What To Feed Your German Shepherd

Throughout the history of the German Shepherd breed, these dogs have served as loyal, faithful companions and servants for humankind. As you read this article on your computer screen, thousands of brave German Shepherds the world around are on duty as watchdogs, police dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, bomb dogs, drug dogs, sheepherders or military dogs. No other breed works harder than the German Shepherd. Your German Shepherd deserves care fit for a king or queen, including a high quality diet to sustain this hard-working dog's complex nutritional needs.

German Shepherd care is something every owner wants to learn more about, so they can give their dogs the very best in healthcare and diet. Some German Shepherd dogs are bothered by allergies and have skin problems that leave them biting and scratching at their skin. By learning more about your dog's nutritional needs, you can easily prepare high-quality, homemade food for your German Shepherd, using ingredients commonly found in most grocery stores to provide the best German Shepherd nutrition available.

Nutritious dog food recipes that your German Shepherd will love can be found in dog food cookbooks. Proper German Shepherd nutrition is made up of five components: protein, starch, vegetable, fat, and seasoning. If you like to cook, once you know the basics you can improvise and create dozens of meals that your German Shepherd will enjoy.

If you lack cooking experience, purchase a recipe book that features German Shepherd dog food recipes. After you have prepared meals for your German Shepherd for a few weeks, you will start to get an idea of what your dog likes, and you will find yourself experimenting with ingredients.

When putting together dog food recipes for your German Shepherd's nutrition, use eggs or lean meat for the protein. There are dozens of ingredients you can use for the starch. Start with oatmeal, breadcrumbs, baked potatoes, steamed rice or boiled noodles. Try different cooked vegetables until you find one your dog likes. Some dogs like tomatoes while others like peas, carrots or celery. You'll know you've found the right one for your German Shepherd's nutrition when your dog begs for more!

Any changes to a German Shepherd's care should be made gradually to give your dog time to adjust to the change. The same is true of changes to German Shepherd nutrition. When you pick your puppy up from the breeder, contact the breeder in advance and ask for a sample of your puppy's food so you can continue feeding your new puppy the food to which it is accustomed.

Slowly wean your puppy off the breeder's food by replacing the breeder's food with your homemade, nutritious food, in small amounts at a time, until eventually your healthy, nutritious dog food is the only food your German Shepherd is eating.

Consult your veterinarian before you make any changes to your German Shepherd's diet. If your German Shepherd has been diagnosed with a medical condition or takes prescription medication, consulting your vet is extremely important, as ingredients in dog food may interact with your German Shepherd's medications. The more information about your German Shepherd's care you can learn, the better care you can give your dog.