How To Get My German Shepherd To Gain Weight

Why Your German Shepherd Is Skinny

It is likely that each of the different reasons will come with some clues.

Below, I will show you why it might be skinny and what would make each of the reasons more likely.

Genes

The reason why your German Shepherd is skinny could be that it is in its genes. This would be more likely if it was relatively skinny as a puppy and if you have been feeding it the right amount according to a vet.

In this case, it would not be something to worry about unless it has been showing signs of the cause being due to one of the things mentioned below.

Diet

The cause of it being skinny could be that it has not been getting the right diet.

It could be that it is eating the right foods but it is not getting enough calories for its activity levels. German Shepherds require 1273 to 1540 calories per day but active ones require 1740 to 2100 .

On the other hand, it could be the case that it has been eating the wrong foods. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your German Shepherd.

If you are unsure of what food to get for your German Shepherd, consider getting dog food designed specifically for German Shepherds. You can get a GSD specific dog food on Amazon here and one for GSD puppies on Chewy here.

Exercise

It could be the case that it is getting too much exercise. However, this is unlikely since German Shepherds were bred to be working dogs and it was not unusual for them to spend entire days working alongside their owners.

Illness

Anxiety

Male Vs Female German Shepherds

The female German Shepherds are slightly shorter and smaller than the male GSD. They are also more sensitive than male GSDs and easier to train.

Because of their easiness to train combined with their smaller built, female German Shepherds are an ideal candidate if youre looking for a dog to train in agility, rally obedience, or other related dog sports.

Its worth noting that the male German Shepherds are generally better for personal protection while the female ones are better suited for family protection.

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What Should I Feed My Dog To Keep Him Healthy

Fresh whole foods lightly prepared provide the best nutrition for both humans and dogs alike. Whole food ingredients are more readily bioavailable, and more flavorful. When you eat better you feel better the same is true for our dogs.

Homemade dog food is free of preservatives and harsh chemical treatments. You can have confidence knowing exactly what is in your dogs bowl. Homemade dog food provides unsurpassed nutrition.

A higher quality food is the easiest way to improve their health. We cant make our dogs live forever but we can ensure that the care we provide gives them the ability to enjoy each day to the fullest.

Nutrition is critical in keeping them slim and free of diet related conditions like obesity and heart disease. Nutrition can directly affect their level of activity, mobility and conditions like arthritis.

FAQ’s

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Give Them Food High In Calories

Your German Shepherd deserves nothing but the best.

To help them gain weight, give them food with a high amount of calories. So when choosing their dog food, check the labels for calories.

As you may know, dog foods are not equal. Some may have more calories than others. Choose the one with higher calories and fat to help your pooch gain weight.

Warning: Dont buy dog foods that are made of filler ingredients. Filler will not satisfy and make your German Shepherd healthy.

Sweet Potato And Pumpkin

Sweet potato and pumpkin are fantastic ways to help your dog put on weight in a healthy way. To avoid excessive protein in your dogs diet while helping him gain weight, consider adding sweet potato and pumpkin to his food. Boosting their diet with fat and fiber will help your dogs digestion along with weight gain. You can buy canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin from your local grocery store. Make sure to keep an eye on your dog the first few days you put these additions in their diet to make sure their bowel movements arent irregular.

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A Quick Comparison Of Our Favorites

Choose Foods With A Higher Protein And Fat Content

If your German Shepherd eats normally but isnt gaining weight, you may need to switch to different food. Look for foods that have a higher percentage of fat and protein than your current food.

Adults and seniors should eat about 20 to 25 percent of their daily calories from protein and 25 to 50 percent from fats. The rest of the calories should come from carbohydrates.

Those are just the minimums, so if you arent feeding your German Shepherd this amount fix this issue immediately!

The best food for a German Shepherd to gain weight is this high protein red-meat adult formula dog food which contains 30% protein to bulk-up your German Shepherd and get them fat in a healthy manner.

Keep your puppy on a puppy-formulated food until theyve reached 80% of their adult weight. This is anywhere from 8 months to a year or longer.

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Switch Over To Puppy Food

In extreme cases such as your german shepherd being severely malnourished or struggling to keep weight on then, you can switch over to puppy food. We only recommend that you try this is your dog is really underweight as it often swings the pendulum and ends up with your dog being overweight.

Puppies required a higher calorie content in their food to help them grow at a healthy rate and have all the energy a puppy needs to play. Due to this, gram for gram, a puppies food contain more calories than a food designed for an adult dog. This can be a quick and easy way for you to sneak some extra calories into your dog and help it put weight on. Our post on the best puppy food for german shepherd puppies is perfect for helping you make your mind up on a product.

Increase Their Food Intake

You can also try adding an extra meal if you find your dog is not eating enough. As long as your dog finishes the food you give them, you dont have to worry about giving them too much.

If you are worried about your dog gaining too much weight, keep track of their weekly weight gain with simple note-taking or a Google sheet.

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Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon

Rating:

Southwest Canyon is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Beef, peas, garbanzo beans, lamb meal, canola oil
• Type: Grain-free
• Profile: All life stages
• Best for:Adult shepherds and puppies

Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh beef and lamb meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 17% fat and 43% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.

Its nice to find a recipe containing natural source preservatives which means Southwest Canyon contains no BHA, BHT or other toxic additives. A super-popular, grain-free brand and a healthy, all life stages option for any German shepherd. Easily recommended.

Sample buyer reviewMy dog loves this food! He eats it enthusiastically and it has really helped him thrive! He is energetic, has a gorgeous coat, and devours his meals!

For More Choices:Visit our Best Large Breed Puppy Food page

Orijen Puppy Large derives most of its animal protein from fresh chicken. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 43% protein, 23% fat and 26% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%.

Ever since its founding, Champion Petfoods, the well-respected maker of Orijen, has always advocated for a meat-based, biologically appropriate diet. This is a proven, balanced design which makes this particular recipe a top option for growing Shepherd puppies.

How Should You Feed Your German Shepherd

If Your Skinny German Shepherd Is a puppy, then you should feed at least 10% of puppies body weight and if it is an adult you should feed Him at Least 2 to 4 % of its body weight.

It is essential to know that some German Shepherd puppies are very active and has high energy levels so they can need more protein in the Diet.

It is always advised to pick high-quality foods and high-quality meats. Puppies can be hungry often because they are growing, so feed them small meals. When your German Shepherd grows and becomes an adult, it is better to schedule. Sometimes your dog will refuse the food. Do not worry in the wild Dogs sometimes go without food for 2- 3 days.

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The Least You Need To Know

German shepherds tend to be too fat rather than too skinny.

A dog thats losing weight needs to go to the vet to see if there is a medical issue causing the weight loss.

Dogs lose weight due to malnourishment, illnesses like diabetes, stress, or old age.

Feed food high in protein and with fat to help put weight back on. Feed little and often to avoid getting the dog sick.

My Dog Is Eating But Not Gaining Weight Why

If your dog seems to be eating normally, but theyre still underweight and not gaining anything, theres usually one of two things happening: you arent feeding them enough, or theres an underlying issue not letting them gain weight. You can try feeding them more at mealtime, but if they seem to not gain weight no matter what you do, youll want to take your pup to the vet to make sure nothing else is and causing their weight issues.

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Mix Their Meals With Home

Make their food exciting!

Feed your German Shepherd some home-made meals. Theyre going to love that.

Dogs love having variation in their food. Introducing new food can motivate them to eat more.

Some of the food you can give them are chicken, rice, egg, and vegetables such as pumpkin.

But before doing this, consult your vet. You want to make sure you are giving the right food and the right amount.

German Shepherd Puppy Diet: 1 Month Old

From 3 to 4 weeks old, when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd puppy, we should start by letting them taste new foods and flavors. At this stage, the German Shepherd puppyâs diet plan requires them to eat a special wet food for puppies. At around 6 to 8 weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy should be given a little dry dog food with water, or unseasoned chicken stock between nursing sessions.

From their eighth week onward, a German Shepherd should be weaned and start feeding on solid food with a special puppy feed. The best dog food for a German Shepherd puppy is breed specific, but this may not be available everywhere.

In these cases, your veterinarian can create a proper food plan for your German Shepherd puppy. A professional will take into consideration a puppys feeding pattern, size and health status. At this stage, milk must be removed from the puppyâs diet as it could cause diarrhea. If by any chance your dog or puppy is suffering from a bad stomach, we recommend taking a look at our article on what to do if yourt dog has diarrhea.

In addition, it is vital that puppies have constant access to clean fresh water.

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Does Rice Help A Dog Gain Weight

Rice is full of carbs and will certainly help your dog gain weight if you add it into their feeding schedule. You can add other healthy proteins to it, and rice can even help settle your dogs stomach if theyre prone to tummy issues. Rice doesnt provide enough nutrition, protein, or fat to be the main component of their meal, but you can add it to their other foods to help them gain weight faster.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe

Rating:

Wilderness Salmon is one of 18 dry recipes analyzed in our review of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal, peas, pea protein, menhaden fish meal
• Type: Grain-free
• Profile: Maintenance
• Best for:Adult shepherds only

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh salmon and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 33% protein, 17% fat and 38% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.

A grain-free, protein-rich formula available in over a dozen flavors and recipes which makes Wilderness ideal for those who appreciate the benefits of diet rotation. Fairly priced and highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewI have a 3 year old husky and ever since she was a puppy i had her on blue wilderness. Ive got her every flavor if not almost every flavor, and this salmon one is the one she has loved the most! Ieave her food bowl full at all times she so can eat whenever she wants. And she eats this salmon one more than every other flavor. Now i know salmon is her favorite protein (:

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How To Get German Shepherd Dog Gain Weight For Skinny Dogs

Is your German Shepherd Skinny? Searching Something For Getting Your German Shepherd Dog gain weight? There can be many causes behind this, and for Getting full results, we have to found the cause.

There are some considerations you should do about Your German Shepherd Dog.

If you want to resolve a problem, it is essential to know its cause. If you treat it from the root, it is 100% sure that you will solve it.

What Else Can I Add To My Dogs Food To Help Them Gain Weight

Other than peanut butter, eggs, and rice, are there other human foods you can feed your pup to help them gain weight? Fatten up your dog and share these treats with them :

• Cottage cheese full fat
• Lean meat raw or cooked depending on your dogs regular diet
• Quinoa it provides usable energy and contains amino acids for muscle building

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How Do I Get My German Shepherd To Put On Weight

follow these tips and keep track of your German Shepherds body mass to make your German Shepherd gain weight in a HEALTHY WAY.

How To Fatten Up A German Shepherd

Do you want to know how to fatten up a German Shepherd to make them gain weight in a healthy way?

Are you worried that your German Shepherd is thin and underweight and want to know how to bulk up a German Shepherd for safe weight-gain?

Dont let your dog stay too skinny any longeruse these helpful tips to get your dog to its athletic ideal weight.

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Weight Of A Male German Shepherd

A male German Shepherd is heavier than a female. The weight of a male German Shepherd is about 66 to 88 pounds. In kilograms, it is about 30 to 40 kg. this is usually equal to the weight of a smart teenage boy or a smart middle-aged woman.

A German Shepherd is sexually dimorphic. It means that the weight and height are different for a male German Shepherd and a female German Shepherd. The weight of a German Shepherd varies according to age. With every passing month, a specific weight gain can be observed in a German Shepherd puppy until it becomes a Mature dog.

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Top Best Answers To The Question How Can I Get My German Shepherd To Gain Weight

How to Fatten Up a German Shepherd

• Switch to puppy food. If your adult or senior German Shepherd is underweight on a nutritionally balanced dog food, they may benefit from a puppy food diet. Puppy food is higher in calories to encourage growth. Try a mix of half your dogs regular food and half puppy food to help them gain weight.

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