If you are the owner of a German Shepherd dog, or you plan to buy one, then you must know how to feed them properly, what actually this dog breed loves and can eat, and what they can’t eat.
When you know which dog food and supplies you should give to your German Shepherd, you will significantly improve his physical and mental health. With a proper diet, your dog will have healthy bones, teeth, fur, skin… and also, he will be absolutely a happy dog!
It’s important what food your German Shepherd eat, and how much he eats in one day. We want to be careful how much food we give to our dogs in one single day because eating too much dog food can give them stomach problems.
So if you are not sure which food should you give to your German Shepherd, stay with us, because we will reveal some exclusive tips and secrets about proper German Shepherd nutrition.
Without any hesitation, let’s dive right into this popular topic!
What does German Shepherd eat?
This is the main problem among all new GSD owners, nutrition. We don’t want to make our German Shepherd sick, because of poor nutrition. Poor nutrition can weaken the body of your dog, and causes many health problems, such as obesity, emaciation, rickets, allergies, and fur loss.
Before you choose the food for your German Shepherd, you must know which vitamins this food has, and much he can eat, so that you can create a perfect balance. We know how hard it is to say no to them when we eat and they want a little piece of our food, but sometimes, we must say that.
German Shepherd dogs most enjoy and like to eat chicken, fish, beef, dry dog food (granules), eggs, carrot, and turkey. Of course, there are much more types of food in which German Shepherd enjoys, but this is a selection of dog foods in which German Shepherd enjoys most.
We’ll later talk a little bit letter about this topic in the details, but let’s see now how much your German Shepherd dog can eat on a daily basis.
Related blog post: Can German Shepherds eat tuna?
How much should a German Shepherd eat?
The ideal food amount for your German Shepherd per day is between 2 and 4 cups.
Usually, this depends on how much your dog is active. The more he is active, the more food you should give to him, but we find that 4 cups of dog food is a recommended maximum for very active German Shepherds and around 2 cups for inactive and older German Shepherds.
Below you can find the chart that we have been created so that you can easily decide which amount of food should you give to your German Shepherd.
How much should German Shepherd eat (chart in lbs)
| Adult Dog Size (lbs) | Dry Food Feeding Amount (Cups) |
| 3 to 12 | 1/3 to 1 |
| 13 to 20 | 1 to 1/3 |
| 21 to 35 | 1-1/3 to 2 |
| 26 to 50 | 2 to 2-2/3 |
| 51 to 75 | 2-2/3 to 3-1/3 |
| 76 to 100 | 3-1/3 to 4-1/4 |
| 100+ | 4-1/4 plus 1/4 cup for each 10lbs of body weight over 100lbs |
How much should German Shepherd eat (chart in kg)
| Adult Dog Size (kg) | Dry Food Feeding Amount (Cups) |
| 1.35 to 5.45 | 1/3 to 1 |
| 5.9 to 9.07 | 1 to 1/3 |
| 9.52 to 15.87 | 1-1/3 to 2 |
| 11.80 to 22.67 | 2 to 2-2/3 |
| 23.13 to 34.02 | 2-2/3 to 3-1/3 |
| 34.47 to 45.36 | 3-1/3 to 4-1/4 |
| 45+ | 4-1/4 plus 1/4 cup for each 4.5kg of body weight over 45kg |
Note: dog feeding amount can vary from product to product
What German Shepherd likes to eat?
On this list you can find a different type of food, this in general, all German Shepherds likes to eat:
- Chicken
- Fish
- Meat
- Eggs
- Carrot
- Broccoli
- Rice
- Apple
- Turkey
- Strawberries
- Pork
- Papaya
- Green beans
- Duck
- Banana
- Beans
- Watermelon
- Peppers
Every one of us has our own favorite food, and the same case is with German Shepherds. Each GSD is a different dog, so his list of favorite food maybe doesn’t match with the list of the other German Shepherd, and that’s okay.
If your German Shepherd dog doesn’t like some food, then you should avoid giving him this food, and be careful when you are giving your German Shepherd a new type of food, you want to be sure that he isn’t allergic to that food.
What vegetables can German Shepherds eat?
As all we know, vegetables are one of the main sources of most important vitamins for our and their body, but not all vegetables are equally good for them.
Dogs like German Shepherds love vegetables, but you should know which vegetables are actually safe for your GSD.
Here is the list of vegetables in which German Shepherds enjoy:
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Green beans
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
- Sweet potato
- Zucchini
What fruits can German Shepherds eat?
Fruits are also important as vegetables. Their vitamins can help their body to boost their immune system, and have a nice-looking coat, teeth, nails…
From some fruits, you can make very tasty treats for your German Shepherd, and we highly recommend you to explore more about this when you have enough time!
Here is the list of fruits in which German Shepherds enjoy:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Cranberries
- Mango
- Orange
- Peaches
- Pear
- Pineapple
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Can a German Shepherd eat Human food?
This isn’t a simple question, but yes, a German Shepherd can eat Human foods, but not all. Each Human food has a certain level of risk for our German Shepherd, and to better understand which Human food is the best for the German Shepherd, we decide to create this ultima chart where you can explore more about Human foods for dogs and their level of risk.
| Minimal risk (0) | Low Risk (1) | Moderate Risk (2) | High Risk (3) |
| Alfalfa | Apple juice | Almonds | Acorns |
| Apple | Asparagus | Aloe Vera | Alcohol |
| Banana | Bagel | Apricot | Beer |
| Basil | Brussels Sprouts | Avocado | Bones |
| Barley | Cabbage | Baby food | Brownies |
| Beans | Canola oil | Bacon | Caramel |
| Beef | Cauliflower | Bread | Cat food |
| Beets | Cherries | Butter | Chips |
| Bell peppers | Clam | Cashews | Chocolate |
| Blackberries | Crab | Cheerios | Coffee |
| Broccoli | Crackers | Cheese | Corn cobs |
| Brown rice | Eggs | Cornmeal | Doritos |
| Cantaloupe | Flax seed | Eggplant | Fat trimmings |
| Carrots | Honey | Green tea | French fries |
| Celery | Honeydew | Ginger | Garlic |
| Cilantro | Mango | Ham | Granola |
| Chamomile tea | Oatmeal | Ice cream | Grapefruit |
| Chia seeds | Octopus | Lactose free milk | Grapes |
| Chicken | Olives | Milk | Ginger ale |
| Chick peas | Pancakes | Mushrooms | Human vitamins |
| Cranberries | Parsley | Orange | Jalapeno |
| Coconut oil | Pasta | Orange juice | Ketchup |
| Cottage cheese | Peanut butter | Peaches | Leftovers |
| Cucumbers | Peas | Persimmons | Lemons |
| Duck | Peppermint | Quinoa | Macadamia nuts |
| Edamame | Pistachio nuts | Spinach | Marshmallows |
| Cooked fish | Popcorn | Tangerines | Milkshake |
| Gelatin | Potatoes | Tofu | Mints |
| Green beans | Rice | Tomatoes | Nachos |
| Kelp | Seafood | Tortillas | Nuts |
| Kiwifruit | Shrimp | / | Nutmeg |
| Lamb | Squid | / | Onions |
| Lentils | Sunflower seeds | / | Oreos |
| Lettuce | Sushi | / | Pecans |
| Liver | Tuna | / | Pepperoni |
| Melon | Yogurt | / | Pickles |
| Oregano | / | / | Pizza |
| Papaya | / | / | Pomegranate |
| Pear | / | / | Pretzels |
| Peppers | / | / | Raisins |
| Pineapple | / | / | Rhubarb leaves |
| Plain croutons | / | / | Salami |
| Pork | / | / | Salt |
| Pumpkin | / | / | Sausage |
| Raspberries | / | / | Skittles |
| Salmon | / | / | Soda |
| Sardines | / | / | Sugar |
| Seaweed | / | / | Tacos |
| Squash | / | / | White chocolate |
| Strawberries | / | / | Xylitol |
| Sweet potatoes | / | / | Yeast dough |
| Turkey | / | / | / |
| Turmeric | / | / | / |
| Watermelon | / | / | / |
| Zucchini | / | / | / |
Suggestion: Worst dog food for German Shepherd
What can German Shepherds not eat?
When you have a German Shepherd, you should be careful what your dog eats during the day, and be aware that someone else can give food to your dog. That’s why you also want to know what can your German Shepherd not eat so that you can avoid this food and to warn others to not give this food to your dog.
We had prepared a list of food that your German Shepherd can not eat:
- Chocolate
- Avocados
- Onions and Garlic
- Grapes and Raisins
- Milk and other Dairy Products
- Macadamia Nuts
- Sugary foods and drinks
- Caffeine
- Yeast dough
- Salt
- Tea
- Walnuts
- Potato skins
- Raw potato
- Raisins
- Gum
- Mushrooms
In reality, this list is much bigger. You can check in our food chart that we have mentioned before which food have a certain risk level so that you know what your German Shepherd can eat, and what he can’t eat.
📝 Related blog post: Can German Shepherds Eat Pizza?
Are German Shepherd picky eaters?
No, German Shepherds are not picky eaters at all, but if they become picky eats, this is probably because of you. It’s important to not feed your German Shepherd only with one same food, or give him only one same treat.
By giving him the same food and treats all the time, your German Shepherd can become “addicted” to that food, and refuse to eat other types of food. If you have a German Shepherd which is a picky eater, you don’t need to worry too much, this isn’t something too much bad, but you need to take action right now.
Suggestion: Best food for picky German Shepherd
Why does German Shepherd eat poop?
If you saw that your German Shepherd has eaten his poop, or poop of other dogs, this may confuse you, and you are wonder “why he did that, this is disgusting!”.
Eating poop is also known as “coprophagia” and is seen in roughly 25% of dogs. This means that every fourth dog in the world eats its own poop!
There are different reasons why your German Shepherd has done that, but the main reason could be:
- They learned that from their moms while there were still puppies
- They get some nutritional value from undigested matter (poop)
- They are really hungry and looking for something to eat
- They may have some health issues
- They’re bored or stressed
If you want to learn more about this topic, then we suggest you to read this article and discover all reasons why your German Shepherd did that.
Related blog posts:
What vegetables German Shepherds Eat?
What fruits can German Shepherds Eat?
What to feed German Shepherd puppy?
Final words.
There is no doubt that German Shepherds enjoy food, but we must have some limits and responsibilities. After all, we are their owners, and we must take care of them.
Remember, every German Shepherd has a different personality, and if you saw that some other dogs enjoy eating some food, this doesn’t mean that your GSD will be equally fond of that food.
Be careful, and watch them initially as you test a new type of food. Once you build a list of “proven dog food” which suits your dog will be much easier and less stressful for you.
We hope that this article helped you, and as we always like to say, if you still have any doubts, ask your vet for help!
