Probably there is no person who has not heard of the shepherd. These animals guard the border and look for people under the rubble, accompany the blind and sniff drugs, chase criminals and play brilliantly in the movies. And shepherds are wonderful watchmen and become faithful and faithful friends. This breed is one of the most popular in the world. But in order to raise a great dog, you need to follow certain rules. This is especially true for food. The owner must know exactly how to feed the shepherd puppy, and clearly follow the recommendations.
One of the features of German shepherds is that they are rapidly gaining weight. A newborn baby doubles it in 10 days of its life, and triples it by three weeks. A five-month-old, properly kept puppy should have half the adult weight, which varies between 30-40 kilograms in males and 22-32 kg in females. Naturally, during such an intensive increase in mass, the skeleton is formed intensively. Therefore, the nutrition of a growing puppy should be as balanced as possible.
But the rule of how to feed a puppy includes not only the diet, but also the diet. Usually, the mother feeds the babies for up to a month, so it is important to provide good nutrition to the bitch. From a month old, shepherd puppies begin to eat on their own. During this period, they have six meals a day. After 10 pm, giving the baby food is not recommended. From 1.5 months they are transferred to four meals a day, from three - they are fed three times a day, and from six - only twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Only if the dog performed a lot of physical activity, is it added another feeding. You can determine what she ate by behavior. A hungry animal, having emptied a bowl, will not move away from it, but will continue to lick it. So, the next time you feed, you need to increase the serving. But you can’t overfeed the dog either.
The second rule, how to feed a German Shepherd puppy, is that his bowl should not stand on the floor, because in this case the dog has a hump, and the pelvis bulges up. The bowl must be at the level with the muzzle, that is, the height of the stand increases with the growth of the pet.
The food offered to the pet should be warm. Strongly chilled or heated food leads to diseases of the digestive system, and sometimes to the death of the animal.
Now about the diet. It should be high-calorie and nutritious, contain the necessary vitamins and minerals. If the puppy grows on prepared feeds, they need to be selected only in higher grades, since feeds of the first and second grades do not give the growing body all the necessary substances. It is important when feeding with ready-made feeds to give the puppy a lot of water so as not to burn his stomach walls.
How to feed a puppy if you cook your own food? Firstly, the proportion of proteins in the diet should be at least 30%. If this is not followed, the dog will grow weakened, and her body will be underdeveloped. The source of protein is meat and its derivatives. Secondly, the diet should include raw and boiled vegetables, fruits, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, dairy products, cereals, herbs, radish tops, beets, rutabaga, nettle treated with boiling water, and brown bread. It is better to cook porridge from a mixture of cereals. So dogs eat more readily.
How to feed a puppy with meat? Babies older than 1.5 months are given boiled and cut into pieces rabbit meat and chicken, as well as raw beef. It is better not to give forcemeat, since it sticks together in the stomach and from this is poorly digested. Offal up to 4 months is also better not to give, and the liver should be boiled even for adult dogs in order to avoid infection by worms. When the puppy is 1.5 months old, you can give him raw beef mosles. At five months, they need to be replaced with ribs, because at this age puppies have very strong molars. They will already be able to gnaw bones, so sharp fragments will injure the mouth, pharynx and stomach. At the age of 4 months, meat in the morning or evening menu can be replaced with fish. It is better to give sea raw to keep healthy substances in it. River fish can only be given heat-treated.
How to feed a puppy with vegetables? Carrots, white cabbage and sea kale, beets, onions, rutabaga, cucumbers, pumpkin, bell peppers must be included in the diet, as they are sources of trace elements. All vegetables can be boiled, only potatoes should be given raw, since boiled is poorly digested. You can boil carrots, or you can give them raw, chopping it on a grater and mixing it with sunflower oil. Tomatoes must be included in the menu, because they play an important role in brushing your teeth. Legumes should be completely excluded from the diet. As an anthelmintic and a source of vitamins, it is advisable to give puppies a small clove of garlic every day.
Of course, it is very important to add vitamins to the diet. The best source of calcium is crushed egg shells. Two-month-old puppies are given half a teaspoon of it. When the age reaches 4 months, the dose should be 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. Another source of vitamins is honey. It is added to milk by 1 teaspoon, starting from two months. Also, crushed grains of sprouted wheat and other cereals are added to the diet. Bone meal is also a good lure , which is poured into a separate bowl so that the puppy eats when he wants to. Brewer's yeast, which are added to the diet, according to the attached instructions, also brings significant benefits.