If you have a German Shepherd puppy or plan to adopt one, knowing every detail about dog food will help you.
Don’t feed the canine friends with too much calcium; they can develop the crippling type of canine hip dysplasia.
Check whether the food you plan to purchase fits your puppy, considering that most German Shepherd dog foods are made for large breeds.
Royal Canin, Pro Plan, and Blue Buffalo are some companies that provide the best dog food with safe calcium levels.
Keep reading as we learn more about German Shepherd food for puppies.
Nutrients to Check Before Purchasing German Shepherd Puppy Food
1. Fats
Ensure you go for low-fat food to prevent your fluffy friend from getting overweight. However, fats are still crucial in the solid development of bones, joints, and skin coats.
AAAFCO recommends that your German Shepherd consume 15-30% of animal fats in its food.
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential in improving your German Shepherd’s brain activity, not forgetting her overall health.
2. Proteins
German Shepherds require high levels of proteins without compromising the quality.
Chicken and beef are the leading animal sources for proteins, and your fluffy friend will work well with at least 22% of the protein in their food.
Ensure the food is not contaminated using artificial flavors, by-products, or preservatives.
3. Carbohydrates
Your German Shepherd puppy should have dog food with 5-8% carbohydrate content. Rice, oats, sweet potatoes, and oats make the best sources of carbohydrates.
The low amount of carbohydrates will provide your puppy with high energy levels when combined with proteins.
4. Fiber
Dog food with fiber helps create a healthy texture in your buddy’s stool, especially for a German Shepherd prone to fistulas.
Types of German Shepherd Food You Can Find in the Market
There are various types of food for German Shepherd dogs; the only thing you need is to ensure the food ingredients aren’t harmful to your pup.
Your veterinarian prescription will help when it comes to choosing high-quality food for your German Shepherd puppy.
When getting some food for your German Shepherd, you will encounter dry or canned food, which might trouble you on which to go for.
It will be easier to know which food is the best when you can tell the difference. Remember, your puppy depends on the food for a healthier life.
1. Dry Food
Dry food is the most popular type of dog food in the market, and it comes with many advantages to your puppy.
The food is affordable, convenient, and comes in more significant quantities. The three brands have this type of food.
However, the food has negligible quantities of water which causes dehydration or your dog developing a liver problem.
Why Dry Food?
- Helps in the development of strong teeth and a more muscular body
- Reduces the chances of tartar and plaque forming on your dogs’ teeth, maintaining good oral health.
- Chewing the kibble reduces stress, and you will not find your dog chewing furniture or shoes.
- Preserving the food is easy since you don’t need to store them in a refrigerator after opening it, plus it lasts longer.
- The food is affordable.
Disadvantages of Dry Food
- High quantities of carbohydrates could be harmful to your pup’s health.
- Lacks enough quantities of proteins for the growth of your German Shepherd.
- Little pups may have problems chewing the food.
- Contains preservatives and artificial flavors and colors.
2. Wet/Canned Food
Your pup will enjoy every bite of wet food, plus the food is more nutritious than dry food. It’s delicious and meets the requirements of your German Shepherds’ proteins.
However, the food may require you to dig deeper into your pockets since the food is expensive and come in smaller quantities.
Why Canned Food?
- Beneficial to your little one’s urinary tract and its functioning.
- Low amounts of carbohydrates are easy to digest.
- It’s packed with your German Shepherd’s nutritional needs with high protein content.
- It has 80% water, meeting your pup’s hydration requirements.
Why Consider Royal Canin, Pro Plan, and Blue Buffalo?
These three brands have maintained a good reputation for producing the best dog food: they are worth considering for your German Shepherd puppy food.
Let’s see how each brand helps make the best food for your German Shepherd puppy.
PURINA’s Pro Plan
Purina provides wet and dry food for your puppies. The company ensures they meet all the nutritional requirements to improve the growth of your little one.
When making most of their dry food, they ensure there’s DHA for vision and brain development, plus there are antioxidants that help boost the immune system.
The company cares for your German Shepherd puppy’s sensitive stomach and skin problems.
Purina’s meal is highly digestible, and the prebiotic fiber nourishes the dog’s digestive system. The carbohydrates used are easy to digest.
Royal Canin
Royal Canin produces food that matches the nutritional requirements of German Shepherd puppies aged between 8 weeks and 15 months.
The food is excellent, with an overall energy content that helps your pup maintain an ideal weight. Vitamin E and other antioxidants improve the dog’s immune system.
Royal Canin makes a well-designed kibble that is easy to pick and chew; it also comes in a reasonable size for your German Shepherd puppy.
Blue Buffalo
When it comes to producing dog food with whole ingredients, Blue Buffalo delivers the best.
The grain-free food has many vitamins and minerals, and the best part is they process the food without skipping any procedure.
However, this food may not work perfectly for German Shepherd puppies due to the missing grains that help improve digestion.
Final Thoughts
German Shepherd puppies are the best companions, and with the correct information about what they take and the best food content to give them, you will have an easy time taking care of your little buddy.
Royal Canin wins in producing the best food for your German Shepherd puppy. Take time and check the nutrients in each brand before purchasing to avoid messing up with your little one’s digestive system.
