Is Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Any Good? Read This First

Royal Canin is a sought-after brand for German Shepherd owners. Depending on your location, you may even experience difficulty purchasing their products as a result of the high demand. It is not the cheapest option for good reasons. If you are wondering whether its quality justifies the price, you are in the right place.

Royal Canin Dog Food is a high-quality meal designed to provide all the necessary ingredients for the growth of healthy skin, coat, bone, and joints for your GSD. Royal Canin also offers special formulas to address common health issues in German Shepherds like sensitive stomach, skin allergies, and other digestive issues.

In this post, we will look at all the important facts about Royal Canin Dog Foods. We also went on social and include some of the comments from current users. This article will help you decide whether Royal Canin is the best choice for your German Shepherd.

Key takeaways: Royal Canin is a breed-specific choice

Royal Canin has earned its reputation for being one of the best brands to provide breed-specific dog food, including the one-and-only German Shepherd.

Every dog has unique nutritional requirements that help them thrive. We research breed-specific traits and nutrition and create diets made with high-quality protein in shapes, sizes and textures that fit the facial and jaw structures and biting patterns of specific breeds. The result? Precise nutrition that brings out the magnificence in your breed.

Royal Canin

They have a wide selection of dog food formulated for different breeds and life stages. Their food is scientifically researched and tested to ensure that it is of the highest quality and meets the dog’s specific nutritional requirements

Top 3 Royal Canin Dog Food designed for German Shepherds 

Royal Canin has plenty of dog food formulas tailored for different dogs. Some of their foods are specially made for GSDs. However, any food tailored for large breeds is still good.

Here are the top three Royal Canin Dog Food specialized designed for the needs of German Shepherds in different stages of their lives:

#1 Royal Canin Dog Food For German Shepherds Puppies

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Puppy Dry Dog Food

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Why do we like it?
This is an exclusively formulated dog food for German Shepherd puppies. It is designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of Shepherd puppies.

Primary ingredients:
Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Corn Gluten Meal

Features:
• Uniquely shaped kibble to encourage chewing
• Contains highly digestible proteins and carbohydrates for easy digestion
• Formulated with fiber to help with bowel movement and stool quality
• Supports healthy bone and joint development
• Contain vitamins and antioxidants necessary for a puppy’s strong immune system

 

#2 Royal Canin Dog Food For Adult German Shepherds (15 months+)

Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Breed Dry Dog Food

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Why do we like it?
Royal Canin health nutrition is specifically made for aging dogs from the age of 8 years onwards and weighing between 56 and 100 pounds. It is made with an exclusive blend of nutrients to support a quality long life.

Primary ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, wheat, corn gluten meal, chicken fat

Features:
• Easy to chew and digest which prevents digestive problems
• With an exclusive blend of antioxidants for dogs that helps support long-life vitality
• Supports aging dog’s bone and joints health
• Contains a balanced amount of fiber to help in digestion and bowel movement

 

#3 Royal Canin Dog Food For Adults German Shepherds (5+ years)

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Adult Dry Dog Food

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Why do we like it?
It is specially formulated for the unique nutritional needs of purely bred adult German Shepherds from 15 months old. It contains a blend of ingredients to support healthy coat development. If your dog sheds a lot, this is the best recipe for them.

Primary ingredients: Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, brown rice, oat groats, chicken fat

Features:
• Promotes healthy skin and a shiny and soft coat thanks to the EPA and DHA nutrients from fish oil 
• Contains highly digestible ingredients that promote healthy digestion
• Contains fibers for an easy bowel movement and prevents loose stools
• Formulated with Glucosamine and Chondroitin for healthy and strong bones and joint which is crucial in large-breed dogs

 

At a glance: Royal Canin Dog Foods for German Shepherds

Here are Royal Canin dry and canned for GSDs of all ages. These include dog foods for large breeds and those specially formulated for German Shepherds. 

Name	Age/Weight	Main Ingredients	Nutritional Content	Energy (Kcalories)	Price
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Puppy Dry Dog Food	8 weeks to 15 months	Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Brown Rice	Protein: 28% Fat: 14% Fiber: 3.8%	331 per cup	Check prices on Amazon
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd Adult Dry Dog Foo	15 months+	Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, brown rice	Protein: 22% Fat:17% Fiber: 5.5%	321 per cup	Check prices on Amazon
Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Breed Dry Dog Food	8 years plus seniors	Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, wheat	Protein: 25% Fat:15% Fiber: 4.3%	308 Kcals per cup	Check prices on Amazon
Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Adult Dry Dog Food	Adult 15 months to 5 years (56-100lbs)	Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, wheat	Protein: 24% Fat: 5% Fiber: 3.3%	386 Kcals per cup	Check prices on Amazon
Royal Canin Large Puppy Wet Dog Food, 4.9 oz cans 10-coun	Up to 15 months	Pork by-products, chicken, pork liver,	Protein: 6.8% Fat: 3.5% Fiber: 2.5%	118 Kcals per sachet	Check prices on Amazon

Why Royal Canin dog food is good for German Shepherds?

There are definitely many brands out there for GSDs. But what sets Royal Canin apart is that their meals are specially designed to meet the nutritional requirements of your German Shepherds. The foods:

Super high protein diets available for puppies’ demand

They particularly have high protein diets to help build strong and solid muscular GSD bodies as well as support their high energy requirements ( GSDs are very active and athletic). Their puppy dog food, for instance, has 28% protein content which is perfect for the optimal growth of GSD puppies.

Made with healthy sources of fibers

Their dog food contains dried plain beet pulp, which healthy source of fiber that offers numerous health benefits to dogs, including supporting your German Shepherd’s digestive health.

All essential micronutrients included

Royal Canin dog food also contains other essential vitamins and minerals that are required for the overall health and growth of GSDs like Omega 3 & 6  fatty acids, phosphorus, and sodium.

Special diets available for common issues in GSDs

Another benefit of choosing Royal Canin is that they have foods for GSDs with sensitive stomachs and other allergies. Considering how prone GSDs are to stomach sensitivities, we think this makes Royal Canin a suitable dog brand for all GSD owners. Their ingredients do not cause stomach bloating, itching or any other problems that come with low-quality foods. 

 

Low in calcium

Royal Canin also ensures that all foods tailored for German Shepherds are low in calcium. This is important because, as large breeds, too much calcium intake could cause hip dysplasia.

 

Is Royal Canin Dog Food complete and balanced?

Royal Canin Dog Food meets the AAFCO’s nutritional guidelines. They contain all the essential nutrients needed for the overall health of dogs – proteins, fats, carbs, fiber, and water. All the nutrients are formulated in the right ratios as per the dog’s breed, age, weight, and size.

For instance, below is a label from one of Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition Large Adult Dry Dog Food showing the caloric content of the food, the list of ingredients, and the guaranteed analysis. This part of the label is very important to check because it will tell you whether or not the food will meet your dog’s nutritional requirements.

Using the guaranteed analysis above, let’s check whether or not the food meets the AAFCO’s nutritional requirement for dogs. The nutrients should be within the minimum and maximum ranges given by AAFCO.

	Puppy	Adult	Senior/Aging
Royal Canin	Protein: 28% Fat: 14%	Protein:22% Fat:17%	Protein: 25% Fat: 15%
AAFCOs recommended requirement	Protein: 22% to 30% Fat:9%	Protein:18% to 29% Fat: 5.5% to 25%	Protein: 18% to 29% Fat: 5.5% to 25%

As you can see, the compositions of Royal Canin’s offerings fall right within the minimum and maximum requirements set forth by the AAFCO.

Is Royal Canin Dog food safe?

All Royal Canin foods are totally safe. There has never been any recall of Royal Canin Dog Food by the FDA.

They are made from high-quality ingredients. Plus, the company conducts extensive research on all its food batches to ensure that they are safe for dogs. They also test to make sure that the food meets AAFCO requirements.

What do German Shepherd Owners have to say about Royal Canin?

Many GSD owners have praised Royal Canin food for being so flavorful that even picky eaters cannot resist. Their wet food particularly seems to receive the most praise for high palatability. 

Dog owners are also happy with the food’s digestibility. Except for the case where your dog is allergic or intolerant to certain ingredients in the food, you shouldn’t worry about your dog developing digestion issues when on Royal Canin.

“This particular breed-specific brand is probably better than most in my opinion. I say this because they go a bit farther than other companies. This one has a specific kibble shape for the shepherd jaw shape. Never seen that before. It also has bone and joint additives that lubricate the large joints. My dog really loves this stuff. Her coat shines, her eyes bright, her energy level very high, and wonderful poops! Couldn’t ask for more!“

EssentiallyBlonde

“This is a GSD number five for me, I have loved them my whole life! My dog loves this food! He would rather eat it then some canned food. it keeps him moving comfortably, and he has the most beautiful coat! Like a black panther! So shiny, silky and soft! “

Stacey

“I’ve raised all of my puppies on Royal Canin Breed Specific.

I honestly can’t tell you if it is worth the extra money. But all my dogs have grown up healthy with beautiful coats and to a perfect size.”

Kevin

“I have a very picky eater puppy, and after trying multiple, grain-free, organic, blah blah, options I decided to go with a brand that I was most familiar with, Royal Canin. I cannot rave enough about this product. My puppy loves the taste, I do not even have to persuade him to eat anymore. I can even hide his vitamin supplement, which he hates in the food bowl and he will gobble it all down like a champ.“

Finn2018

“It’s healthy for my dogs. No stomach upset. No scratching and digging from allergic reactions like other brands. It’s quite expensive, but like the saying goes, you are what you eat!“

Roy P Mitchell Home Improvements

You can check out more reviews here.

Is Royal Canin dog food affordable?

Royal Canin is a premium brand, which means it isn’t cheap. For instance, a pack of 35lb Royal Canin Dry Food for Adult Dogs costs $84.99. Similar dog food from other brands can go for $62.98.

And while the price is slightly on the high side, their foods are made from high-quality ingredients. Also, the fact that they have different formulas for different nutritional needs, tends to push their prices up. Plus, they do intensive research on all their diets.

Does this justify the higher cost?

Well, it does. Royal Canin goes an extra mile than most other brands and it’s, therefore, a no-brainer that the cost will be slightly high as well.

However, depending on where you buy the food, you may be able to find better deals.

For example, if you buy the Royal Canin Large Breed Dry Dog Food on Amazon, you can get $20 off instantly with a Store Card.

Also, there are pet stores that are always running seasonal sales and bundles. This may help bring down the cost.

Do vets recommend Royal Canin?

Royal Canin comes so highly recommended by a majority of vets.

Contrary to what most people believe, the company doesn’t give kickbacks or rebates to vets to market their food. Instead, vets feel safe recommending it because Royal Canin dog foods meet the nutritional requirements set out by AAFCO.

“We promote foods based on experience and scientific studies indicating which foods produce healthier pets.”

Andie Lenhard – a vet with over three decades of experience in the field. 

Also, their recipes have undergone extensive dietary research and feeding trials and have proven that they are safe and healthy over the decades. Plus, they have a great selection of formulas for specific pet health issues.

 

 

 

Conclusion

Royal Canin is a reputable pet food brand that you can trust. They have a wide selection of formulas to choose from, including foods designed for dogs with specific health issues. Royal Canin is a great choice for German Shepherd dogs of all ages. Their GSD food line is nutritionally balanced to meet all the unique needs of your gorgeous GSD.

Further Questions

Where is Royal Canin manufactured?

Royal Canin is made in the USA. They own and operate two pet food manufacturing plants, one in Missouri and the other in South Dakota. It produces a range of wet and dry products for pets based on their age, breed, size, and lifestyle.

Is Royal Canin good for GSD puppies?

Royal Canin is good for all GSD puppies because it contains a high amount of protein and it is specially designed for the demand of a large dog breed like GSDs.

Has Royal Canin been recalled by the FDA?

As of the time of writing, there has never been any recall of Royal Canin dog food by the FDA.