Can You Feed A German Shepherd Raw Meat
As much as you may want to feed your German Shepherd the raw meat that he is so desperately wanting, you care too much about his health to just do so without knowing if it is safe.
Can you feed a German Sheperd raw meat? It is safe to feed a dog raw meat as long as it is fresh and has been thoroughly washed. A dogs gastrointestinal system is evolved to eat raw meat. This allows them to safely consume it and remain unaffected by the bacteria contained in it.
Picture yourself standing in your kitchen preparing meat to cook, you feel a presence, and when you turn to look you notice your German Shepherd staring intently into your eyes then at the meat, then back into your eyes. Sound familiar? Your dog doesnt care if the meat is raw or cooked, he just wants some. Though if given the choice, he would prefer take it as is, no need for cooking.
But before you feed your German Shepherd raw meat, please make sure that you are following proper precautions. In this article, we will take a closer look at the benefits and potential hazards of feeding raw meat to your dog, as well as explore an alternative.
Raw Boneless Turkey & Egg Dog
This recipe will make 11 pounds of raw food, which is 6-7 days worth of food for a 50-pound dog. The amount you feed will depend on your dogs weight and exercise level.
Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon kelp
Directions
German Shepherd Feeding Guide: Nutritional Needs How Much & How Often
Knowing how to feed your German shepherd properly is one of the first basic things you have to get right as a German shepherds owner. Failure to do it right can expose your dog to a number of health-related concerns such as hair loss, skin disease, and infection.
While there is no hard and fast rule for feeding a dog, there are some general best practices that all vets and animal healthcare professionals agree on. Here are the most common questions new and experienced German shepherd owners have about feeding German shepherds and their answers.
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Best Dog Food For German Shepherds With Allergies
A common health condition for any dog is allergies!
Flaky skin, diarrhea, itchy ears, and swelling are the most common signs that your German Shepherd has allergies.
Dogs can have seasonal or food allergies just like us humans! Ingredients like wheat, dairy, and even meat flavorings like beef and chicken can interrupt a dog’s immune system and cause an allergic reaction.
Meat flavorings are known to be a common culprit to allergy reactions. That is why some dogs show allergies from Chicken kibble but not Chicken meat.
Thebest way to treat these allergies is to feed your German Shepherd a raw diet.
Kibble has several toxins introduced in the processed pellets. There are so many ingredients present in kibble that it may be challenging to identify what exactly your dog is allergic to.
It could be the toxic additives that your dog’s body can’t digest or the large amounts of starch added to keep kibble together.
It could be hard to digest proteins, giving your dog bloating and inconsistent stool.
No matter what ingredient is causing your German Shepherd’s pain, kibble is harming your dog.
Some dogs may be allergic to meat. However, humans think that a meat allergy from kibble is equal to an allergy to all forms of said meat. Switching to raw food is the best way to ease allergies.
The protein and meats added to kibble are commonly difficult to digest and synthetic, causing various reactions from your dog’s immune and digestive systems.
Monitor Weight & Health
You can determine whether you are feeding the right amount by running your hands over your dogs ribs. Fido is at a good weight if you can feel your dogs ribs but not see them.
Weighing your GSD on a scale regularly is the best way to keep an eye out for a healthy weight.
Monitoring your German Shepherds weight is key as you transition to a raw food diet. An unbalanced diet can lead to excessive energy, skin or coat disorders, allergies, weight loss, malnutrition, or obesity.
Follow your GSDs weight and health closely for about a month to ensure that he is not adversely affected by this new diet. If you notice these symptoms, immediately stop feeding your dog this food and consult with a professional dog nutritionist.
Its important to work alongside your vet to ensure the diet maintains nutritional adequacy.
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How Much Raw Food To Feed German Shepherds
For many people feeding their dog raw food is a new experience, and they are often unsure how much to feed. Several factors play an important part in determining the amount of food to be given.
The size of the dog, its metabolism, or activity level are all very important factors to consider when deciding how much raw food should be fed. The size and weight of the dog will give you a good indication as to how much food should be given. Generally speaking, if you feed your German Shepherd puppy three meals a day, then an average meal would be around 200g 350g for male dogs and 150 250g for female dogs.
However, there is no definite answer as to what is the best amount to feed your dog. There are many factors involved when feeding your dog, so it is merely a guide based on averages. The following points will give you some guidelines in determining how much food you should be giving your dog:
Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy Raw
BARF stands for biologically appropriate raw foods. These diets do not include cooked or otherwise processed foods.
There is some evidence that German Shepherds fed a raw diet may have a reduced risk of hip dysplasia.
However, it may be more difficult to regulate a BARF diet to ensure a slow and steady growth rate in young puppies.
If you find this option intriguing, you can check out our article on feeding your dog a raw diet.
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How Much Food To Feed A 35
You should feed your 35-Pound German Shepherd Dog 2.6 cups of dry dog food every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your German Shepherd Dog over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your German Shepherd Dog also assumes that you feed your German Shepherd Dog a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your German Shepherd Dog is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your German Shepherd Dog is not overweight or underweight.
Use our German Shepherd Dog food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your German Shepherd Dog.
Food Requirements Of German Shepherd Puppies
Puppies have the ability to store energy in a seemingly endless way. This means that they need a constant supply of calories the right types of calories to keep their energy levels high and help them become happy and healthy adult dogs.If this is the first time you have a German shepherd puppy, you are probably going to ask yourself some questions about your diet. Feeding a puppy is very different from feeding an adult dog . Younger children need to maintain a regular feeding schedule and their growing bodies require more nutrients from their food than adult dogs.
Questions like
- How much food should I give my puppy?
- How many times a day should I feed my puppy?
- How much should a puppy eat?
If you do not follow the proper guidelines one can simply be supercharged to your puppy or have it lacking nutrients and minerals vital for its growth.
As a general rule, it can be said that you are feeding your puppy excessively if he can not see or feel his rib cage.
While, for humans, this is considered a sign of malnutrition, it is actually a guide you can use to help find out if your puppy is getting enough calories from his diet.
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Why Are Dog Owners Questioning Commercial Dog Food
Nutrition is an important topic, so Ive decided to share how I manage the nutritional needs of my dogs. And from the title of this article, you can already tell I feed my dogs a raw diet.
If the thought of feeding your GSD a raw diet is scary, youre not alone. Theres a ton of information out there.
Some good, some bad, and some dangerous. And because you love your dog its natural for you to be cautious.
I was cautious too. I needed to be 100% sure I was choosing the best raw food for my German Shepherds.
But the more I researched, the more scared I became of feeding my dogs kibble
First, I want to say that this is not about making kibble feeders feel bad. I was a long-time kibble feeder too.
Feeding a raw diet might not be for you. And thats okay. You can still opt for kibble, but with a few changes
- Switch to grain-free kibble.
- Choose a kibble thats certified organic and made with whole foods.
- Go with a company that manufactures in small batches. These foods usually have a shorter shelf life, which is good.
Or better yet, start cooking for your dog. Its way better than any kibble diet in the world.
For years large commercial food manufacturers have been filling their products unknown to us. Packaging it up all pretty. And selling it as a complete diet.
But youre not here to read about my rant. Youre here to find the best raw food for German Shepherds. Right?
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.
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Feeding Guide For Mature Adult German Shepherd Dogs: 6 Years And Older
You should feed the mature adult German Shepherd Dog food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
Older dogs are prone to age-related health problems. A good diet is essential to minimize the possibility of becoming frail with age.
See our recommendation on the best food for the mature adult German Shepherd Dog below:
Nutritional Needs Of German Shepherds
All dogs deserve healthy, nutritious, and satisfying food, but generic dog food isnt going to be right for most of them. Every breed has its own special dietary needs.
Small dogs, for example, need something totally different than our big, hard-working GSDs.
For maximum health and energy, keep these things in mind when deciding what to feed your German Shepherd.
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Can German Shepherds Eat Raw Meat
Yes, dogs, including German Shepherd, can eat raw meat and other raw ingredients. German Shepherds are true carnivores, just like any dog, and can, thrive on a raw meat diet. From DNA studies, we know dogs descended directly from the timber wolf approximately 15,000 years ago1. Wolves are clear carnivores, so genetically, dogs demonstrate similar and noticeable carnivorous traits. Their teeth, digestive system, and behavior account for their meat-eating capabilities.
Unlike humans or animals like cows, dogs dont have flat teeth or chew their cud from side to side. Like all carnivores, dogs have narrow pointy back teeth, and their jaws can only move in an up-and-down, chop-chop motion. Carnivores do not produce amylase in their salivary glands. Dogs dont produce amylase in their saliva but their pancreas and small intestine2.
Finally, meat-eating animals like dogs have a higher concentration of stomach acid. This allows faster digestion of animal protein, and the stronger acids kill the bacteria in decaying meat.
However, Dr. RuthAnn Lobos, a Purina veterinarian, says feeding a diet consisting primarily of raw meat may not provide the complete and balanced nutrition your dog needs3. If you plan to feed raw meat to your GSD, you need to do it as part of a balanced raw meal plan. Any raw meat needs to be fresh and thoroughly washed before feeding it.
Feeding With Natural Food
You must be prepared for significant time costs when organizing food with natural food.
Table of feeding a German Shepherd dog with natural food with the division of the diet into BZHU.
| Gelatin, brewers yeast |
Feeding Chart for German Shepherd
Black German Shepherds are happy to eat a straight dog, but this type of food requires the additional introduction of vitamin complexes into the diet since it is tough to balance such a diet on your own.
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What About The Chart On Dog Food Bags
Youve likely seen the feeding chart on the back of commercial dog food bags. These charts can seem pretty straightforward at first glance.
However, they dont take into consideration the size, weight, activity level, or overall health of each individual dog.
For that reason, its best not to treat these dog food packaging feeding guides as gospel. Instead, use them as a starting point.
Observe your dog, see how he looks and feels, and note any changes in his bathroom habits, weight, or energy level. Adjust his meals accordingly.
The other problem with these packaging guides is that they arent clear on how to feed your dog. Generally speaking, they talk about daily intake, not per meal.
For example, if the guide says you should feed your dog 3 cups, its not suggesting that your dog eats 3 cups at every meal. It means to split that 3 cups total over the entire day.
If your dog eats 3 times per day, that would be 1 cup at each meal for a total daily intake of 3 cups.
To further confuse dog parents, some manufacturers do list per-meal serving sizes, not the total daily intake! In these cases, if you read it incorrectly, you would end up underfeeding your dog.
To help mitigate some of this confusion, it may be helpful to ask your vet how many calories your dog should be consuming each day.
Then you can check the calorie content in the dog food and measure things from there.
Who Is Raw Paws
Raw Paws is one of the suppliers that provide frozen raw food diets to dog owners like you. So lets take a closer look at a few of their products.
All of Raw Paws products are sourced from local farms that treat their stock ethically. This means Raw Paws is a small-scale manufacturer.
What this means for you and your dog is healthy meat, free from toxins.
RawPaws ship their food frozen in styrofoam containers filled with dry ice. And its guaranteed to reach your door within 48 hours still frozen rock solid.
From my research, there have been no complaints about the food being thawed on arrival.
On a side note, their website is super easy to navigate with all kinds of great information.
Theres no guesswork on your part when it comes to portion size or how to transition your dog from a cooked diet to a raw food diet.
I like the fact that Raw Paws offer an auto-ship service. This means youll never end up with an empty freezer and a sad dog, looking at a bowl of kibble!
You can get 20% off your first Auto-Ship by using this code: AUTO. Plus youll get 10% off all your future auto-shipments.
And they offer free shipping all across the United States thats a serious bonus!
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Raw Dog Food Delivery Service
If you are a German Shepherd owner with a busy lifestyle and dont have much time to cook for your pet and wish your GSD could enjoy the benefits of eating raw food, a raw dog food delivery service is for you.
BARF World is one of our favorite options and the best raw food for German Shepherds available in the market.
This raw dog food company is the pioneer of raw diets for dogs. They deliver Biologically Appropriate Raw Food straight to your door. Their formula is a balanced blend of raw meat, fruits, vegetables, organs, and bone. Plus, its supplemented with 4 other key ingredients.
BARF World states their food has helped generations of dogs become free of allergies, itchy skin and coats, digestive problems, obesity, and weight problems, among other issues.
All of their ingredients are USDA sourced, and their formulas are developed with the input of a veterinary nutritionist to meet the nutritional guidelines for dog food.
The best part of feeding BARF World is that you never have to worry about balancing ingredients, portion sizing,grinding, chopping, measuring, mixing, potential pathogens in raw ingredients, and all the risks and hassles involved in cooking raw dog food on your own.
In our experience, its a huge time-saver, and you can spend time on more important things like walks or training. We think its worth the cost after you add up the prices of all the ingredients youll need to cook a recipe and the convenience of it.