I will be getting my first dog, a german shepherd puppy, in August at 8 weeks old. I understand that the breeder will give me advice regarding feeding my puppy initially (as well as a supply of the food that the puppy will have been weaned on, and will be used to), and I have had some wonderful advice via this forum regarding dog feed that I can gradually introduce to my dog (I am thinking of Nature Diet for wet and Burns for dry). What I do lack though is the knowledge to understand how much I should be feeding my dog, and adjustments that will need to be made as she grows up (different ages). For one, is it OK to feed dry and wet feed together (mixed up in the same bowl), or is it a better idea to feed them seperately as different meals? I know that wet food is obviously digested far, far quicker that dry, and so was concerned that feeding together may cause digestion problems). Also, would it be beneficial to introduce my puppy to a 'home made' meal whenever possible (I was thinking of making up pots of chicken and brown rice, with perhaps some egg added)? I know young puppies have delicate tummy's and all these foods I am mentioning I am not in the least suggesting I force on my puppy at such a young age - I am instead speaking of the long term, and these foods I will introduce slowly and I will keep a careful watch for any changes in bowel movement as a result. However, what I really wanted is some advice from experienced owners (preferably of German Shepherds) regarding the best diet I can give my growing dog? This probably makes me sound like a total novice, which I am happy to admit I am, but I am taking a lot of time to research all aspects of dog ownership (I have been doing so for a year previous to getting this puppy) but one elusive area for me is feeding.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

1 If you are feeding a complete diet, presumably that is why you are feeding it, it is "complete".  Each forumula is different therefore to mix completes seems to me pointless at best and perhaps unwise at worst, because how will you then know if the dog is eating a "balanced" diet?  IMHO better to stick to one and then if there ARE any problems the cause, if dietary, will be easier to identify.

2 Quantities - commercial food comes with guidelines and your breeder will hopefully equip you with a suggested diet sheet.  As with us, some dogs need more and some need less be guided by hand and eye, your dog should always have a "waist" and not be overweight as this puts extra strains on joints and heart. 

3 Puppies do NOT have "delicate" tummies in my experience.  If they were born that delicate how would they have survived?  They are designed to cope with putrefying flesh and all sorts of things that would not be suitable for us.

4 The best diet for a GSD or any other breed is one that suits it, again your breeder will have some ideas, although you may not necessarily agree with them.  You could of course purchase the diet specially formulated for GSDs manufactured by Royal Canin, although for the life of me, I fail to understand why they need anything "special" from what other breeds consume.

My GSD does not have a "delicate" tummy nor is it fed any differently from my other breed.

TBH if you trust your breeder to equip you with the dog of your dreams, hopefully that trust will extend to its diet.

Um, no offense, but what I meant by 'delicate' stomach was you can't just bring a puppy home and completely change its feeding routine and not expect a stomach upset. I was not suggesting puppies are fragile. I don't know if you realise just how aggressive your post sounds, particularly to someone who has admitted they need help. I think I will stick to advice from my breeder and my vet in future.

Thank you.

I did suggest asking the breeder for advice.................

I have replied to your request for help with exactly what you asked for.......

You would be best to feed the same food as your breeder is using, for the first few weeks at least, making changes gradually.   

I understand what you mean - you wouldn't wean a baby straight on to steak & chips!!! ;)

Margot

Nannyogg, Tohme's reply's are always short, blunt and to the point, I am sure she didn't mean to come across as aggressive, it's just how she answers questions. I do that myself sometimes without realising it! :-)

I was in the same position as you a couple of years ago when I got my first puppy. I had only had rescue adults until then and was totally dumbfounded by all the different foods and advice given to me. :p I had it all planned out, was going to feed JWB, although the pup was on Eukanuba I didn't find that out until I had met him and by then he wasn't just a puppy, he was my puppy and I loved him already. He turned out to have the most fragile digestion ever heard of, chicken, raw or cooked, and rice would go straight through him! Out went the JWB and several trials later I eventually put him on Burns with bio yoghurt. Anyway, he is mainly ok now. :-)

Burns is a good choice, as is NatureDiet, although as Tohme suggests, I would choose one or the other. Four meals a day until he is approx. 12-16 weeks old, then down to 3. Let him guide you as to when to cut down the meals, you will probably find he goes off one of them. If you phone Burns they will give you loads of advice on feeding, more than I ever could.

Good luck with him, let us know when you get him. :-)  

If you are going to feed Burns then i wouldnt advise giving extra rice on the side,Burns has got plenty enough on its own :(

We did with Indigo and didn't have any problems

:p  Joking ! :D :D

Yes agree with other folks feed as the breeder does for the first few eeeks and then decide what you think is the best food and introduce gradually ;)

Lucy
xx

nannyogg please do not take offence against Tohme, you just have to ignore her. The advice you recieve on here is great usually so don't let the minority put you off. Good luck with your pup, you must be counting the days and august seems such a long way off !!

Hi NannyOgg,

You are right, puppies do have delicate tummies. Really, even though puppies seem to be all bounce and practically made of rubber, they are babies after all and need extra tender care and attention.  A rapid change in food can cause digestive problems.  Even the change in water from the breeder's home to yours can cause temporary problems.  Stress at leaving mom for a new life can also show itself in digestive problems. 

As others have said, it's best to follow the breeder's recommendations.  If you decide to switch foods later on then do so gradually, over a period of a week. 

I feed my dogs a variety of different foods every day, so they "never" have problems related to food.  My own theory is that if you feed your dog the same thing every day they are much more likely to get upset if you introduce something new. 

Stacey