German Shepherd Puppy. Nutrition and care

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

German Shepherd puppies are looking for owners as early as 1.5-2 months of age. At this point, they have already passed the procedures for primary vaccination and protection against worms and are branded. Prior to this, a German Shepherd puppy is 1 month old, or rather, the first 2 weeks is under the supervision of its mother, receiving everything necessary and eating her milk. After this period, complementary foods begin, foods such as low-fat cottage cheese, scraped meat and various vitamins are added to the diet. When a puppy gets to new owners, he loses his mother's care and professional care of the breeder, so the owner needs to maintain contact with the breeder for at least a year in order to get advice or appropriate recommendations in case of emergency.

Feeding German Shepherd Puppies

When buying a puppy, you should ensure that he has a painless transition from one house to another, it is good if his usual diet is maintained for several days or a week. A German Shepherd puppy should eat at least 6 times a day until the age of 3 months, then itthe number gradually decreases to 2 times, but not earlier than after 9 months. There is a huge amount of ready-made dog food, and the owner often has to decide what to feed the dog, whether to switch from natural, home-cooked food to dry ready-made food.

Dry food

There are three classes of dry food: economy, premium and super premium. The first includes inexpensive feeds, which include low-grade cereals, soybeans and meat by-products. Their digestibility and nutritional properties are very low, so they require more than premium feeds. A German Shepherd puppy will happily eat this food, but the low-quality raw materials used can lead to allergies and metabolic disorders. In the premium class, low-grade raw materials are not allowed, and the nutritional value of such a substitute for natural food is much higher, the same applies to digestibility. But super-premium class feeds are already prepared from high-quality products, cheap ingredients, preservatives and dyes are not used here. Their composition is balanced and includes everything necessary for the growth and development of the puppy and the normal functioning of his body. In addition, the breed, weight, physical activity, age and susceptibility to diseases of the dog are taken into account in the manufacture of food. You can find such food in a veterinary clinic or in specialized stores.

Natural food

To do the right thingfeeding a puppy with natural homemade food, you need to have sufficient knowledge so that the diet is balanced and contains the necessary amount of both carbohydrates, proteins and fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. In the first months of growth, a German Shepherd puppy especially needs proteins, because this is the main element for a growing dog's body, so meat products must be included in his daily diet. They can be given both raw and boiled, too fatty meat or pork is not recommended, the latter may contain the distemper virus. With a lack of fat in the diet, growth retardation can occur, a sign that a sufficient amount of fat is present in the diet is a smooth, shiny coat. The main source of energy are carbohydrates, that is, all kinds of sugars and fiber. The main products rich in carbohydrates are various cereals and legumes, a German Shepherd puppy will not refuse berries, fruits and vegetables.