Best Dog Food for German Shepherds (2024)

Your Guide to Buying Dog Food for German Shepherds

Now that you have our top-recommended foods, we’ll get into how to choose the right one for your pup.

Generally, make sure you prioritize a high-quality food with real meat as the first ingredient and consult your vet before switching your dog’s diet. Your vet will also help you choose the best food based on your dog's individual needs and get them the best nutrition for a long and healthy life.

What Should I Look for in Kibble for My German Shepherd?

German shepherds are working or active dogs and their diet needs to reflect that. Aim for a food that contains at least 18-25% protein from high-quality sources like chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, salmon, or rabbit. This protein provides the building blocks for strong muscles, supports a healthy immune system, and fuels their high energy.

Don't shy away from healthy fats! Fats provide essential fatty acids that help create a shiny, healthy coat for a GSD, support cognitive function, and allow good nutrient absorption too. Look for a food rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which as a bonus can also help with allergies and skin issues.

Protein and fat are the cornerstones of a German shepherd's diet, but carbohydrates are also important for energy. Still, unlike some breeds, we don’t recommend a high-carbohydrate diet for your German shepherd.

Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates from sources like whole grains (brown rice, oatmeal) or vegetables (sweet potatoes, peas). These provide the energy a GSD needs without causing blood sugar spikes.

Is a Raw Diet Good for My German Shepherd?

For people who don’t prefer kibbles, raw and homemade foods can be a great alternative, but we would recommend against raw food in particular because the cons outweigh the pros.

In essence, raw food diets mimic what a dog might eat in the wild, made of uncooked muscle meat, bones, organs, fruits, and vegetables. You can either get commercially prepared raw food (frozen or freeze-dried) or go for DIY raw food diets made at home.

Proponents of raw food diets believe that it can be more digestible for some dogs, which can improve stool quality and coat health. Beyond that, it can also be argued that this is a more natural diet closer to a dog's evolutionary history.

However, raw food diets need a lot more planning and preparation compared to kibble. They can be expensive, and there's a massive risk of bacterial contamination if not handled properly. If the nutrients are balanced improperly in raw diets, it can also lead to deficiencies. For these reasons, we recommend going for alternative diets that do not have such inherent risks.

Is a Homemade Diet Good for My German Shepherd?

Homemade diets are somewhat similar to raw diets except you’ll be preparing meals from scratch using human-grade ingredients like cooked meat, vegetables, and grains. With homemade meals, you can have all the control over ingredients in your dog’s diet and can address specific dietary needs or allergies.

The important part with a homemade diet, though it doesn’t carry as much risk as a raw one, is that it also needs a lot of thorough research and guidance from a veterinary nutritionist to be made healthy.

If your GSD gets an improperly formulated homemade diet, it might suffer from nutritional deficiencies. If you have the time and money to invest in a high quality homemade diet, it may work out better than a store-bought one, but beware of the effort it requires.

High-quality commercially prepared kibble is a convenient, balanced, and often vet-approved option. It's shelf-stable, easy to store, and eliminates the risks associated with raw food handling or nutritional deficiencies in homemade meals.

This is primarily why kibbles are usually the best choice for most dogs; only the specific type needs to be changed according to breed. In case your dog has sensitivities to certain ingredients in kibble, making it less palatable than fresh food options, you can always switch to a homemade one.

What Kinds of People Food Can I Give My German Shepherd?

Adding fresh, healthy human foods into your German shepherd's diet in moderation (no more than 10-15% of their total intake) can be an excellent change. Lean-cooked meats, chopped vegetables like green beans or carrots, and even a bit of plain yogurt can give your dog valuable additional nutrients and variety.

Just be sure to avoid foods that are toxic to dogs, like grapes, onions, and chocolate.

All Dogs Require Different Types of Food

Every dog, even within the same breed, will usually need a slightly different type of dog food. That said, there are some options that are definitely better than others and would be our recommendation. Though raw food diets and homemade meals can be viable options for some German shepherds, they bring certain caveats that kibbles simply don’t have.

If you believe your German shepherd needs a very specifically formulated diet to address health concerns/allergies, remember to discuss it thoroughly with your veterinarian. Your vet’s assessment of the dog and subsequent advice will make sure, without a doubt, that your German shepherd is getting the best dog food it needs.