How often to feed? I recommend feeding four times a day until 4 months of age, then three times a day until 6 months. Beginning at 6 months, they should be fed twice a day for the rest of their lives. Why is this so important? Infant puppies nurse many times a day. And then when puppies are weaned, they need to eat multiple times a day, gradually reducing the number of times. But why always feed twice a day after 6 months? Lots of dogs eat once a day and they are fine. But German Shepherds are different! Do not feed a German Shepherd once a day because this will increase the likelihood of developing bloat and torsion, a condition common to deep chested breeds. Also, always moisten your German Shepherd’s food. Plain dry food is a predisposing factor for bloat. And feed your dog on the floor, not from an elevated platform. Here is a really good link that explains the dangers of bloat and torsion, and it describes treatments and prevention. Please take the time to read this. If you know the early warning signs of bloat, you can save your dog’s life.
How much to feed: Depending on brand and quality of food, most GSDs tend to eat 3-5 cups of kibble a day from 2-4 months, gradually increasing to 6 or 7 cups a day when they are around 4-6 months old. Then, around 6 months of age, appetite decreases noticeably, and you can stop the midday feeding, decreasing the amount by one feeding. They will tell you. They’ll just gradually not need that midday feeding and turn up their noses. My two 7m old females are now eating about 4 cups a day each. Males eat more because they grow more. You might think that because puppies are larger at 6 months than they were at 4 months, they would eat more. But because their growth slows down so much, they need less fuel.
It’s a mistake to make food more and more palatable to encourage appetite. Then, your puppy might overeat and get too heavy for his current bone structure. Unless there is some disease or parasite, puppies and dogs from my bloodline will eat the amount they need, and not overeat, although neutering/spaying can decrease caloric need, and you may need to limit food.
How much weight should your young dog carry? It is completely normal for an adolescent German Shepherd to appear very lean, even thin. Do make sure a thin puppy is parasite free by taking in stool samples regularly to the vet. Oral prevention does not prevent ALL parasites, only the most common ones, and they are not 100% effective. If your puppy is parasite free, has a good appetite, firm stools, and is active, don’t worry about them being very lean! They will put on weight later.
It is better for their bone structure to have less weight at this stage. German Shepherds take longer than most breeds to fully develop their bones and joints. The more weight they carry, the more likely they are to have problems. Good breeders make sure the dogs they breed do not have genetic bone and joint problems. But you must do your part to make sure your puppy is raised with the proper nutrition and stays at a good weight for his frame.
What do I feed? Not what everyone else feeds. In fact, I don’t necessarily recommend the following regimen for all German Shepherds. I feed a grain-free food. And yes, grain-free dog food is associated with acquired heart disease (as opposed to genetic). If you want to read more about the relationship between feeding grain-free dog food and heart disease, here is a good link: https://vetster.com/en/wellness/do-grain-free-diets-cause-heart-disease-in-dogs#:~:text=They%20reported%20that%20dogs%20fed,cardiomyopathy%20are%20easy%20to%20find.
Why on earth would I feed a grain-free food? It’s a long story: Johnny was a really difficult dog to get weight on and keep healthy. From the age of about 6 months to nearly 3 years of age I broke all the rules trying to get weight on him and stop the diarrhea: feeding him by hand, coaxing him to eat, changing foods to find something he liked. And I followed the rules: I wormed him, put him on probiotics, checked his stool many times, increased fiber, decreased fiber, treated him for giardia several times even though his test was negative, and he still had frequent diarrhea (sonetimes with mucous), occasional vomiting, and he would not gain weight. In fact, he lost weight after 6 months of age. He was terribly skinny and just turned away from food. The probiotics were the only thing that seemed to help a little bit. I tried many different types.
What finally worked for Johnny? Everywhere I looked, the “fad” of feeding a grain free food was discouraged. No veterinarians recommended it. I finally tried it anyway! Lo and behold, along with the probiotics, he started eating. Knowing about the dangers of eating a grain-free diet, I added oats, which is a gluten-free grain. This helped even more. (Maybe the added bulk/fiber?) To balance the diet, I added meat. It didn’t matter what kind. He eats cooked beef, chicken, turkey, venison, fish, whatever. I just make sure there is fat with it. I make a soupy mixture so the grain-free kibble is moistened. He has kept the weight on, and no more diarrhea or vomiting, ever since! This took well over 2 years for me to figure out. I then showed him to his championship and got an obedience title on him, and he is still robust to this day. He will be 11 in October.
Why do I continue to feed grain-free? Because I had such a difficult time getting Johnny straightened out, I decided I would not feed any food with grain, just on the off chance he would accidently get some. And, as the Appalachian saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
What exactly do I feed? All of my dogs are fed a combination of grain-free food (I use Tractor Supply’s brand: 4 Health), adding oatmeal and meat. To make it simple, I pour hot water over oats (old-fashioned type) and meat and let it sit for a few minutes before feeding. This can be made in batches or fresh each time. I buy leg quarters of chicken, and I stock up on Turkey after Thanksgiving and Christmas when it is on sale. I buy pork roasts and ground beef when it is on sale. But most of all, I am happy to take (free!) venison from my hunter friends. They save me the heart and liver and whatever meat is left over after processing. This is cooked thoroughly and frozen for future use. I also boil bones for bone broth. My puppies love it.
If you read the information at the link about grain-free foods, you can see why this diet makes sense.
Do I supplement? Yes. I use a product with enzymes, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. Specifically, I use Fido-vite Sportzdog made by Doctor’s Choice Supplements. Their website is: http://drschoicesupplements.com, and you can use my code SIGHT for a 10% discount. It is the only product I recommend on my website, because it really works. It helps with digestion and adds to coat quality to give that showy shine. There’s an extra sheen and plushness to their coat that is essential to be competitive, while also supporting overall health, including bone development. It also helps by making food easier to digest because of the extra enzymes in it. Therefore, there is less poop to pick up because the stools are smaller and firmer. I give this product to all of my dogs and recommend my puppy buyers keep them on it.
Bottom line: Your German Shepherds will tell you what they need and how much. I’m not suggesting you feed your dog like I feed Johnny. It’s just an example of how your dogs can tell you what they need. Listen to them. Check for parasites, and follow the rules to prevent bloat/torsion.
Shepherd Sight 