How to feed your German Shepherd puppy
When planning to get a dog, you need to prepare very carefully for this. The future owner must study all the features of the breed, the nuances of care and the optimal diet that must be followed in order for the puppy to grow up healthy and strong. We will explain in detail how to feed your German Shepherd puppy. For this breed, a healthy diet is essential to health and wellness.
Usually, puppies are picked up by potential owners when they are at least one month old. By this time, breeders are feeding the dogs raw minced meat or ready-made food that contains all the necessary trace elements. Subsequently, dairy products and cereals are gradually introduced into the diet so that when moving to a new home, the puppy can eat fully and diversifiedly.
Diet of a shepherd puppy at the age of 1 month
From birth to the first month of life, the puppy is trying to introduce the most versatile foods into the diet. Among them must be:
- Raw and cooked meat;
- Oatmeal and rice porridge;
- Dairy products: milk, kefir, cottage cheese.
Shepherd puppies at this age are growing very quickly, they have an incredibly fast metabolism, and the stomach is still very small. Therefore, it is worth giving only those foods that have a high calorie content and are quickly absorbed. The frequency of meals should be at least every three hours. Serving size is small enough. That is, if the puppy eats five times a day, then the total volume of everything eaten should not exceed the content of one glass. Also, a few words should be given to all products, namely how to properly feed a shepherd puppy with each and every one of them.
- Raw meat. It’s about beef. It should be cut into small pieces and given to the dog several times a day. By receiving raw meat daily, the puppy will grow as quickly as possible and feel great.
- Cooked meat. It is also no less useful and nutritious, and also great if you need to fix the chair. Boiled meat should be cut into small pieces, and in the broth in which it was cooked to cook porridge. Mix porridge with pieces of meat and give to the puppy. You should be aware that milk cannot be added to such food. It will delay the assimilation of useful elements.
- Milk products. These are rice and oatmeal. Also, puppies need to be given cottage cheese, but so that the kids do not choke on the dry product, dilute it with a little kefir or raw yolk.
Diet of a shepherd puppy at the age of 2-3 months
At this age, it is possible and necessary to introduce vegetable fiber into the diet. It is found in some vegetables, as well as in unrefined oil. That is, starting from the second month, you can add a spoonful of unrefined oil to the puppy’s porridge, as well as finely chopped boiled carrots.
Fresh vegetables and fruits can also be introduced into the diet, but exclusively seasonal, which are as natural and organic as possible. Between meals, you can give your puppy a slice of watermelon or apple. In winter, when fresh vegetables and fruits are scarce, it is worth taking care that the dog receives the necessary dose of vitamin D in the form of pharmacy oil. You can also give raw carrots.
Also, at this age, many owners give the puppy a large marrow. The dog plays with it, chews, develops its jaws. To avoid an unpleasant smell from such a toy, you can boil it first.
As for how to feed a shepherd puppy at 2 months, in principle it is clear. Meals can be reduced by up to four times. And the daily volume of food eaten, again, should be the same as the content of one glass.
Diet for a shepherd puppy at the age of 4 months
The kid has already grown up pretty much, which means that his diet also needs to be revised. At this age, it is very important to pay attention to a sufficient amount of calcium in the food that the dog eats. At four months old, shepherd puppies begin to change their teeth. This can weaken their cartilage as a result of which the ears will not stand up. To avoid this, take care of products containing collagen. Most of it is found in regular gelatin. Also, you should take care of buying special hondoprotector supplements that you can buy at the pharmacy.
As for the main food products, they practically all remain relevant. The only thing you can add is a beef head bleed. Such meat is rich in gelatin content. Also, once a day, add a spoonful of gelatin diluted in water to the porridge.
Among other pharmacy supplements, you should stock up on potassium. You can buy complex vitamins for puppies of this age, which contain all the necessary elements.
The bone toy should continue to remain in the puppy. It will help him get rid of milk teeth faster.
As for the number of meals, they are reduced to three. True, the volume eaten to the contents of two glasses increases. It should be understood that this information on how to feed a German shepherd puppy at 4 months is generalized and close to ideal. Each puppy is individual, some have a good appetite for others. However, it is worth trying to ensure that each baby adheres to approximately such norms.
Color correction of a shepherd puppy
By the way, it is during this period that you can take care of adding certain foods to the diet that will correct the puppy’s color. The pigment that is responsible for the color of the coat accumulates in the first two years of life. And for the most part, it depends on the nutrition whether the dog will be bright red or lighter.
To make the color of the coat bright and rich, you can add raw grated carrots and seaweed to your food. Supplements with natural red beets and turmeric. By the way, the color and saturation of the coat can become for the owner another indicator of whether the dog is receiving all the substances necessary for healthy development. If something is missing, the coat will be dull and with a light shade.
Diet of a shepherd puppy at the age of 5-6 months
When the baby is six months old, the diet is slightly adjusted based on the sex of the puppy. For example, males need to exclude milk from the menu.
Everyone, without exception, can begin to introduce by-products in the form of the liver, ventricles. At this age, the puppy eats three times a day, and starting from six months, the size of one serving is about 400 grams. It is necessary to gradually remove cottage cheese from the diet and replace it with meat. The range of cereals is also increasing. You can additionally give buckwheat and wheat. Sometimes the puppy can be fed with river fish, but this is very individual.
- You can also feed the puppy:
- Poultry, raw or cooked. Be sure to pre-treat raw with boiling water.
Eggs. You can give the protein boiled, and the yolk raw, mixing it with some kind of porridge. However, eggs should be in the diet no more than twice a week.
Diet of a German Shepherd under the age of one year
How to feed a German Shepherd puppy at 6 months old and earlier, everything is clear. After six months, the diet remains almost unchanged. Only the volume of one meal is increased. Also, it is worth removing the bone that he previously played from the dog. His teeth are already very strong and he can easily bite through it. This is dangerous, because small and sharp pieces of bone can get into the stomach and cause a lot of problems.
Prohibited foods and general recommendations on how to properly feed a shepherd puppy
In addition to useful products, you should also know the list of those that should not be given to puppies. Failure to heed this warning can result in serious health problems for the dog.
Never give your puppies poultry bones, especially chicken bones. When offering chicken meat to your dog, make sure that it is well cleaned of bones, because the stomach of a young shepherd is not able to digest them. As a result, even internal bleeding may occur.
There is no need to feed the dog with tails, vertebrae and chicken necks. They tend to get stuck between the teeth, cause increased salivation and vomiting.
Some people try to feed the puppies with mashed potatoes, this is prohibited, because diarrhea may occur.
Also, every shepherd owner should beware of the following:
- Expired food and stale food;
- Overdose with vitamins and special mineral supplements. This can lead to volvulus and bone abnormalities;
- Food with spices. This refers to food that has been prepared for people;
- Too hot or cold food straight from the refrigerator;
- Bad water. Speaking of water, it must be of high quality, the kind that the owner himself drinks. You can give boiled water, but not often, since it does not contain the necessary nutrients. The dog cannot drink dirty water from a puddle;
- Sticky overcooked cereals, especially from barley.
- Pork;
- Smoked products, questionable sausages;
- Sweets;
- It is impossible that someone from acquaintances and friends, without the knowledge of the owner, fed the dog with unknown food.
- And finally, the puppy is not in favor of overfeeding. It should be understood that the dog must receive exclusively the necessary amount of food and nutrients for normal development. Obesity is associated with many serious problems.
We tried to tell as much as possible about all the nuances of how to feed a German shepherd puppy. Each case is individual, and the veterinarian can make the most accurate menu only after examining the puppy. And remember, the genes of these dogs are very good, but only proper care will help them grow up to be really healthy, strong and beautiful dogs.