Many owners of German shepherds mistakenly believe that the best food for a pet will be food from a human table. But breeders and vets strongly do not recommend it. The fact is that our food contains many elements harmful to the animal, such as salt and spices. This also includes the method of cooking.
You can’t feed the dog porridge with meat or even pure protein. The best food for a German shepherd is a balanced diet, where all the necessary substances are present: the optimal proportion of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, as well as minerals and vitamins. To independently create such a menu is a troublesome and expensive business.
Power Features
In this case, dry food for German shepherds is the best option. Such solutions are easy to use and do not require any additional hassle. No need to cook a pot of soup for your pet and worry that his food will go bad. Vitamins for young animals are also not worth worrying about. A good dry food for German Shepherd puppies contains all the minerals and vitamins necessary for a growing body.
Separately, it is worth noting that if your pet suffers from problems such as allergies, skin rashes, obesity and diseases of internal organs, then you can not do without proper nutrition.
We’ll try to find out which food is best for the German Shepherd. Consider popular brands that are respected among breeders and have a lot of positive feedback, as well as analyze the features of feeding a pet.
Popular food for German Shepherds
Food of such a plan is divided into categories. The simplest solutions belong to the economy class, better feeds are premium, super-premium. The holistic class is considered the best food. It contains the most pure meat and only natural additives. There is no flavor enhancer and flavorings. In addition, a person can eat such products, which says a lot about their quality.
Holistic
What is interesting: the cost of feed for German shepherd dogs is sometimes noticeably lower than the price of food at the level of super-premium and even premium. The fact is that manufacturers of the latter spend a lot of money on promoting the product, so the price is so inflated.
The best brands of feed for German Shepherd dogs holistic class:
- "Akana."
- "Artemis."
- Orijen.
- "Innova."
- Canidae.
- Felidae.
- Evo.
This is the best food for dogs - balanced and without a hint of harmful chemistry. But for exceptional quality you have to pay good money.
Premium
Premium and super premium German Shepherd feeds also contain meat products, but to a lesser extent. Here mainly semi-finished products prevail. In addition, these classes offer a ton of specialized solutions. For example, food for puppies of a German shepherd or pregnant animals.
The best premium and super premium brands:
- "Frolik."
- Hill's.
- "About Pak."
- Royal Canin.
- "Dr. Alders. "
- Eukanuba.
- "Purina Proplan."
Economy
Here we have inexpensive feeds that can be found in almost any store, while more noble classes are sold at specialized points of sale. Such solutions do not contain meat, but only offal, such as hooves, feathers and fat.
In addition, such food is abundantly flavored with cereals and soy. Breeders and veterinarians believe that it is not worth giving economy-class products to your pet. This is especially true for pregnant animals and young animals. Of course, what kind of food to feed a German shepherd puppy is a private matter for everyone, but in this case the pet will not receive all the elements necessary for the growth of the body. Due to the lack of vitamins and minerals, immunity will be weakened, and the puppy will become more susceptible to disease.
Popular Economy Feed:
- Chappy.
- The Baron.
- "Our brand."
- "Purina Dog."
If you feed your pet with such products, then do not forget to give him vitamin complexes in addition. The latter will help pick up breeders or veterinarians.
German Shepherd Feeding Rules
The first step is to get the right bowl for shepherds. It should be high enough so that the pet does not eat from the floor. Otherwise, the musculoskeletal system will suffer. It is also worth considering some individual characteristics of the dog.
How active she is, her age and gender. Be sure to pay attention to wool and stool. The choice of feed depends on all these factors. Experts do not recommend conducting lengthy experiments with nutrition. If your pet loves one brand and eats it with pleasure, then you should not switch to another. At least not more than once a quarter.
In addition, you cannot immediately change one feed to another. New food must be added in small portions, gradually displacing the old. That is, to completely replace one solution with another, it will take at least a couple of weeks.
Also, experts do not recommend mixing pasture from a human table with industrial rations. In principle, nobody forbids giving a pet natural products, but only at a separate time, and not with dry food.
Servings and frequency of feeds of the German Shepherd
Breeders and veterinarians recommend feeding this breed no more than twice a day. It is also worth choosing a specific time and strictly following the daily routine. Dosage depends on the content of nutrients and must be indicated on the product packaging.
Feed holistic class more practical in this regard. A small portion is enough for the shepherd to be fully satisfied. While economy-class solutions are consumed much faster. In a good half of cases, a 10-kilogram package of premium food is enough for a month.
Veterinarians strongly discourage overfeeding dogs and German shepherds in particular. The breed, although not prone to obesity, but a “good” owner can turn a pet into a kind of ball on its paws. It is good if the problem is only overweight, but overfeeding is fraught with inversion of the intestines. And this is the risk of death. So you should not buy into the compassionate eyes of your pet, but strictly follow the daily routine and menu.
German Shepherd puppy feeding
It is important to know that up to one and a half months young growth should eat only and exclusively milk. And he does it at least 10 times a day. After reaching one and a half months of age, you can add cereals, soups, mashed potatoes and pure protein in the form of meat and fish to the diet.
Only when the puppy is three months old should it be gradually transferred to dry products. This should not be done immediately, but gradually, replacing natural feed with industrial feed. Breeders recommend adding 25% of the store solution every three days.
From about four months of age, the number of meals should be reduced to 4 times a day. Six-month-old shepherds are fed three times a day. And after a year they are transferred to an adult two meals a day.
Puppy feeds differ in composition from similar adult foods. As mentioned above, veterinarians strongly do not recommend buying economy-class solutions for young animals. During the first year and a half, the dog’s bone system is formed, so for this period a holistic or at least super-premium is better spent on food.
Natural nutrition
Veterinarians are extremely advised not to feed the German Shepherd at the same time with natural food and dry industrial products. But breeders do not have such an unambiguous opinion on this matter. They sometimes pamper their pets with fresh beef or vegetable stew.
But here it is necessary to monitor the well-being of the animal, and especially the stool. If after such experiments it became liquid, then it is better to refuse such feeding. In addition, treats should not be too frequent. Natural food can be given no more than once a week. It is also worth remembering the forbidden products for shepherd dogs.
Prohibited Products:
- any fried food;
- sweets;
- smoked meats;
- flour products;
- salty foods;
- fatty foods;
- high starch foods.
The use of the above products can lead to serious consequences: problems with the gastrointestinal tract, deterioration of the hairline, loss of activity, etc. If you are not sure whether these elements are contained in natural food from your table, then it is better to completely abandon such bait.
Water
It is also worth noting that the pet should always have access to clean drinking water. If you are planning a long walk with a dog, be sure to bring a bottle of water with you. The fact is that dry food is not in vain called "dry". It has all the necessary nutrients, but there is completely no liquid, so necessary for everyone. You can skip the next feeding, but access to water should always be.