As with all dogs, the German Shepherd breed requires proper nutrition to stay healthy, happy, and avoid a lot of long term health problems as your dog gets older.
Although you may think that it is a great idea to trust the dog food advertisements you see online and on television, you need to determine your dog’s individual needs before committing to a feeding regime.
Talk to your veterinarian about the proper nutrition for your dog, and keep a few things in mind when you’re selecting a new food for your friend.
Commercial Dog Foods
Commercial dog foods are the most popular type of food to give your dog. A lot of brands are trusted and old stand-by brands for some people, and they work well for them. Other people may choose to try out some of the newer, more natural brands, which do away with preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, and fillers, such as grains and corn.
While the fillers aren’t necessarily a bad thing for some breeds, for others, particularly larger and more muscular breeds like the German Shepherd, protein is the key nutrient you should look for when deciding on a food.
The main ingredient should always be meat, poultry, or fish – and always look for foods with ingredients you can pronounce! Stay away from chemicals, fake ingredients, and things you are unfamiliar with. After all, if you wouldn’t eat something that doesn’t sound right, you wouldn’t want to feed it to your dog, either!
Homemade Food
Homemade food is a nice option if you don’t like the current commercial brands available to you, or your dog prefers the taste of homemade food. While it would be nearly impossible to create a perfectly balance of nutrition through homemade food, your veterinarian can provide you with some ideas to help, such as by using vitamin supplements to add to their food.
If you like making homemade dog food, but don’t want to sacrifice the nutritional content found in commercial dog food, you can always create homemade treats for your dog, instead.
How Much to Feed Your Dog
While there are plenty of guidelines and recommendations for how much to feed your German Shepherd, keep in mind that those are only guidelines and recommendations. How much your dog needs to eat each day will vary based on the age of the dog, size of the dog, any special needs he or she may have, and the activity level of the dog.
Some dogs eat larger meals than others, who will eat several smaller meals throughout the day. As long as your dog is healthy, happy, and getting the proper nutrition required each day, then you needn’t be worried about overfeeding or underfeeding. Also remember to provide fresh, clean water to your dog at all times during the day, especially in the summer months when the weather is hot.
German Shepherd nutrition is an important thing to keep in mind when adopting or raising a member of the German Shepherd breed. A proper diet with the right nutrition, as well as exercise is the first step to a healthy, happy companion!
