
We will
give supply for feeding and general care chart, giving full details of
the basic diet so that puppy will not suffer any growth check
during this vital period of adjustment. You can also be
assured that the puppy has been properly "wormed" and you
receive a vaccination certificate at the time of purchase.
It is advisable to follow
the feeding recommended by us, as some puppies can
suffer stress from leaving the kennel and stress can develop
into diarrhoea. If you maintain the same feeding pattern as us it will help relieve the stress and not upset the
puppy's tummy any further. The diarrhoea normally only lasts a
day and puppy should soon settle into his new home.
Ideas on diet vary greatly
from one breeder to another. Overfeeding was the biggest problem
of yesteryear and many suggested diets in older books would
result in overweight, sluggish and unhealthy puppies. The best
guide to quantity is the weight of your puppy, which must always
have a moderate "waistline". The guide to quality is the
vitality and condition of the puppy. Nature is generous in her
gift of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional essentials, and
all can be found in abundance in the balanced diet. A healthy
puppy does not have to be rattling with a multitude of vitamin
pills. Excess supplementation with artificial additives can have
serious side effects. The proper diet must not only provide all
the essentials, but it must supply those essentials in the
proper proportion.
The constituents of food
basically fall into four groups: PROTEIN, FAT, CARBOHYDRATES
(STARCHES) AND VITAMINS/MINERALS. When fed in correct proportion
these three will provide the essential bodybuilding material and
fuel for energy.
PROTEIN - The building
block that builds new body tissue and repairs the wear and tear
of the body. The most complete form of protein is found in meat,
eggs, milk, fish and soya beans. Lesser quality protein can be
found in other vegetables.
FAT - Provides body warmth
and energy and assists in the absorption of the other nutrients.
Natural sources are fatty meat, milk and vegetable oils.
CARBOHYDRATE - The fuel for
growth and energy. Abundant in cereals, vegetables and honey.
VITAMINS/MINERALS - These
help regulate all aspects of cell activity. Quantities are
minute but vital. They are found in natural nutritional material
such as milk, meat, eggs, fish and fresh fruit and vegetables.
When considering a suitable
diet for your puppy or adult dog remember that many of the
diseases found in domestic dogs are unknown in their wild
counterparts. The main reasons for this are nutritional
imbalance, allergic reaction and over or under feeding in dogs
dependent on human beings. Wild dogs eat the stomach and
intestines of their prey first, thereby ingesting a large
quantity of cereal matter rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B,
carbohydrates and minerals.
This can be replaced in the
domestic dog by feeding good quality, balanced dry food. An all
meat diet is not only expensive it is also grossly deficient,
leading to a number of serious problems including growth
deformities.
After 15 months bone,
growth has stopped and you will have to vary the quantities of
the food according to the special demands and activities of your
own dog. Metabolism varies in dogs as it does in humans, so
there can be no hard and fast rules as to quantities of food.
The best guide, as stated before, is the weight of your dog,
which must look like an energetic working dog. As he ages he may
require much less food. Suggested weights for German Shepherds
at about 18 months are:
Males height about 65 cm =
34 - 38 Kilo's. Females height about 60 cm = 26 - 30 Kilo's.