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.
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.
What Food Does Your German Shepherd Puppy Need
Every age of German Shepherd requires a different type of food. Specialty food like puppy formula helps your dog gain weight. It is important to find a food that your German Shepherd enjoys, however, you should not change its food many times throughout its puppyhood.
As your puppy gets older you can begin to incorporate a wider variety of foods into their diet.
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Pointers For Feeding German Shepherds
Improper feeding practices can lead to serious health problems for German shepherds. Most of the time, these problems linger throughout the dogs lifetime.
You should remember this before doing something reckless, such as altering your German shepherd puppys feeding amount.
An owner is responsible for taking into consideration the age and weight of a German shepherd before feeding them. So here are some tips that can be applied according to your dogs age and weight.
Month Old German Shepherd
At 4 months old, you can begin introducing more live animal products into their diet. Ingredients like actual bone, pieces of liver, and raw eggs are great to help your dog pick up the nutrients that may be lacking in their dry dog food.
Avoid giving them too much, though, by following the guidelines weve given you above.
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Feeding Your Gerberian Shepsky
The Siberian Husky German Shepherd mix is a large dog. It also has some potential for joint problems in the future.
Its very important they are not overfed. Free feeding during puppyhood is not advised.
They will need a food that is tailored to the needs of larger breeds. And to have it given in several smaller meals to decrease the risk of bloat.
Some larger dogs benefit from a slow feeder to help them pace themselves.
Your vet will be able to advise you on the amount you should be feeding your dog. This will be advice tailored to your dog, as this mix can vary so much!
Meal Plans For German Shepherds
The amount of food you should give your German Shepherd depends on her age, size, activity level, health condition, food type, and brand. Underfeeding or overfeeding your dog has serious consequences. So as your pet grows, you need to weigh and feed her with the food quantity that matches her weight.
Puppies typically eat more than adult German Shepherds because they need more nutrients and calories to grow and develop body parts.
Moreso, if your German Shepherd is a couch dog, it will consume less food than working police or sled German Shepherd dog that exercises all day. Working or security dogs need food with high protein content to provide extra calories for their daily activities.
Another essential thing to consider is your dog’s health condition. If your dog is ill or pregnant, your vet may recommend increasing the amount of food you give your dog. Pregnant or lactating dogs typically need more calories and high energy foods to keep up with daily energy demands.
Build Your Dog’s Custom Meal Plan
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Socializing A Gerberian Shepsky
Because you dont know which parent your pup will take after, you must throw yourself into socialization.
Its not worth the risk of having a family pet that isnt happy in crowds or when visitors come to call.
Take them to lots of places where they will meet new people.
And make sure you have lots of guests around for the first few weeks.
They shouldnt be hard to get hold of. After all, you will have a new puppy for them to play with!
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.
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Nutritional Requirements For German Shepherd
As your puppy grows into adolescence, his nutritional needs will change. He no longer needs as many nutrients as when he was a puppy. At this age, your dog needs to eat adult formula food, and ideally, the food should also contain joint supplements to keep his arthritis under control.
Check at the dog food bag and see if there is wording such as Complete and balanced nutrition based on AAFCO guidelines for adult maintenance. Most German shepherds that are primarily pets will be fine eating an adult maintenance dog food formula.
But suppose your German shepherd is a competition dog that actively participates in recreational or competitive canine sports. In that case, he will be better off with a formula for all life stages.
What if your dog is underweight? Consuming a high-calorie dog food together with some additional calories and protein such as cheese and egg might be the best answer. What if your dog is overweight? Then his diet should probably consist of food that provides good nutrition but with more fill so that he can meet all his nutritional needs and lose weight.
Meal Plan / Feeding Guide By Weight
There are lots of German Shepherd food brands out there. However, you need to look for foods that meet your pet’s unique dietary requirements.
A few great recommendations from Hungry Bark include:
- Superfoods with Chicken, Turkey + Brown Rice
- Superfoods with Turkey + Duck
- Superfoods with Lamb + Turkey
- Superfoods with Salmon
If you doubt how much food your dog needs, you should check the meal pack. Most dog food brands provide feeding calculators to help you work out how much your pet needs.
Dry Foods
Hungry Bark recommends these daily serving amounts for your German Shepherds.
- 3lbs: 29-43 grams daily
- 80lbs: 431-517 grams daily
- Above 36kg : You should add half a cup for every additional 7kg .
Lactating German Shepherds need more calories than other adults. So If your female pet is lactating, you should visit your vet or pet nutritionist to recommend the best feeding schedule and amounts for your pet.
Puppies typically need three times the amount of food as adults. And Hungry Bark recommends thrice of daily adult servings for German Shepherd puppies. However, if your puppyâs activity level is low, you should stick to twice the daily adult servings to avoid obesity.
If you are transitioning to Hungry Barkâs dry food, you should feed your pet 75% of the old food and 25% of the new food in the first three days. Within the next 4-6 days, you can serve your pet 50% of the new food and 50% of the old food.
Wet Canned Foods
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German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Schedule
While some breeders and puppy owners believe in free feeding, where your puppy always has access to dry kibble, this is not advisable because it makes it quite difficult to figure out how much your puppy is really eating!
Rather, work with your breeder and veterinarian to develop a set, fixed feeding schedule that supports slow, steady growth.
It helps with housebreaking as well.
Raising A German Shepherd Husky Mix Puppy
Choosing a German Shepherd Husky mix puppy comes with lots of responsibilities.
But raising them can be fun and very rewarding. Provided you get it right from the start. Perhaps it isnt the best breed for a first time owner.
But if youve decided this is the breed for you, here are some puppy care and training guides to help you get off on the right foot.
- Ideal for active homes
- Excellent choice for someone into positive reinforcement training
Dont worry if the cons seem to outweigh the pros. There are plenty of other Husky and German Shepherd mixes that might fit the bill.
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German Shepherd Food Tip From Jeff:
Since 2005, I’ve recommended various sources to our visitors for dog food. Today, I’ve found that Chewy has the absolute most incredible selection, offers auto ship & free delivery. Many of the quality formulas we discuss for feeding German Shepherds and other breeds on this website can only be found on line, not in brick & mortar stores.
Premium blends, grain free, working breed formulas and more! If you don’t plan on reading the rest of this website, at least do yourself a favor and check out Chewy. I promise you will not be disappointed in the thousands of brands they stock!
My Puppy Wont Eat What Should I Do
It can be worrying to see your GSD not have any appetite for anything. If your German Shepherd is a little on the timid side of eating, heres what you can do:
- Consider dog-safe seasonings to make the food bowl more flavor
- Mix both kibble and wet food so its both crunchy and flavorful
- Try swapping to a different food brand
- Consult your vet if the puppy hasnt been eating for more than 2 meals and looks sick
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Taste Of The Wild High Protein Real Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food
German Shepherds are built to be muscular. Though we wouldnt want them to grow out of their puppy bod, its still paramount to keep the protein intake sufficient. The Taste of the Wild High Protein Real Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food will make sure your pup has everything he needs to achieve the lean and strong build like hes intended too. One of its ingredients is real meat thats rich in fatty acids and lean protein. This product is best for puppies with high energy levels. The best thing about it is its made from sustainably sourced ingredients without artificial flavoring and preservatives.
What To Watch Out For
In particular German Shepherds are prone to:
- Elbow and hip dysplasia incorrect formation of the joints, which often develops into painful arthritis.
- Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyelopathy a degenerative condition of the nerves which control the hind legs.
- Gastric Dilatation Volvulus bloating in the stomach of deep chested dogs which causes the stomach to twist around itself.
- Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency failure to produce enough of the enzymes needed to digest meals.
- Anal furunculosis painful infections of the anus.
- Panosteitis an inflammatory bone disease.
Eye disease, allergies, and epilepsy are other possible issues.
German Shepherds are also prone to posture and back problems that cause them to walk on their hocks.
Its quite a list, but bear in mind that we can now screen for many conditions in parent dogs before they mate.
And a good breeder will be happy to show you records of this.
Now lets look at the effect of mixing in some Husky genes.
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How Often To Feed A German Shepherd
Adult German shepherds should eat two meals a day. Puppies need to eat three or four times a day until they grow to be six months of age. Dogs digest their food more easily after chewing, so if possible, you should encourage your German shepherd to take their time instead of gobbling the food quickly.
As tempting as it might be, its crucial to refrain from giving your own food scraps to your canine. Ingredients in the food we eat usually arent as healthy for dogs, which can also lead to weight gain in your dog from unnecessary calories. If you want to give your puppy something special to eat, look into dog treats for your German shepherd.
Even with dog treats, you should practice moderation. Dont feed your German shepherd too much. Save treats for special occasions, like when your furry companion successfully performs a new trick or exhibits good behavior. There are a variety of treats out there to choose from. Some have extra health benefits like aiding in dental health or digestion.
What Kind Of Snacks Can I Feed My Dog With Kidney Disease
Our dogs walk a bit on the wild side when it comes to snacks as they love thin apple slices, banana chunks, carrots, whole unsalted peanuts in the husks, and dehydrated sweet potatoes! Dogs with kidney disease should avoid meat based chews/treats that are high in phosphorus, so you may find that you need to explore doing friendly fruit and veggies for treats like we have. We still on occasion will offer Hooch bully sticks or a jerky treat, but it is better for him if we limit his intake due to the levels of phosphorous that those treats contain.
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When Should You Switch Your Puppy To Adult Food
After eating adequately moistened kibble for a year, your puppy can be weaned from puppy food and to regular adult food. A puppy should begin weaning from their mothers milk and to puppy food when they are around three to four weeks old.
Remember, adult food is harder to chew and can be difficult in the first year of your puppys life as its teeth come in. To make the process easier on your puppy, moisten the food and add soft, fresh ingredients.
Once your German Shepherds teeth are in around 9 months, feel free to start lessening the amount of moisture you put in your puppys food and let them eat hard kibble.
12 months is typically the right time to switch to adult food. Before making the change to adult food, check with your vet first.
Dog Food For German Shepherds With Dry Skin Or Flaky Skin
Skin problems with food might be to do with allergies, so if you suspect this, see a vet.
If you think the problem may just be a mild one and that the skin is just dry and flaky, it could be because of some of these reasons:
You live in a dry area with little humidity
Your dog may not be getting enough water through their food or drinking enough water
The food your dog is eating is highly processed and doesnt contain any quality nutrients that contribute to a healthy coat or skin
Your dog may be lacking digestive enzymes or probiotics in their diet
Your dogs digestive system may not be working like a normal dogs system does
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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.