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Prior to weaning our German shepherd puppies, they would have obtain
most of their nutritional needs from their mother's milk. By the
time our puppies are ready to move into their new home, they will be
fully weaned on to solid foods. The puppy is then entirely dependent
on his new owner, to provide a fully balanced diet that will meet
all of his nutritional requirements.
Nutritionally balanced diet is crucial for the healthy growth and
development of a puppy in order to prepare him/her for an active,
long, and healthy life. All puppies thrive on the same basic
nutrients as adult dogs, but due to their rapid growth rate, these
nutrients are needed in proportionately larger quantities. Similar
to human babies, puppies have small stomachs, so they need to be fed
little portions but often.
German shepherd puppies grow very rapidly in the early stages of
their development. A German shepherd dog will reach about half
their adult weight by five or six months of age. However, there is
a wide variation in adult body weight between different breeds, and
dogs mature at different rates, since this article is focus on the
German shepherd puppy, we will focus at that.
German shepherd puppies, in particular, which are most affected
by the feeding regimen - as they are growing rapidly, these puppies
are prone to disturbances in their skeletal development. It is
unwise to overfeed such dogs at this stage in an attempt to obtain
the maximum possible rate of growth.
- A puppy needs between two and four times as much energy as
an adult of the same size - growing is an energetic business!
They must have more protein than adults - this must contain all
the right building blocks of the protein (amino acids) for
growth, and they need just the right amount of minerals for
healthy bones and teeth. Puppies therefore have to eat large
amounts of food in relation to their body weight, but their
stomachs have only a small capacity. To compensate for this, a
puppy needs to be fed several small meals a day. It also helps
if his diet is designed to meet a number of useful criteria: the
food should be concentrated to ensure an adequate intake of
nutrients before his stomach is full;
- The food should be easily digested to maximize its nutritive
value; the diet must be balanced to provide the right amount of
nutrients to meet the puppy's particular needs; and it should
also be tasty so that he will eat it.
Devising an acceptable nutritionally balanced diet
for growth is thus a very complex exercise. Fortunately, feeding
your puppy need not be as complicated as it sounds.
- Diets, which are specially formulated for growth, take all
the guesswork out of rearing a healthy puppy and provide a
balanced and concentrated diet, which he will enjoy and thrive.
For a normal, healthy German shepherd puppy there is no need to
use supplements. In some ways this could be harmful. If you do
decide to use a supplement please consult your veterinarian.
At Günbil German shepherds, our preferred brand of "PUPPY
FOOD" is Royal Canin . WE do not feed this brand of dog food
because it is cheap! It is not! We feed Royal Canin because it is
the best dog food for the German shepherd puppy/dog. (You can find
this brand of dog food at all PetMart).
PLEASE --> Do not alter your puppy's diet as changing environment
is a stressful experience and feeding the right diet is important.
When your puppy arrives in his new home it may show signs of stomach
upsets and diarrhea because of leaving his mother and entering a
strange new atmosphere. If the puppy does have diarrhea and this
persists for more than 24 hours or becomes more severe, consult your
veterinarian. If you want to change his diet, wait until your puppy
has settled in, then gradually change it over a period of five to
seven days.
- The feeding schedule of your puppy will depend greatly on
his age and individual characteristics, until they are about
four months old.
- WE feed Three meals per day. Feeding can then be reduced to
two times a day until six months of age. You can offer your
puppy his daily food allowance in two separate meals.
- You can feed an adult diet from 14 months of age
- Since all puppies are individuals, some may need more and
some less than the indicated amounts.
- Your puppy's condition is the best guide of whether you are
feeding the correct amount.
- By recording his weight on a regular basis you will be able
to check his growing at a healthy rate, appropriate to his
breed.
- You can then make adjustments to avoid him becoming under -
or overweight.
Generally, a puppy should be allowed 10 to 15
minutes to eat at each mealtime. After then discard any uneaten
food.
- Your puppy should have his own feeding and water bowls and
should be kept clean, separate from the family's dishes.
- Provide fresh water daily
- If you notice that your puppy is excessively thirsty and
often, you should consult your veterinarian.
- Note: When puppies come from a kennel environment "outside
living", to a family house, most often they will show signs of
panting and thirst. This is normal because they will be hot
with-in. In few days they should adjust in being indoors.
HOW MUCH DOG FOOD YOU SHOULD FEED?
- The "puppy" feeding schedule is a guideline for our German
shepherd puppies.
- 8 and 16 weeks of age: We feed our puppies 1/2 to 3/4 cup of
puppy food at each feeding (3 times/day).
- 16 weeks to 6 months: 1 to 1-1/2 cups at each feeding (3
times/day).
- At 6 months and through adulthood, they are fed 2-1/2 cups
at each feeding (2 times/day).
- You may need to modify our feeding instructions according to
your puppies metabolism, activity and requirements of the
individual puppy/dog.
Please pay attention to your puppy/dogs appearance at all times.
A puppy should be kept lean during 4 to 8 months of age (rapid
growth phase), BUT they should not appear thin. You should be able
to feel the rib cage and the back bone, but not see them. Looking
down on the dog, there should be a slight indentation between the
end of the rib cage and the hip bones.
GROWING DOGS
- While your puppy is maturing, you should continue to feed
him a growth formulation as the major part of his diet. He needs
this concentrated nutrition to complete his development and
consolidate the growth of firm muscles, strong bones and healthy
body tissue. As he nears the size and weight of an adult dog,
you can gradually introduce him to adult foods. He should be
used to an adult food by the time he is fully grown - which may
be any time from 18 months to two years of age.
- The changeover should be done gradually within seven days.
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Most dog owners
are rightly concerned that they are providing an adequate diet
for their pet. Puppy owners, in particular, are aware of the
heavy nutritional demands of the puppy as it grows and may be
tempted to feed as much as he will eat.
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However, German
shepherd dog tend to overeat and this could have damaging
consequences for your puppy. In order to avoid this, it is
generally recommended that food intake be moderately controlled
in growing dogs.
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The extra food is
converted into fat and stored in the body.
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While a dog is
still young and growing, his body will produce extra fat cells
to store the excess fat, once formed, these cells stay with him
for life.
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This will make
him prone to obesity as an adult dog.
In the
German shepherd puppy, overfeeding can cause a number of skeletal
deformities.
Therefore it is wise
to monitor your growing dog's weight and his general condition to be
sure that you are feeding the correct amount. If he has more than a
moderate covering of fat over his ribs he may be getting fat. Ask
your veterinarian for advice if you are unsure about your growing
dog's condition.
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We only recommend Royal Canin Large
Breed Puppy Food.
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You can find Royal Canin in all
PetsMart Location nationwide.
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Please select the Large Breed
Formula or Large breed puppy formula
PUPPY IS NOT EATING
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If your puppy is not eating, add
1/4 a cup of warm water to dry food and mix well, let it cool
before feeding. Feed 4/5 times a day with smaller portions.
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If puppy is not eating from "bowl",
you can try feeding it with your hands to your puppy. This will
motivate him to start eating, of course a praise like "good
eating" is rewarding to your puppy. Always, reward your puppy
when he does something that is satisfactory to you.
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You can also let your puppy eat
directly from the floor (dry kibbles), if he is not eating from
bowl or hand. This method is like a game to them, each time he
finds a kibble you can praise him by saying "good search and/or
good eating".
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Keep plenty of fresh water in a
clean water bowl.
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