German Shepherd are notoriously hard workers.
These German dogs can make excellent family pets but they also excel in a working role with the military, police or search and rescue.
German Shepherds were the first blind eye dogs despite Labradors and Retrievers being more commonly associated with such a service position.
These athletic and intelligent dogs need the right fuel in order to perform their duties at the highest level.
Whether they’re a much-loved family pet providing emotional support, a guard dog protecting their owner’s property or working as service dogs, all German Shepherds require a complete and healthy diet.
Traditionally, GSD owners may have fed their beloved dogs dry food such as kibble but there is a growing trend moving away from such canine nutrition.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the best dog food for German Shepherds.
Jump To Section
Best Dog Food For German Shepherds
Freshly cooked dog meals delivered to your door (Photo: Nom Nom)
German Shepherds need a balanced, complete and healthy diet just like any dog. You need to ensure that your GSD is getting the necessary nutrients and vitamins to give them a platform to perform to their best of their ability, whether that’s as a family pet or a service animal.
While you may be using dry food from a traditional brand, not all of these options provide the right minerals and vitamins for your dog. Some could also use what are often referred to as “nasties” within the dog food industry.
We really believe in feeding our dogs meals using fresh ingredients formulated by experts. For that reason, we recommend dog food delivery companies.
In our experience, they revolutionised the way we feed our dogs and how my two Alaskan Klee Kai view mealtime. Gone are the days when my dogs would pick at their food or completely ignore it. My Klee Kai are obsessed with mealtime, like all dogs should be. What’s more, my dogs appear more energetic and are healthier than ever before.
Dog food delivery companies can meet and surpass your German Shepherd’s nutritional needs and your expectations – too. The meals are customised to your specific German Shepherd to ensure they get everything they need to be happy and healthy dogs.
Having reviewed and tested many of the dog food delivery companies on the market, we consider Nom Nom and Ollie to be two of the best dog food delivery companies available on the market right now.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
Alternatively, if you live in the UK and you want to make the switch to a dog food delivery company, we’ve also got some options we recommend.
RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK
Sample subscription plan
In order to provide German Shepherd owners with an idea of the potential cost of a dog food delivery company, we completed a sample subscription plan thanks to our imaginary German Shepherd called Max.
“Max” is a three-year old male German Shepherd dog who weighs 60 pounds – which is an ideal weight for our imaginary GSD. We selected two different recipes with a monthly delivery.
Based upon the above details listed above, it would cost around $58.28 per week to feed Max freshly prepared dog meals.
Are There Coupon Codes Or Discount?
Most dog food delivery companies will offer around 20 per cent off your first order.
Nom Nom have a special offer for helloBARK! readers so if you want to try Nom Nom for your German Shepherd, you can avail of a 50 per cent discount off your first order by clicking this link.
Our readers can get 50% off their first order from Ollie when using the coupon code “HELLOBARK” at checkout. To avail of this offer, click this link and use the “HELLOBARK” discount code.
In the UK, Butternut Box will give GSD owners who want to try their service a huge discount off their first order. New customers can get 50% off their first and their second Butternut Box order by clicking here.
What German Shepherd owners say
All sounds good but you’re still unsure. We found some reviews from German Shepherd owners who have tried some of these dog food delivery companies.
Nine-year old German Shepherd Riley and her mom Marissa tried Nom Nom after a series of stomach issues, low energy and a dull coat. Having tried to switch up her diet to raw food with no success, Marissa decided to give Nom Nom a go.
I thought why not try it? Nom Nom had a great introductory offer, so we decided to order. I liked that the site was very user-friendly and talked about how the vet formulated the food. I also liked that you could input specific details or ailments.
It’s been great ever since.
Her eyes stopped tearing up and got shinier. She gained weight and her fur got shinier, too. She barely sheds anymore, even after winter. I don’t have to brush her as much. She has such an increase in energy. She used to have to sit down on every walk, like a grandma, but not anymore. We thought she was slowing down, but she started getting more muscle, going to the park every day.”
Dog Food Delivery Companies
Freshly cooked dog meals delivered to your door (Photo: Nom Nom)
This could be your first time encountering the dog food delivery concept as a pet owner. If so, let us explain a little more.
There is an increasing shift towards freshly prepared meals for your dog. Effectively these are meals that incorporate human grade ingredients.
They’re prepared in facilities that meet the same requirements and standards for food preparation for humans.
Companies will customise your German Shepherds meals to cater to their specific needs. The dog grub will be delivered directly to your doorstep.
In doing so, they’ll remove the daily hassle of preparing your dog’s meals, whether you usually feed your GSD some kibble, wet food or a combination of both.
I found this to be a welcome change in my day-to-day life. It removed the stress of having to mix dry and wet food together, only for my dogs to turn their nose up at their food. Now, I defrost the packaging, rip the seal and pour into their dog bowl. It’s really simple and they both lick the bowl clean.
Reasons to try dog food delivery companies
Ollie provide fresh and healthy dog meals (Photo: Ollie)
So you like the idea of dog food delivery companies but you want to learn a little more. Let’s take a look at some of the things to consider when it comes to subscribing to such a service.
• Freshly prepared meals – If you wouldn’t eat it, why should your dog? That’s the basic belief of dog food delivery companies that we’ve encountered. They only used the highest quality meat that meets the USDA’s standards as well as fresh vegetables. They cut out what are often described as “nasties” to ensure your dog is getting a complete and healthy diet.
• Customised to your dog – That all sounds great but are the meals tailored to your dog? In short, yes. You’ll be required to submit some basic information about your German Shepherd, such as name, age, weight, body type and activity level. Most companies will enquire about the previous food that you gave your GSD as well as any preferences. The attention to detail is so great that you’ll also be able to enter any allergies your German Shepherd may have.
• Variety of recipes – I’ve got two Alaskan Klee Kai who used to be very picky at mealtime. Even if I found a brand of dry food they liked, after a few weeks, they would get bored. Since switching to a dog food delivery company, this hasn’t been an issue. Having said that, I still like to vary the recipes I select to keep them guessing. Most companies will give you the option to choose a variety of meals as part of your subscription.
• Formulated by experts – This all sounds great but how do you know your German Shepherd’s mineral and vitamin requirements are being met? Well these companies have a team of experts from within the veterinary industry who formulate the meals. In doing so, they insure all the nutrients required to protect your GSD’s health are included, whether it’s for eyesight, coat quality or good digestion.
• Portion control – So you’re considering a dog food delivery company but you’re worried about portion control. There’ll be a temptation to add an extra little bit of food when you see your dog excited about feeding time again. Don’t worry! Most of these companies use pre portioned packaging or customised scoops so you won’t have to worry about overfeeding your precious pooch.
• Motivated dogs at meal time – As I touched upon above, there is nothing worse than seeing your dog disinterested at mealtime. This should be one of the highlights of their day! Since switching to a dog food delivery subscription, my dogs are excited about dinner time. Whenever I open the fridge, I’ve got an optimistic audience hoping that some freshly cooked dog food is about to appear before their eyes.
• Efficient and reliable deliveries – So you’re digging a little deeper into your pockets to feed your German Shepherd some of these meals. Therefore, it’s essential that deliveries are prompt and reliable. Most companies will give you a choice of delivery frequency and delivery time. Should you miss your package, the boxes will contain lots of ice to maintain the integrity of the meals. We’ve tested the customer service of these companies and it’s generally excellent.
• Flexible subscription plans – You’re thinking about taking the plunge and signing up to one of these dog food delivery companies, but you’re worried about being tied into a long-term subscription. In our experience, most companies operate on a month-by-month basis so you can pause or cancel at any time.
Any negatives?
While we believe there are mainly positives when it comes to dog food delivery companies, there are some drawbacks that we must touch upon.
When you receive your first delivery, some of the packaging can go into the fridge to stay chill before serving. However, the rest of the meals will need to be put into your freezer. Depending on the size of your freezer, space could be at a premium. However, if this is the case, you could also opt for more frequent deliveries such as twice a month rather than once a month.
You won’t be surprised to learn that signing up to a dog food delivery company isn’t cheap. You’ll be paying a premium price for a premium service. While you’ll be spending a little more on these freshly prepared meals than traditional types of dog food, the long-term benefits should outweigh the expense.
German Shepherds
German Shepherds were created by a former German soldier called Max von Stephanitz. He purchased the founder of the breed at a dog show. According to Wikipedia, he was particularly pleased with Horand’s “intelligence, loyalty and beauty” and purchased the dog immediately.
He named his dog Horand von Grafrath and he became the original member of the German Shepherd breed. The first club was created by Von Stephanitz in the early 1900s.
Initially created to be herding dogs used to protect sheep, they’ve go on to serve a wide variety of functions in modern society. These include family pets, guard dogs, police dogs and search and rescue dogs.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
The American Kennel Club write that the GSD is among those German breeds, the Dachshund is another, that suffered from anti-German sentiment during and after the world wars. The breed was even referred to as the Alsatian in the UK, although it was switched back to German Shepherd in 1977.
German Shepherds are the second-most popular breed in the United States and seventh-most popular in the United Kingdom. There are thought to be 3.5 million GSDs in the USA alone.
German Shepherds appearance and size
German Shepherds are medium-to-large dogs that can grow to be between 22 and 26 inches tall and weigh between 50 and 90 pounds. These dogs should be athletic and powerful.
German Shepherds exercise requirements
German Shepherds require regular exercise to fulfill their mental and physical needs. They’re fast learners thanks to their high IQ and they’ll excel if given a task to complete.
Most GSD will be satisfied with around 60 minutes of exercise a day, whether that’s a long walk, a brisk jog, trip to the dog park or training in the garden.
German Shepherds health
The German Shepherd do suffer from some hereditary health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia. Other potential conditions include epilepsy, degenerative myelopathy and bloat. If you’ve got any concerns or questions about the health of your dog, you should contact your vet immediately.
Anything else to consider?
It’s not a good idea to make a complete switch to a new type of dog food immediately. You could risk digestive or stomach problems, or diarrhea if you don’t make a gradual transition. Most dog food delivery companies will provide a guideline on how to make the switch to their food.
This article does not constitute expert advice and we recommend contacting your vet if you have any concerns or issues. You can also reach out to the company you’re thinking about subscribing to as they’ll usually have experts on hand to offer advice.
In conclusion
German Shepherd Freja (Photo: @wanderwithfreja / Instagram)
So there you have it, we’ve reached the end of our article on the best dog food for German Shepherds. If you’re looking to change up your GSD’s diet to enrich their daily lives, protect their health or help them bounce back from an ailment, we believe dog food delivery companies could be the solution for you.
Whether you’ve got a German Shepherd who is looking to shed some pounds or put on a little weight, rekindle their energy levels or a stubborn GSD that is picky at dinner time, you may want to try a fresh and healthy alternative rather than traditional dog food options.
