Cross Breeds

How much should I feed my German Shepherd Puppy?

Im getting an 9 week old German Shepherd puppy and I was wondering how many times should I feed him a day and how much? also any recommended dog foods? i was thinking canidae.

Public Comments

1. just fill the dog dash up full when he/she is hungry then your dog will eat that is what i do i cant tell u the kind of dog food u should get cause my dog only like the cheap stuff
2. Canidae is good, Try Canidae all life stages. Theres a little chart on the website www.canidae.com ranging from how old to how much you should feed them.
3. Read the bag it should say how much for what weight he is
4. Young GSD should be fed 3 times a day ( small bowls).Around 8-9 months increase amounts slowly to reach 2 full cups for one meal a day by the time your dog reaches 1 year old. Your dog only needs to eat once unless it is very active. You can opt for a raw diet of meat and bones or purchase top quality dry commerical food, ask your local vet as i dont know which country you are from.
5. How many times a day? I've seen some feed ad libitum and some once a day but I think twice or thrice a day would be ideal. How much? Look at his tummy. About half of that is is stomach. Put in approximately that amount. If he finishes it good for him, if not, give lesser next time. If he seems to want more (don't worry, he'll let you know) give him some more. There will be times he'll want more and there will be times he'll want less or none at all. That would be normal. German Shepherds tend to lose control of their hind legs later in life so give him lots of exercise. You may want to give him a glass of milk (not diet) in the morning to make his muscles and bones stronger.
6. See the top of your dog's head? That's the size of his stomach.That's the amount you should feed him.While a puppy,three times a day.Never feed a big dog once a day ,they can get bloated very easy,specially if they live outdoor.
7. You should continue it on the food that the breeder had it on and switch it over slowly to a good quality food or you can upset its digestive system and young puppies are prone to quick dehydration if they are switched fast. Canidae is an excellent food for older puppies but honestly most breeders I know use other foods for puppies. If whatever it is on now, it is thriving on, then I would continue that and switch to Canidae or another good food later on - maybe when it is about six months or so. I fed Pro Plan puppy formula (not the large breed formula) before switching to Canidae - had tried the Canidae on the pups but they didn't do as well on it and I discussed it with several successful, knowledgeable breeders whose pups I had watched closely before and that is what they recommended and it seemed to do fine. At nine weeks I am usually feeding four times a day - that will cut down to three times and then two but the pup will sort of let you know. DO NOT do as someone suggested and free feed - you will teach your dog not to eat well that way as it diminishes food drive - you don't have desire for what you always have available - or the dog can overeat and become too heavy - which in a GSD puppy can be disasterous on the hips and elbows! Put the food down, moistened but not sloppy wet, for about ten or fifteen minutes and put in what the dog will finish and then pick it up. You can start with what is recommended on the package but you will have to adjust that to the particular dog as some dogs need more, some less - watch how his condition is - should be covered but not fat. Congrats on the new pup! Also, contact your breeder as they usually have recommendations as to how their pups do on what food and how much.