Ensuring your German Shepherd thrives on the best possible nutrition is a passion for many dog owners, and rightfully so. Beyond ample physical activity and mental stimulation, a dog’s diet plays a critical role in their overall health and longevity. With an alarming statistic that cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, understanding the ingredients in their food becomes paramount. This article delves into the specifics of German Shepherd nutrition, drawing from years of experience and expert advice to help you make informed feeding choices.
The journey to finding the best food for your German Shepherd can be challenging. Many commercial dog foods contain by-products, meat from animals treated with growth hormones and antibiotics, and common fillers like brewer’s yeast, tapioca starch, and pea protein. This can result in diets where carbohydrates constitute up to 50%, converting to sugar upon digestion – not ideal for optimal canine health. Even foods recommended by veterinarians are not always the best choice. Much like the human food industry, the quality can vary significantly. For those interested in a deeper understanding of how diet impacts cancer, the book “Cancer as a Metabolic Disease” by Thomas Seyfried is a recommended read.
Breed-Specific Nutrition is Key
Just as human dietary needs vary, so do those of different dog breeds. The “best” dog food for one breed might not be suitable for another. While budget is a consideration, prioritizing the best food you can afford for your German Shepherd is crucial. Understanding breed-specific nutritional requirements is fundamental. For instance, organic blueberries might be a healthy ingredient, but they offer little to no nutritional benefit to a dog. This is why BREED MATTERS when selecting dog food.
This guide focuses on the foundational nutritional needs of German Shepherds, providing insights based on the work of the late canine nutritionist William D. Cusick. His research and breed-specific guides, including recipes, form the basis of this information. For a comprehensive understanding, his free guide, “Canine Nutrition,” is available as a PDF. It’s important to note that this information is for educational purposes; always consult with a canine nutritionist, not solely a veterinarian, before making significant dietary changes. For those interested in raw feeding, resources like Raw, Fed and Nerdy offer science-based guidance.
Understanding German Shepherd Nutritional Needs
According to William D. Cusick’s insights from “Canine Nutrition & Choosing The Best Food For Your Breed Of Dog,” the German Shepherd’s unique physiology requires specific dietary considerations. Originating from the Alsatian Region of Germany, this breed possesses a notably shorter colon compared to other breeds of similar body weight. This anatomical characteristic necessitates a high-fiber diet. Fiber helps to slow down the digestive process, allowing more time for essential nutrients to be absorbed. While this may result in larger stools, it ensures better assimilation of food.
Historically, the Alsatian Region’s environment provided German Shepherds with primary food sources such as beef, wheat, and leafy greens like cabbage and alfalfa. Therefore, a blend of these ingredients is recommended as the ideal base diet. Conversely, commercial foods high in fish, soy, or rice are considered less suitable for this breed. While dogs are omnivores with carnivorous tendencies, and in the wild, they consume prey which includes partially digested plant matter, replicating this in a domestic setting requires careful consideration.
The Benefits of a Tailored Diet
My own German Shepherds’ diets are based on beef, wheat, and cabbage, consciously avoiding fish, soy, and rice. While understanding a dog’s ideal diet is one aspect, ensuring they will actually eat it is another. My approach involved cooking food based on William D. Cusick’s recipes for seven years before transitioning to a raw diet. This homemade approach yielded remarkable results: my dogs exhibited higher energy levels, increased muscle mass, and maintained excellent health, with no need for flea or tick medication due to the natural pest-repellent properties of garlic in their food.
Preparing your dog’s food from scratch requires effort, typically around 2 hours per week for cooking and cleaning to prepare 14 meals. However, the cost-effectiveness and health benefits are substantial, with an estimated weekly cost of about $40 for nutritious, palatable food. It is crucial to follow a proper recipe, as the precise balance of ingredients is vital for a healthy diet. For example, while a small amount of garlic can deter pests, an excessive amount is toxic to dogs. Therefore, obtaining a well-formulated recipe is highly recommended.
Here’s a general overview of nutritional needs and their best food sources for German Shepherds:
| Nutritional Need | Best Food Sources |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A Palmitate | cabbage, carrot, broccoli, squash |
| Vitamin B-1 | cabbage, carrot, yellow corn, squash, broccoli |
| Vitamin B-2 | broccoli, cabbage, squash, beef |
| Vitamin B-6 | chicken, beef, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, carrot, squash, potato |
| Vitamin B-12 | beef |
| Vitamin D | cheese |
| Vitamin E | broccoli |
| Niacinamide (B3) | broccoli, chicken, squash, carrot, beef |
| Biotin | carrot (raw) |
| Folic Acid | broccoli |
| d-Calcium Pantothenate (B5) | yellow corn, broccoli, squash |
| Para Amino Benzoic Acid (PABA) | whole-grain wheat |
| Calcium | cheese, broccoli, cabbage, squash, garlic |
| Copper | squash, cheese, potato, garlic |
| Iodine | cheese |
| Iron | cheese, broccoli, squash, beef |
| Magnesium | cheese, squash, broccoli, whole grain wheat, cabbage |
| Manganese | garlic, squash, whole grain wheat, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, yellow corn |
| Phosphorus | cheese |
| Potassium | broccoli, squash, carrots, cabbage, potato |
| Zinc | beef, squash, broccoli |
Beyond these core nutrients, consider incorporating specific nutritional supplements not typically found in food. These can be essential for a German Shepherd’s optimal health.
Transitioning to Raw Food
Motivated by the positive results seen in dogs fed a raw diet, I began transitioning my own German Shepherds to raw food in August 2016. This decision was solidified by the experience with Neko, a rescued German Shepherd with a spinal injury. Initially fed a commercial raw food blend, Neko’s response convinced me of the benefits of raw feeding. To maintain the precise nutritional balance I had achieved with my cooked diet, I meticulously recreated my breed-specific cooked recipe in a raw format, referencing “Unlocking the Ancestral Diet” for guidance.
The transition for Neko, who was already on raw, was seamless. My other German Shepherds followed, and they have continued to thrive on this meticulously crafted raw diet, which I consider the pinnacle of nutrition for the breed.
Ensuring Raw Food Safety
A common concern regarding raw feeding is the potential presence of contaminants like E. coli, Salmonella, or Campylobacter. While these bacteria can pose a risk, it’s primarily a concern for dogs not consistently fed a raw diet. Naturally, dogs possess a highly acidic stomach environment (pH around 2.0), which effectively neutralizes these harmful bacteria. Dogs accustomed to commercial kibble or cooked diets may not have this level of protection.
Fortunately, within approximately two weeks of consistent raw feeding, a dog’s stomach acidity returns to its natural, protective pH level. This significantly reduces the risk of illness from contaminated food. In my six years of feeding dogs raw diets, I have encountered no issues related to bacterial contamination. For a deeper understanding of canine digestion and acidity, the article “Gastric Acidity, Digesting Bones, Gut Transit Time, and Salmonella” provides valuable insights.
Regarding the meat supply, it is crucial to source high-quality meat from trustworthy farms that avoid growth hormones and antibiotics. This commitment to quality meat is essential for creating the best food for a German Shepherd. Since 2020, I have offered my raw version of the “Best Food for a German Shepherd” recipe for sale, providing a convenient option for owners seeking this superior nutrition.
