From how correctly the diet of the German shepherd is compiled and as far as it is balanced, the normal development of the animal depends largely, its state of health, energy and well-being. According to kinologies with experience, a universal diet, suitable by any German shepherd, does not exist. In each particular case, breeders of dogs of this breed are focused on the individual features of their pets: the level of their daily activity, age, constitution, weight. What should be considered when planning the diet of such dogs?
Animal diet and temperament
When planning the German Shepherd's diet, experienced breeders take into account Not only the physical parameters of the animal, but also its temperament. So, calm phlegmatic dogs, showing moderate activity during the day, spend a smaller amount of energy in contrast to their coniferous sanguine and choleric type. Flegmatic dogs are not recommended nutrition, the basis of which is fats. Excessively abundant and fatty food in this case can cause a set of excess weight and, as a result, the possible development of endocrine diseases and violations.
Most often, for German shepherds is peculiar Sanguine type of temperament. Dogs of such a warehouse have a balanced and flexible nervous system. They are movable, active, capable of quickly switching from one task to another. Their energy costs in most cases are able to compensate for the standard diet, the basis of which is protein products.
Less often among German Shepherds there are representatives choleric type. For such individuals, elevated excitability is characterized, the weakly resistant nervous system, outbreaks of anxiety and even aggression. Choler dogs rapidly consume energy reserves, so their diet is usually more calorie and nutritious. Compensate high energy consumption in this case allows food rich in carbohydrates.
The basis of the ration of the German shepherd should be protein products. However, it is impossible to build a dog menu on only proteins. Excess protein in the diet of the animal often leads to the development of diseases of the urinary system organs.
Balanced nutrition involves such a diet, which includes proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, micro and macroelements. You can fill the needs of a dog body in certain nutrients using natural and industrial feeds.
Types of feeding
Some dogs prefer to feed their pets with natural food ("Natural Tool"), others are ready-made dry and wet feeds. And in that, and in another case, there are specific nuances, dignity and disadvantages.
Natural feeding
Planning a dog diet based on natural products requires accurate observance of the balance between sources of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. All these nutrients are necessary for the body of an animal for full-fledged development, optimal energy exchange, the normal functioning of internal organs and systems.
The list of products that are valid in the German Shepherd menu includes the following:
- Lean meat (beef, beef mince, low-fat boiled pork);
- Poultry meat (chicken, turkey);
- thermally processed offal (heart, light, stomach, liver);
- quail or chicken eggs;
- porridge, cereals;
- cottage cheese, ryazhenka, kefir;
- non-fat varieties of fish (not allowed bony, river and lake fish);
- In small quantities - milk (if it does not cause animal allergies or stool disorder);
- vegetables.
Experienced breeders are recommended to add some vegetable oil to the finished food, which contributes to the best absorption of vitamins and nutrients. In addition, vegetable oil added in dog food in small quantities, favorably affects the condition of the skin and animal wool.
The table of the exemplary ratio of products in the diet of the German shepherd looks like this:
| Sources of protein | up to 70% |
| Sources of carbohydrates | up to 40% |
| Sources of fats (vegetable and animals) | from 20 to 40% |
Industrial feed
In nurseries, most often the basic diet of German shepherds is represented by ready-made dry or wet feeds. They differ among themselves not only at the price, but also in composition, energy value. Some types of feed are designed for adult healthy dogs, others - for puppies, third - for allergy dogs, fourths - for weakened animals, moved operation or severe disease, fifth - for old dogs, nursing and pregnant bor.
Modern manufacturers produced ready-made feed in the following categories:
- Economy - the most inexpensive type with minimal nutritional value;
- Premium - relatively inexpensive type of feed with high energy value;
- Premium Plus - Dear type of feed with high energy value enriched with vitamins and microelements;
- Super premium - Dear type of balanced feed with high nutritional value, containing maximum nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Experienced breeders are not recommended to use in the diet of the German Shepherd Economy feed. They contain the smallest amount of beneficial substances, are not balanced and cannot fill the animal energy consumption. For the feeding of the German shepherd, it is best to purchase products premium plus and super premium products.
Well-proven finished feed from such brands like: Royal Canin, Happy Dog, Bosch, Wolfsblut, Trainer. In the line of dog food from these manufacturers, feeds for dogs of any age are presented. Calculation of the daily feed rate is carried out in accordance with the instructions represented by the manufacturer.
Making the right ration
Most breeders prefer to feed their pets with natural food, independently planning their diet at home. With a competent host approach, a dog feeding with natural food receives all the nutrients, vitamins, macro and trace elements necessary for its body. When making a menu, a pet is guided by its age, health status, level of activity and as mentioned above, temperament.For puppy
The main product in the diet of the puppy from the moment of birth to monthly age - maternal milk. It has a high nutritional value, contains all the necessary vitamins, nutrients, macro and trace elements.
If the nursing bitch lacks milk, then It is allowed to remember puppies additionally. For this purpose, dry dairy mixes for newborns or special dairy mixes for puppies on artificial feeding are used. Some owners resort to the help of SUK-Kormilitz, who are on raising from other breeders. It is important that the puppies of the bitch-roots are born for 2-3 days earlier than puppies requiring additional feeding.
On 3-4 weeks of life When the kids will begin to appear the teeth, it is allowed to enter the first lure. As downtime uses a broken beef meat. A week later, it is recommended to introduce a second type of feeding in the form of cottage cheese. When the puppy's digestive system adapts to the protein food of animal origin, the sources of vegetable protein are allowed as an additional dust.
From two months of age Puppies begin to gradually lose interest in maternal milk, in connection with which their menu should become a little more diverse. It is necessary to introduce low-fat types of meat (rabbit, chicken), the first cereals (rice, oats, buckwheat). For three months old age, it is allowed to add to the diet of puppies sea white fish (halibut, cod, polytai, hake). It gives animals with caution, in very limited quantities.
Aged 5 months The babies of the German Shepherd need to give about 500 grams of meat, 250 grams of fermented milk products (yoke, kefir), 250 grams of vegetables and the same amount of porridge (rice-buckwheat) daily. It should also be remembered that as the puppies increase, additional sources of vitamins and trace elements are required: Fish fat, ground egg shell, beer yeast, bone flour.
Starting from age 6-7 months The menu of puppies should be corrected in such a way that the animals are fastened and developed, but did not gain weight. For this purpose, the diet limits the cereals, but increase the volume of protein products and fiber. At this age, puppies can be given up to 750 grams of meat and 250-300 grams of vegetables daily. Twice a week is allowed to treat the dog with a chicken egg, 1-2 times a week was recommended to pamper pet cottage cheese. Such a power regime is desirable to stick to the moment when the puppy is 12-15 months.
For a year and a half, the dog should be transferred to the "adult" power mode. It believes reducing feeding frequency up to 2 times and extension of the volume of portions. However, here experienced dogs are recommended to focus on the individual features of the animal, his health condition, the daily level of activity, the Constitution.
For an adult dog
Adult German Shepherds - large hardy animals, distinguished by an excellent appetite. Actively spending energy during the day, the dogs of this breed need high-calorie, high-quality and useful food.
Daily animal should receive At least 700 grams of meat, 350-400 grams of croup, 350 grams of vegetables, 400 grams of other sources of protein (cottage cheese, chicken). In addition, the dog requires additional sources of vitamins and minerals. Animals of mature and elderly also need chondroprotectors - special preparations protecting joints and bones from the development of destructive diseases. Among the most famous chondroprotectors here can be noted such as "Stride Plus", "Stoparthrit", "Halutidin".
Once a week, the serving of meat can be replaced with low-fat fish in the amount of 750 grams. Both fish and meat fogging the pet should be chopped into pieces cleaned from bones and bone fragments.
The volumes of portions of adult shepherd must be controlled and adjust, focusing on the activity of the pet. In the seasons, when the animal moves less often, it tries to spend more time at rest (for example, in winter), the volumes of servings are slightly limited that the dog does not score excess weight. In the summer, when sheepdog moves more, longer walks more often, the daily volumes of food slightly increase.
Periodicity of feeding
Newborn puppies are able to eat with maternal milk 7 or 8 times a day. Experienced kennels believe that Maternal milk is the best power option for kids to three weeks old.
Aged 4 to 8 weeks, the feeding frequency of puppies is 6 times a day. Starting from 2 months of life, kids are transferred to five-volume food. When puppies turn 3 months from the genus, the amount of feedings are reduced to 4 times a day. For three-fold nutrition animals are transferred at the age of six months.
Three times on the day of the dog are eaten until they reach the year. Starting from the age of 12 months, young animals are fed 2 times a day. It is believed that Annative dog is quite an adult and capable of withstanding long intervals between food techniques.
What you can't feed?
Any owner of the German Shepherd is obliged to know the list of products in detail, which in no case should be present in the diet of the animal. These prohibitions and restrictions arose and exist in no coincidence. Some products that are not allowed to feed dogs are able to cause severe allergies, others - long-term disorders of digestion, others can cause dangerous injuries internal organs. That's why It is not necessary to retreat from the recommendations of experienced dog breeders, even if I really want to pamper a pet unfamiliar to him delicacy.
So, the following products are strictly prohibited from the German Shepherd menu:
- Fatty grade meat;
- tubular and chopped bones containing fragments;
- any meat semi-finished products (dumplings, chinkali);
- All sweets, including chocolate, candy, ice cream;
- beans (peas, beans);
- White bread, snob;
- canned food (intended for people, not animals);
- sausages, sausages, sausages, kebab;
- River fish;
- beet.
Professional breeders strongly recommend feeding the dog to the remaining food from the business table. This prohibition is due to the fact that in most dishes there are seasonings and spices, which are also prohibited in a dog diet.
Tips and recommendations
Some inexperienced dog owners often mix natural and ready-made dry food. According to dog breeders with experience, it is undesirable to do it. "Nature" and dry food should be given separately from each other. In rare exceptions "Naturalka" It is allowed to mix with wet dog canned, half reducing the recommended one-time volume of each type of feed.
One dose of each type of specialized wet and dry feed is individual. Selecting the optimal amount of feed for your pet, it is necessary to focus on the recommendation of the manufacturer's company, and on the features of the animal, its age and the constitution.
It is not recommended to overflow a dog. This is especially true of animals contained in urban conditions and significantly limited in motion. German shepherds are quite easily gaining overweight, which can cause health problems.
Feed the dog is needed at the same time. For feeding, you should use bowls recorded on special stands. They will not allow the animal to hurt and slouch during food intake.
Appetite is one of the main indicators of the health status of a shepherd. If the dog has ceased to eat, has lost interest in others, it became an apathetic and low-live, then this may indicate the development of any disease. For this reason, it is important to control the pet appetite, follow how much he eats, whether the disarmed food leaves after feeding.
It is advisable to feed a pet after a walk. During the walk, the dog will have time to play need, besporn, play with other animals. On the full stomach, the pet activity will be quite difficult and uncomfortable. In addition, feeding the dog before walking, the owner risks not bring it with a crowded intestine, bladder and stomach to the site. In this situation, the risk is increasing that the full dog will advise at home.
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