What is the Best Dog Food for a German Shepherd? The German Shepherd Dog, lovingly referred to as the GSD, is a large breed of dog known for its black and tan coat and wolf- like features. Their fierce devotion to their owners make them a favorite of law enforcement along with their size and trainability. These dogs have solidly muscular bodies that require high- quality nutrition to maintain. In this article you will learn the basics about providing a quality diet for your GSD and get the scoop on the best brands of dog food to be feeding your loyal pet. German Shepherd Diet & Nutrition. The average German Shepherd weighs between 6. In addition to their strength and intelligence, German Shepherds are also known for being active, athletic dogs. This being the case, a GSD requires a high- quality diet that provides enough protein to support muscle health and fat for energy. Hi, fellow German Shepherd Lovers, I am Nancy Richards. If there's one German Shepherd problem I hear about probably more than. Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Food features an exclusive kibble tailor made for each breed. The kibble's shape, size, texture, and formula are adapted to the. We have purebred German Shepherd puppies for sale in. I myself have 2 german shepherds. This was a very informative article, however i do have to question some of the things listed because every dog is different. ![]() ![]() ![]() According to the National Research Council of the National Academies, active German Shepherds require an average caloric intake between 1,7. Older and less active dogs may require a lower calorie count. Protein is the top requirement in a German Shepherd’s diet and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends a minimum of 2. Fat is an important source of energy and should comprise at least 8% of the diet for German Shepherd puppies and 5% for adults. One thing to be wary of with German Shepherds in particular is that they tend to grow quickly so you shouldn’t have a puppy on puppy- specific diet for more than 6 months. Switching to an adult formula after 6 months of age will help to prevent bone and joint issues related to rapid growth. Ingredients to Look For. Protein and fat are the two most important components of a German Shepherd’s diet but these nutrients shouldn’t come from just any ingredients – they should come from high- quality sources. Ideally, your dog’s protein should come from whole meat sources like poultry, fish and beef as well as organ meats. Animal by- products such as chicken meal do not provide as much protein or as many other nutrients as whole protein sources. In regard to healthy fat sources, look for a dog food that includes vegetable and fish oils to provide omega- 3 fatty acids – these are necessary to keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy. Additional ingredients you might look for in a German Shepherd food include vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes and small amounts of digestible carbohydrates like barley, rice and oats. ![]() Recommended Brands of Food. Every dog is different so you need to purchase a food that will provide for your dog’s individual needs. Some of the brands that are most highly recommended for German Shepherds in particular include: Orijen is hands down the most respected and high quality dog food on the market. Sure there are a lot of other good dog foods on the market, but you’ll be hard- pressed to find another that contains the amount of care and preparation that goes into every bag. We recommend Adult Dog for a lot of breeds, but it checks a lot of the specific boxes for German Shepherds. High protein content from quality sources, grain- free for allergy prevention, and lots of essential vitamins and minerals for optimum health are a few of the pros you get with Orijen. The only real reason you shouldn’t buy this food is price. ![]() Unfortunately it’s one of the more expensive dog foods on the market and comes close to matching the cost per pound ratio of most wet foods. We found it for $7. Chewy. com which comes out to $2. German Shepherds eat about 2 cups of food per day (depending on weight) which equates to about a pound of food. That means that one bag of Orijen dog food should last your GSD about a month. If you have the budget for Orijen you shouldn’t need to look anywhere else. By far the fan favorite of online dog foods, Taste of the Wild hits the sweet spot where quality and price come together. Taste of the Wild’s Wetland dry dog food is Made in the USA and, like Orijen, is also grain- free. This is great for Sheps with skin allergies or sensitive stomachs as it removes a lot of the typical ingredients that cause itching and bloat. Their 3. 0lb bag retails (on sale) for $4. Chewy right now which is the best online price we could find. Given that you’re not sacrificing that much quality for this brand we think this is a very affordable dog food for your German Shepherd that is a suitable competitor to Orijen for close to half the price. Dog food consumers rave about Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance dog foods. Most of the options are for all life- stages meaning puppies and adult dogs and have limited ingredients which help stop skin allergies in GSD’s. Feeding raw might be a little more time consuming than just filling a bowl with kibble, especially in the beginning, but as you get into a routine of doing it and.Natural Balance is Made in the USA and is available commercially as well as online. We found it at Chewy. That puts it at $2. ![]() Orijen and Taste of the Wild. Give this one a try if your dog has especially sensitive stomach issues or itches and scratches a lot. What about for German Shepherd puppies? Young shep pups require nearly the exact same consideration as their muscular moms and dads. Go grain- free whenever possible to avoid common allergens and irritants and of course look out for foods listing named meats such as beef, bison and chicken as the first ingredients. ![]() Stay away from puppy foods that use “by- products” in their initial offerings. Also, don’t forget to pick brands that have a solid history of recall- free pet food production and consumer advocacy. Here are the ones we like most: Conclusion. German Shepherds are large, active dogs so they require high- quality nutrition. ![]() ![]() After learning the basics about your dog’s nutritional needs, you should be well equipped to choose a dog food that will fulfill your German Shepherd’s needs. Best Dog Food for German Shepherds. And of we go on our quest to find the best dog food for German Shepherds. Many owners will not give much thought to what kind of food they feed their German shepherds. The truth is that German shepherds need to eat a lot of food. These dogs, which can weigh as much as a hundred pounds, can and will eat more than bag of food every week, if their owner is not paying attention. It is very important to watch what a GSD eats and how much he eats, as these dogs are prone to gastro- intestinal distress, especially due to overeating. These large, intelligent, active dogs need a highly nutritious, filling food that sustains their activity and their brains. Unfortunately, the cheapest foods on the market are not going to provide the kinds of nutrition that is going to support a German shepherd’s health and wellness. Here are some tips to make sure you find the right kind of food for your adult German shepherd dog and to make sure he is fed properly. It’s more about the right food for your dog than about the best dog food for German Shepherds. Finding the best dog food for a German shepherd can be difficult. There are many conflicting signals about what shepherds eat, what foods are best, what kind of allergies they face, and whether nor not a German shepherd raw food diet will benefit your dog. Finding the right dog food to keep up with German shepherd eating habits doesn’t have to be impossible, however. Follow these tips to make sure that your dog gets the right nutrition for his breed and for his stage of life. Consider your Shepherd’s nutritional needs Because these dogs are large and strong—nearly 8. German shepherd’s weight is comprised just of muscle and bone—their primary nutritional need will be protein and fat. Your dog’s specific needs may be different. If he needs to lose weight or put it on, he might need a dog food formulated to help dogs lose weight or put it on. High quality dog foods will be at least 1. Puppy formulations will have a higher protein and fat content, but most German shepherds only need to be on puppy food until they are six months old. Make note of your GSD’s activity level. Dogs who live an active lifestyle will need more than 1. Most German shepherds are naturally active, but they will become less active as they age. Additionally, your dog might just not be as active as others, just as some humans are naturally less active. These dogs will need a lower caloric intake. In between 1. 70. Know what ingredients to look for. The number one ingredient to look for is a healthy source of protein. The very first ingredient on the bag should be a source of protein—and one that your dog is not going to be allergic to. Chicken, beef, and fish are all great choices for dog food, but there are dogs in the German shepherd breed that are allergic to one of these three sources of protein, so always make sure to read the bag. Additionally, there should be a healthy source of fat. Fish is another good option, but vegetable oils are primarily used as a healthy fat for German shepherds. In order to keep his energy up, you will want to look for carbohydrates like barley and rice. In short, you want the dog food to be dominated by real food with names that you know and recognize. Anything that contains “by- products” should go back on the shelf. Know the Dog Food brands. Not every brand is going to produce a dog food for German shepherds specifically. In fact, most brands don’t. However, both Royal Canin and Eukanuba produce high quality dog foods that are formulated specifically for German shepherds. Many natural brands like Blue Buffalo or Blue Wilderness will have a formulation that is perfect for large breeds like the GSD. These will usually have a good ratio of carbs to fat to protein that will keep a shepherd strong and healthy, even if the formula isn’t just for German shepherds. Dry Dog Food or Wet Dog Food. Dry food or wet food? Because there are many great dry food and wet food options for German shepherd owners, many have difficulty picking between these two types of food or knowing whether they can be mixed. While wet food might seem like the best option, especially because it is sometimes contains raw pieces of meat or other nutritional draws. Dry food is usually the best option, unless you have an elderly shepherd who has lost teeth or is having trouble chewing crunchy bits of food. Because dry food has some dental health benefits, overall more convenient, as well as being nutritionally stable for German shepherds. The texture can help to remove and prevent plaque from forming on teeth, and especially in early life, chewing dry food can help to build strong jaw bones and muscles. We combine dry and wet food at times. Especially with our last GSD who is a fairly difficult eater. Wet food makes him happy. If you buy a decent brand you’ll also get all the nutritional value you need. It’s also more easy to digest. Just make sure it doesn’t expire or becomes bad in the bowl during the summer. Compare prices. The truth is that high- quality German shepherd dog food is going to be more expensive than low- quality food. It can be tempting to buy and feed a dog lower quality food simply because German shepherds need to eat so much food throughout the day and because keeping up with that demand while buying the higher quality food can put a dent in your bank account. However, those lower- quality foods rarely have the right nutritional content in order to keep large, active dogs healthy. Just like with humans, if all you feed your dog is junk food, they will be tired, more likely to develop serious diseases, and will have a hard time maintaining a healthy weight, no matter how much exercise they do. On the other hand, there are fairly inexpensive high- quality foods you can buy, especially if you compare prices before purchasing. Be aware of German shepherd food allergies. The most common German shepherd food allergies include corn and wheat. It’s usually best to avoid dog foods that have high corn and wheat contents. Food colorings, preservatives, and other chemicals that a dog would never have encountered if they lived in the wild, are often cause of allergies. Many German shepherds are allergic to dairy, while eggs, soy, and even beef and chicken can be allergies. Most of the time, if a dog is experiencing food allergies, especially those related to the kind of protein in the food, should be switched to a food that uses lamb as its protein and rice as its carbohydrate. If you notice that your dog is having bowel issues or is itching constantly, try switching the current brand for a brand that uses totally different protein, fat, and carb sources. Raw Dog Food or cooked? Raw or cooked? Many owners will give their dogs a raw food diet, claiming that raw meat and vegetables are what a dog would be eating if they lived in the wild. However, dogs that live in the wild rarely live to be older than four or five years and domesticated dogs are different enough from wolves and wild dogs that feeding them the exact same diet does not always make sense. In some instances a German shepherd raw food diet is a great choice, but do not immediately assume that it is the only choice for your dog. As long as the food is properly cooked, dry food and even homemade dog food can be great for your shepherd. Feeding a German Shepherd. How do you know if your dog is getting enough to eat? How do you know if he is getting too much? How do you know if he is getting the right kind of food? Paying attention to your dog’s eating habits, setting up a feeding schedule that he can learn to rely on, and following these tips can make it much easier to feed your German shepherd. How much should my German shepherd eat? The average German shepherd should eat in between three and four cups of dog food every day. If you are not sure how much he needs to eat, refer to the dog food bag’s caloric content and feed him enough food to make sure he is getting at least 1. German shepherds require more calories than 1. In general, the best and only way to know if your dog is getting enough to eat is to feel his sides. You should be able to feel his ribs, but not see them. If you can both feel and see them, he needs more food. If they can be neither seen nor felt, he needs less food. What can I do to avoid “bloat?”As is common in large dogs, German shepherds can come down with a condition called gastric dilation- volvulus or bloat. This happens when a dog eats too quickly, gulping in the food instead of actually chewing it and taking his time. This is a serious condition that can cause shock and can even stop his heart. Finding a way to slow down his eating is the best way to avoid this issue. Putting a tennis ball in his food bowl is a good way to slow him down, as is finding a food bowl that is more of a ring than actually a bowl. His caloric intake should be split into at least two meals a day and don’t walk him or run him for more than hour before and an hour after a meal. German Shepherd weight gain. Why is letting my GSD gain weight a bad thing? Letting a German shepherd gain weight can be a very bad thing, largely because of how large these dogs are and how prone they are to arthritis and conditions like hip and elbow dysplasia, even without excess weight. Keeping him trim and active will help to prolong his healthy life and prevent these conditions from developing, or at the very least, keep from exacerbating them. Where to buy the good dog food for your Shepherd. Where to find food? One of the most difficult parts of feeding your Germans shepherd good food is actually finding that good food. Unless you live in an area where there are natural pet food stores, your local grocery store might not carry the kind of dog food that you want to feed your shepherd. This means putting a little extra time and effort into the food finding process. It is easier than ever to find and buy high quality German shepherd dog food online and have it delivered right to your door.
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