German Shepherds are intelligent, easily trainable, and obedient. Hence, they are good working or guard dog breeds. As working dogs, German Shepherds are highly active and energetic. Thus, it is always good to give your german shepherd the best dog food.
German Shepherds are good family dogs. They are loyal and intelligent. But, they are highly active dogs and need daily or regular exercise. Because of this, give your German Shepherd quality food that can satisfy their bodies’ needs.
AT A GLANCE (SEE ON AMAZON):
- Our Top Pick: Natural Balance L.I.D. Dry Adult Dog Food
- Runner Up: Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Dry Dog Food
- Also Great: Canidae PURE Grain Free Dry Dog Food
- Also Great: Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Dry Dog Food
- Also Great: Diamond Naturals Premium Large Breed Dry Dog Food

What Is The Best Dog Food For My German Shepherds?
What should I feed my German Shepherd?
There are too many options out there. Various brands and different dog food companies have prepared varying formulas to come up with the best dog foods for German Shepherds.
Our pet experts have researched and compiled a list of dog foods perfect for our German Shepherds.
Here are the top five which made it on our list.
Our Top Pick

Natural Balance, Limited Ingredient Diets Dry Dog Food is made up of real chicken, which provides high protein that helps develop and maintain strong muscles. It also includes premium carbohydrates and protein sources formula, which is excellent when looking for alternative ingredients for your dogs.
This grain-free dog food is made of natural fiber that is designed to support your dog’s digestive health and, at the same time, keeps his skin healthy and a shiny coat. There are no artificial colors or flavors added to this product, making this one of the best dog foods for adult dogs.
Runner Up

Purina ONE SmartBlend True Instinct Natural Adult Dry Dog Food comes with real turkey and venison as a good source of protein. Every serving provides 30% protein. A high protein diet is good for German Shepherds to keep them active and energetic.
The real meat in this dog food, blended with premium ingredients, provides high-quality protein. It supplies the vitamins and minerals our dogs need to stay healthy. With added glucosamine, this dry dog food would help keep our dog’s joints and bones strong. It does not contain any poultry or chicken by-product meal, artificial flavor, or preservatives.
This dog food comes in crunchy kibbles and a great taste your dog would surely gobble.
Also Great

CANIDAE PURE Real Bison, Limited Ingredient, Grain Free Premium Dry Dog Food is a whole-food recipe containing only ten key ingredients. The ingredients in this adult dog food are complete by themselves. It includes real bison to satisfy our dog’s protein needs.
Vegetables in this recipe supply our German Shepherds with the essential vitamins and minerals they need. It has added probiotics for healthy digestion, omega-3, and omega-6 fatty acids to support beautiful skin and coat, and antioxidants to maintain a healthy immune system. It contains no fillers, corn, wheat, or soy and is completely grain-free to avoid food allergies.
For German Shepherd Puppies
A german shepherd puppy needs a holistic select meal rich in animal protein and vegetables like sweet potato, garbanzo beans, and other prime ingredients to help them grow into fat, healthy, and active adult dogs.
If you are looking for one made for German Shepherd puppies, check out these Royal Canin German Shepherd puppy food.
This puppy food is formulated with easy-to-digest protein sources and fiber for better digestion. It contains various antioxidants and vitamin E to help boost the immune system of our growing large breed puppies. Designed in a unique shape, every kibble is formed to satisfy German Shepherd puppies aging from 2 months up to 15 months. This definitely is the best puppy food for German Shepherd.
Worthy to consider as well is this dry food for puppies by Diamond Naturals. This German Shepherd puppy food contains DHA for better mental and visual development. Formulated with protein and mineral content, this lamb meal provides the nutritional requirements of your growing large breed puppies. It also contains omega fatty acids and antioxidants and L-Carnitine to keep your German Shepherd puppies in the best of health. With these premium ingredients, this large breed puppy food is one good dog food for German Shepherd puppies.

The German Shepherds as a Breed
The German Shepherd is generally a medium-large dog breed whose origin is traced back to Germany.
Loved for their trainability, German Shepherds are great working dogs and were prominently used as herding dogs to manage sheeps years ago.
Well-trained German Shepherd puppies grow up obedient, intelligent, and easy to train. Hence, present trends in dog training utilize german shepherds for more complex tasks and work as service and therapy dogs, search-and-rescue, police and military roles, and even acting.
Physically, adult German Shepherds are handsome dogs with a strong built covered by a double coat and a thick undercoat.
Depending on their hair, there are two types of German Shepherds. The more common type is the medium-haired German Shepherds. The other, the long-haired German Shepherd, is a rarer type.
Adult German Shepherds tend to suffer from elbow and hip dysplasia which causes them to develop arthritis and suffer from pain as they grow older. This condition is generally attributed to improper practices while they were still puppies and as young pups.
What Should You Feed A German Shepherd?
Commonly raised as action dogs, German Shepherds have certain nutritional needs since they are prone to musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia. Hence, it is always worth looking at the ingredients in every dog food product if it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, which could help prevent these disorders.
They must be fed with dog foods that will keep their joints and muscles healthy, added with daily exercise and proper training.
One way to avoid this disorder is to provide your German Shepherd puppy with dog food containing glucosamine and chondroitin.
Additionally, one of the best dog food for German Shepherd puppies is a chicken meal or lamb meal, which abounds with animal protein. The high protein content helps them develop lean muscles and a strong body structure.
The time for a German Shepherd puppy spent on rough exercises should also be monitored to avoid this ailment.

Since they are large breed dogs, German Shepherds must have a properly balanced diet supplemented with vitamins and animal proteins to keep their lean muscle mass.
Being active dogs, the best dog food for them would be one that is not only rich in high-quality animal protein like chicken meal and lamb meal. Their dog foods should also contain healthy grains and fiber. Great sources of these are brown rice, sweet potatoes, barley, and other vegetables and fruits.
Some dry dog food for German Shepherds is grain-free to avoid food allergies. Yet, there are still a lot of options to provide your dogs the much-needed carbohydrates to stay active.
To maintain skin and coat health, German Shepherds need dog foods with omega-3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
It is important to monitor your dog’s physical appearance according to its body size, shape, and condition.
Your Choice
Of course, there are other dog food choices out there. We know it is not easy to choose from among the choices. Thus, we have just listed the best based on our research.
However, in choosing what food is best for your German Shepherd, it is best to understand your dog. Know what your furry friend needs based on his activities, lifestyle, life stage, and size.
A properly balanced diet and nutritious dog food for your German Shepherd are essential in keeping him healthy. Hence, make sure to give your dog quality food that would help support his active, energetic, and strong lifestyle.
Quality dog food and proper monitoring of the physical and mental health of your German Shepherd would ensure his well-being.