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Best Food Diet For German Shepherd

Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon Grain

Best Dog Foods For German Shepherds

Top 5 Ingredients: 1. Beef, 2. Peas, 3. Garbanzo Beans, 4. Lamb Meal, 5. Canola Oil

Science proves that our beloved four-legged buddy shares DNA with wolves, and Taste of the Wild brand takes this fact very seriously when crafting the perfectly balanced recipe for your large breed dog. The nourishing, grain-free dinner is prepared using lamb, boar, and beef as primary protein sources work wonderfully even for the pickiest dogs. Give your German Shepherd an ancestral diet.

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Keep Fresh Clean Water Available At All Times

While food is the central component of any diet, it is critical to ensure your German Shepherd drinks sufficient amounts of waterdaily. Water is vital for maintaining biological systems and function and if you feed primarily kibble , then water becomes even more important. If your dogs systems are not functioning properly, poor nutrition can resulteven with the best of diets.

How Much Food To Feed A 13

You should feed your 13-week-old German Shepherd Dog puppy 3.6 cups of dry dog food every day.

You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your German Shepherd Dog puppy over the day.

Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 13-week-old German Shepherd Dog puppy assumes that the weight of your German Shepherd Dog is typical for its age.

The typical weight for a 13-week-old German Shepherd Dog puppy is 27.2 lbs .

Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your German Shepherd Dog also assumes that you feed your German Shepherd Dog a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.

If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your German Shepherd Dog puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your German Shepherd Dog, and other factors, use our German Shepherd Dog food calculator.

Also Check: How Large Do German Shepherds Get

A Raw Food Real Food Diet For Our German Shepherd Dog Part 2

I am so glad to have seen so much interest on how we started on a raw/real food diet for our German Shepherd Dog.

It seems many of us can relate to health problems we have encountered while feeding our dogs dried processed dog food. It was also amazing to read many recovery stories and complete turn of health by starting our dogs on raw/real food.

For me, feeding Boaz in this way helps me reflect on my own diet and what Im feeding my family and how I can improve upon that as well.

In part 2 of a raw food, real food diet for our German Shepherd Dog, Id like to share with you what I feed Boaz. One thing Id like to stress again and again is that this is whats working for my dog. He is 8 years old, so an older dog, and I was told he may have cancer. Knowing this, I knew I had to focus on his bone health and at the same time stay away from all sugars and grains as cancer can feed on both of these.

I have taken bits and pieces and combined both a BARF raw diet with elements of the Weston Price Foundation Diet.

He is looking phenomenol and as of yesterday I couldnt even tell if he had a limp in his front leg anymore. Its been truly amazing to see him turn a 180 when feeding him foods God has intended for us to eat.

How Do I Choose The Right Sensitive Food For My German Shepherd

The Ultimate German Shepherd Homemade Food Guide (Recipes Adult &  Puppy ...

Look for highly digestible ingredients that suit your dogs life stage.

The best dog food for a German Shepherds sensitive stomach contains highly digestible ingredients, is low in fat, and meets their nutrition and calorie needs. Highly digestible ingredients are easy to digest and supply more nutrients for the volume of food, helping to provide your dog with essential nutrients for their health.

One option you can try at home is to start an elimination diet. This means giving your dog an ingredient she hasnt eaten before. By isolating certain ingredients, you can better understand what foods increase your dogs stomach sensitivity and what foods dont.

Its best to select a high-quality diet that has a short ingredient list. The fewer the ingredients the less likely the number of variables your dog might have sensitivities to.

Recommended Reading: How Much Protein Does A German Shepherd Need

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.

Why Should You Feed The Best Dog Food To Your German Shepherd

Health conditions like diabetes, hip dysplasia, and cancer are common in German Shepherds. Mostly due to poor breeding practices, the health conditions of German Shepherds pass as hereditary diseases.

Dogs from high-quality breeders are less likely to suffer from these health issues. However, all dogs face a chance of developing a health condition as they age.

Luckily, that’s not the end all be all. We can take preventative measures such as exercising and feeding our dogs the best diet to protect them and reducing common health problems with the proper diet.

Also Check: How Long Do German Shepherds Grow For

Best Food For German Shepherd Puppy Diet

After keeping a German Shepherd Puppy, there is always a dilemma in mind: What will be German Shepherd Puppys nutritious diet? If you choose homemade food for a German Shepherd puppy diet. So you will need enough time to make it. And it is a bit difficult to balance the number of nutrients in homemade food.

But if you are short of time and want to give nutrient-rich food to German Shepherd puppies. So you can resort to branded packaged dog food.

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How Can A Homemade Diet Help German Shepherds With All Of This

The perfect dog diet | What to feed your dog | German Shepherd

Home-cooked food for German Shepherd ensures that your pup always eats fresh, wholesome, and allergen-free foods as no chemicals, additives, or fillers are used when cooking at home, preventing allergies.

More importantly, home cooking for your GSD allows you to pick only those ingredients you know wont cause an allergic reaction to your German Shepherd. If you dont know what foods can trigger allergies in your GSD, we strongly suggest doing an At-Home Food Dog Allergy Test before choosing ingredients for your German Shepherds next meal. Plus, it could save you a trip to the vet.

Homemade dog food is easier to digest than kibble more easily digestible food means more efficient absorption of nutrients. Dogs with homemade diets absorb nutrients more efficiently thus, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids act more quickly on the skins inflammatory response, preventing or relieving symptoms of skin allergies, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and a potential case of Perianal Fistulas.

A condition like EPI in GSDs requires a low-fat diet and highly digestible food. Homemade cooking allows you to create the low-fat diet needed to feed your dog, plus research confirms that fresh diets are, in fact, more digestible than even a seemingly nutrient-rich kibble.10

Remember each dog is different, and always consult with your vet before making any changes to your GSDs diet.

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What Is A Gsds Nutritional Requirement

You can find more information about specific GSD nutritional requirements by

GSDs are carnivores, which mean they require a higher content of protein in their diet. This protein is what provides them energy and keeps them strong and healthy.

Protein also plays a vital role in your GSDs growth and it is recommended that a GSD get at least 22% of protein in its diet. It is best to feed pure protein to your GS instead of buying poor quality dog food that has corn syrup added as a filler which is extremely harmful to a dog.

The other nutritional requirement for a GS is fat.

Fat comes from protein and gives taste to a dogs meal. However, feeding too much fatty foods to your dog will be harmful to its health. While on the other hand, if you feed too less fat, it will create a lot of skin problems for your German Shepherd.

Feeding a raw diet starting at an early age will help your pup grow faster. A raw meat diet is also helpful in strengthening the bones and fights several diseases in GSDs. If meat shops are hard to find in your area, US Wellness Meats menu selection offers free shipping for online orders across the state.

Fat content in a dogs diet also keeps its fur healthy. As a GS sheds a lot of fur throughout the year, it is extremely important that it is given the right amount of fat in its food. AAFCO recommended fat content for German Shepherd is 5%-8%.

That is what the science says, and in our experience, you should obey it.

German Shepherd Raw Diet

Like homemade diets, formulating a raw diet for German Shepherds requires lots of effort and planning. There is more risk of contamination and nutritional imbalance due to its raw nature.

Raw dog food usually consists of uncooked and unprocessed animal-based products. These include raw meat, bones, vegetables, fruits, eggs with shells , and dairy products such as butter and cheese made from raw milk without pasteurization or homogenizing. A raw dog diet resembles the diet that dogs ate in the wild millions of years ago.

Raw dog food is a growing trend These diets provide canines with more nutrients than cooked foods and help them protect their teeth, coat, digestive functions, among other health benefits. Read our German Shepherd Raw Diet Guide to learn about raw feeding GSDs and their benefits. We also recommend visiting our best raw dog food article to find the best brands to feed your dog.

Read Also: How Much Should A 9 Month Old German Shepherd Eat

German Shepherd Feeding Guide By Age

As mentioned above, the age and development stage of your German Shepherd will play a big part in what foods are best suited for him.

To make your research easier, were breaking down the GSD feeding guide into age-based categories. Simply find your dogs age or developmental stage below to find the right information at the right time.

Be sure to check with your vet before beginning, switching, or stopping a feeding program.

The information provided here is for research purposes only. Always take your vets advice for your individual dogs needs.

Raw Wild Preparation And Food Safety

8 Best Dog Food for German Shepherds [2021 Reviews]

The first step is to transfer Raw Wild into your freezer as soon as your delivery arrives. According to their website, if it’s slightly thawed, you can refreeze and use it as needed.

But I have not found any complaints from customers saying that Raw Wild arrived even slightly thawed. But it’s still vital that you transfer the food into your freezer asap.

Raw Wild dog food should be handled like you would any other raw meat. Use clean utensils and containers.

And once you’re done, wash everything with hot, soapy water.

I highly recommend thawing Raw Wild in your fridge and not on the counter or in the sink.

Also, place the package inside a bowl or on a plate to catch any meat juices released during thawing.

This juice is high in water-soluble vitamins and free amino acids. It’s good stuff! You should add some to your dog’s bowl don’t throw it away.

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What Is It That German Shepherds Cannot Eat

Many foods are toxic to German Shepherds and I have listed the top ones in this handy list for you. I found that the Pet Poison Helpline also lists tons of other poisonous things including plants, household items, and medications. Its really helpful, but I hope you dont need your help if your dog avoids this.

  • Alcohol
  • Has

Meal Plan And Feeding Guide

Current ADULT Weight
3 3/4 4 1/2 cups per day
90 pounds 4 1/2 5 1/4 cups per day

healthy weight.

The diet of a German Shepherd must take into account the size of the dog, its level of activity and exercise, along with any preexisting conditions that might need special consideration.

Therefore, if you want to know how much your German Shepherd needs to eat, youll need to know their age, weight, and activity levels. Typically a full-grown German Shepherd should eat at least 3 cups of food per day, but may eat upwards of 5 cups of food per day or more if they are fairly large and routinely active.

Let these cup measurements be your guide, but dont let them dictate the exact cups of food to feed your German Shepherd.

Your dogs health will flourish if you adjust the cups based on your dogs specific nutritional and caloric needs.

Now, lets take a look at what really is the best food to feed a German Shepherd.

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How Much Raw Food Should German Shepherd Puppies Get

Pound for pound, puppies need more calories than adult dogs.

Puppies should eat about 5% to 10% of their current weight to support their growth. As a general guide, feed:

Puppies 2 to 3 months: 8% to 10% of body weight dailyPuppies 4 to 5 months: 6% to 8% of body weight dailyPuppies 6 to 8 months: 4% to 6% of body weight dailyPuppies 9 to 12 months: 3% to 4% of body weight daily

Puppies should be fed 3 to 4 times per day. When they reach 12 months, you should feed twice a day.

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin And Sensitive Stomach

3 German Shepherds Try Different Foods

Image courtesy Purina

Purina has been in operation for more than 85 years and produces a wide range of goods. The Purina Pro Plan FOCUS Sensitive Skin & Stomach is one of their most popular, with over 2,500 positive reviews.

You can feed your dog either dry or wet food, and he may sample two distinct flavor profiles: rice and oatmeal for salmon. This recipe is high in protein and has a total of 30% dry basis protein content, primarily from real meats with no poultry by-product meal.

Because it contains no allergens like wheat, corn, or soy, there’s less of a chance that your dog will suffer an upset stomach. It also includes omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which help to promote skin, coat, and joint health.

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Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition Chicken

Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp

Caloric Content: 3,323 kcal/kg

The Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition Chicken Dry Dog Food is a veterinarian-approved dry dog food mix with a huge range of ingredients. It contains a great blend of farm-raised chicken, oatmeal and rice, as well as fruit and vegetables such as blueberries, carrots, apples and tomatoes.

This mix is suited to all stages of a German Shepherds life, from puppy to senior, and is a natural formula that contains both prebiotics and probiotics to assist with digestion and the absorption of food in your dogs stomach.

Vitamins A and B12 are included, as well as Taurine for optimal health. Although there arent any genetically modified inclusions in this food, some dogs who are very picky eaters have not enjoyed it. It is generally a quality choice for your German Shepherd though.

Best Homemade Food For German Shepherd

The best homemade food for GSD is a balanced diet that provides the optimal amount of nutrients for proper function in your pet while considering your dogs nutritional goals and health. We highly recommend Nom Nom as the best fresh home-cooked food for adult and puppy GSDs.

Dont feel like cooking for your GSD? Here is the most comprehensive guide to help you find the best commercial kibble for your GSD.

Chapter 2

Recipes & how-to cook guide

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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.

Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy Food

German Shepherd Diet

Rating:

Puppy Large Breed is one of 10 dry recipes rated in our review of the Purina Pro Plan Puppy product line.

  • First 5 ingredients: Chicken, rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal
  • Type: Grain-inclusive
  • Profile: All life stages
  • Best for:German shepherd puppy or adult

Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy obtains the major portion of its meat protein from chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 15% fat and 45% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 47%.

A classic, field-tested formula with controlled calcium and phosphorus ratios making this option ideal for German shepherd puppies.

Recommended with confidence.

Sample buyer reviewMy puppy absolutely loves this food! She can never wait to get her next meal! Her coat is soft & shiny! Highly recommend this product!

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