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What To Feed My German Shepherd To Gain Weight

Adding To Their Meals

Best food for German shepherd for weight gain | summer food | affordable

Topping their kibble with nutritious home-made foods is an effective yet inexpensive way to help your dog gain weight. You can add some rice or vegetables like squash and sweet potato.

You can even add boiled eggs, which is a wonderful source of protein and fatty acids, as well as several essential minerals.

Best Dog Food For German Shepherd To Gain Weight Buyers Guide

There are many things that might be written about the nutritional content of various dog foods. However, we are concerned with a specific purpose here.

We are looking for food that will help a German Shepherd to gain weight. The seven choices listed above should be taken as seven semi-random examples because that is what they are. Here are some of the things you need to think about when evaluating any kind of dog food.

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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Good Foods Forgerman Shepherds

  • DRY KIBBLE DOG FOOD
  • To fatten up your German Shepherd, this type of dog food which is available in a variety of flavors can help. On the other hand, the only downside of this is that it may not be easy to chew for senior German Shepherds. The solution is to add water, so they will be able to eat the hard morsels.

    2. WET CANNED DOG FOOD

    Not only is this a good food for German Shepherd puppies but as well as for dogs who have dental problems. Obviously, it is easier to chew and digest. Of course, the large amount of water aids the successful digestion of the nutrients. You just need to refrigerate this type of dog food.

    3. SEMI-MOIST DOG FOOD

    Compared to a wet canned dog food which is almost 80% water, this one has around 65%. On the other hand, commercial dog foods which are semi-moist do tend to have some chemical additives, preservatives, and artificial colors. So, you have to put your eye on that and buy wisely.

    4. FREEZE-DRIED DOG FOOD

    This type of dog food is produced from real cooked food that underwent a process of removing almost all of its water content. After that, an airy food is put in an air-tight container and it can last for years.

    5. FROZEN-THEN-THAWED DOG FOOD

    This type of dog food went through a minimal process, so it is really good for German Sheperds. As a result, it makes a dog to look and feel young by improving its health and strength.

    6. ORGANIC DOG FOOD

    7. DEHYDRATED DOG FOOD

    Sweet Potato And Pumpkin

    Best Food For A German Shepherd To Gain Weight (Top 5 ...

    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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    The Best Food For A German Shepherd Puppy To Gain Weight

    Sam Shephard is an experienced German Shepherd owner and has learned throughout the years how to optimize the breed’s health and wellness.

    one of my own

    Puppies are not that different from humans. Sometimes, especially when they are babies, it can be difficult to get them to eat. Weve all watched one of our own children or a friend or relatives child refuse to eat the food placed in front of them, usually for no discernable reason at all.

    If you are raising a German shepherd puppy, you may encounter this same exact problem. Unlike with human children, however, you cant just ask your puppy what they would like to eat instead.

    If your German shepherd puppy is not gaining weight properly, she may start to have other health problems. Though she may catch up to her goal weight eventually, in these early stages, when nutrition is especially important, not meeting her weight goals could leave her lagging behind in other developmental milestones. If you start to notice that your puppy is underweight, there are a few things that you can do to make sure she starts gaining the weight she needs:

    When Do German Shepherds Stop Growing

    Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger are require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen.

    As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity.

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    Possible Reasons Why Your Puppy Isnt Gaining Weight

    There are several possible causes of why your puppy is not gaining weight. The first and common causes are poor nutrition and underfeeding.

    Much like human children during their growth period, your GSD puppy also needs a variety of nutrients to gain and maintain a healthy weight.

    Underfeeding can be another possible cause too. Medium to large dog breeds, such as German Shepherds, need more feedings than the average dog breeds.

    Make sure to follow the recommended feeding portion from your vet or from the bag of food to ensure you are not underfeeding or overfeeding your puppy.

    The other common causes include gum disease, parasites, disease, and diabetes.

    German Shepherd Feeding Guide: Adult Years

    The perfect dog diet | What to feed your dog | German Shepherd

    Once your German Shepherd has ended his puppy stage and transitioned into adulthood, hes ready to eat a balanced adult diet.

    Adult dog food will have a different ratio of calcium, protein, phosphorus, and other nutrients than puppy food does.

    Feeding an adult dog a puppy formula can cause obesity as well as put too much strain on kidneys and other vital organs. Long term use of inappropriate food for an adult dog can have catastrophic consequences.

    That said, there is no need to panic if your adult GSD eats a bowl of puppy food now and then.

    Adult German Shepherds should be fed twice a day. They can get by on once per day, but its always better to split daily caloric intake between smaller meals instead of feeding it all at once.

    Again, bloat is a real problem for large breed dogs, and large meals seem to be a big cause of this.

    If youre not home for twice-daily feedings, you can use an automatic feeder. These will dispense the proper amount of food at set times each day so your dog isnt left waiting for meals.

    Throughout the years, Ive fed a number of different high-quality dog foods to my German Shepherds.

    One of my consistent go-tos is Royal Canin Adult Breed German Shepherd dry dog food. I feed my adult dogs this particular blend for a number of reasons.

    In addition, this blend also uses optimal levels of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to make a GSDs coat pop, so to speak. You really can see the difference.

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    How To Make My German Shepherd Eat More

    Although more generic, our post on how to get your dog to put on weight quickly may offer additional help to this article. When looking at how to bulk up a german shepherd most owners will usually jump straight to getting their dog to eat more.

    There are two main approaches you can take with this. The first is to increase the amount of food that you give your dog at meal times. This can work for some dogs but for others, it can be a waste of time. For example, if your dog has stomach issues it may not be able to eat all of that food in one sitting and another dog in the household may finish the food off for them.

    The second way is to reduce the amount of food you give your dog at each meal but add an additional meal time at the end of the day. This should help your dog eat all of the food it is offered while ensuring that it puts weight one.

    To keep the math simple, lets say you would normally feed your dog 100 calories twice per day this would result in your dog eating 200 calories per day as normal. With strategy one, you may increase this to 125 calories pet meal resulting in 250 calories total. With strategy two, you may reduce this to 80 calories but add a third meal later in the day resulting in 240 calories total.

    Different dogs and different circumstances will respond better to different strategies so try your german shepherd with both. Once you know what one works better for your pet, move forward with that one.

    Dr Garys Best Breed German Dog Diet

    Rating:

    German Dog Diet is one of 13 dry recipes covered in our review of the Dr. Garys Best Breed product line.

    • First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, oatmeal, brown rice, dried beet pulp, chicken fat
    • Type: Grain-inclusive
    • Profile: All life stages
    • Best for:Adult shepherds and puppies

    Dr. Garys Best Breed German Dog Diet derives most of its animal protein from chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 36% protein, 22% fat and 34% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 63%.

    We like the fact the formula also includes zinc proteinate and other chelated minerals which provides superior absorption and nutrition. Highly recommended.

    Sample buyer reviewOur german shepherd has had a lot of itching problems since she was about 1 year old. We have tried different foods, supplements, sprays and shampoos. Nothing has seems to work as well as when we switched to this food. Scabs that were on her for months due to her itching them open all the time have finally healed over. She is still a little itchy, but significantly better than before. And she loves the food too! We used to leave her food bowl full all day because she would only pick throughout the day. With this food we are only doing 2-3 cups morning and night because she scarfs it all down in minutes! Glad we finally found something that she loves and works so well!

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    How To Spot Weight Loss In German Shepherd

    It can be harder to spot weight loss in your german shepherd. If youre on this article then you probably realize theres a problem with your german shepherds weight. However, to make sure that your german shepherd doesnt become overweight again, here are some easy rules to follow.

    Looking Down At Them

    When your german shepherd is standing up, stand over them and look down. They should look bulky and full. Slimming at the waist is to be expected as well.

    However, if you notice your german shepherds body looks more hourglass then triangular in shape, then they may be underweight.

    Feeling Their Ribs

    Another great test is to run your hands along their ribs. In a healthy dog, you should be able to feel their ribs ever so slightly under a small amount of fat and muscle. However, if your german shepherd is underweight his ribs will feel like skin and bone.

    German Shepherd Weight Milestones

    4 Best Food for German Shepherd To Gain Weight

    Every dog is different and they dont all grow at the same rate. But since German Shepherds have long been a standardized breed, there are established growth milestones theyre expected to achieve for every month of puppyhood and for each year of adulthood until theyre about three years old.

    According to the German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia, GSD males reach peak growth at around 3-4 years old, which is when they should weigh between 79 and 88 pounds.

    On the other hand, females are considered fully grown at 2-3 years old, weighing approximately 57 to 70 pounds. As puppies, theyre expected to gain weight at the following rates:

    Age in Weeks
    32 – 35 1.1 1.65

    These guidelines are useful because they provide a measurable basis for any German Shepherds health. Of course, some German Shepherds may fall outside of these ranges but this is a good guide to start with.

    When you care for a GSD, you need to monitor their weight regularly and use the breed standards chart to determine whether theyre underweight or overweight.

    If you have any concerns about your German Shepherd being underweight, talk to your vet to be certain.

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    How To Transition Your German Shepherd To A Raw Diet

    Raw feeding a German Shepherd for the first time takes time.

    A transition to a new diet for your dog is a slow process. This allows for your GSDs digestive tract to adjust, preventing stomach issues. Below is a general schedule you can use for this dietary change.

    Week 1: 25% new food and 75% old foodWeek 2: 50% new food and 50% old foodWeek 3: 25% new food and 75% old foodWeek 4: 100% new food

    Only proceed to increment your dogs new food percentage per week if he seems to be doing well during each transition. Monitor weight and health closely. If you notice any adverse reaction to his new food, you should go back a week in the transition plan and proceed at a slower pace.

    Never change your dogs food abruptly. It could cause an upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting.

    Iams Proactive Health Large Breed

    Rating:

    Large Breed Chicken and Whole Grains is one of 14 dry recipes covered in our review of the Iams ProActive Health product line.

    • First 5 ingredients: Chicken, ground whole grain barley, ground whole grain corn, ground whole grain sorghum, chicken by-product meal
    • Type: Grain-inclusive
    • Profile: Maintenance
    • Best for:Adult shepherds only

    Iams ProActive Health Large Breed derives the majority of its meat protein from chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 25% protein, 14% fat and 53% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

    This classic, grain-inclusive large breed design has been made by Iams for years and is a nutritious fit for adult German shepherds. Calcium levels are a bit high for shepherd puppies. Easily recommended.

    Sample buyer reviewIAMS is a product that I have turned to for complete nutrition for my dog as well as my cats! In fact, I have been feeding IAMS to my cats for over 20 years! Sure there are higher priced pet foods, but why would you want to pay more when you get the proper nutrition and a quality product at a reasonable price!

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    How Can I Keep My German Shepherd Healthy

    If your German Shepherd Is healthy weight gain will not be a big problem.

    You have to make sure when you change his diet or increase his feeding. You have to feed him the right amount of nutrients:

    There are 2 types of Nutrients:

    ESSENTIAL

    Water is essential for life. Water is one of the main ingredients in the world.

    Which are Functions Of Water In the Body?

    • Carries the nutrients
    • Flushes Out Bad Stuff
    • regulates body temperature

    Like us, Humans 70 % of German Shepherd Dog Body is Formed of water. This does not mean you have to Force him to drink a lot of water. Just make sure you give him enough water.

    Take your German shepherds bowel clean in which he will drink the water to avoid infections.

    Keeptrack Of Weight Gain And Loss

    150-Pound German Shepherd Loses 50 Pounds | The Dodo Comeback Kids

    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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    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.

    German Shepherd Feeding General Guidelines

    Most vets will tell you to watch the dog and not the bowl when deciding how much to feed a German Shepherd. What they mean by this is that you should always be aware of your dogs body size, shape, and condition, and not being too strict with charts and graphs of food measurements.

    If your dog seems to be gaining weight, reduce the number of calories they consume. Start with reducing treats or any table scraps you may be feeding him.

    If he is still gaining weight, you can slowly reduce the amount of food you give him during his regular meals.

    On the other side of the spectrum, if your dog is overly thin, lethargic, and not doing well, you may be feeding her too little. Increase the amount of food in each meal by small increments. ¼ cup at a time is usually sufficient.

    Do not make drastic changes to your dogs feeding schedule or the amount you give. Do not suddenly remove an entire meal. All changes to your dogs diet should be made gradually, ideally over the course of several weeks.

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