Sit With Your Dog While They Eat
Some dogs simply dont like to eat alone.
They may follow you around rather than eat when you offer their food bowl this may be especially true of Shepherds since they tend to get fixated on their caretaker.
But, just keeping your dog company while they eat may stimulate their appetite. Find a comfortable spot to sit and wait on your dog while they eat.
Bring a book or do a quiet activity while they eat close to you. Dont force them to eat or stick your hands in their food.
Simply sit with them and enjoy your time together while they eat.
What Makes A Good German Shepherd Puppy Food
The needs of a puppy are much different than that of an adult dog. Your pup is growing rapidly right before your eyes. Their bones are getting stronger and their muscles are being primed for a lifetime of activity.
As a result, your puppy is actually going to need more nutrients now than they will when they get older.
To ensure that you’re giving your dog everything they need, here are some things to look for in your pup’s dog food. Many of this information is recommended and regulated by the Association of American Feed Control.
You can look out for the small AAFO seal of approval on the packaging as a quick way to determine if a food is suitable for your dog.
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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When Should You Stop Feeding Your German Shepherd Puppy Food
Puppies can begin adult kibble when they are approximately 80 percent of their adult weight. This usually occurs around 8 to 10 months of age, but you can safely feed puppy food up to one year old as long as they are not putting on excess weight. German Shepherds usually dont reach their full growth until 18 months of age.
It isnt harmful to keep a German Shepherd on puppy formula until their growth plates have fused over, which is generally around 12 to 18 months of age .
When To Stop Feeding German Shepherd Puppy Food
Another common question new puppy owners often ask is, How long should I feed my German Shepherd puppy food?
Figuring out when to take German Shepherds off puppy food is the topic of continued debate.
Different breeders have different feeding philosophies about the best time to transition from puppy food to adult dog food.
This process can occur as early as 16 weeks or as late as one year.
Typically, you will see most puppy owners beginning the process between the ages of five and six months old and 1 year.
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Feeding A German Shepherd Puppy The Right Way
June 6, 2019 By Emily Patterson-Kane
The German Shepherd puppy is a popular addition to many households. Sometimes called the Alsatian puppy, the German Shepherd was initially developed for herding and now commonly used as a working dog or pet. This is your guide to providing all the nutrients your new puppy needs.
Many types of food can be provided. However puppy foods designed for large breed dogs are essential for puppies. This will help to avoid health problems caused by overly-rapid bone growth.
Read on to find out the ins and out of whats best for your German Shepherd puppy!
Change Of Food And Change Of Amount
How much to feed a German Shepherd puppy may also change based on when you begin the transition from puppy food to adult dog food.
If you choose to keep your GSD puppy on puppy food for longer, you may want to slightly decrease portion sizes per meal as your puppy grows up.
Conversely, if you switch your puppy over to adult food earlier, you may want to slightly increase portion sizes.
Discuss this with your veterinarian if you are unsure which approach is best for your puppys health.
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Wet Food Vs Dry Food For German Shepherd Puppies
Feeding dry food has the advantage that it is convenient and usually more affordable than canned wet food. Kibble is also very good at removing plaque from your puppys teeth as he eats. Helping to prevent the formation of tartar and the onset of periodontal disease. Its also much easier to use as training treats.
However, dry food contains negligible water content. To avoid liver and kidney problems in your pup, always ensure that plenty of clean fresh water is available to him. Wet food contains around 80% water, which keeps your puppy hydrated.
Most canned foods are also packed with protein, which is essential for your German Shepherd puppys development. However, feeding canned food generally works out more expensive than feeding kibble, as youll need to feed more of it to meet your pups daily needs.
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guide: 6 Months To 12 Months
At this stage in your German Shepherds development, growth will be considerably slower. Since she no longer needs the extra calories to help support her fast growth period, you can safely reduce her feedings to 2 or 3 meals per day.
Youll still want to watch her weight, health, and activity level, but now you can split her daily total calories over fewer meals.
While she should still be eating puppy food at this point, you may consider purchasing a bag of her eventual adult formula.
You can use individual kibbles from the adult formula for treats or training rewards. This will help her get used to the new flavor and texture.
Around 9 months of age, you can begin slowly adding a small amount of the adult formula into her puppy food, though she should still be eating primarily puppy chow.
Again, its imperative that you speak with your vet before making any changes to your GSDs diet.
Only your vet will be able to tell you when your dog has reached maturity and can be safely moved to adult food.
Some GSDs stay on puppy food for a whopping two years! So, make sure you are in close contact with your vet to be sure that your feeding plan is individualized for your specific dog.
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Instinct Original Recipe With Real Chicken
Top 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chicken Fat, Tapioca
Caloric Content: 4,406 kcal/kg
Finally, the Instinct by Nature Variety Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food is a great choice for your German Shepherd in all life stages.
From its raw nutrition base to its balanced approach to a high protein food, this dry food is a positive addition to your dogs diet. Full of real chicken, vegetables, antioxidants, natural omegas and probiotics and without any grains, corn, potato, soy or wheat, there is great digestive support, as well as a healthy coast, skin and immune health.
The bag can be a little tricky to open though, so it can take a little getting used to, and some dogs may find they get gas after eating. Overall however, this food is a positive choice for German Shepherds.
Keeptrack Of Weight Gain And Loss
Begin a schedule of weekly weigh-ins to keep track of your German Shepherds weight when looking to bulk-up your dogs body. You want to know if they are gaining weight, losing weight, or remaining the same.
This helps you to decide if your weight gain plan is working or if you need to adjust your plan. If your dog continues losing weight or if you see a lack of progress, take your dog back to your veterinarian.
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How Much Should A German Shepherd Puppy Eat A Day
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.
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.
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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.
Blood Tests Dont Lieand Hoochs Numbers Shifted Drastically In Just The First 6 Weeks We Made These Diet And Lifestyle Changes
He noticeably had more energy, was suffering less from inflammation, was shedding less with a more luxurious coat, and for the first time EVER he had zero bloating! NO GAS for the first time in his entire life! The best news though, was that those stage 4 kidney disease blood levels he had at his yearly checkup had climbed back up to to midrange stage 1 kidney disease blood levels! The extra time and energy invested in making his food and the other small changes we made to his lifestyle have given us more quality time with our beloved Hooch which is more than we could have ever hoped for!
If youve made our Easy Homemade Dog Food for your pup I would be so grateful if you would rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours. Want to be a part of our online community outside of the blog? Its easy!! All you have to do is follow @THISMESSISOURS on , , , , or to see cooking demos, and peeks into our day to day life.
- Prep Time:30
790 grams cooked organic brown rice
700 grams ground lean beef, cooked through, fat drained
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced small
207 grams carrots, shredded or thinly sliced
14 grams minced curly parsley
22 grams of olive or safflower oil
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How Many Calories Does A German Shepherd Puppy Need
The number of calories that your puppy needs depend on certain factors such as age, weight, and activity level. Active puppies need more calories to sustain their energy levels.
German Shepherd puppies require at least 500 calories per day, but the amount increases as their weight also increases.
You need to calculate the RER of your puppy and multiply by two to know exactly the number of calories they need. The formula of RER is 703/4.
For example, if your German Shepherd puppy weighs 20kgs their RER is 703/4 = 662. Therefore, their daily intake should be 1324 calories.
The Best Dog Food For German Shepherds
When looking for the best dog food for a German shepherd its important to choose a food thats safe for your pets age.
Thats because German shepherds are considered large breed dogs.
Which is not a problem for adult shepherds.
However
German shepherd puppies have a higher risk of developing a crippling form of canine hip dysplasia if theyre fed a dog food that contains too much calcium for their larger breed type.1
To help you make a safe choice
The Dog Food Advisor has selected the 12 brands below because they meet safe calcium levels and other nutritional needs of adult German shepherds and where notedshepherd puppies, too.2
Keep in mind, German shepherd puppies dont stop growing and arent ready to eat adult dog food until they reach 12 to 24 months of age.3
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Best Homemade Cooking Practices
When making homemade food for a German Shepherd , make sure you are diligent and adhere to your veterinarians recommendations.
Here are some general guidelines to follow when cooking for homemade dog food for your German Shepherd:
- Never use unsafe or toxic ingredients for your dog
- Cook all animal products thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria
- Cook all grains, beans, and starchy vegetables to make them easier to digest
- Research every ingredient before using it for safety
- Follow the recipe as instructed
- Add supplements to their diet as needed
- Understand the impact of dietary changes
- Run any questions by a veterinary nutritionist
NOTE: When in doubt, ALWAYS research an ingredient. You dont want to add food that is toxic to dogs.
We strongly advise discussing your dogs nutritional needs and concerns with your vet before adding or changing your dogs diet.
Training Goal #: Begin Obedience Training
The German Shepherd Dogs work ethic is legendary, and you can encourage your dogs best working traits with early and ongoing training. GSDs excel at obedience, so begin teaching your puppy basic commands like sit, down, and stay, as well as loose-leash walking, from an early age. Enrolling in a puppy obedience class can be extremely helpful both for teaching these commands as well as socialization, and its not too early to begin thinking about CGC training as well.
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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.
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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