German Shepherd Puppy Homemade Food

Feeding Your Gsd Puppy

A good GSD puppy diet contains enough protein and fats for healthy bodily functions and enough calories from carbohydrates to sustain growth and provide energy.

Puppies need more calories than adults to help with growth.

A typical recommendation is about 40 to 70 calories per pound of bodyweight. This can change on a number of things like your puppys activity levels, so be sure to monitor their weight gain to find a sweet spot.

It is vital that a GSD gets at least 22% and 8% of their daily calories from protein and fat respectively.

These daily calorie intakes are best split into three meals.

Again, the protein and fats should come from whole foods. For protein, poultry and other meats are great. In terms of fats, these should be essential fatty acids like fish oil and chicken fat.

German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Guide: Birth To 12 Weeks

All dogs should stay with their mother for no less than eight weeks, ideally up to ten weeks. During this time, the mother will nurse the pups until they are old enough to begin eating puppy mush.

Puppy mush is usually regular dog kibble thats been soaked in water, formula, or homemade puppy milk made with human-grade ingredients.

After the puppies are fully weaned from their mothers milk, they will get all of their nutrition either from puppy mushmade progressively drier every few daysor other puppy-safe foods.

Its important to continue feeding your puppy whatever the breeder started them on, at least for the first few weeks. This will help prevent gastrointestinal distress.

Also, be certain it is food intended for puppies and not adults or senior dogs. Adult dog foods do not have the proper nutrients to support a growing puppy.

Once your German Shepherd puppy is homebetween 8 and 12 weeksyou may begin weaning them off of the breeders food and introducing their new foodif youve decided to switch, that is.

Over the course of the next few weeks slowly introduce the puppys new food into her old food, adding more of the new food each day.

Start with ¾ of the serving of the old food and ¼ of the new food. After a few days, make it half and half. After the first week or so, make it ¾ the new food and ¼ the old food.

Then by two to three weeks, your pup should be fully on her new food.

German Shepherd Raw Food: Cooking Handling & Serving Tips

In order to cook, plan the best raw food diet for german shepherds here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Separate all raw pet food from human-grade food. Prepare and store raw pet food separately from human-grade food as a preventive measure against cross-contamination. Use separate cutting boards and different cooking utensils to prepare your food and your dogs food.

2. Wash produce but not raw meat. Contrary to popular belief, raw meat should not be washed or rinsed because it increases the spread of bacteria and increases the risk of cross-contamination, says the USDA.

3. Freezing and storing. Place raw dog food in secure packaging and store it in the freezer. Keeping raw food frozen at a consistent temperature of 0 °F will prevent the growth of microbes and kill parasites if frozen for up two weeks.

4. Never thaw raw pet food in water or the microwave. Thaw raw dog food by placing it in the refrigerator or a bowl on the countertop. If placed in the refrigerator for thawing, the temperature needs to be consistently 40 °F or below. Ideally 35 °F. According to the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service , bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, the Danger Zone.

Thawing in water is not recommended. If the container or bag has holes, the nutrients will leach into the surrounding water. Lastly, do not microwave raw food for pet consumption as this will begin cooking the food.

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Recommended Supplements For German Shepherds

Here are the best breed-specific supplements GSDs may benefit from.

• Hip & Joint German Shepherds are prone to bone and joint problems like osteoarthritis. To prevent or alleviate these problems, its wise to supplement their diet with Glucosamine and Chondroitin to help maintain an active lifestyle and support joint tissue. Finn Hip & Joint is an excellent choice.

• Digestive health Giving dog probiotics can help with issues like Inflammatory Bowel Disease and EPI, both common in this breed. It can also help reduce your dogs inflammatory responses to food allergens.

• Immune system GSDs are more susceptible to cancers than most dogs, particularly as they get older. Adding dog immune system supplementation may help boost your dogs defenses. Cannabidiol products like CBD for dogs have also shown to can anti-carcinogenic properties and promote immune health.

Because of the risk of bloating in GSDs, you should avoid raised dog bowls, give small frequent meals, invest in a slow-feeder, and avoid vigorous exercise after meals.

Always consult with your vet before making any changes to your dogs diet. We suggest consulting a veterinary nutritionistto help create a diet plan for your GSD. Formulating a completely balanced diet without professional help can be tedious for some dog parents.

Supplements For German Shepherds

The vast majority of commercially available dry kibble is complete and balanced for your dog, assuming its a high-quality food.

That means there is almost never a reason to supplement your dogs diet with additives, vitamins, or herbal supplements. In fact, adding these things to a healthy dogs diet can cause a lot of harm.

Never supplement your dogs diet unless directed by a veterinarian. In those cases, they will prescribe or suggest canine-safe products to cover your GSDs special needs.

Human supplements are often unregulated, minimally effective, and often contain substances harmful to animals. Never use a human supplement for your German Shepherd.

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Check Out Our Homemade Dog Food Mini

Making homemade dog food might not be hard for you because you can easily find sources on how to do it. But, did you ever wonder how much homemade dog food to feed my dog?

Well, it’s not an easy question to answer. So in this article, we’ll try to explain how you can figure out the proper homemade dog food serving size in cups for your dog.

But before that, we should know how important is homemade dog food for your little and large pup.

German Shepherd Feeding Guide: All You Need To Know

Like all dogs, German Shepherds have specific nutritional needs. While its possible to feed them the cheap, dry kibble found in your local grocery store, thats not the best diet for this loyal, graceful, obedient breed.

But the ideal food might not be the most expensive or fanciest either.

With all these options to choose from and enough slick marketing to make your head spin, how do you pick the right food?

Below, well cover the different types of diets available, the specific nutritional needs of the German Shepherd, and what you can do to ensure your GSD gets the delicious and nutritious food they need at every stage of life.

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Wet Food Vs Dry Food For German Shepherd Puppies

Puppy food is designed to support the development of an active and large breed as well as healthy growth. German Shepherds are bigger breeds: therefore, puppies should not grow too fast as they risk the development of any potential joint problems.

Puppies need to have the right nutrients to grow strong and fit.

Dry food is affordable and convenient than canned wet food. Kibble helps to remove plaque from your puppys teeth as they eat, preventing tartar or the onset of periodontal disease.

It is also easy to use as training treats. Dry food contains negligible water content, so providing clean and fresh water is necessary.

Wet food has around 80% water content which keeps your puppy hydrated. Canned foods are mostly packed with protein which is great for a puppys development. However, canned foods are more expensive than feeding kibble because you need more of it to meet your dogs daily needs.

How To Prepare Homemade Food For Dogs

When preparing a diet at home for your dog, it is essential that you follow a recipe that is complete and balanced. Once you and your vet have chosen an appropriate recipe, it’s time to get started.

Many owners choose to prepare food in bulk and refrigerate or freeze it in pre-portioned containers. This is a great idea to save time and money, but you might want to begin by making smaller quantities so you can see how your dog does on the diet.

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Quick Checklist For Judging A Raw Dog Food And The Manufacturer

You can use this short checklist to find the best raw food for German Shepherds.

• Ingredients must be of human-grade.
• All ingredients must be of ethical origin.
• Preferably from small farmers or wild meat from remote areas.
• Companies that can tell you exactly where their ingredients come from
• Companies that produce their food in small batches
• Food that is free of additives, hormones, and toxins

I am passionate about dog nutrition and am constantly studying new research and developments in this field. I would love to help you if you have any doubts or questions. Please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Monitor Weight & Health

You must monitor your German Shepherds weight as you transition to a homemade food diet.

Follow your GSDs weight and health closely for about a month to ensure that she is not adversely affected by this new diet.

An unbalanced diet can lead to excessive energy, skin or coat disorders, allergies, weight loss, malnutrition, or obesity. If you notice these symptoms, stop feeding your GSD this food immediately and consult a professional dog nutritionist.

Be sure to work alongside your vet to ensure the diet maintains nutritional adequacy.

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German Shepherd Food Amount And Schedule

These dogs are required Best German Shepherd food but in a limited quantity but not in such a low amount that its ribs are not visible and not in such a large amount that it leaves its bowl half-filled.

The food provided must be of high nutritional value with meat like chicken or beef as the first ingredient on the dog food packet.

It must also contain 30% of protein and 16% of fat along with a wide spectrum range of other essential nutrients such as omega fatty acids, minerals, vitamins. German Shepherd puppies should be fed 1-2 cups of dog food a day whereas the German Shepherd dog must be fed 3-5 cups of dog food a day

German Shepherd puppies need to be to gain 1-2 pounds a day. An adult dog requires approximately 1300 to 1600 calories per day of good quality food for aged dogs whereas 1700 to 2400 calories per day for quite active dogs.

What To Watch For When Feeding Homemade Dog Food

It’s important to monitor your dog closely when changing to homemade dog food. Stay in contact with your veterinarian regarding any changes you notice, whether good or bad. For best results, keep a record of your dog’s weight and body condition over time. Weigh your dog at least once per week and contact your vet if you notice unintended weight loss or gain. Watch for vomiting or diarrhea that may occur if your dog is sensitive to one or more ingredients. Note and report these or any other signs of illness to your veterinarian.

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Feeding Guidelines By Weight

German shepherds can be of different weight ranges. Thats why the feeding plan for your dog can be complicated. Fortunately, theres a calculation for the feeding amount of German shepherds according to weight.

• Inactive German Shepherds: For every 1 kilogram your dog weighs, theyll need 40 calories a day.An average weighted German shepherd will then need 1400 calories per day. This only applies to German shepherds that do not exercise or are inactive.

• Active German Shepherds: In the case of active German shepherds that exercise regularly, every 1 kilogram equals 55 calories per day.So an average weighted German shepherd will require 1925 calories per day to be able to function properly.

Take note, however, that this calculation may be affected if the German shepherd has a health disorder concerned with metabolism or digestion.

Northwest Holistic Pet Care: Cooked Meal For A 20 Lb Dog

IMPORTANT: Before making any changes to your dogâs diet, please consult with your holistic veterinarian to ensure the changes are compatible with your dogâs current health status. Weigh your dog before making diet changes. Having a baseline tracking their weight will help you in adjusting quantities should they lose or gain too much. The amount of food a dog requires will vary based on activity level, age, and overall health status.

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How To Prepare Homemade Puppy Food

In general, puppies need about twice as many calories per day than their adult counterparts. According to the Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Cats and Dogs of the National Academy of Science, a 10-pound puppy that is expected to weigh 33 pounds at adulthood needs to eat about 990 calories per day. In addition, puppies need more protein, fat, vitamins and minerals than adult dogs.

A homemade puppy diet should contain the proper balance of:

• Protein, such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef
• Carbohydrates, like rice, pasta, potatoes
• Vegetables, such as peas, green beans, carrots
• Fat, often in the form of vegetable oil
• Vitamin/mineral supplements

Once you have chosen a recipe, it’s time to prepare it for your dog. Many owners who feed home-prepared diets set up a regular schedule, setting aside time weekly or monthly to prepare and portion the diet. The food can be prepared in bulk and portioned into containers . You can keep meals frozen for several months or refrigerated for about 5 days. When the supply of pre-prepared meals runs low, it’s time to make a new batch. If you like to feed a variety of foods, you can make multiple batches and color code by ingredients, rotating out the different meals.

Remember to increase portions appropriately as your puppy grows. It’s best to weigh your puppy every week or two to make sure you are feeding the proper amount of calories

The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe

Rating:

Wilderness Salmon is one of 18 dry recipes analyzed in our review of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness product line.

• First 5 ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal, peas, pea protein, menhaden fish meal
• Type: Grain-free
• Profile: Maintenance
• Best for:Adult shepherds only

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon derives the bulk of its animal protein from fresh salmon and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 38% protein, 17% fat and 38% estimated carbs producing a fat-to-protein ratio of about 44%.

A grain-free, protein-rich formula available in over a dozen flavors and recipes which makes Wilderness ideal for those who appreciate the benefits of diet rotation. Fairly priced and highly recommended.

Sample buyer reviewI have a 3 year old husky and ever since she was a puppy i had her on blue wilderness. Ive got her every flavor if not almost every flavor, and this salmon one is the one she has loved the most! Ieave her food bowl full at all times she so can eat whenever she wants. And she eats this salmon one more than every other flavor. Now i know salmon is her favorite protein (:

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For Gsds With Digestive Issues

If your dog has a sensitive stomach, gather the following ingredients for a digestive-friendly meal idea:

• 1 sweet potato
• 1.5 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup rice

Cook the rice according to its preparation instructions and set aside. Clean, peel, and chop the sweet potato into small pieces and boil until soft it should slide off a fork when you stab it.

Boil the chicken separately until fully cooked. Use two forks to pull and shred the chicken.

Mix all of the ingredients and serve to your dog in appropriate serving sizes. Be sure to let the ingredients cool enough so as not to burn your dogs tongue.

This kind of simple diet is also good for a dog that wont eat after surgery. It is simple, easy to digest and bland.