What Is The Best Dog Food For German Shepherd
German Shepherds are a popular breed in the United States, coming in at second right behind Labradors.
They look imposing and are great guard dogs, but they are also wonderful family pets and service dogs. The first guide dog in America was a GSD called Buddy.
The best you can do for these gorgeous animals is by offering them the best dog food for German Shepherds. Read more below!
Best Calming Treats For German Shepherds
German Shepherds are a very affectionate breed and are prone to suffering from separation anxiety, and like other dogs, they may also suffer from other forms of stress. Examples of these could be being exposed to loud noises such as thunder or fireworks, car journeys, or even trips to the vet.
In situations like these, you may wish to try calming treats as an alternative to prescribed medication. Calming treats are a natural way to help eliminate your GSDs fear and anxiety. They contain natural ingredients such as herbs, vitamins, melatonin, tryptophan, or hemp oil.
These are the best calming treats for German Shepherds:
Do German Shepherds Chew A Lot
German Shepherds begin teething at the age of three to eight weeks. This is the time when they develop the habit of chewing.
During this time, your GSD puppy will chew on anything they come across that soothes their gums and relieves their pain. Their chewing habit lasts about until they are 24 to 32 weeks old. However, the chewing habit can also retain after this age as well.
Few German Shepherds and other dog breeds in their adult age chew on their soft toys because of their natural instincts as well.
However, if they are chewing because of any anxiety or boredom then their problem should be consulted separately and they should be provided with a root-cause solution.
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Zukes Mini Naturals Dog Treats
I definitely wanted to put this product at the top of my list. It has everything you need for a good treat.
The treats are very soft and small enough in size. This makes them great for training both adult dogs and puppies.
The recipe contains healthy and natural ingredients. The main ingredient is real meat. However, a small treat contains only 3 calories, so you dont have to worry about your dog becoming obese.
The product is made in the USA and is free of all artificial flavors and colors. In addition to chicken flavoring, other flavors are available. These are duck, peanut butter, pork, rabbit, and salmon.
Pros
The next member on my list is a BLUE product. This brand is famous for good quality pet food.
This treat also proves to be an excellent choice.
Like the previous product, it is also suitable for German Shepherds. The treats are very soft, small in size, and made from real meat. Your dog will love their taste.
In addition to the natural ingredients, the other positive is that you can choose from several flavors here as well. These are beef, chicken, salmon, and turkey. Even variety-packs are available, in which case you can try several flavors with your puppy at once.
Pros
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Are German Shepherd Lab Mix Good Dogs
Is a German Shepherd Labrador Mix A Good Dog? German Shepherd Labrador Mixes are great dogs, which is no surprise since they bring two of the worlds most popular dogs together. They are intelligent and therefore easy to train, and loving and loyal, so they will quickly feel like part of the family.
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Blue Buffalo Blue Wilderness Trail Dog Treat
The nest on this list is Blue Wildernesss flagship dog treat, a company known for creating quality canine choices and treats. They use novel proteins.
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These novel proteins are thought to have fewer allergens compared to regular lamb, beef, and chicken.
Blue Buffalo uses great ingredients that are well suited to keep your puppy happy. It does not contain artificial preservatives, flavor, and color.
- Does not contain preservative
- comes with omega-3 and omega-6
- They are non-poultry.
The Best Food For German Shepherd Puppies Adults And Seniors
At Native Pet, we love a GSD. German shepherd dogs are the third most popular dog breed in America, and it’s easy to see why. These pups are loyal, brave, and intelligent. They’re gentle with children and discerning with strangers. And for their service and devotion, they deserve the best dog food and treats. But, what is the best food for German shepherd dogs?
While some dog food brands sell food designed specifically for German shepherds, the difference between those recipes and other high-quality dog foods mostly comes down to marketing. And, you may end up paying more just because the bag has a picture of your dog’s breed on it. Skip the GSD-branded products and instead learn what German shepherds need from their food.
Here’s how to identify the best formula based on your German shepherd’s life stage, choose a high-quality food, and add supplements to address their unique needs.
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Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Dog Food
The Holistic Select pet food company has been around for more than a decade. One of the tenets that Holistic Select thrives on is in creating dog food that is 100% natural, high-quality, and that support the digestive health systems for dogs.
Our rating
We gave the Holistic Select Puppy Dog Food a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Pros
Unique Health Support
Why we choose this as the best food for the German Shepherd puppy is because of its exceptional health support. Many puppies find it challenging to digest foods during the first couple of days. The Holistic Puppy Health Dog Food is built with this in mind. It has a blend of probiotics and enzymes that make it easy for your puppy to digest.
Healthy Fat Sources
While Holistics advertising stresses on the merits of the digestive systems, its also worth noting that this dog food is a source for healthy fats. These are obtained from the whole grains and lean meat of lamb instead of chicken fat. Chicken fat is not unhealthy per se, but lamb is way more nutritious.
Cons
Considering how big or quickly your German Shepherd puppy grows, a single bag of food may run out rather fast. If you have a small budget, this could pose a challenge given the high price of the Holistic Select Puppy Health Food.
A majority of people are beginning to embrace a holistic lifestyle and this includes the food they eat. Precise believes that dogs should not be left behind in this movement.
Our rating
We rated this dog food product 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Are German Shepherds Good With Children
German Shepherd Dogs are one of the most intelligent dog breeds and can sense when there is weakness in the pack/family structure.
It is essential that the same commands and training are carried out by all family members, including the kids, to ensure consistent good behavior.
However, by the same token, they are also able to follow the same commands when being given them by anyone within the family as long as all family members have been in on the training sessions.
German Shepherd Dogs love being part of a pack, and children in the home broaden their pack identity depending on how old the child is and how strict they are with training
These dogs are incredibly intelligent and know when a child is part of their pack and when they are guests. Their intelligence helps them to bond with the child on a deep and personal level which leads to a lifelong friendship.
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Dental Chews And Bone
Animal bones are used to make this bone-like treats or dental chews. You may find other ingredients also like corn starch or other digestible ingredients. This type of treats requires much chewing so, it is considered good for dental health. But be careful about some too hard treats which will injurious to dental health like tooth fractures.
Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon Canine Recipe
Top ingredients: Beef, Peas, Garbanzo BeansType: Dry
A high-quality dog food made in the USA. No list of best dog foods is complete without a mention of Taste of the Wild.
It contains natural ingredients and sources its protein from lamb, boar, and beef, with the intention of feeding our domesticated buddies what their wild ancestors would eat.
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What Is The Best Chew Treats For German Shepherds
I’m sorry if I’ve confused you. My sympathies go out to you! Even yet, it is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make. If youre still unsure which type of best chew treats for german shepherds is best for you, I recommend comparing the characteristics and functionalities of the best chew treats for german shepherds listed above. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Are German Shepherds Too Big For Children
German Shepherd Dogs are a large breed of dog and are very protective. This means they are a formidable barrier between your child and a threat such as an attacker in a park, a stray dog or wild animal, or an abusive adult.
Playtime is always something to look forward to with German Shepherd dogs because of their size.
Larger dogs are less âbreakableâ and can withstand quite a bit of rough housing, whereas a smaller dog breed may not want to play as much because they get hurt much easier.
Fortunately, like we touched on earlier, German Shepherds are very calm, aware, and intelligent, so they can handle being around children without accidentally injuring or scaring them.
Larger dogs like a fluffy German Shepherd also make great cuddle partners whether they are young or old, and having something large to cuddle up to provides a sense of safety and happiness to a child.
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Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy Food
Rating:
Large Breed Puppy is one of 21 dry recipes covered in our review of the Blue Buffalo Life Protection product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, barley
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Growth
- Best for:German Shepherd Puppies
Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy gets most of its meat protein from chicken. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 17% fat and 46% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58%.
An exceptional formula with a wide variety of recipes you can use when its time to switch your puppy to an adult food. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewSo far this has been a good dry puppy food for my 3 month old Doberman Pinscher pup. His coat is really shiny and so soft. He has a lot of energy and his stools are firm. I would recommend this for your large breed puppy for sure!
Best Squeaky Toys For German Shepherds
Finally, theres nothing like a few squeaky plush toys to give your best friend hours of fun. Here are a couple of great toys that offer a new twist on the classic tennis ball.
Squeaker Ballz Squeaky Tennis Balls, Large
These are bright, multi-colored rubber balls that come in different sizes. They are made of durable, natural rubber so that you can be certain the bounce wont end until you and your pooch are done playing.
As far as rubber toys go, these are top-of-the-line! They can be used indoors or out, and they are made with high-quality rubber to ensure they will last a long time. Theres also the squeaker toy inside to keep your pup engaged for hours! Be sure to order GSD-sized balls. Balls that are too small can present a choking hazard.
Tennis Max Ball
This is Outward Hounds new and improved version of the tennis ball. It has the classic rubber ball enclosed in a durable rubber phthalate-free and lead-free shell that helps it last longer. It also keeps your formidable chewer from damaging the squeaker as easily as with other toys.
The outer natural rubber shell not only protects the rubber ball but also gives your dog another fun texture to work with. Youll also love this toy since the shell prevents slobber from sticking to the ball and getting on your hands. What more can you ask for?
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Best Dog Treats For Training Your German Shepherd
German Shepherds have traditionally been working dogs. They also make nice family pets because they can be quite gentle and are fiercely loyal.
They are excellent guard dogs, both in family and commercial environments, and of course, we all know they work for the police. Because the dogs are so smart and highly skilled, youll want the best dog treats for training your german shepherd to keep her motivated and on track.
Beef Liver Treats
Liver treats and sweet potato work nicely, as most dogs love the tastes. This container of liver snippets is nice, though, because they are each tiny.
When giving treats for good behavior, as in teaching a dog a specific task, you dont want to be feeding them a lot. The idea is to give a tiny reward, so he keeps on learning. Also, teaching and learning are very repetitive.
You would go through a lot of treats real fast if you didnt monitor and portion out what you give.
The nuggets are made in the USA from USDA Certified ingredients at a company that is over forty years old. They use one ingredient only for this product, and it is one hundred percent beef liver.
There are no additives, fillers, or chemicals to worry about. I cant imagine there being too many dogs that wouldnt snap these up in a jiffy!
So if you want to give your dog something natural and know that he will keep coming back for more, the best dog treats for training German Shepherd are small or breakable liver snippets.
Are Dog Treats Safe For Human Consumption
Youd be surprised at how often we get this question. Often, children will wonder why their dog likes those treats so much.
In most cases, the answer to the question is yes. At the same time, dogs tend to have different flavor preferences, so you probably wont like the taste of any dog treats.
That being said, you should also avoid feeding your dog any treat that wouldnt be safe for humans.
Some companies will boast that their dog treats are safe for human consumption, but thats just a safety/quality test.
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Treats Are Bad For The German Shepherd Dog
FDA warns to avoid some treats for German shepherd puppy due to 68 illness cases. In the following, we enlist some ingredients which are considered as bad for your GSD below.
- Try to avoid the treats having processed or inorganic elements.
- Try to avoid the meats which bypass the human inspection or the meat that is the potential to cause bacterial disease.
- Treats with greasy fats where the concentration is higher.
- The ingredients named Carrageenan from dairy foods, meats should avoid due to causing inflammation in the animals intestines.
- Treats come with having gluten and grains where the concentration is higher.
- Avoid some bones as your dog treats like Rib bones, pork femur bones, Hams bones, Smokey Knucklebones.
- Avoid consuming more Gravy where one ingredient like salts may lead to high blood pressure in your German shepherd puppy.
- Peanut butter having high fat or sugar-free peanut butter having artificial sugar should avoid maintaining good health.
- One of the preservatives named Ethoxyquin should avoid due to creating the kidney and thyroid problem.
- The last thing that should avoid is food coloring and artificial preservatives.
Best Cheap Dog Food For German Shepherds
If you are looking for the cheapest dog food for German Shepherds, IAMS Protective Health kibble is your top choice.
For a fraction of the price of other GSD dog foods, this dry food is formulated to provide your GSD pup with sustained healthy energy from a blend of wholesome grains, carbohydrates, and a power-packed trio of proteins for strong muscles.
It also contains glucosamine and chondroitin for strong bones and joint development.
Omega 3 & 6 from chicken fat is added to help with supper cost and slot health. We also found beet pulp and natural probiotics for healthy digestion.
- Not a breed specific formula
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Best Treats For German Shepherd Puppies
Every dog likes the occasional treat! Dog treats come in all shapes, sizes, and ingredients, and can be store-bought or homemade. Choosing the right treat for your dog will depend on the reason for giving the treat, your dogs personal taste palate, and any allergies they may have. Your dog will rarely say no to a treat, and if they do it may be a sign that they are unwell.
When using treats, we need to factor these extra calories into their overall calorie intake for their age and breed to make sure they dont become overweight. Its very easy for dogs to gain extra weight and this can affect joint mobility, cardiovascular function, and internal organ health. German Shepherds are known to be predisposed to joint issues such as hip dysplasia, so keeping your German Shepherd at a healthy weight is important.
Merrick Grain Free For Large Breed Adult Dogs
Top ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey MealType: Dry
With the first ingredient as deboned chicken, you know youre getting a high-quality feed.
Their recipe touts a 60% protein and fat inclusion, with the remaining 40% for fat, fiber, and other necessary ingredients which are both natural and beneficial to your adult dogs health.
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