German shepherds usually have the problem of gaining too much weight. If you want to resolve a problem, it is essential to know its cause. After that, you should switch back to something in the range of 12-15% fat. Those who are looking for an answer to the question How can i get my german shepherd to gain weight? often ask the followingquestions: Dont Miss: German Shepherd Neutering Behavior, ClubGermanShepherd.com is a one-stop resource for everything you want to know about german shepherds. We only recommend that you try this is your dog is really underweight as it often swings the pendulum and ends up with your dog being overweight. Wilderness Salmon is one of 18 dry recipes analyzed in our review of the Blue Buffalo Wilderness product line. They also add extra calories which are healthy and nutritious. readily available over the counter and online. He comes from a long line of small German Shepherds. Dry kibble is denser and contains more calories than wet food because the moisture has been removed from dry foods. It's unusual for a German shepherd to need to gain weight. Puppies that are struggling to gain weight may need additional nutritional supplements, or they could have worms. High-calorie and nutrient-dense foods such as fresh meats, fish, and dairy provide your puppy with good energy and protein. They can be done every day to keep your dog active and help them to maintain their muscle mass. Sample buyer reviewMy dog loves this food! German Shepherds are a working breed and, as such, require a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Proper exercise is still important even when youre trying to fatten up your dog. The solution is to add water, so they will be able to eat the hard morsels. Also Check: Why Does My German Shepherd Follow Me Everywhere. Your German Shepherd may start experiencing some health complications if you don't do anything about their excessive weight, and that's why you should know the acceptable weight limit for the dog. This is a "user error" that can be fixed fairly easily, but taking your dog to the veterinarian first is the best thing for the majority of dog owners. Your dog may be underweight if they have a drastic curve from their chest to their back legs, or if you can see their rib cage showing through their skin. You should bear in mind that each type of dog food has a particular calorie content per serving. If your German Shepherd eats normally but isnt gaining weight, you may need to switch to different food. Do you want to know how to fatten up a German Shepherd to make them gain weight in a healthy way? One of the easiest ways to discover obesity is keeping a check on weight. This is the Current Price of these Victor Classic - Hi-Pro Plus available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Thus, you want to avoid high-protein diets that are not also high in fat. Also, increasing the number of feeding by splitting regular and extra food into several feeding times allows your Shepherd to eat more. Read these posts to find out what type of German Shepherd training works the best for your breed. We love that youre enjoying all the great stuff here. Adult dogs should get 20 to 25% of their daily calories from protein, 25-50% from fats, and the rest from carbohydrates. 1. Choose the one with higher calories and fat to help your pooch gain weight. The weight of a German Shepherd varies according to age. Free German Shepherds require 1273 to 1540 calories per day but active ones require 1740 to 2100 . A less active and senior dog requires between 1300 and 1700 calories per day. The best food for a German Shepherd to gain weight is this high protein red-meat adult formula dog foodwhich contains 30% protein to bulk-up your German Shepherd and get them fat in a healthy manner. If you are unsure of what food to get for your German Shepherd, consider getting dog food designed specifically for German Shepherds. Recommended Reading: Can A Chihuahua And A German Shepherd Mate. Puppies required a higher calorie content in their food to help them grow at a healthy rate and have all the energy a puppy needs to play. Protein is simply harder to digest than fat or carbohydrates, and so the body has to use a little of one to process the other. 8. Here are some of the things you need to think about when evaluating any kind of dog food. Unfortunately, sometimes, a German Shepherd's inability to gain weight is a sign of an underlying health condition. Puppies can be hungry often because they are growing, so feed them small meals. German Shepherds arent those naturally chubby dogs. In one place, Contact us: contact@clubgermanshepherd.com, 5 things to know before getting a female German Shepherd, Is your German Shepherd Skinny? Feed little and often to avoid getting the dog sick. It's also advisable to give them a consistent amount of food. It contains 32% protein from herring meal, so your pet will have lots of energy and the building blocks for powerful muscles. Offer your dog Brewers yeast tablets following the manufacturers instructions for dosing. This size can also vary depending on the type of German shepherd (working line vs show line). You want to know if they are gaining weight, losing weight, or remaining the same. If your dog vomits regularly and doesn't produce formed stools, schedule a vet check to rule out any major medical problems. But before doing this, consult your vet. Dull, Lifeless Coat A dull lifeless coat is also another sign of an underweight german shepherd. Dont Miss: German Shepherd Puppies Boise Idaho, Read Also: Can German Shepherds Eat Bananas. You can also try adding an extra meal if you find your dog is not eating enough. From 3 to 4 weeks old, when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd puppy, we should start by letting them taste new foods and flavors. Plus, dry kibble is easy to digest, so your dog will be able to absorb all of the nutrients it needs. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. They may follow you around rather than eat when you offer their food bowl this may be especially true of Shepherds since they tend to get fixated on their caretaker. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 43% protein, 23% fat and 26% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 53%. You literally just sprinkle them on top of your dogs food to entice them to eat and add extra calories. German Shepherds weigh anywhere between 66 to 88 pounds for males and between 49 to 71 pounds for females. Catherine Krasavin owns Shepherd Sense, a dog website aimed at German Shepherd owners and lovers. German Shepherd puppies grow very fast and require lots of nutrients to support their growth and development. Around day 42, your dog will enter the third stage of pregnancy. The average size for an adult male GSD is around 24 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs between 85-100 pounds. Puppy foods generally have added nutrients to support puppy growth which can help your underweight German Shepherd gain weight and fatten up in a controlled manner which is what you want. Contains Chicken meal, beef meal, Menhaden fish meal, iron amino acid complex, vitamins and Flax Seed etc. When choosing a dry kibble for your German Shepherd, look for one thats high in protein and fat. To get your dog more interested in their food, try sprinkling on a topping to their usual meals. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. If you want to make your puppy weigh more, then you can increase the amount of food. For an underweight dog, you should switch to a high-fat, high-protein diet. A German Shepherd is sexually dimorphic. with the wet still encourages your dog to eat in order to not lose more weight. This approach should only be taken with dry food, as wet food can spoil if left out for more than a couple hours at a time. Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon derives the majority of its animal protein from fresh beef and lamb meal. Brewers yeast is a great source Veterinarians recommend annual checkups twice a year for older pets. Ieave her food bowl full at all times she so can eat whenever she wants. High-quality lean protein will help pack on the pounds for shepherds having difficulty gaining weight. Some dogs simply dont like to eat alone. The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. Ingredients: This multi-meat ingredient is popular with dog owners. Filler will not satisfy and make your German Shepherd healthy. At around 6 to 8 weeks old, a German Shepherd puppy should be given a little dry dog food with water, or unseasoned chicken stock between nursing sessions. GREAT NEWS!!! Fairly priced and highly recommended. Check with your vet to determine the right calorie content for your puppy. If your dog is not eating after 15-20min, take the bowl away and allow her to skip the meal. Its important to understand that the body uses fat to process protein. Toppers make your dogs food smell more appealing and can stimulate a dogs senses to encourage them to eat more. If youre struggling to get your dog to eat enough to gain weight, add an extra mealtime to its daily routine. Create a journal and keep track of their meals, treats, exercise, and weight changes. This is anywhere from 8 months to a year or longer. This can be a quick and easy way for you to sneak some extra calories into your dog and help it put weight on. You need to see this as a long term plan and not an overnight fix to get your German Shepherd fat (and by fat, I mean bulk-up not obese or overweight). Unfortunately, this range only gives you a guide for how heavy your German Shepherd should be. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. By Andrew Garf German Shepherd Like humans, pets such as dogs can also become obese and face the challenges associated with such a condition. If your dog is eating well and still needs to gain weight, switching their food, adding treats to their diet, and/or giving them more to eat may help. Dogs lose weight due to malnourishment, illnesses like diabetes, stress, or old age. Commonly Asked: Do GSDs Have Webbed Feet? Coat length. A full-grown female German Shepherd is between 20 and 22 inches tall and 50 to 75 pounds heavy. Seniors, adults, and puppies all have various nutritional concerns. Ive got her every flavor if not almost every flavor, and this salmon one is the one she has loved the most! With strategy two, you may reduce this to 80 calories but add a third meal later in the day resulting in 240 calories total. Sadly, GSDs are predisposed to degenerative myelopathy, elbow and hip dysplasia, and osteoarthritis3,4,5,6. Nutrition can directly affect their level of activity, mobility and conditions like arthritis. Quality of life: Due to the complications listed above and the additional toll obesity can take on your German Shepherd, being overweight can decrease your dog's quality of life. Because German Shepherds are prone to these skeletal and bone problems, its vital to maintain a healthy weight for GSD. If your dog is currently eating wet A male adult German Shepherd should weigh around 79 - 88 lbs (36 - 40 kg) when fully grown, whereas females will be about 66 - 70 lbs (29 - 31 kg). First of all their breath may smell foul. There are many things that might be written about the nutritional content of various dog foods. For More Calories Feed Dry Kibble. The German Shepherd Dog breed (GSD), like most, is sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female differ in both height and weight as they develop and grow. Underfeeding a German Shepherd puts your dog at a serious health risk. Offering extra meals to your German Shepherd usually helps to gain weight. As we said at the beginning, you can choose to give your dog a high-protein diet, or you can choose to give them a high-fat diet. Take your dog for a walk before mealtime. This will provide his body with the calories it needs to start to put on weight. feeding allows your dog the chance to eat a little whenever they are hungry or You can also take their regular Genetics- My German Shepherd is small because of his genetics. Diet- My German Shepherd's diet is one of the reasons he is small. Adults and seniors should eat about 20 to 25 percent of their daily calories from protein and 25 to 50 percent from fats. 6 months to 9 months old: 2 cups to 3 cup of food . Following this obsessively, and constantly weighing your GSD isn't necessary. In some cases, however, it could be due to medical conditions. Weight gain and weight loss go by the simple equation of calories in vs calories out. Sprints increase your dog's speed and overall performance. Despite being a wonderful dog, German Shepherds are notorious for developing food allergies and/or food hypersensitivities. Southwest Canyon is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild product line. It is important to balance your dogs food intake and exercise with each life stage. That said, we dont recommend that you restrict your dogs recommended calorie intake by more than 20% with between 10-15% being the usual restriction. to an underweight dog. A German Shepherd should have at least two hours of exercise daily. Here's the approximated weight group for fully grown male and female German Shepherds: Males: 65 pounds - 88 pounds or 30 - 40kg Females: 48 pounds - 71 pounds or 22 - 32 kg This weight is an approximate standard. Two hours is the minimum and it should be provided in a variety of ways. Try walking up hills to improve muscle growth or a gentle game of tug using a spring pole in which your dog can start and stop on their own. References Offer an Extra Meal to Their Normal Routine. Keep your puppy on a puppy-formulated food until theyve reached 80% of their adult weight. Again, it is difficult to assign a value for weight as every dog is different. Young adult puppies need between 1500 and 1700 calories per day. The main causes of a German shepherd being too skinny or losing weight are: Obviously, you need to take your dog to a vet in order to find out what is causing the weight loss or lack of weight gain. Why is my German Shepherd so thin? That way, youll give it time to digest its food so it can consume more. That is so true when it comes to our dogs. And, if youre feeding a puppy adult food then thats not usually appropriate, so buy appropriate puppy food. On average, the height of wolves ranges from 26 inches to 32 inches while German Shepherds range from 22 inches to 26 inches. This diet helps keep them lean and muscular . Also Check: When Do German Shepherds Ears Stand Up. With 525 calories per cup, you should notice an increase in your german shepherd's weight over time. Do you want to know how to fatten up a German Shepherd to make them gain weight in a healthy way? this is usually equal to the weight of a smart teenage boy or a smart middle-aged woman. Your vet will use your notes to help make medical adjustments, as necessary, and to give you the right tips and advice. Instead, you want to bulk-up your German Shepherd to make them fit. This helps you to decide if your weight gain plan is working or if you need to adjust your plan. Expect both the fetus and your German Shepherd to gain weight. Dont let your dog stay too skinny any longeruse these helpful tips to get your dog to its athletic ideal weight. The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. Feed your German Shepherd some home-made meals. Wet foods may taste better to your dog, so mixing in the dry foods If this does not help them gain weight, you may need to give them more food, adding a quarter to half a cup per meal. High-quality food and treats and adequate amounts of playtime are some of the most important things to keep your dog happy and at a healthy weight. If youre feeding your senior Shepherd adult food, you may consider changing to a more age-appropriate food with the correct nutrition made specifically for senior dogs. Because of their easiness to train combined with their smaller built, female German Shepherds are an ideal candidate if youre looking for a dog to train in agility, rally obedience, or other related dog sports. More about puppy weight gain. This type of dog food went through a minimal process, so it is really good for German Sheperds. The best food for a German Shepherd to gain weight is this high protein red-meat adult formula dog food which contains 30% protein to bulk-up your German Shepherd and get them fat in a healthy manner. The Ultimate German Shepherd Puppy Growth Chart by Height and Weight The reason why your German Shepherd is skinny could be that it is in its genes. The best food for a German Shepherd to gain weight is this high protein red-meat adult formula dog food which contains 30% protein to bulk-up your German Shepherd and get them fat in a healthy manner. 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