The Benefits of Feeding German Shepherds Raw Food – A Beginner’s Guide

Australian veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, the author of Give Your Dog a Bones, suggested that adult dogs would thrive on an evolutionary diet based on what canines ate before they became domesticated: Raw, meaty bones and vegetable scraps (Source: WebMD). Are you thinking of transitioning your German Shepherd to a raw food diet but don’t know where to start?

The benefits of feeding a raw food diet to your German Shepherds include a shinier coat, healthier skin, cleaner teeth (hence better breath), higher energy, a stronger immune system, and overall a better quality of life.

In this article, we will go over some of the main advantages of raw feeding your German Shepherd. By the time you finish, you will have a much better idea of how and what to feed your German Shepherds when it comes to a raw diet.

What is a raw food diet?

According to WebMD, a raw food diet consists of :

• Muscle meat, often still on the bone
• Bones, either whole or ground
• Organ meats such as livers and kidneys
• Raw eggs
• Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and celery
• Apples or other fruit
• Some dairy, such as yogurt

You can either purchase your raw food from your local butcher or grocery store. Or you can buy commercially produced raw food diets, which is what many German Shepherd owners choose.

If you are totally new to raw feeding, watch this informative video guide: How to Raw Feed Your Dog (Ultimate Beginner’s Guide 2022). You will learn what and where to buy raw food for your dog. And it also talks about how to supplement for whatever a raw diet is lacking.

Is a raw food diet safe for German Shepherds?

Your German Shepherd’s digestive system can handle a raw diet just fine. If a dog happens to get Salmonella, he will experience stomach discomfort, but it is not as serious as when a human gets it.

The benefits of feeding German Shepherds raw food

A raw food diet provides your German Shepherds the benefit including a shinier coat, healthier skin, cleaner teeth, higher energy, and a stronger immune system.

Raw food mimics your dog’s stomach’s natural diet

A German Shepherd’s strongly acidic stomach breaks down meat quickly. Dogs can absorb nutrients from raw food faster and more efficiently.

Dogs, prior to domestication, ate prey animals whole. All the nutrients they needed would come from the animal’s body. This includes organ meats, bone, blood, skin, and muscle. So, when you feed your dog a raw food diet, you are mimicking the way he eats naturally

Your German Shepherd may not be a wild dog, but he still benefits from a raw food diet. Dogs are omnivores who favor meat. 

You can balance your dog’s nutrients

With a raw food diet, you control what goes into your dog’s body. Many cheap dog food brands contain processed ingredients and fillers. These may not be meeting your dog’s nutritional needs, especially for the large and active German Shepherd.

Throughout the different stages of your dog’s life, he needs different nutrients. When you switch to a raw food diet, you are providing natural products. You can balance your dog’s nutrients based on his current needs.

Raw food provides them with a variety of food options

Another benefit of a raw food diet is the variety of meal choices your dog gets. Since you will make your dog’s meals daily, you can give him a variety of flavors, vegetables, and animal parts. Your dog will get to enjoy diversity in his diet.

Raw food diet improves your dog’s coat and skin

Feeding your GSD a raw food diet increases the number of fatty acids your dog eats. This results in healthier skin and reduced inflammation. Healthier skin promotes thicker fur and shinier coats. 

Raw food diet gives your dog cleaner teeth and better breath

Without carbohydrates, your dog won’t have a plaque build-up on his teeth. He will have cleaner teeth and better-smelling breath. Your dog will be looking and feeling his best.

Raw food diet aids your dog’s digestive system

German Shepherds are genetically predisposed to stomach issues. Many times this can lead to an allergy to kibble ingredients. A raw food diet is easier to digest than kibble. They will have less stomach discomfort and smaller, more solid stools.

With a raw food diet, you are removing junk food from your dog’s diet. This improves his health, and energy, and keeps your dog from becoming overweight.

Raw food diets strengthen your dog’s immune system

Kibble often contains grains such as corn and wheat. These are the most common allergens for GSDs with digestive problems. Consuming lots of grains can suppress your dog’s immune system.

Eliminating grains from your dog’s diet reduces inflammation. It will boost your dog’s immune response.  

What types of food do you include in a raw food diet?

German Shepherd owners often use one of these two models to balance their dog’s diet. It is important to balance different types of raw foods to ensure your dog’s optimal health.

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet (BARF)

The Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet (BARF) includes raw meat, vegetables, seeds, and fruits.  This diet focuses on balancing nutrients with both vegetation and meat.

This diet is easier for beginners because it is less restrictive. With the BARF diet, you want to provide a balance of ingredients over the course of 2-4 weeks rather than every day.

You can feed your dog ground raw meat, supplements, and dairy to meet his nutritional needs. 

Here are the recommended proportions of different foods to give your dog with BARF:

• 70% Muscle meat
• 10% Raw edible bones
• 5% Organ meat
• 5% Liver
• 7% Vegetables
• 2% Seeds and nuts
• 1% Fruits

This model allows you to meet the dietary needs of your GSD without balancing the diet each day.

BARF Raw Food Guidelines

Proportions	Examples
Muscles Meats 70%	• Boneless chicken • Turkey • Rabbit • Quail • Cornish hen • Duck • Beef • Lamb • Wild game • Tongue • Chicken, pork, or beef heart tribe • Lung • Gizzards • Uterus • Cartilage • Pizzle • Tendons
Raw edible bones 10%	• Wings • Necks • Frames/carcasses • Feet • Ribstails
Organ Meats 5%, Liver 5%	• Kidney • Spleen • Thymus • Brain • Testicles • Ovaries • Liver
Vegetables 7%	• Tomatoes • Peppers • Radishes • Squash • Sweet potatoes • Carrots • Leafy greens • Asparagus • Broccoli • Snap beans
Seeds and Nuts 2%	• Hemp seeds • Pumpkin seeds • Sunflower seeds • Almonds • Pine nuts • Brazil nuts
Fruit 1%	• Melons • Berries • Kiwi • Apples • Figs

Source: Perfectly Rawsome 

The Prey Model Raw Diet

The Prey Model Raw Diet (PMR) focuses on a carnivorous diet. With this diet, you can provide your dog meat through two main methods: whole prey or franken prey.

Whole prey is giving your dog a whole animal–skin, organs, fur, and feathers. Franken prey is when you take various parts of an animal separately and combine them to mimic a whole prey.

This raw food diet model does not include dairy, vegetable products, or supplements. There are also some who believe ground meats are not acceptable when feeding PMR. They claim ground meat isn’t how a dog would encounter meat naturally.

The PMR diet should have the following proportions of each animal part:

• 75- 80% muscle meat
• 10% raw edible bone
• 5% liver
• 5% other secreting organs
• 0-5% animal-based fiber

This model focuses on providing all your German Shepherd’s needs through raw meat. This is less beginner friendly. Still, it is a great option for owners of food-sensitive dogs.

To find out more information about the PMR raw food diet, check out this video. 

Does age matter when creating a raw food diet for your GSD?

Puppies 

Puppies can eat a raw food diet as soon as they wean. They may need some of the food modified, especially if they still have their puppy teeth. They cannot chew big chunks of meat with bone in it until they get their adult teeth. 

Puppies need a balanced meal every single day because they cannot regulate their bodies like adult dogs. Puppies are growing constantly, so their needs may change from week to week and month to month. 

Adults and Seniors

Adult and senior dogs may need to ease into a raw food diet. You can mix their kibble with some raw food choices, slowly decreasing how much kibble he gets and increasing the amount of raw food. With adult dogs, you can provide a balanced diet over the course of a week or two rather than daily. 

Who should feed raw to their GSDs?

Raw food diets are great for owners who are looking to provide more variety to their dog’s diet. It is also great for owners of GSDs with food sensitivities. 

Raw food diets take extra time to plan, prepare, and portion out each day. So, it is less convenient than prepackaged foods. Yet, this diet provides your dog with natural ingredients and many health benefits.

Is feeding your dog raw food more expensive? 

Feeding a raw food diet can be more expensive.

But you will buy large quantities and varieties of meat to lower the cost. You can calculate the additional cost to be similar to adding another human to your household grocery bill.

However, the benefits of giving your dog a happier, healthier, and longer life are worth it on their own.

Tips on feeding your dog raw food on a budget

If you need to feed your dog a budget-friendly raw food diet, here are some tips:

• Make your own raw food meals rather than buying pre-packaged raw foods.

• If you hunt, your wild game is an excellent raw food choice.

• You can buy wholesale at local butchers or farmers’ markets and freeze the meat for later use.

• If you own farm animals, use your own livestock.

For more suggestions about how to find raw food on a budget read this post from PrimalPooch.com: 10 Great Resources for Finding Raw Dog Food

What are the risks of feeding your German Shepherds a raw food diet? 

It is a big commitment to balance your GSD’s raw food diet each week. You will need to provide all the nutrients your dog needs. 

If you don’t provide your dog with a balance of nutrients, he can become deficient. This can result in serious health complications. 

What kind of raw food should you avoid feeding your German Shepherd?

When you feed your dogs bones, only give your dog whole, uncooked bones with supervision.

Soft, small, and cooked bones pose a choking risk. 

Certain seeds and nuts are toxic to dogs. These include most fruit pits such as cherry, peach, and avocado seeds. Macadamia Nuts and Black Walnuts are toxic to dogs, too. 

Anytime you give your German Shepherd a new ingredient, research it. You may also want to get your dog an allergy test to identify whether he’s allergic to any foods you may want to feed him. 

Conclusion 

A raw food diet has many benefits for German Shepherds and all dogs alike. This diet can give relief to a dog suffering from food allergies. It also improves your dog’s overall health. Although it can be more expensive than feeding commercial dog food, it will ensure your dog lives a longer and healthier life.

Further Questions:

How should raw meat be handled?

Handling raw meat can be risky for humans and pets if it is not handled properly.  Check out this 1-minute video on how to safely handle raw meat safely.