Feeding a German Shepherd

Feeding German Shepherd Puppies

Prior to 6 weeks of age, a puppy will need milk 5/7 times a day and should be given some solid meat preferably fed by hand in the beginning, at about 4 weeks old, not too much at first, just really introduce your puppy to solid food, and then gradually increase the portions. You will find that at this early age, a puppy will eat and sleep most of the time. Don't force feed your puppy under any circumstances, each puppy will be different in their food needs and they will tell you when they are hungry!

If by any chance your puppy develops diarrhea, or is sick, then this is mainly due to over-feeding which you should avoid at all costs - their little stomachs are unable to cope. Feeding a German Shepherd puppy should be little and often in the early stages and gradually increase the size of each meal, don't rush it because you're building a dog for the long term, and you need to build him up over a period of time so that he develops into a mature healthy German Shepherd Dog.

Make sure that as the puppy gets older, water is readily available. At about 8 weeks old, your puppy should be feeding 3/4 times a day and after 12 weeks will begin to start 'teething'. Make certain that the food you give to your puppy is 'puppy food' and not ordinary dog food - the reason for this is that 'puppy food' has more protein, fat and carbohydrates, nutrient-rich minerals are added (which a puppy will need to help growth in it's early stages of development) and are easily digestible. You want your puppy to build muscle,have strong bone structure, good teeth from calcium supplements and have a nice coat.
So always make sure that your German Shepherd puppies diet is well balanced, is 'puppy food', and is consistent in giving your puppy the right mix of ingredients to help his growth - it's very important that they  are given the right food at the beginning.
click here >>>Healthy Food for Dogs


Puppy food contains extra vitamins and proteins to build up energy levels,and that's why 'puppy food' is essential for a young growing dog to provide a healthy diet.

Feeding your German Shepherd Dog

How often should I feed my dog?

When your dog has reached 12 months of age, then you should introduce adult dog food which should be a complete, balanced nutritional diet for German Shepherds with the right amount of proteins, vitamins and mineral supplements included to help your dogs growth and dietary requirements.

Feeding your German Shepherd should be twice a day and be at regular scheduled times. Don't feed late at night and make sure your dog has plenty of exercise and despite what others may tell you - always wait at least 30 minutes for your dog to settle down after taking him out before feeding. That way he is perfectly relaxed and calm. If you feed your dog as soon as you get back home, he will still be in an excitable state and will no doubt 'rush his food' and end up with possible stomach problems, flatulence and other digestive problems.

In adult human terms - we would call this 'bolting your food' which leads to indigestion and 'wind' and 'upset tummy' so always refrain from feeding after exercise, playtime or walks, wait for a minimum time of 30 minutes.Always remember to give your dog time to digest his food after eating, quietly and calmly, and don't play with him or take him out, for at least an hour after eating.
This way he will digest his food properly and retain the benefits in his digestive system and not have any food disorders that may effect his health.

A German Shepherd does not reach maturity until about 2 years of age and prior to this they are still growing, building muscle and body fat so a good dog diet is essential with regular meal times, together with good exercise.

German Shepherds tend to eat their meals quickly - this is a good sign because it shows that they are healthy (in the wild they would eat quickly because they wouldn't know when they might eat again). If a dog loses interest in their food, (or seems to have lost his appetite) this might be a sign of poor health such as worms or other parasites which could lead to intestinal problems. All dogs should be wormed occasionally, worming tablets are the normal method.
see The Ultimate Guide To Dog Health for more information.

Up to when your German Shepherd is about 2 years old they ideally should be fed twice a day. By this time having matured (and reached their maximum growth) feeding should be reduced to once a day.
 
An older dog only needs feeding once a day, (because they need less energy from their food), together with just a light breakfast, spoil them occasionally with a raw egg mixed up with some biscuit - they just love it.

I can never understand why some dog owners always feed their dogs with the same food - they need variety as well, different meat flavors always work well like beef and chicken (without the bones),so your dog appreciates changes whilst still having a well balanced nuitrinional diet.
Large crunchy chunks are best for keeping your dog's teeth clean, and keep their gums healthy and also help to control tartar.

You should also be aware that the food you give your dog can effect your dog's behavior.
Too much protein can make your dog restless and over excitable and may lead to dog behavior problems. An unbalanced diet can lead to dog health problems, such as flaky skin or your dog's coat becoming 'mangy' so if you see your German Shepherd Dog is continuously scratching or biting itself, this could be a symptom of poor dietary control, mineral or vitamin deficiency, and you may need vetinary assistance.

for more information about feeding a German Shepherd
click here >>>Healthy Food for Dogs

Be careful not to let your dog become lazy and obese, plenty of exercise and a good balanced diet are required to keep your dog in good shape.
If you have a pregnant dog, then as the time for puppies gets closer, you will need to
increase your dog's food intake see German Shepherd Dog Pregnancy

Dry Vs. Canned food

Dogs would prefer canned food because there is not only a much greater variety of flavors, but the canned food is approximately 70% to 80% moisture, but in dry food it's only about 10% moisture. Dogs prefer canned food because it's tastier!

However, from a food nutrients point of view, dry food contains nearly 90% nutrients, with canned food being only approximately 1% and canned food is usually soya based products that are made to look like meat. Some are beef or chicken based and mineral and vitamin supplements are added to improve your dog's health.

This results in a dog eating more canned food than if on a dry food diet which is made up normally of corn,soya bean and rice based. (Your dog may think.... boring!)

Canned dog food cost more than dry food and costs can vary widely depending on quality and 'brand name'. However, the final decision tends to be left to your own dog... what suits one dog may not suit another.

No matter what type of food if your dog won't eat it, then forget it! Each to their own, he likes it or not - no matter what it says on the label!

click here >>>Healthy Food for Dogs


Now with larger dogs like German Shepherds, they need a semi-moist diet and I've found from many years experience that a combination of the two i.e. dry food with the addition of a can of dog food mixed up together has always been the solution for our German Shepherd Dogs.

The dry food is the basis, the mix of canned food gives the added flavor taste, vitamin and mineral supplements, thus resulting in the best of both worlds.
So German Shepherd dog food must be tasteful to him, be semi-moist (which they prefer) and contain the right amount of vitamins, proteins and nutrients and supplements to give your dog a healthy diet.

Home Made Dog Food

When you hear about 'Dog Food Recalls' it's not surprising to know that more and more dog owners worried about their dog's health, are turning to Home Made Dog Food.
Commercial Dog Foods have artificial coloring agents and flavoring agents that can be harmful to your dog, and have preservatives added.

You have more control over the ingredients used in preparing home made dog food, and can be more certain that your dog is getting the right balance of vitamins and supplements that go into giving your dog a healthy balanced diet with good nutritional values. for more information click here >>>Healthy Food for Dogs

It's fairly easy to prepare healthy dog food at home given the time, and the necessary knowledge that you can get on line explaining how you can do this for yourself, and it's very economical too!

Some dog owners are very keen to give their dog natural pet food which can include vegetarian dog food and even organic dog food. Home-made dog food prepared in your own kitchen at home can give you the opportunity to provide holistic pet care of your own choosing to give your dog a healthy food diet - which is perhaps (given the outcry with commercial dog food recalls recently) a good way for you to provide a natural pet food diet for your own German Shepherd.

Understanding dog food ingredients

Beet pulp, pasta, Soy bean oil, wheat middlings, calcium carbonate, fish oil,magnesium oxide, copper sulphate, iron sulphate, zinc oxide, choline chloride, etc. are some of the ingredients in a vegetarian based diet for dogs.

Raw egg, freshly cut chicken pieces, ground beef, mutton, fish etc. are often the preferred ingredients in normal healthy dog diets. Taurine is one of the essential ingredients for dog nutrition. 

Many premium type of dog food preparations contain essential fatty acids, carbohydrates with adequate fiber contents, vitamins like A, D, E and B complex vitamins.

Minerals such as zinc, are an essential ingredient for skin health care, and calcium - which is an essential ingredient for bone growth, and tonicity of muscles.  They should be enriched in these food items. However, the cost of those food preparations are usually more expensive than the food preparations with general ingredients.But without any doubt it may be better for your dog's health.

for more information click here >>>Healthy Food for Dogs

German Shepherds are prone to gastro-intestinal problems so easily digestible foods such as scrambled eggs are ideal for their sensitive stomachs. If ever you notice a change in your German Shepherd Dog's behavior or dog's health, then check to see if you have made any changes to your dog's diet because  it can have an effect.. If you have added a new ingredient to your dog's diet, then remove it and see if his behavior goes back to normal, or  any changes to his coat  are resolved.
Feeding your German Shepherd the right  type of dog food, keeping him in top health and good condition should remain your priority for your dog at all times.

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