Hi,

I got a new pup - a german shepherd. She is nine weeks old and very cute. The breeder was feeding her bread and milk twice a day. I have read that milk is not a good thing to give a dog. Should I be giving her dog food and treats. I really don't know what she should be eating as she seems to be hungry a lot of the time.

People will tell you what works best for them, in their experiences raising and/or breeding dogs. The best one to ask is your Vet. You will be taking your puppy there for check-ups. Why not call and ask what the Vet recommends? My ex husband and I raised a variety of dogs and we used Puppy Chow until the IAMS came out. Now someone else will probably have a different recommendation. What you should not do is to switch foods all the time. Ask your Vet and follow his/her guidelines. Your Vet will be one of your puppy's best friends.

If you check the ''What does a puppy need?'' sticky, you see my usual recommendation is what the breeder is feeding, https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post251802 That assumes the breeder is feeding some sort of a decent puppy chow. Dogs can't digest the lactose in milk. And until she is 3 months old, feed 3 times a day.

You should be feeding a puppy chow now. Switching to an adult chow for the
Larger breeds at 4- 6 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier
Joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest.
You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is
Different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog
Must have its food adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.puppychow.com/products/po...condition.aspx

The dry dog foods are actually better for the dogs. It helps keep the teeth
Clean, and exercises the jaws and teeth. If you feed a complete dog chow, you
Shouldn't need to give the dog anything else. Various people foods may only
Add more calories without providing proper nourishment. Look at how many of
Us are too fat too. If you don't want to pay name brand prices look for
Certification of passing the AAFCO tests. Make any changes in diet slowly
Over about a week.

The premium, concentrated foods give you the assurance of a brand name. They
Produce a smaller, firmer stool that is easier to clean up. It is easier to
Maintain weight on a finicky eater. The lower cost foods may actually have
Lower fat and be better for your dog. Many dogs would enjoy eating the larger
Portions you have to feed.

Many people strongly insist you must feed an expensive chow. I have asked, but never gotten any real proof dogs do better on expensive chows. I think many of the people saying so are either selling them, or buy into ''If it costs more, it must be better''.
The one Shepherd I raised for the dog guide school did fine on Pro Plan chicken and rice that same as their thousands of other dogs. If you are feeding a decent chow, any suppliments will cause more harm than good.

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Originally Posted by AugustGirl

Hi,

I got a new pup - a german shepherd. She is nine weeks old and very cute. The breeder was feeding her bread and milk twice a day. I have read that milk is not a good thing to give a dog. Should I be giving her dog food and treats. I really don't know what she should be eating as she seems to be hungry alot of the time.

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Hi My name is Laura and I am a Veterinary Nurse with 10 years experience. Are you sure that the breeder you baught this pup from is a registered breeder?? I mean if they think that bread and milk is nutritious for a large fast growing puppy they aught to be shot!! Im sorry but definitely don't feed this to your puppy anymore. He/she is not getting the right nutrition with this diet. A large breed puppy needs to have the correct levels of calcium/phosphorus ratio on their diet to help their fast growing bones. If they don't get enough of this then you are going to run into joint problems and perhaps bowed legs. And milk is no good as they are lactose intolerent.
Your puppy needs to be on a BALANCED diet that has all the right nutrients in it to help him grow. Perhaps try feeding ADVANCE dog food available from your local PETstock store, or maybe even Eukanuba or Hills science diet. Im not surprised that your pup is starving all the time he is not getting enough protein/carbohydrates or calories to meet his requirements as a puppy...

Good luck with your little guy.
Cheers Laura.

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