How Much Food Should You Feed A German Shepherd Puppy

How Much Should A German Shepherd Puppy Eat A Day

Knowing how much to feed a German Shepherd puppy can help you avoid these potential problems. Ideally, they should be on food with lean protein and low fats to keep their slim physique. Puppies should be fed about 2 cups of food daily, on average.

Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy A Homemade Diet Or Fresh Food

Homemade diets or have become a growing trend. You need a recipe or a subscription service for fresh dog food . Whats difficult about opting for homemade dog food is the nutritional profile. As we mentioned, kibble and wet food you buy from the store have all been formulated to provide balanced nutrition. Many of the recipes were created by vets and pet nutritionists.

If you do not have these credentials, you may not know how to make homemade food that provides your German Shepherds with everything they need. Sure, you can look up recipes online, but how much do you trust all the so-called experts without real credentials?

If you can get your hands on a recipe that incorporates all the nutritional values your German Shepherd pup needs, then fresh food is what we recommend most. It is the least processed out of all the types of dog food we have discussed so far, and it will also be irresistible to many dogs in terms of taste. Your trusted vet may also recommend temporarily feeding your German Shepherd a fresh food diet if he suffers from medical issues.

But are there drawbacks? Like with any other food, fresh diets also come with their fair share of disadvantages. Human-grade ingredients will not keep as long as processed puppy and adult food, and it can really get expensive. It is also very time-consuming to prepare and again, you should make sure you have consulted with your vet or pet nutritionist to work together to find the best recipe.

What To Feed My German Shepherd Puppy

German Shepherds are big dogs, and they have a hearty appetite. Although dogs are not obligate carnivores by nature, they thrive on a protein-rich diet. Ideally, most of the protein you feed your GSD will come from animal and meat sources rather than plant sources. Feed a minimum of 22% protein, although we would aim for 25% protein at the very least.

Read Also: German Shepherd Puppy Raw Diet Plan

German Shepherd Puppy Food Requirements

Puppies have seemingly endless energy stores. This means they need a constant supply of calories the right types of calories to keep their energy levels high and help them develop into happy, healthy adult dogs.

As a new German Shepherd puppy owner, youre probably going to have a few questions that need specific answers. Feeding a puppy is a lot different than feeding an adult dog because youre usually housebreaking them so youll need to stay on a regular feeding schedule and their growing bodies require more nutrients from their food than adult dogs do.

Questions like

• How much food should I feed my puppy?
• How many times a day should I feed my puppy?
• How much should a puppy eat?

Theyre all legitimate concerns, and were glad youre taking matters into your own hands, instead of just giving them a constant supply of food all day or, worse, potentially starving them of vital nutrients and minerals because youre not feeding them enough.

As a general rule, you can tell that youre feeding your puppy too often if you can not see or feel their rib cage.

While, for humans, this is considered a sign of malnutrition, its actually a guideline you can use to help figure out if your puppy is getting enough calories from their diet.

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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.

Also Check: Adult German Shepherd Weight

Raw Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy

Raw feeding is usually okay for a GSD puppy but makes sure to consult your vet first on whats the best puppy food for them thats safe. After all, their immune system is still not as strong as that of an adult dog. This leads to possibilities of bacterial infection .

Be sure to choose your raw foods carefully and handle them with care. Make sure that they are also balanced in terms of protein and other nutrients. Make note of certain vitamins and minerals that your vet advised.

Victor Purpose Nutra Pro Dog Food

Rating:

Nutra Pro is one of 6 dry recipes evaluated in our review of the Victor Purpose product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, blood meal, whole grain millet, chicken fat, yeast culture
• Type: Grain-inclusive
• Profile: All life stages
• Best for:Adult shepherds and puppies

Victor Purpose Nutra Pro derives most of its animal protein from chicken meal and blood meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 46% protein, 24% fat and 22% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.

Nutra Pro is also rich in low-glycemic carbohydrates for sustained energy and omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat. Highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewThis formulation is new to the rotation for my 2 Australian Shepherds. Magic happily gave it 4 paws up after her first bowl. Loki, my fussy eater, was a bit skeptical at first, til he had the experience of eating this food being dispensed by a moving toy. Now his review is also 4 paws up. // I was able to transition to this food with no GI upset or poop changes. If you regularly change food brands or formulations, consider adding this food for your energetic canine partners. Highly recommended!

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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.

Instinct Raw Boost With Real Duck

Rating:

Real Duck is one of 14 dry recipes analyzed in our review of the Instinct Raw Boost product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Duck, chicken meal, peas, egg product, turkey meal
• Type: Grain-free
• Profile: All life stages
• Best for:Adult shepherds and puppies

Instinct Raw Boost with Real Duck obtains the bulk of its animal protein from fresh duck and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 23% fat and 31% estimated carbs creating a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.

This formula also gets its antioxidants from natural fruits and veggies for healthy immunity and thus, greater resistance to disease. A top pick for German shepherds and other large breeds.

Sample buyer reviewI recently switched from a dehydrated raw product to Instinct Raw Boost. This is a great quality grain- free food and my guys are loving it. I have a multi dog house hold and most of them have allergies of one kind or another. This food is working well for all..

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German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guidelines

Here are some general German Shepherd puppy feeding guidelines that may be helpful to consider as you plan your puppys menu:

• Puppies typically need to eat more than adult dogs.
• The puppy diet is usually higher in fat and protein than the adult dog diet.
• A good puppy food will always meet these two criteria: it is formulated for large breed puppies AND it offers complete and balanced nutrition.
• Do not provide extra vitamins and minerals unless your veterinarian advises otherwise.
• Puppies generally eat at least three times per day, whereas adult dogs may eat twice or even just once per day.
• Puppies always need access to plenty of fresh water during and in between meals.
• A common age to switch GSD puppies from puppy food to adult dog food is 12 months.

The Modern German Shepherd

When you think of a German Shepherd, a canine with a wolf-like appearance comes to mind. Most people find German shepherds to be an intimidating breed, fierce in looks and personality. In truth, there are many different types of German Shepherds and make for very faithful companions that love to lead. They are a very zealous and energetic breed. Your German shepherd pup will play, bounce, run and fetch all day long if you will allow it.

Its a breed of dogs that starts with being a little over one pound. But, by the first year, they can gain weight up to 60 pounds. They are not a breed prone to obesity, either. They are a very active breed of dogs. Besides, GSDs have such a superior aptitude for training and are so intelligent that you will find them performing many different jobs.

German Shepherds make superb search and rescue dogs. Youll find them providing disability help as well as working with the police and in military roles.

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How To Know If Youre Feeding Them Too Much

There is a common concern among German Shepherd dog breeds. The concern is related to the occurrence of developmental orthopedic disease. The disease is also often simply referred to as DOD. The condition is considered rather serious, as it holds longer-term complications for the dog.

DOD primarily occurs when a German Shepherd eats too much when they are still very young. The excess food causes them to gain too much weight, too fast. The condition places stress on the skeletal system, as well as the bones of the dog. This can cause problems with the German Shepherds development.

The best way to avoid overfeeding your German Shepherd puppy is to ensure you comply with the general guidelines when you feed them. Only feed them more than what is recommended if it is completely necessary. Most people, however, find that falling within these guidelines is appropriate and helps to keep the dogs satiety level high.

Do take note of your German Shephard puppys waist and body circumference. It is fairly easy to see if these puppies are gaining too much weight. If you find that weight gain occurs too quickly for your German Shephard puppy, then take a closer look at how much you are feeding them. You might have to reduce the amount of food you are giving your puppy.

Week Old German Shepherd

At 6 weeks old, your job as a new owner is to make sure that your puppy is receiving the same level of nutrition that they were getting from their mothers milk.

Ideally, your puppy should still be nursing from their mother, because most foods are going to have a hard time replacing the needed micro and macronutrients, along with the natural antibodies that are found inside of the mothers milk.

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Are German Shepherds Omnivores

Some people like to think of dogs as pure carnivores. But Im sure youve seen a dog eating grass! And modern dog food often contains vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potato, or carrots. So, are German Shepherds omnivores?

German Shepherds are omnivores, not carnivores. Dog domestication has resulted in dogs adapting to a starch-rich diet over thousands of years. Their digestive system can process both plant and animal food, and their teeth can grind down fruit and vegetables.

Whilst protein makes up most of a dogs diet the domesticated dog also obtains nutrients from grains and some fruits and vegetables.

All of these are valuable sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Therefore dogs have evolved to become omnivores and have proved that they can thrive on various foods.

Related:Can German Shepherds Be Vegan? Is a Vegan Diet Healthy?

Dry Food And Wet Food

If you havent had a dogbefore, this may come as a surprise to you. Dogs have two types of food, dryand wet. The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition recommends feeding your dog a balanced diet where hegets 50% of calories from wet food and the other 50% from dry food. If youhavent tried out wet foods before, you can check out PEDIGREE Chopped Ground Dinner.

The main differencebetween wet and dry food is moisture content. By giving your dog a mix or wetand dry foods, you help with his digestion and also help him hydrate if hedoesnt drink enough water. If youre following a diet that involves both wetand dry foods, you can feed him wet food during the day and dry food for hisevening meal, or vice versa!

An additional benefit ofusing both types of food is that your dog will not get tired of having just onetype of food, and this will help diversify his diet.

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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

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.

Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy Kibble

There are many good quality kibble diets, but they arent always the best choice.

The FDA recently issued a notice alerting dog owners to a potential increased risk of a serious heart condition. This is called canine dilated cardiomyopathy .

The risk is in dogs eating foods that include peas, lentils, or potatoes instead of grains.

Some of these cases of DCM were in German Shepherds.

The underlying cause of these cases is not clear, but the FDA note suggests that caution should be used in selecting foods with these ingredients for German Shepherds and other large dogs.

Head over to our article on the pros and cons of feeding kibble to know more.

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German Shepherd Puppy Diet: After 6 Months

When your German Shepherd puppy reaches 6 months of age, its daily food intake should be reduced to twice a day. When we do this we can increase the food portions and eating time accordingly. A vet can provide you with a correct and tailored diet and/or food plan for your German Shepherd puppy. Our German Shepherd diet chart below should be taken into account depending on the age, lifestyle and size of your German Shepherd puppy.

After 6 months, you should give your German Shepherd puppy shatterproof bones, such as beef, to gnaw on. This should be done in order to strengthen the puppys teeth and gums. For more, take a look here for more about Bones For Puppies.

Tips For Feeding German Shepherd Puppies

These puppy-feeding tips will help you get some clarity about how much to feed your dog.

• Remember that puppies usually need more food than mature dogs. If youve fed an adult GSD before, then give the puppy an extra meal per day.
• Puppies need more fat and protein than older dogs.
• Make sure that you get your GSD puppy a brand of food that is designed for large breed puppies. These foods are designed for dogs like the GSD, who require more nutrients than smaller dogs.
• Avoid giving your dog supplements unless your vet tells you to.
• If your dog has special concerns like diabetes, talk to your vet.

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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!