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.
• 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.

• 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.