Where To Start With A Raw Food Diet For Your Gsd
Raw food recipes for dogs are all over the internet. And dog owners like you can prepare their dogs raw food diet from scratch with careful planning and time.
But as I mentioned, there are frozen raw diets on the market that help make raw feeding easier for you.
These diets are delivered frozen or freeze-dried to your door. Some have everything you need rolled into one.
Ingredients like vegetables, vitamins, and fruits already mixed in. Or you can buy them separately.
German Shepherd Raw Diet Vs Kibble
Both diets have their pros and cons. It all comes down to finding whats right for you and your dog.
With more than five hundred pages and twelve hundred references, Feeding Dogs: The Science Behind The Dry Versus Raw Debate is a must-read for all those interested in understanding one of the most heated controversies is pet nutrition: Should you feed your dog a raw food diet or kibble? Its worth reading if you are still uncertain about raw diets.
Here is a quick look at raw diet vs kibble and how they stack up against each other.
| KIBBLE | |
|---|---|
| Made with fillers, preservatives, additives, colorants, and other harmful chemicals. | No additives or any type of chemical is added. Healthies option. |
| Cheaper than raw diet | Homemade raw food is equally expensive or cheaper. Commercially available raw food is a bit more expensive than kibble. |
| Low standards for what can and cannot be included in commercial pet food, | Typically, raw-based diets use high-quality meats and fresh ingredients. Quality standards for safety, hygiene, and manufacturing tend to be more rigorous due to the raw nature of the food. |
| Longer shelf-life and doesnt spoil easily. | Raw food doesnt last long after being served. Leftovers for the day need to be discarded. |
| Easy to store and carry when traveling | Requires freezer space and only the raw-freeze dried option is good for traveling. |
What Are The Best Brands Of Dog Food To Feed German Shepherds
Rather than looking for a particular brand, you might make sure the brand or product you end up choosing fits in with your vets recommendation, and is adequate and balanced nutritionally.
This way you are picking based on professional advice and also health based criteria, rather than looking for a brand first.
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Raw Food For Puppies: Rules And Principles
If you choose to feed raw, you need to understand the principles involved and follow some basic rules to keep your puppy safe and healthy.
Even for animals perfectly designed for crushing and swallowing bones, there are certain risks involved. And it is important that we minimize those risks in any way possible.
Can Puppies Eat Vegetables
Dogs in the wild eat the stomach of their prey and some of its contents, which may include digested vegetation. They may also consume fallen fruit, berries, and so on at certain times of the year.
Tripe is the stomach of a herbivore usually a cow or a sheep. Green simply means unwashed. If you feed your dog green tripe, he will benefit from the minerals in the remains of the semi-digested material. On the other hand, humans typically eat white tripe. This kind has had all these important nutrients washed out of it, so it isnt beneficial for your dog.
Feeding green tripe and whole prey animals intermittently is healthy. It will give your puppy access to the range of nutrients he needs. If your puppys diet is more restricted, and you dont feed green tripe regularly, youll need to supplement your dogs food with some vegetables.
Ensure that these are pureed or liquidised. .
Some people like to feed fruit and vegetables to their raw fed dogs as snacks. This is not a problem provided you are aware of which common human foods are toxic to dogs. .
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Rule One Feed Fresh Meat To Your Puppy
Once an animal is dead, its flesh begins the process of decay.
As part of this process, the pathogens in meat will increase naturally over time, unless it is frozen. So be sure to freeze meat soon after purchasing or refrigerate it below 4 C and use it within a couple of days.
Older dogs can often cope with pathogens that would make humans ill. Puppies, however, are more vulnerable. Only feed them the freshest meat that you would feed your own family.
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guide: Birth To 12 Weeks
All dogs should stay with their mother for no less than eight weeks, ideally up to ten weeks. During this time, the mother will nurse the pups until they are old enough to begin eating puppy mush.
Puppy mush is usually regular dog kibble thats been soaked in water, formula, or homemade puppy milk made with human-grade ingredients.
After the puppies are fully weaned from their mothers milk, they will get all of their nutrition either from puppy mushmade progressively drier every few daysor other puppy-safe foods.
Its important to continue feeding your puppy whatever the breeder started them on, at least for the first few weeks. This will help prevent gastrointestinal distress.
Also, be certain it is food intended for puppies and not adults or senior dogs. Adult dog foods do not have the proper nutrients to support a growing puppy.
Once your German Shepherd puppy is homebetween 8 and 12 weeksyou may begin weaning them off of the breeders food and introducing their new foodif youve decided to switch, that is.
Over the course of the next few weeks slowly introduce the puppys new food into her old food, adding more of the new food each day.
Start with ¾ of the serving of the old food and ¼ of the new food. After a few days, make it half and half. After the first week or so, make it ¾ the new food and ¼ the old food. Then by two to three weeks, your pup should be fully on her new food.
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How Much Water Should A German Shepherd Puppy Drink
Your German Shepherd puppy needs to drink 6 ounces of water per day for every 3.5 kilograms of body weight. Therefore, if your puppy weighs approximately 35 kilograms, he needs to have about 60 ounces of water every day.
If your dog is engaged in a lot of physical activity, or if the weather is hot, then this amount may need to be increased. You may notice that your dog is panting and this is a clear sign of dehydration. Always keep the water bowl full.
Mixing In Fresh Ingredients
I add small portions of fresh components to my dry kibble for taste and flavor. But dont add more than a spoonful or two so your dog doesnt eat only the fresh ingredients and ignore the healthy kibble!
These components shouldnt make up over 10% of the meal to avoid them gaining excess wight.
GSD puppies enjoy eating:
- cooked and raw carrot pieces
- small dollops of unsweetened Greek yogurt
- scrambled and cooked eggs
- cooked, plain oatmeal without sweeteners
- fresh or frozen blueberries
- goats milk
If you want to know the best treats for German Shepherd puppies, pick one from this list of healthy German Shepherd treats that are tasty and nutritious.
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Interested In Training Your German Shepherd The Right Way
If you havent trained your German Shepherd properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether its barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.
The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.
With Brain Training For Dogs youll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog wont listen, youll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, thats given proven results. Not to mention the fact, youll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.
So instead of worrying about whether theyre going to be well-behaved or not, youll only have to worry about how much fun youll have with them!
And in most cases its still going to be:
- Cheaper than hiring a professional.
- Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
- And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.
Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your German Shepherd completely and never worry whether theyll be naughty or not. Instead, youll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOURE NOT.
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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.
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Safely Using Raw Food For Puppies
Before we go any further, lets talk a moment about safety. Because whichever way you decide to feed your dog, it makes sense to reduce any risks to an absolute minimum.
One way to do this is to buy an off-the-shelf raw food.
But many raw feeders want to make their own food at home. So lets look at what you can do to feed raw in the best way.
It is a good idea to follow these feeding practices if you are going to raw feed your dogs. This is doubly important with puppies.
What Nutrients Does Your German Shepherd Require
Just like you, your German Shepherd needs a balanced diet to grow up healthy and strong. To achieve such a goal, your dogs homemade diet should include 6 indispensable nutrients: water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
Keep in mind that the correct amounts of these nutrients vary from one dog to another depending on their weight, size, activity level, and health condition.
Heres a breakdown of each component and why its an important part of your dogs diet:
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Scientifically Formulated German Shepherd Puppy Food
Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy- Terrific for Coat and Skin Health!
Rich aroma with DHA fish oil to entice puppies to finish every last bite while giving shine to their coats.
Feed a high-quality kibble from a name-brand company.
Dont buy boutique formulas, as these companies dont always quality check or feed test their formulas, and many have been found linked to causing deadly heart conditions in dogs .
The brands recommend here meet the World Small Animal Veterinary Association criteria and have no reported cases of DCM. Purina and Hills all have boarded Diplomates of ACVN on staff and Ph.D. Animal Scientists and Nutritionists work to ensure quality control and exceed nutritional standards. .
Most GSDs are healthy and fit on commercial dog foods that are high quality. Theyll eat eagerly and have a shiny coat and bright eyes with a scientifically based commercial diet that meets their needs.
Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy A Homemade Diet
Research has shown that in the past, poorly balanced homemade diets have been harmful to German Shepherd puppies.
There is now abundant information available to anyone who is willing and able to produce a safe and balanced diet. Also, diet bases can be purchased to add to homemade diets, This should help to provide all the important nutrients that your puppy needs.
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However, modern cases studies have shown that well-meaning owners may still over-feed or create an unbalanced diet.
Many people can fall for the idea about some particular element of the food that: if some is good, more is better! Reports have shown that serious disorders can result from feeding a diet too rich and calcium or phosphorus. So, this is an area where you really can have too much of a good thing.
As with commercial foods, homemade diets must be properly formulated for a large breed dog. Do not deviate from recommended recipes as provided by a veterinarian. If possible, preferably a vet with a board certification in veterinary nutrition.
Recipes published in popular magazine and websites may not be nutritionally complete or suitable for a large breed puppy.
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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.
American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
Top 5 Ingredients: Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes
Caloric Content: 3,740 kcal/kg
Feeding Instructions: 3 2/3 4 ½ cups a day for an adult dog
Key Features
Most Inexpensive If you are searching for a dry dog food for your German Shepherd that isnt super expensive, then American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a great choice for you.
It is on the lower end of the price spectrum however, it is still a good dry dog food from a reputable brand that is manufactured in Kansas, USA.
This mix comes in a 4lb, 12lb or 24lb bag, offering the option to choose a smaller bag to begin with to see if your furry friend likes it and then move on to a bigger bag later on.
A 4-pound bag holds about 17 cups, a 12-pound bag holds about 52 cups and a 24-pound bag holds about 104 cups that should last for a while! It can have a strange smell though, which can be off-putting to humans and dogs alike, and can be a little hard for senior dogs to digest sometimes.
This Salmon & Sweet Potato blend offers protein and amino acids through real, deboned salmon, ensuring leaner muscles while still tasting great.
The addition of both chickpeas and sweet potato allow for slow-release energy, which means your best friend will have endless energy all day long.
And lets not forget everything is grain-free, corn-free, wheat-free and soy-free, which is perfect for German Shepherds with sensitive stomachs.
Pros
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Feeding Length Of Your German Shepherd Puppy
You need to observe your German shepherd in order to determine his mealtime lengths. Take note of how long he takes to finish a normal portion of food.
You also need to observe how long he takes to be full and pay careful attention to if he is still hungry after eating his portion.
Usually, German shepherds will take around 10 to 15 minutes to complete a meal, providing that you adhered to the customary feeding instructions. If you notice that your dog is displaying signs of eating slowly, you should pay a visit to your vet.
On the other hand, if you notice that your German Shepherd is still hungry after completing a meal, you should also pay a visit to your vet.
Raw Paws Signature Blend Food
I really like the Signature Blend from Raw Paws. It’s great to serve as the main part of a raw food diet for dogs. And it offers balanced nourishment for your dog.
The meat they source is human-grade, high quality, and sourced from family-owned farms in Indiana. In fact, it’s probably healthier than the meat you eat every day.
Many commercial farms use growth hormones in their herds. And some even use genetically modified growth hormones.
In humans, these can cause all kinds of problems from developmental disabilities, reproductive issues, to breast and colon cancer.
And the same can be said for the problems caused in our dogs.
Antibiotics that are regularly used on commercial farms trickle up the food chain and contribute to antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
But Raw Paws only use meats that are:
- Grass-fed.
- Preservative-free.
- Antibiotic-free and hormone-free.
Their foods also contain no fillers or additives. And they are minimally processed. All of the beef used in Raw Paws products are locally sourced from farms in Indiana.
Earlier I mentioned that mixing up the meats equals a healthy diet. So I like that the Signature Blend comes in a variety of proteins like:
- Chicken.
- Turkey.
- Duck.
Raw Paws has also taken great care to ensure the proper ratio of meat, bone, and offal. I can’t stress how important these ratios are to optimal nourishment.
Getting this wrong can cause problems so it’s great that Raw Paws have taken the guesswork out of it.
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