What food is best for a German Shepherd?

Owners who do not have time to prepare food for their dog from natural products every day are wondering how to choose dry food for a German shepherd that will satisfy all the needs of their four-legged friend. Before offering commercial food to a pet, the owner should study the composition of ready-made food and check whether it contains dyes, stabilizers and flavor enhancers that are harmful to animals.

Holistic feed

This is the best ready-made food for German Shepherds. Dry crispy granules contain fresh meat, plant components, fruits and vegetables. These foods do not contain grains, so they can be given even to sick and elderly dogs who are undesirable to feed carbohydrate foods.

Holistic food brands include Grandorf, NOW Fresh, Acana, SAVARRA, Orijen, Pronature Holistic and Genesis Pure.

Holistic feed

Diet calculation for a 2 month old puppy

Let's take the Orijen Puppy Dog product as an example and look at the feeding rate chart. All breeds here are divided into 4 groups:

• miniature and small (up to 5 kg);
• small and medium (up to 10 kg);
• medium (up to 20 kg);
• large (up to 30 kg or more).

Please note that we are talking about the weight of adult representatives of the breed. Let's say an adult beagle normally weighs 13–18 kg and is a medium breed.

When a dog is not purebred, it is a little more difficult to find out its expected weight. If you know the puppy's parents, use their parameters as a guide. If the baby is found on the street, check this point with your veterinarian: an experienced specialist will be able to determine how the puppy will grow up.

Example 1

A German Shepherd puppy weighs 9 kg at 2 months. This breed is large, which means we select the last column. The daily norm per 10 kg of weight is 230 g. It must be divided by the number of feedings. Usually at this age dogs are fed at least 4-5 times. 230:5 = 46 g - the size of one serving.

Example 2

Yorkshire terrier puppy, body weight 500 g. Select the category of miniature dogs and current weight <2 kg. As can be seen from the table, the feeding rate is 85 g. Do not forget that this is the amount of food for a day, and not for one time. 85: 5 = 17 g - per meal with five meals a day.

Universal feed

Not all Acana and Orijen lines have specialized products for puppies. If the food is intended for animals of any age, the norm is calculated slightly differently. To determine how much dry food to give a puppy at 2 months, the norm for an adult dog of the corresponding breed is doubled.

Super premium food

This class includes nutrition, which is practically no different from holistic foods in composition; they are also made from high-quality meat products and supplemented with vitamin and mineral complexes. May contain cereals and egg protein in small quantities.

The premium class includes food from the brands Brit Care, Gina Elite, Monge, Arden Grange, Eukanuba and Bosch.

Super premium food

FAQ

What is the difference between holistic food and premium food?

The main difference between the feeds is the absence of by-products of plant and animal origin in holistic foods. Only natural meat, fish, vegetables, etc. All ingredients must be environmentally friendly. This food is more efficiently absorbed by the body, i.e. it is healthier for the pet. The cost of elite holistic specialists, due to the above reasons, is quite high.

Can I feed an adult dog puppy food?

The answer is negative. Even if the breed of an adult dog and a puppy are the same, the qualitative and quantitative composition of food for puppies is significantly different. The smaller size of kibble or kibble is also inconvenient for feeding an adult dog. It should be noted the negative consequences of the reverse process - feeding puppies with “adult” food.

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Premium food

To make such food, not the highest quality ingredients are used, and meat is replaced with offal. The main components of this food are vegetables and grains (wheat, peas). Dyes and flavors are added to the granules, so it smells delicious and dogs like it. But experts do not recommend feeding shepherds such food, since it does not contain components and vitamins beneficial to animals.

The premium list includes products from Hills, Royal Canin, ProPlan, Araton and Probalance.

Premium food

What food should I choose for my German Shepherd?

When selecting a ready-made menu, it is necessary to take into account that manufacturers create lines that differ by class. Feed classes differ from each other in composition, quality of ingredients and, accordingly, price.

Manufacturers offer the following dry food options for shepherds:

• Economy class. Budget food that attracts the attention of breeders at an affordable price. However, the composition may contain flavorings and enhancers, instead of meat there may be by-products, and the basis of the food may be cereals. This food is not suitable for daily feeding, but can be used as a snack or variety of diet.
• Premium class. The diets contain a sufficient amount of meat ingredients. This food is suitable only for adult animals: premium food is not suitable for puppies due to its low energy value.
• Super premium. Super-premium German Shepherd food provides a balanced portion that is suitable for dogs of any age. The main feature of the menu is its high meat content and no by-products.
• Holistics. Only natural meat that has not been frozen is used here. The composition contains all the necessary vitamins and microelements, so when choosing holistic formulas you can save on additional feeding.

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Economy dog ​​food

Economy feed dry granules contain a mixture of ground bones, cartilage, vegetables and grains. They do not contain meat; instead they use food additives and flavor enhancers. This food does not have any nutritional value for German Shepherds. Moreover, veterinarians warn owners against choosing economy-class food, as it can harm the delicate and sensitive digestive system of dogs.

Economical and cheap food is manufactured by Happy Dog, Chappy, Purina One and Pedigree.

Economy class food

How to choose food for shepherds

When choosing food for a pet, most buyers focus on the weight of the packaging and cost. This is incorrect, since these characteristics do not take into account the individual characteristics of the breed and a number of other important criteria. The health, activity and appearance of the animal depend on the correct choice of feed. The features of food presented below will allow the owner to make the right choice, and the four-legged pet to maintain health and vigor.

• Age of the animal. At different age periods in an animal’s life, just like a person’s, the diet changes significantly. First of all, this concerns the quantitative and qualitative composition of biologically active substances. When purchasing food, pay attention to the age of the animal (puppy, adult or aging dog). Age criteria can be duplicated by average numerical values: puppy/adolescent - up to 12 months, adult dog - from one year to 6 years, aging animal - from 7 years.
• Breed and size of dog. The Central Asian, Swiss, East European Shepherd is a large short-haired dog breed. The Belgian and Old English Sheepdog (Bobtail) is a large, long-haired breed. As the size of the animal increases, the serving volume and the size of granules or pieces of dry/liquid food change. To make your pet's long hair look presentable, easy to comb and not mat, additional special ingredients are added to the nutritional mixture.
• Feed composition. An important characteristic of high-quality feed is its composition and percentage of digestibility. Dog nutrition is divided into the following classes: holistic - 75-85% protein digestibility, superpremium (professional) - more than 85%, premium - no more than 77%, economy - no more than 62%. Digestion of dogs proceeds quickly, therefore, the more nutrients enter the body, the higher the digestibility of the food. An additional aspect is hypoallergenic nutrition. The sensitive digestion of some animals requires more “capricious” food. If your pet has this type of digestive disorder, when choosing food, look for the labels: hypoallergenic or for sensitive digestion.
• Safety. The lower the category of food, the higher the percentage of substitutes it contains (dyes, flavors, stabilizers, artificial additives). A high percentage of these types of ingredients can negatively affect the condition of the pet. This feature is most often inherent in economy class meals. To balance the diet when choosing food for the specified segment, consultation with a veterinarian is required.

In addition to the above features, it is necessary to note the nature of the packaging. It should be waterproof material, vacuum packaging, tightly closed zip bag, etc., preventing rancidity and spoilage of the contents. The label must contain complete information about the purpose, composition, and shelf life of feed mixtures. If additional preparation (heat treatment, etc.) is recommended before use, this should also be reflected on the product label.

Useful materials to choose from

What food to feed a German Shepherd puppy

In order for the baby to grow and develop normally, he should be fed only super premium and holistic food.

Dry food for German Shepherd puppies from manufacturers such as contains all the elements necessary for babies and is designed according to the months of growing up of small pets.

The aromatic crunchy granules in puppy food are made in small sizes and compact shapes, making them convenient for feeding small pets.

Important: puppies aged one to two months cannot always chew dry granules, so before use they can be slightly soaked in kefir or broth.

Feeding German Shepherd puppies dry food

Most breeders of large dogs, including German shepherds, recommend feeding them natural products. However, in practice, many owners of “Germans,” despite a conscious decision to have a pet of this particular breed, do not have enough time to feed the dog meat products and cereals and prepare food for their pet every second day.

Therefore, choosing dry food is an important and responsible step. Industrial food must meet the various requirements that are put forward at different stages of growing up of a German Shepherd puppy. In order for the performance data of an adult pet to remain at a high level for a long time, the owner must know what the finished food is made of and refuse options containing dyes or flavor enhancers . Nutrition has a direct impact on the pet’s appearance, as well as its general condition. Therefore, experiments with a dog’s health are unacceptable.

High-quality food during puppyhood is the key to longevity, excellent health and high performance of a German Shepherd.

Most often, when choosing the type of dry food, dog handlers advise paying attention to the following points:

• The character and temperament of the dog, the individual level of its innate activity. For example, protein should predominate in the diet of calmer pets. But active choleric patients need an increased amount of carbohydrates.
• Estimated future occupation of the German Shepherd, intensity of training.
• Working conditions for the dog. For example, the food of service German shepherds performing guard duty in the penitentiary system, especially in the northern regions of the country, contains a higher percentage of fat than the menu of dogs on guard duty.

Can I use wet food?

The majority of animal food manufacturers have in their product line not only dry food, but also wet food - canned food, pates, stews. The production of such food is not much different from its “dry” counterpart. The manufacturing method consists of processing raw materials, which are successively mixed, crushed, heat-treated and formed into pieces or a single mass.

Food becomes wet due to its high water content, additives responsible for moisture levels, and the lack of drying after the preparation process is completed. The food package is usually designed for one meal.

Just like dry food, wet food is divided into 3 main classes:

1. Economy (Chappy, Caesar, Darling, Happy Dog, Pedigree).
2. Premium (Purina, Hills, Royal Canin).
3. Superpremium (Ekanuba, Arden Grange, Animonda, Berkeley).

Although many dogs love these canned foods, owners should be aware of the main drawback. Wet food is not balanced. That is why this type of food must be combined with dry food and offered to the pet no more than once a week. Mainly as an encouragement.

The main recommendation from breeders is that canned food should be kept to a minimum in the German Shepherd's diet.

Natural nutrition

Feeding natural foods has both compelling advantages and some disadvantages. The main and undoubted advantage is that no food, even super premium food, can replace real meat.

Not to mention the fact that bones with meat trimmings are necessarily included in the German Shepherd’s diet even when using dry food. This is done primarily to prevent the formation of tartar. Therefore, you will still have to buy these products from time to time.

The main disadvantages of natural nutrition come down to two:

• Large time costs, the need to constantly monitor the freshness of food, daily food preparation.
• Feeding natural foods usually costs more.

The natural daily diet of a German Shepherd should be organized as follows:

1. 50% fresh meat, which can be replaced with fish once a week.
2. 20-30% buckwheat or rice porridge.
3. 20-30% vegetables and cottage cheese.

Vitamin and mineral complexes are drunk once every 6 months, in spring and autumn. A different schedule of administration is possible only as prescribed by a veterinarian.

Allowed products that can be included in the dog’s menu:

• Meat – beef, poultry (chicken, turkey).
• Meat by-products, the abuse of which is not recommended.
• Raw eggs, 5-6 times a month.
• Fish (sea fish only), no more than 3-4 times a month, with an increase in portions by 30-40% .
• Cottage cheese and other fermented milk products without additives.
• Buckwheat, rice.
• Fresh vegetables - carrots, cabbage.
• Fruits can be offered to your pet according to his taste, in the absence of allergies, and no more than once a month.

It is strictly forbidden to give your German Shepherd:

1. Tubular bones.
2. Semi-finished products, sausages, canned foods that people consume.
3. Legumes.
4. Millet, semolina and corn porridge.
5. Pasta, white bread, pastries.
6. Sweets, chocolate.
7. Nuts.

Daily intake of dry food for puppies and adult dogs

The approximate dosage of ready-made food for daily consumption by dogs is indicated on the packaging. It is recommended to give adult shepherd dogs 600-750 grams of dry food per day, divided into two meals. But it all depends on the activity and lifestyle of the pet. For energetic and active animals, this portion is considered the norm, and pets that are kept in an apartment and move little are given no more than 500 grams of food per day.

Regarding feeding German Shepherd puppies with dry food, the daily amount is indicated on the package and depends on the age of the baby.

Features of dry food for German Shepherds

“Germans” are a breed of large dogs that need constant vitamins and beneficial microelements. The breed is active, so you need to feed the dog diets containing ingredients that keep the animal healthy and active.

Industrial nutrition in the form of dry and wet rations was developed with the participation of veterinarians and taking into account special research. Well-known manufacturers offer a balanced menu for German Shepherds, taking into account the characteristics of the breed. Recipes are created not only for a specific breed, but also for different ages of dogs: from juniors to older pets

Dry food for a German Shepherd should contain the following proportions of components:

• Proteins – up to 70%: meat, cartilage, dairy products;
• Carbohydrates – up to 40%: fiber-rich cereals;
• Fats – up to 20%: vegetable and animal origin.

Depending on the age and lifestyle of the dog, the daily diet may vary.

Top 11 best industrial food for shepherds

If the owner cannot decide which food to choose for his pet, he can trust the reviews of the owners and the advice of veterinarians, according to which the rating of the best ready-made food has been compiled.

Choosing the best dry food for your pet is a responsible task for the owner. You should not experiment with your dog’s health by choosing food at random. And, if the shepherd dog refuses the food offered, perhaps it does not like the owner’s choice and it is worth choosing a different brand of food for the animal that the pet will like.

Every puppy is unique

When deciding on the size of a puppy’s daily portion, also take into account its individual characteristics and living conditions. If your baby has a lot of active training or lives in an outdoor enclosure, he will need more food than his peers who spend all day in the apartment. To avoid overfeeding and underfeeding, monitor your pet’s fatness and, if necessary, adjust the rate in one direction or another.

We wrote in detail in this article about how many times a day to give dry food to a puppy - at 2,4,6–7 months and older.