Feeding a German Shepherd
Be it whoever, food is always a major concern. And when it comes to dogs, the right nutrition makes a lot of difference. Same goes for German Shepherd Dogs (GSD).
To stay the active, healthy, and graceful breed that they are, a German Shepherd Dog needs an 18-22% protein rich diet. Along with that, the right amount of fats, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates are essential too.
Types of Diet
Let us now look at the various food options suitable for a German Shepherd Dog.
Dry Food
This is probably the best option to feed a dog. It is easy to maintain i.e. you don’t have to worry about preparing it, storing it, or not getting the right nutrients in a meal. Moreover, it’s convenient to serve, and you can also add cooked meat, or veggies to it. Before buying it, make sure you go for the good quality dog food which does not contain fillers or low quality ingredients.
Canned Wet Food
This option is suitable for those senior dogs which have difficulty in chewing, the ones that are picky, or are not able to digest food. You can also consider it if your dog doesn’t drink enough water. It might however lead to gum diseases since your dog will not be chewing much. Plus, it has a short shelf life.
Homemade food
With this food, you have full control over what you feed your dog. If there is a specific nutrient that you have to feed your dog, you can include it in this diet. It works even better with picky eaters.
Some things that you can include are
-One boiled egg per day,
-Soup made from mutton/beef bones
-Boiled carrots, potatoes, and other veggies
-Dairy like cheese, yogurt, milk. (Make sure your dog is not lactose intolerant)
With homemade food, however, you have to be careful that you are including all the nutrients. So, it advisable to visit a vet for regular check ups.
Raw food
Raw or BARF is the newest way of feeding your dog a nutritious diet. The debate around whether dogs need a raw food diet or not is still ongoing, so we would advise switching to this diet only after consultation with a canine nutritionist.
Frequency of Meals
After the type of food, another thing to keep in mind is the frequency of feeding. Make sure that the meals should be equally spaced, and the transition while decreasing the number of meals is smooth.
-From the weaning period till it is three months old, feed it four meals with ½ to 1 cup per meal
-From three months to six months, three meals with 1 to 1¾ cup per meal.
-From six month onwards, two meals per day with 2 to 2½ cup per meal. The portion size will increase to 2½ to 3½ when your dog turns one year old.
Also, make sure that you keep their water bowl filled and clean at all times so that your dog stays hydrated, because it tends to get dehydrated because of not drinking enough water. And you will realise that GSDs are very picky eaters (as if we ourselves are not!). So, you’ll have to keep bringing variations to their meals too!
