How and what to feed a German shepherd?

The normal development of the animal, its state of health, energy and well-being largely depends on how competently the diet of the German Shepherd is compiled and how balanced it is. According to experienced cynologists, there is no universal diet suitable for any German shepherd. In each case, breeders of dogs of this breed are guided by the individual characteristics of their pets: the level of their daily activity, age, constitution, weight. What should be considered when planning the diet of these dogs?

When planning a German Shepherd's diet, experienced breeders take into account not only the physical parameters of the animal, but also its temperament. So, calm phlegmatic dogs, showing moderate activity during the day, spend less energy in contrast to their relatives of the sanguine and choleric type. Phlegmatic dogs are not recommended food based on fats. Excessively plentiful and fatty foods in this case can cause excess weight gain and, as a result, the possible development of endocrine diseases and disorders.

Most often, German shepherds tend to sanguine type of temperament. Dogs of this type have a balanced and flexible nervous system. They are mobile, active, able to quickly switch from one task to another. In most cases, their energy costs can be compensated for by a standard diet, which is based on protein products.

Less common among German shepherds are representatives choleric type. Such individuals are characterized by increased excitability, a weakly resistant nervous system, outbreaks of anxiety and even aggression. Choleric dogs consume energy quickly, so their diet is usually more nutritious and caloric. High energy consumption in this case is compensated by food rich in carbohydrates.

The basis of the diet of the German Shepherd should be protein foods. However, a dog's menu cannot be completely built on proteins alone. An excess of protein in the animal's diet often leads to the development of diseases of the urinary system.

Some breeders prefer to feed their pets with natural food ("natural"), others - ready-made dry and wet food. And in fact, and in another case, there are specific nuances, advantages and disadvantages.

Planning a dog's diet based on natural products requires a careful balance between the sources of fat, carbohydrates and protein. All these nutrients are necessary for the animal's body for full development, optimal energy metabolism, and normal functioning of internal organs and systems.

The list of products that are acceptable on the German Shepherd's menu includes the following:

• lean meat (beef, ground beef, lean boiled pork);
• poultry meat (chicken, turkey);
• thermally processed by-products (heart, lungs, stomachs, liver);
• quail or chicken eggs;
• cereals, cereals;
• cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir;
• low-fat fish (bony, river and lake fish are not allowed);
• in small quantities - milk (if it does not cause allergies or stool disorders in the animal);
• vegetables.

A table of the approximate ratio of foods in the diet of a German shepherd is as follows:

In nurseries, most often the main diet of German shepherds is represented by ready-made dry or wet food. They differ among themselves not only in price, but also in composition, energy value. Some types of food are intended for adult healthy dogs, others - for puppies, others - for allergic dogs, the fourth - for weakened animals that have undergone surgery or a serious illness, the fifth - for old dogs, lactating and pregnant bitches.

Modern manufacturers produce ready-made feeds in the following categories:

• economy - the most inexpensive type with the lowest nutritional value;
• premium - a relatively inexpensive type of feed with a high energy value;
• premium plus - an expensive type of feed with a high energy value, enriched with vitamins and microelements;
• super premium - an expensive type of balanced feed with a high nutritional value, containing a maximum of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Ready-made feeds from brands such as Royal Canin, Happy dog, Bosch, Wolfsblut, Trainer have proven themselves well.The dog food lines from these manufacturers include food for dogs of all ages. The calculation of the daily feed rate is carried out in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Most breeders prefer to feed their pets natural food, planning their own diet at home. With a competent owner's approach, a dog eating natural food receives all the nutrients, vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for its body. When compiling a pet's menu, they are guided by its age, state of health, level of activity and, as mentioned above, temperament.

The main product in the diet of a puppy from the moment of birth to one month of age is mother's milk. It has a high nutritional value, contains all the vitamins, nutrients, macro- and microelements required by the baby.

If the lactating bitch does not have enough milk, then additional feeding of puppies is allowed. To do this, use dry milk formulas for newborn babies or special milk formulas for artificially fed puppies. Some owners resort to nursing females raised by other breeders. It is important that the nursing bitch's puppies are born 2-3 days earlier than the puppies requiring additional feeding.

3-4 weeks of age, when the babies begin to have teeth, it is allowed to introduce the first complementary food. Scrapped beef is used as a complementary food. After a week, it is recommended to introduce a second type of feeding in the form of cottage cheese. When the puppy's digestive system adapts to animal protein foods, plant-based protein sources are allowed as complementary foods.

From the age of two months puppies begin to gradually lose interest in breast milk, and therefore their menu should become a little more varied. It is necessary to introduce lean types of meat (rabbit, chicken), first cereals (rice, oats, buckwheat) into it. By the age of three months, it is allowed to add sea white fish (halibut, cod, pollock, hake) to the puppies' diet. It is given to animals with care, in very limited quantities.

At the age of 5 months German shepherd babies need to be given about 500 grams of meat, 250 grams of fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir), 250 grams of vegetables and the same amount of porridge (rice-buckwheat) daily. It should also be remembered that as puppies grow, they need additional sources of vitamins and minerals: fish oil, ground eggshells, brewer's yeast, bone meal.

From 6-7 months of age, the puppies' menu should be adjusted so that the animals grow stronger and develop, but do not gain excess weight. For this purpose, cereals are limited in the diet, but the amount of protein products and fiber is increased. At this age, puppies can be given up to 750 grams of meat and 250-300 grams of vegetables daily. Twice a week it is allowed to treat the dog with a chicken egg, 1-2 times a week it is recommended to pamper the pet with cottage cheese. It is advisable to adhere to such a diet until the moment when the puppy is 12-15 months old.

Adult German Shepherds are large hardy animals with excellent appetite. Actively spending energy during the day, dogs of this breed need high-calorie, high-quality and healthy food.

Every day the animal should receive not less than 700 grams of meat, 350-400 grams of cereals, 350 grams of vegetables, 400 grams of other sources of protein (cottage cheese, chicken). In addition, the dog needs additional sources of vitamins and minerals. Mature and elderly animals also need chondroprotectors - special drugs that protect joints and bones from the development of destructive diseases. Among the most famous chondroprotectors here are such as "Stride Plus", "Stoparthritis", "Hyalutidin".

The volumes of portions of an adult shepherd dog must be controlled and adjusted, focusing on the activity of the pet. In seasons when the animal moves less often, it tries to spend more time at rest (for example, in winter), the portion sizes are slightly limited so that the dog does not gain excess weight. In summer, when the shepherd moves more, walks longer and more often, daily food volumes slightly increase.

Newborn puppies are able to feed on mother's milk 7 or 8 times a day. Experienced dog handlers believe that breast milk is the best nutritional option for babies up to three weeks of age.

From 4 to 8 weeks of age, puppies are fed 6 times a day. Starting from 2 months of life, babies are transferred to five meals a day. When the puppies are 3 months old, the number of feedings is reduced to 4 times a day. Animals are transferred to three meals a day at the age of six months.

Dogs eat three times a day until they are one year old. From the age of 12 months, young animals are fed 2 times a day. It is believed that a one year old dog is old enough to withstand long intervals between meals.

Any owner of a German shepherd is obliged to know in detail the list of products that in no case should be present in the animal's diet. These prohibitions and restrictions have arisen and exist for a reason. Some foods that are not allowed to feed to dogs can cause severe allergies, others - long-term digestive upset, and others can even cause dangerous injuries to internal organs. That's why no need to deviate from the recommendations of experienced dog breeders, even if you really want to pamper your pet with an unfamiliar delicacy.

So, the following products are strictly prohibited on the German Shepherd menu:

• fatty meats;
• tubular and chopped bones containing fragments;
• any semi-finished meat products (dumplings, khinkali);
• all sweets, including chocolate, candy, ice cream;
• legumes (peas, beans);
• white bread, baked goods;
• canned food (intended for people, not animals);
• sausages, sausages, small sausages, barbecue;
• River fish;
• beet.

Some inexperienced dog owners often mix natural and prepared dry food in the same bowl. According to experienced dog breeders, it is undesirable to do this. "Natural" and dry food should be given separately from each other. In rare exceptions, "natural" may be mixed with wet canned dog food, by halving the recommended one-time intake of each type of feed.

A single dose for each type of specialized wet and dry food is individual. When choosing the optimal amount of food for your pet, you should be guided by the recommendations of the manufacturer, and by the characteristics of the animal, its age and constitution.

Overfeeding your dog is not recommended. This is especially true for animals kept in urban environments and significantly restricted in movement. German Shepherds gain weight quite easily, which can lead to health problems.

It is necessary to feed the dog at the same time. For feeding, use bowls fixed on special stands. They will not allow the animal to hunch over and slouch while eating.

Appetite is one of the main indicators of a shepherd's health. If the dog stops eating, has lost interest in others, has become lethargic and inactive, then this may indicate the development of some kind of disease. For this reason, it is important to control the pet's appetite, monitor how much it eats, and whether it leaves uneaten food after feeding.

It is advisable to feed your pet after a walk. During the walk, the dog will have time to relieve himself, frolic, play with other animals. On a full stomach, it will be quite difficult and uncomfortable for a pet to be active. In addition, by feeding the dog before walking, the owner runs the risk of not bringing it to the site with an overflowing intestine, bladder and stomach. In this situation, the risk increases that a well-fed dog will relieve himself right at home.

How to feed your dog properly, see below.