Homemade Dog Food for a German Shepherd

Homemade Dog Food

• Many homemade dog foods are incomplete and unbalanced. You want to watch the ingredients so that you do not cause severe nutritional deficiencies in your German shepherd. Whatever homemade diet you do choose, be certain to have a veterinary nutritionist analyze the diet for possible problems and make recommendations. In many cases, you can actually balance the dog food properly with Balance It, a dog food supplement created by a veterinary nutritionist to balance homemade diets.

Raw or Cooked

• Proponents of homemade diets, such as dog trainer Wendy Volhard and Ian Billinghurst, a veterinary surgeon and creator of the Bones and Raw Food (BARF) diet, believe that raw diets are the way to go. Their reasons are that valuable nutrients are retained in a raw diet that would normally get cooked out. The problem with raw diets is that raw meat is a source of dangerous bacteria--such as E. coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella--to both you and your pet. While your dog may have some immunity to those bacteria, you do not and you can contract the bacteria just by getting licked by your dog after it eats.

  A safer method is to cook the food, but you will lose important nutrients. This is why it is important to balance the dog food with the right nutrients.

Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates

• According to the Association of Animal Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), adult dogs need a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Puppies need a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat on a dry-matter basis, meaning the food without the water weight. The AAFCO does not have a minimum amount of carbohydrates specified for dogs, but dogs apparently need some carbohydrates.

  The protein source you should choose to feed your GSD should be meat, unless your GSD is allergic to all meats. The reason is that meat is a more complete and better protein for dogs. If your German shepherd is sensitive to a particular meat (such as beef), look for an unusual protein source such as venison, duck or fish. Avoid feeding uncooked salmon, however, as this may sometimes contain a dangerous parasite. Likewise, your GSD might also be allergic to corn and soy. Avoid cornmeal, corn flour, cornstarch, corn oil, soy flour and soybean oil.

How Much to Feed

• The amount of food you feed your GSD will depend on your dog's size, weight, condition, age, activity level and other factors, but your daily plan for your dog should include about 2 to 3 cups meat, 3 to 4 cups carbohydrates, 1/4 cup fat, 1 cup vegetables, 1 tsp. bonemeal and 1 tsp. Balance It. Adjust accordingly.