People who own a German shepherd are very much familiar with their intelligence and protective instincts. This dog breed is quite confident, loyal, easily trainable, and moreover, works well with kids. Caring for these dogs not only involves maintaining their thick coats, but they also need a protein-rich diet.  

The best dog food for German shepherd considers both wet and dry foods that are formulated specifically for highly active large-breed dogs. Though it is easier to understand their appeal, you require giving them high-quality food, plenty of exercises, and proper veterinary care so that they enjoy a long and healthy life.

It is true that finding the right food for any dog can be a challenging and confusing process for many pet owners. Being a dog owner, you must know that all dogs need a specific type of food because some breeds are small while some are large.

If you opt for a cheap generic dog food brand for your dog, no doubt it may help your wallet, but it is not a good step for your dog’s health. So, you must look for food specifically formulated for your dog.

In this guide, you will find some of the quality dog food for German shepherd. This will help you to find the best with all essential nutrients exactly what your dog needs.

Best Dog Food For German Shepherd

Owning a dog means you should know everything about his required diet. The best diet for German Shepherd is that which is high in protein, has plenty of fats, and the correct balance of essential nutrients. To choose the right food for your dog, we have collected a list of some top recommended foods for your furry companion.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Adult Dog Food

Do you know that a diet of this dog breed has a direct effect on its digestive system? The food of this brand is highly preferable as the best dog food for German Shepherd as they formulate food with a mixture of high-quality ingredients to meet all needs of this dog breed. This food works effectively in growing your dog to its full potential.

Royal Canin best dog food for german shepherd

The key ingredients of this food include chicken, pork, and ground brown rice. They are a high source of protein and are extremely beneficial for muscle growth and cognitive development. These things are quite important all through the life of this specific dog breed.

Joint pain and disorders are some of the common health issues in large and giant dog breeds. So, you must focus on these areas. When you are going to choose the best food for your dog, you must keep his health needs in mind. If you give this healthy dry dog food to your dog while he is young, you can prevent all kinds of joint issues when he becomes an adult.

Iams Proactive Health Large Breed Adult Dog Food

Iams is one of the highly recognized and trusted dog food brands. Many dog owners prefer this brand to feed their dogs healthy food. This brand is also a trusted name among owners of German shepherd. They sell dry food that is formulated specifically for this dog breed. 

All these foods are a great choice to help your dog stays healthy, active, and strong throughout their life. This food does not contain any fillers, artificial flavors, and preservatives. Always keep in mind that your adult German shepherd requires adequate nutrition needs and this food is packed with the required animal proteins.

Iams best dog food for german shepherd

This dry dog food contains various healthy ingredients, such as chicken, dried eggs, and flaxseeds. Large dog breeds need a protein-rich diet, and this food fulfills everything. This food for German shepherd offers lots of benefits that help in maximizing the lifespan of these dogs.

The presence of heart-healthy ingredients in this food is great for developing your furry friend into seniority. It is also beneficial in helping this large breed protect joints and keep them healthy even when they turn old. Moreover, it is also a perfect combination for coat health.

Blue Wilderness Blue Buffalo Adult Large Breed Dog Food

You might have heard about this brand many times while choosing the best food for your dog. This brand formulates extremely healthy food for German Shepherd, which is no surprise for the owners of this specific dog breed.

All foods from Blue Buffalo Wilderness are grain-free and always offer protein-rich options. They offer a variety of food options that include chicken, turkey, duck, salmon, rabbit, bison, red meat, and various other sources of top-quality protein. This brand usually focuses on catering the specific breed sizes, along with formulas for both puppies and adults.

Wilderness best dog food for german shepherd

If your dog is fussy or is dealing with allergies, this food can be the best choice for your dog. It is so because it does not contain any food that can cause an adverse effect on your dog’s health. Instead of going for cheap food for your dog that may not be healthy, you must consider getting something that ensures to take care of all needs of dogs.

This food contains all ingredients that provide an adequate amount of nutrients to this dog breed for muscle growth. Always remember that your dog should never depend on just bland carbs to support muscle growth. Also, food with delicious ingredients makes your dog eager to get this high-protein food again and again. Now, you don’t need to force your dog to eat something; now it will be a thing of the past.

Read More: Best Dog Food For Allergies

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Dog Food

It is the second choice on this list of the best dog food for German shepherd from Blue Buffalo. This food is formulated to meet the essential needs of this dog breed. It is designed to improve the immune system and digestive system, which makes it quite beneficial for larger breeds. German shepherds are prone to get health issues regarding both these systems. So, it becomes important to feed them something that can protect them from these problems in their later years.

Instead of giving your dog fillers, you must work on trying something that is beneficial for their growth. Here comes this immune-boosting canine formula. This food option is formulated specifically for puppies, which means your furry companion will get adequate nutrition from the very beginning.

Life Protection best dog food for german shepherd

The life protection formula from Blue Buffalo offers a variety of options for your dog’s mealtime.  You can choose the one depending on your dog’s taste and preference. You can choose from chicken, fish, and lamb, all the protein-packed ingredients, and they all ensure growing your dog stronger and healthier.

You can also get a variety of second ingredients to choose from. Get the one with brown rice or oatmeal to accompany the proteins. Choosing this food for German Shepherd means lengthening our dog’s lifespan.

CANIDAE Grain Free Pure Dry Dog Food

This dog food brand offers grain-free and soy-free food for German shepherd. This food contains various sources of protein and easy-to-digest carbs. These include sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and peas. The very first ingredient in the list is real lamb, which is one of the most delicious ingredients for dogs.

This food is formulated with four different probiotics, and they help greatly in supporting proper gastrointestinal function. It also contains supplemental antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are extremely beneficial in making a complete and balanced diet. It also contains ingredients that are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and they are effective in improving skin and immune system health.

Canidae best dog food for german shepherd

This food from CANIDAE contains two types of protein sources, such as animal-based and vegetable sources. If you are looking for the best dog food for German shepherd, your dog will surely love to have this highly beneficial food.

Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Dog Food

This food from the Taste of the Wild brand is lamb-based dog food for German shepherd. It is made with high-quality ingredients, such as probiotics, blueberries, and raspberries, and does not contain any grains. It is formulated to cater to the nutrients needs of a German shepherd. 

The probiotics help in promoting proper digestion, while blueberries and raspberries serve as real, antioxidant-rich fruits. This food also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that work effectively in promoting skin, coat, and joint health. Also, this brand focuses on formulating dog foods under the strict food safety requirements in the world.

taste of wild

Due to these various benefits, this brand is considered a pet owner’s favorite choice. Your dog will definitely enjoy the taste of this healthy food, along with improving his coat quality and problem-free digestion. Overall, this food is an excellent choice for most German shepherds.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Adult Dog Food

Are you looking for all-natural dog food for your adult German shepherd? If yes, this food from Nutro can be your perfect alternative to other foods. This food is a combination of farm-raised chicken meal that helps greatly in boosting healthy muscle growth. Along with this benefit, giving this healthy food to your dog also helps in avoiding the added risk of illnesses. Thus, keeping him away from the problems with non-farm-raised foods.

Nutro

The natural ingredients present in this food for German shepherd include chicken, chicken meal, peas, and various other ingredients. The combination of these ingredients is an ideal choice for raising a strong and healthy German shepherd. Chicken meal is a perfect ingredient for maintaining healthy joints as it is a great source of glucosamine and chondroitin.

This food from Nutro Wholesome Essentials ensures to provide your dog a complete and balanced set of nutrients they need. This brand has tried its best to retain the flavors of the added ingredients that help in keeping your dog coming back to the food bowl.

Orijen Original Dry Dog Food

When it comes to healthy food for German shepherd, you must need to be very careful about choosing the right quality of food for your furry companion. The food for this large dog breed should be made using high protein ingredients, such as high-quality meat sources. It should also contain enough calories to meet the daily needs of your dog.

Origen

This food fits all the nutrients, proteins, and calories needed for your adult German shepherd. This food is formulated using freeze-dried dog food, such as chicken and turkey, nest-laid eggs, and others. These ingredients provide plenty of protein to your dog. Due to these benefits, this food from Orijen is one of the best dog food for German shepherd.

Along with these ingredients, it also contains fruits and vegetables low in glycemic, and they work great in maintaining the digestive health of the dogs. It is free from synthetic protein or additional fats. Overall, all the ingredients are completely safe and fresh.

FAQs

What to look for choosing quality dog food?

When looking for high-quality food for German shepherd, it is important to outline some of the ingredients that describe specific dog food right choices for your dog. 

  • You must look for high-quality protein as the key ingredient in the food.
  • You must avoid food containing unnecessary and potentially harmful additives, like artificial flavors and colors.
  • Always keep in mind that meat meals are not always counted in the poor ingredients. So, you must avoid foods that do not mention the species from which meat is obtained.
  • Always look for species from which specific by-product is derived.

What food should not be given to German shepherd?

Sometimes dog owners don’t know what food is beneficial or harmful for their dogs. When you have German shepherd, you must monitor everything that your dog consumes as it will help in maintaining their good health. The foods that are bad for your dog include dairy products, chocolate, candy and gum, onion, garlic, tomatoes, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks, grapes, and raisins. You should also avoid foods containing artificial preservatives and flavors.

What ingredients make healthy food for German shepherds?

When you choose the best dog food for German shepherd, you must look for these ingredients:

  • Unprocessed protein sources, such as chicken, beef, or fish
  • Omega fatty acids, such as fish oil or flaxseed oil
  • Grain-free
  • Antioxidants such as blueberries, broccoli, and spinach
  • Easy to digest carbs, such as barley, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes