in nature, he explains. They would be eating a variety.
We suggest consulting a veterinary nutritionist to help create a diet plan for your GSD or before making any changes to your dogs diet. Formulating a balanced raw dog diet without professional help can be tedious.
If you need more advice on German Shepherd raw diet nutrition or want to learn more about the benefits and impact of raw food on dogs, read Give Your Dog a Bone by Ian Billinghurst. This book is considered the Bible of raw dog food nutrition.
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Can German Shepherd Puppies Eat Raw Meat
German Shepherd puppies can eat raw meat. Many raw-fed breeders wean their puppies directly onto raw from their mothers milk. You can begin feeding raw the day you bring your puppy home.
You can also do a combination of both worlds until your puppies reach 12 months of age. After 12 months, you can transition to full raw dog food.
How Long Is A German Shepherd Considered A Puppy
A German Shepherd should be fed a puppy diet until around 12 months of age, or as advised by your veterinarian based on their growth and development.
Adult German Shepherds are somewhat prone to obesity, which can contribute to the skeletal disorders they are prone to.
You should continue to monitor body condition and modify feeding to keep their weight moderate or somewhat lean.
Our complete guide to the best food for German Shepherd Dogs of all ages will help you find more delicious meals as your puppy grows and grows.
Make sure you read our German Shepherd facts to find out even more about these unique dogs!
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How Much Should I Feed My German Shepherd Puppy
To begin with follow the guidelines provided by the feeder, the feed manufacturer, or by your veterinarian.
For example, you could expect to start feeding your puppy a total of around 3 cups a day of a high-quality kibble.
However this will vary depending on how calorie dense the food is and how it is formulated.
Puppies will quickly develop individual needs for food types and amounts based on their size, activity level, and other factors.
Benefits Of Feeding Your Dog Dry Dog Food
The most apparent reason why most dog owners prefer kibble to their canned and fresh counterparts is convenience.
Dry dog food is easier to store, prepare, and serve. Plus, it doesnt require any refrigeration, and it doesnt spoil easily or become infested with bacteria. Dry dog food is also generally less expensive per serving, and there are more varieties to choose from.
Apart from costs and convenience, dry dog food is also generally better for your German Shepherds dental health. Through friction, kibble reduces plaque and tartar. That leads to cleaner teeth, healthier gums, and fresher breath. Plus, they tend to love the crunch.
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What Types Of Food Are Appropriate For German Shepherd Dogs
The most popular type of food for your German Shepherds is dry kibble. However, for puppies and senior dogs, you should consider a variety of wet food options too. Other varieties you can serve include semi-moist form and freeze-dried food. For owners who dont mind preparation and handling, frozen-then-thawed food is a viable option too.
Canned Or Dry Food For German Shepherd Puppies
Most dogs will always opt for the sweet smell of wet, canned food, but that is not the best idea for German Shepherds. Canned food is typically higher in fat due to its wet consistency and it can cause dental issues for your dog as he gets older.
Dry food naturally removes any build-up and plaque from your dogs teeth, keeping them as healthy as possible.
Dry food is also better for digestion and is normally more protein-based with less fat. Get your puppy off to the right start by keeping him lean and keeping his teeth healthy.
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Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon
Rating:
Southwest Canyon is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, peas, garbanzo beans, lamb meal, canola oil
- Type: Grain-free
- Profile: All life stages
- Best for:Adult shepherds and puppies
Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh beef and lamb meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 17% fat and 43% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
Its nice to find a recipe containing natural source preservatives which means Southwest Canyon contains no BHA, BHT or other toxic additives. A super-popular, grain-free brand and a healthy, all life stages option for any German shepherd. Easily recommended.
Sample buyer reviewMy dog loves this food! He eats it enthusiastically and it has really helped him thrive! He is energetic, has a gorgeous coat, and devours his meals!
For More Choices:Visit our Best Large Breed Puppy Food page
Orijen Puppy Large derives most of its animal protein from fresh chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 43% protein, 23% fat and 26% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.
Ever since its founding, Champion Petfoods, the well-respected maker of Orijen, has always advocated for a meat-based, biologically appropriate diet. This is a proven, balanced design which makes this particular recipe a top option for growing Shepherd puppies.
What Is The Best Diet For A German Shepherd Puppy
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When such an endearing pet like a German Shepherd puppy arrives home, it’s hard not to fall in love immediately. As a particularly affectionate breed, the German Shepherd will reciprocate this love in abundance. Since they will grow up to be a medium to large dog breed and their diet is an essential way to ensure they develop properly. Common mistakes when feeding a German Shepherd puppy include giving too much or too little food and giving them food of inferior quality. For this reason, many dog guardians ask what is the best diet for a German Shepherd puppy?
AnimalWised answers this by providing information on how much to feed a German Shepherd puppy, what type of food is best and how does this change as they grow. To do this we also provide a helpful German shepherd puppy food chart for when and how to feed these puppies properly.
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How Much Do I Feed My Puppy How Often Do You Feed A Puppy
Young puppies need to eat 3-4 smaller meals each day.
If you must, you can divide the food up into two larger meals, but make sure that youre not feeding them so much that theyre starting to vomit. Puppies wont necessarily regulate themselves, as far as stuffing their face goes, so youll need to do it for them.
Puppy food is a lot different than adult food because manufacturers put more emphasis on the different nutrients puppies need while theyre developing their internal, muscular, and skeletal systems. Once puppies become adult dogs, their nutritional requirements change, meaning you should only feed them food created specifically for puppies .
Recommended Serving Amounts For Homemade Dog Food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
This works out to be approximately:
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
There is much variation in what the ideal amount should be as it depends on how much your dog weighs and how active she is.
I feel that the best approach is to feed and watch if your dog is losing weight, give more, and if your dog is gaining weight, give less.
For our pugs, we feed a scoop each in the morning and a scoop each in the evening, plus all their supplements.
We have an easy system for this: homemade food is refrigerated in a sealed container with a measuring cup , and all the supplements are lined up together in a cupboard in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients organized and accessible will make feeding time fast and smooth.
Compared to feeding commercial food, where you might scoop out kibbles or open up a can, feeding homemade food with all the supplements takes maybe 10 seconds more. And even if it took 10 minutes more, fresh wholesome food for our furbabies is worth it.
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Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy Wet Dog Food
Another option for a German Shepherd pup is wet food, or canned food, or ones that come in a pouch. Wet food also makes great food toppers, as many owners use a scoop or two to top off dry food for picky eaters. Wet food can also be a standalone meal, but it is generally more expensive than its dry counterpart and it doesnt keep as long. If your German Shepherds dont finish a can, you have to keep it refrigerated.
Wet food is also great for pups that do not drink a lot of water. Wet dog food is high in moisture, and is, unfortunately, less nutritious than dry puppy food. Why? Because it contains much more water that there isnt a lot of room left for extra ingredients that serve a purpose. This is why many pet parents opt to use it as a topper or supplement rather than a full meal.
You will also notice that consistently using wet food as a meal will really run up your bills every month. A mix of both wet and dry is highly recommended by our experts, because you get the best of both worlds for your baby German Shepherds.
Wet food is also a good option for puppies and adult German Shepherds who have dental issues or havent had their adult teeth come in yet. Wet dog food is softer and much easier to chew.
Month Old German Shepherd Puppy Feeding
From 3 to 4 weeks old, when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd puppy, we should start by letting them taste new foods and flavors.
At this stage, the German Shepherd puppys diet plan requires them to eat special wet food for puppies.
At around 6 to 8 weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy should be given a little dry dog food with water.
From their eighth week onward, a German Shepherd should be weaned and start feeding on solid food with a special puppy feed.
Puppies must have constant access to clean fresh water.
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Merrick Real Texas Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe
Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Potatoes
Caloric Content: 3,641 kcal/kg
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There is also chondroitin and glucosamine, which assists with a German Shepherds mobility, as well as both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help with a shiny coat and healthy skin.
There has been some suggestion however that the kibble size is too small for some dogs, however this is not necessarily a negative for all dogs.
Additionally, this dry food is gluten free and does not contain any artificial colors, preservatives or flavors, as well as being poultry-free for any dogs that may have poultry allergies.
Month Old German Shepherd
At 4 months old, you can begin introducing more live animal products into their diet. Ingredients like actual bone, pieces of liver, and raw eggs are great to help your dog pick up the nutrients that may be lacking in their dry dog food.
Avoid giving them too much, though, by following the guidelines weve given you above.
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Eagle Pack Power Adult Dog Food
Rating:
Eagle Pack Power is one of 7 dry recipes included in our review of the Eagle Pack product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, pork meal, ground brown rice, peas, chicken fat
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult shepherds only
Power Adult derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh chicken and pork meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 21% fat and 38% estimated carbs which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.
A time-proven, grain-inclusive design free of any legume concentrates. Contains safe, natural antioxidant preservatives. No BHT or ethoxyquin. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewIf you have a dog that is extremely active this is a GREAT dog food. My Shepherd and Retrievers were skinny because they are highly active dogs. I switched to this food because of the nutrition and calories that it intails. My dogs are bulked backed up and love the taste!