German Shepherds are hands down, one of the coolest breeds of dogs. Not that other dogs aren’t cool, but German Shepherds are seen fighting crime, and stopping the bad guys. When they’re not busy saving the world one wagging tail at a time, they turn into loveable, cuddly, best friends making goofy faces and making you belly laugh. You love your German Shepherd, so it’s natural that you want to give them the best things in life, like when it comes to their food. But how do you know if you’re actually picking the best dog food for German Shepherd?
How to pick the Best Dog Food for German Shepherd:
When picking out the best dog food for German Shepherds you’ll want to consider their current age, exercise routine, and the diseases that they’re susceptible to.
If your German Shepherd is a puppy, you’ll want to make sure you’re feeding them foods that support their growing bones. Whether it’s wet food or dry food is up to you as long as they provide your puppy with the essential nutrients they need to grow up strong and majestic.
Puppy food is typically loaded with more nutrients than adult food because it helps support your puppy as they grow. The kibble size tends to also be smaller to help reduce the risk of choking. You’ll want to keep your German Shepherd on puppy food for at least the first year of their life. Be sure to check out our selection of the The Best Puppy Food for German Shepherds to find out what made out top choices!
Breed Considerations
German Shepherds are an active breed and a full grown German Shepherd usually requires an average of 1,270 and 2,100 calories per day. To help put that in perspective, that’s about how much we eat in a day. It’s critical to give your German Shepherd the necessary number of calories they need or else they won’t have the energy they need to play around. If your German Shepherd is a couch potato and has packed on a few pounds, you’ll need to put them on a lower calorie diet to make sure they don’t get overweight.
If your German Shepherd is an older pup, you’ll want make sure you switch from regular, adult dog food, to senior dog food. The difference? Senior dog food is usually lower in calories and fat. This is done on purpose to help keep your dog’s weight at a healthy level since they aren’t as active as they used to be. You’ll want to start feeding your German Shepherd senior dog food in the last third of their life span, so around 7 years old.
Best Dog Food for German Shepherd
Royal Canin
The absolute best dog food for German Shepherd comes from Royal Canin. Royal 
Since each breed is unique it only makes sense to have a unique food for each one. The Royal Canin adult dog food has developed a formula to help German Shepherds with their sensitive skin, double-layered coat, and supports bone and joint health since German Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia.
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Remember earlier when we said they look at their jaw structure? Since German Shepherds have strong teeth and powerful jaws, the kibble is made to be harder than your average kibble. Because of its toughness and unique shape (it’s like an X) it’ll encourage your dog to chew their food instead of just swallowing it. This should only be fed to German Shepherds that are 15 months or older. If you have a younger on you can feed them Royal Canin’s Puppy Food.
Royal Canin at a Glance:
- Supports a healthy digestive system
- Tailored kibble bites designed just for your German Shepherd
- Supports bone and joint development
- Helps maintain healthy skin and a healthy coat
- 100% Balanced Nutrition
EUKANUBA
Eukanuba offers one of the best dog food for German Shepherd dogs because it also has been 
Eukanuba comes in second because their analyses and tailoring towards German Shepherds doesn’t go as in depth as Royal Canins. But that doesn’t mean that Eukanuba hasnt’ done their homework. This food is filled with omega-6 and fatty acids that help keep your German Shepherds coat looking radiant and other essentials that translate into healthy pups!
The main ingredient in EUKANUBA’s German Shepherd dog food is made with real chicken so you can rest assured knowing your German Shepherd is getting the right nutrition they need with a yummy taste.
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EUKANUBA at a Glance:
- Reduces tartar build up
- High protein leads to lean muscles
- Helps maintain healthy skin and a healthy coat
- 100% Balanced nutrition
- Supports healthy digestion
EVO Red Meat Dog Food
EVO Dog Food is grain free and gluten free to ensure that your German Shepherd is able to digest their food healthily. Because their food is so packed with nutrients, your dog will only need a small amount of food in order to be satisfied. The smaller portions will keep your German Shepherd at a healthy weight while also helping them grow lean muscles.
EVO came in third because of their food being packed with nutrients and addressing the dietary needs of all dogs based on their ancestors.
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EVO at a Glance:
- Made with real fruits and Veggies
- 0% grain, gluten or potato added
- Supports healthy digestion
- Helps maintain healthy skin and a healthy coat
- Can come in large or small bites for your dog
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo uses chicken, lamb or fish as their main ingredients for the kibble and wet dog food. They have grain free options if your German Shepherd is grain intolerant, high fiber options if your German Shepherd needs help digesting food, and their BLUE Wilderness recipe is inspired by the diet of the wolf, their ancestors. This formula provides your German Shepherd the meats and nutrients that their natural instincts crave.
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Blue Buffalo at a Glance:
- Made with real fruits and veggies
- Contains vitamins and antioxidants
- Made in the USA
- No by-product meals
- No corn
- No artificial colors or preservatives
How to Switch Your German Shepherd to New Food
So now you know what he best dog food for German Shepherd dogs are you’ve got an idea of what food you’ll start getting for your dog. When you switch a dog’s diet, you’ll need to do it slowly, so you can monitor them for any allergic reactions or indigestion. The best way to introduce your German Shepherd to one of these new brands of food is through a gradual transition over a period of about a week.
Food Transition Schedule
Day 1: feed your German Shepherd 75% of their current food and 25% of their new food. Monitor them for any reactions
Day 2: 75% current food and 25% new food. If your dog has had diarrhea since their first introduction to the new food, switch back to 100% of their current food and see if the diarrhea continues.
Day 3: 50% current food and 50% new food, monitor for reactions.
Day 4: 50% current food and 50% new food, monitor for reactions.
Day 5: 25% current food and 75% new food, monitor for reactions.
Day 6: 25% current food and 75% new food, monitor for reactions.
Day 7: If your dog hasn’t had any reactions you can now switch over to feeding them only their new food!
Wrap Up
You are what you eat and so is your GSD, so you need to make sure you’re feeding the best dog food for your German Shepherd. The more natural the food is, the better chance it is at being good for your dog. Make sure you take into consideration your dog’s age, which is one of the most basic and important factors when picking a dog food.
If you’re German Shepherd is still young, you’ll need to look for puppy food that’s full of nutrients and smaller in size. If your German Shepherd is getting old and less active, you’ll need to switch them to a senior dog food or a low calorie dog food to help maintain a healthy weight on them. Always look for foods that are going to benefit your German Shepherds skin and coat. German Shepherds tend to have sensitive skin, so giving them the proper nutrients is crucial.
Do you feed your German Shepherd any of these dog foods? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!
