We call it the German Shepherd Puppy feeding Chart because, though your dog appears to be fully grown from the age of 6 months, still they are puppies by nature.
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The German Shepherd Dog, one of America’s popular breeds is an intelligent and capable working dog. Their devotion and courage are unmatched. And they’re amazingly versatile.
The German Shepherd puppy is a popular addition to many households and hence German Shepherd puppy feeding is also important. It was initially developed for herding and is now commonly used as a working dog or pet.
GSDs excel at most anything they’re trained to do: guide and assistance work for the handicapped, police and military service, herding, search and rescue, drug detection, competitive obedience, and — last but not least — faithful companion.
When such an endearing pet arrives home, it’s hard not to fall in love immediately. As a particularly affectionate breed, the German Shepherd will reciprocate this love in abundance.
Since they will grow up to be a medium to large dog breed and their diet is an essential way to ensure they develop properly.
There occurs few common mistakes in feeding the German Shepherd(feeding low or excess to the dog or can be feeding food of inferior quality).
This is your guide to providing all the nutrients your new puppy needs.
Many types of food can be provided. However, when it comes to German shepherd Puppy feeding, we have to look for foods designed for large breed dogs that are essential for puppies.
This will help to avoid health problems caused by overly rapid bone growth.
You should initially feed the same diet the puppy was eating before you adopted them. If you plan to change to a different food do not do so in the first few weeks.
Then gradually include increasing proportions of the new food over a period of two to four weeks.
German Shepherd Puppy Feeding Chart
Divide the dry dog food (kibble) of all the dogs listed. Do not feed this amount at every meal or your dog may get sick.
Instead, ask, “How often should you feed a German Shepherd puppy?” Use the so-called chart.
Find out how many meals your GSD needs throughout the day.
Remember, these are guidelines and you should adjust them based on your dog’s energy needs.
| Puppy Age | Food Quantity |
| 2 Months | 1 to 1.5 Cups |
| 3 Months | 1.5 to 2 Cups |
| 6 Months | 2 to 3 Cups |
| 12 Months | 3 to 4 Cups |
Offer their food to your dog and remove their dish if they have not eaten their meal in 10 to 15 minutes. Wait an hour and offer them the same meal to see if they have changed their mind about eating.
Always provide fresh water during their meals. Keep their eating area calm and do not harass them while eating.
Food for a New-Born German shepherd Puppy
For a newborn puppy to develop and grow properly, it is imperative that they first nurse on their mother’s milk.
The first milk they receive is a protein and antibody-rich type of milk known as colostrum.
This gives the puppy’s immune and central nervous systems a boost. They then progress on to regular breast milk.
Puppies will nurse for at least 6 to 8 weeks, gradually being weaned on to solid food at about 4 weeks. If, for any reason, the puppy cannot suckle its mother, don’t give them cow or goat milk.
These feeds are very poor quality in comparison to a puppy’s mother’s milk.
How Much to Feed a German Shepherd Puppy
1-month-old German Shepherd puppy Feeding
From 3 to 4 weeks old, when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd puppy, we should start by letting them taste new foods and flavors.
At this stage, the German Shepherd puppy’s diet plan requires them to eat special wet food for puppies.
If you are looking for the best dog food for your pup, you can visit dogfooddesire.com
At around 6 to 8 weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy should be given a little dry dog food with water.
From their eighth week onward, a German Shepherd should be weaned and start feeding on solid food with a special puppy feed.
Puppies must have constant access to clean fresh water.
2 months old German shepherd Puppy Feeding
At two months of age, you can start to slowly decrease the moistening of your German Shepherd’s dry food. Eventually, the puppy will be used to eating the food completely dry.
Following the German Shepherd puppy food chart, from 2 until 4 months old, a puppy will eat 4 or 5 times a day.
This has to be carried out with one very important addition: discipline. A puppy needs to learn that it will not be fed constantly throughout the day
Accepting and adapting to a diet plan is very important for a puppy’s intellectual development.
Food for German shepherd puppies should be higher in calories, fats, proteins, and calcium than adult German Shepherd dog food.
This is because puppies are still growing and developing and therefore need better nutrition.
What to be given to my puppy after 4 months
The food should be reduced to thrice a day, after 4-6 months of age.
The packaging of quality commercial dog food will detail the appropriate suggested amount of food for the puppy, depending on its age and weight.
Fresh food, such as meat, fish, or vegetables, can be mixed with the commercial dry feed. Beware of forbidden foods for dogs.
Also Read: Best Treats for German Shepherd Puppies that are Healthy and Nutritious
Some people ask about a raw diet for a German shepherd puppy, but we recommend these such foods should always be cooked and never given to a dog raw.
Avoid chicken, rabbit, and fish bones, as they can shatter and harm a dog’s teeth.
Human food contains salt, sugar, and seasoning contents which are very harmful to a dog’s health. Besides, if you do offer your dog your food, it will pester you during meals.
How to change the diet of a German Shepherd after 6 months
The food intake should be reduced to twice a day once your German Shepherd is 6 months old. When we do this we can increase the food portions and eating time accordingly.
Also Read: When do German shepherd ears Stand up naturally?
After 6 months, you should give your German Shepherd puppy shatterproof bones, such as beef, to gnaw on. This should be done to strengthen the puppy’s teeth and gums.
New Born
Mother’s milk/ if not available, cow’s or goat milk
| New Born | Mother’s milk/if not available try whining milk |
| 1st month | Wet food |
| 2-4 months | Dry food |
| After 6 months | Solid foods |
Is My German Shepherd Underweight? How to Understand
To check if your German Shepherd is growing correctly, you can refer to the growth chart and take proper actions according to it.
You can increase the number of meals(frequent smaller meals) per day if your puppy seems to be excessively hungry.
Also Read: German shepherd 3 months old puppy? Time to Look at
You can make the food tastier if a puppy shows a loss of appetite. Bowel obstruction and stomach pain could be the reasons for this lack of appetite which can be due to the ingestion of toxic food etc.
Don’t forget that puppies are very sensitive and fragile and if you ignoring any symptoms of the disease, it can result in severe issues or even puppy fatality.
How and When to Switch from Puppy to Adult Dog Food
A German Shepherd’s diet can be changed after 12 to 15 months of age depends on the conditions, or as advised by your vet based on their growth and development.
You should constantly monitor the growth of your pet and make diet changes accordingly.
Your puppy’s food and drink containers should always be clean. Hygiene is very important to prevent the appearance of insects.
If there are insects in your dog’s water, it could cause your German Shepherd puppy to suffer from intestinal parasites.
In addition to the German Shepherd puppy feeding diet, don’t forget the importance of preventative medicines, following the appropriate vaccination schedules, and general German Shepherd dog care.
