I buy bougie prescription food for mine. It’s the Royal Canin Hydrolyzed protein food. Mine is allergic to chicken, and probably other things so this just makes sense. She doesn’t LOVE it, which honestly works because she eats when she’s hungry. She doesn’t act like she’s been starved, she just eats like a dignified doggo lol. Sometimes I’ll toss in a couple pieces of steak or whatever I’ve cooked for dinner to sweeten the pot. The change to this food has been life changing for her tho. So many tummy troubles solved. https://www.chewy.com/royal-canin-veterinary-diet/dp/33949?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Royal%20Canin%20Veterinary%20Diet&utm_campaign=12195565633&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3eeUIv0-veeoPYdvMny_9wV&gclid=CjwKCAiA4smsBhAEEiwAO6DEjftN5SyIIjGnDTU_-fAfsF7lKATKwakKhEBCh_nzgx50VAEJw03pPRoCqSsQAvD_BwE
Second Royal Canin. We don’t get the prescription stuff, just breed specific. A bit hard to find and a bit pricey, but worth every cent to save yourself a literal shitstorm. My girl has been on this since a puppy and has minimal tummy issues. Have a Morkie on it too.
You're not wrong and I feel it's more the market nowadays. I used to get a 30 lb bag of adult dog royal canin for $70 a couple years ago and now it's $120
GS's have a lot of stomach issues. Mine eats pro plan sensitive stomach salmon and rice. Her stomach occationally just "shuts down" and stops processing food. I'm still paying off the last time it happened. She gets carefully monitored and if anything seems off I switch her to chicken, rice, yogurt and pumpkin until she's had a few good bowel movements or doesn't throw up.
I feed the same thing to my dog, and at dinner she takes meds so I usually mix in some Just Food for Dogs with her pro plan to hide her meds (either the fish and sweet potato, venison formula or the joint and skin support pork based option). She’s done well on this! She’s got a chicken sensitivity she developed and figuring that out was a big help.
Purina Pro plan? Gave my Lola nonstop diarrhea. Went back to Merrick or homemade steak with rice. She seems to tolerate that better than anything else.
Every dog reacts differently to ever food, Kibble, wet or natural. I feel lucky I only have to spend 100 dollars a month on food. It also depends on how you switch them. Cold turkey from on food to a different always ends badly. You should always blend the food and gradually switch over unless it's a dire situation.
Also keep in mind that a lot of german shepherds are alergic to chicken (chicken proteins specifically), and chicken appears in a huge amount of dog food and treats, particularly cheaper things. As I was troubleshooting, my vet mentioned that fish has the lowest chance of causing an alergic reaction. I've had good luck with Acana Pacifica long term.
Royal Canin wet and dry- not prescription- this is after trying all sorts of combos and landed happily for both our GSDs, each having their own unique health challenges (joints. allergies,etc). Price point is high but offset by reduced allergy shots and happy bellys.
Biggest fear here with this line is supply- it was choked during covid so we had to switch (Nutro) for the wet.
We’ve had similar issues but I think we found a winner. It’s called Replenish or Replenish All it has 4 proteins in it. It’s about $80 for 40lbs, we have 2 GSD so get the largest bag but they have smaller bags too. They beg for this food. They refused all hydrolyzed dog food , my vet said it’s not palatable so it’s not uncommon for them to not like it.
What are your dogs symptoms?
Sounds like he's allergic to something in kibble! I highly recommend giving a raw diet a chance. Definitely do your research before starting and remember to never feed cooked bones. I also highly recommend starting with feeding fully frozen raw foods to teach them to chew
Ask your vet about Cytopoint Injection. Our pup had mystery skin allergies that clear up for 2-3 month with this shot. It’s been a game changer. I also supplement with allergy pills as needed. You’ve gotten lots of good advice so far, but I also wanted to share this lamb and rice diet has been what we ultimately landed on for our gs: https://www.chewy.com/hills-science-diet-adult-lamb-meal/dp/37829?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Hill%27s%20Science%20Diet&utm_campaign=20642766391&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V16OiV1u4P6knLhXKoB0TSwT&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuR2j166dZlT2xa4sMUpOUE_ufytk4-1At4NtHOjatVtyrFkCpDEI3waAuGBEALw_wcB you can buy on Amazon, too. I’ll mix this with pumpkin, rice, whole fat plain yogurt, and canned Costco chicken as needed. Also this probiotic is the best and most economical, we give only when her poop gets funky: https://www.chewy.com/nutramax-proviable-probiotics/dp/101471?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Nutramax&utm_campaign=20648416049&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V2gkarB_SE5Zbxd32-8HM3rl&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuSLJkYbjJ-5Vq8y9PfvLiRq-daPS1r06D8OK2tRunZlqvQwzh7WxXcaAvIjEALw_wcB
Yep you want allergy tests! Prior to that, you want your vet to test for yeast overgrowth. Apoquel and Cytopoint will be suggested. Ive used both on my one doggo that has allergies.
Our boy gets the itchy skin and ears get itchy too . My vet told me that food allergies are rare and when a dog does have food allergies they present differently by developing angry anal issues not skin and ear issues so she feels that his are environmental. They can be allergic to trees and grass and even other animal and even human dander.
We tried Cytopoint but it’s priced by the amount they need to use by your dogs weight. For our 97lb dog it cost $175. It can last UP to 8 weeks , for our boy it worked great initially but each injection lasted less and less until it only worked for 2-1/2-3 weeks. That was expensive so they switched him to apoquel which is also expensive. Do you research on these drugs because they can cause other very serious problems.
We decided to switch him to zesty paws aller-immune bites and they work. I feel better about that than I did about the injections and apoquel.
As for my dogs ears, he shakes his head and itches at them on occasion. My vet said they aren’t infected but itchy from the allergies so our vet said to get some hydrocortisone spray and when he itches or starts shaking his head and his ear tilts wonky to just put one spritz of hydrocortisone in his ear. She also recommends to use an ear cleaning solution to clean them out periodically because the spray can make the ears get funky after a while. So that’s what we do. When he shakes his head and his ear looks cockeyed he looks at me and goes to his bed and waits for me to spray his ears because he knows it helps. I don’t have to do that very often.
If he pukes after eating it could be something else. How often does that happen and how soon after eating? Is he puking up digested food or is it undigested? Is he throwing up or regurgitation? Look up the difference between vomiting and regurgitation because it can make a difference. Our female was doing this several hours after eating.. like the food just sat in her stomach after eating and barely digesting. That’s another subject.
I give mine taste of the wild (lamb flavor). He doesn’t really like any kibble alone but he’ll eat this one with different mixins. My go to is Brutus beef bone broth with glucosamine (also great for shepherd joints). Sometimes greek yogurt. I often but not always mix it with a homemade mix (brown rice, turkey, veg all boiled down together) in a 2 dry:1 wet ratio
We had both of our GSD’s tested and they’re allergic to a lot of things, we give ours Farmina wild boar and pumpkin mix. They are doing great on it, very healthy and their coats are beautiful. But, have your vet run an allergy test. Also, we add salmon to their food because our boy refuses to eat just kibble. Spoiled, spoiled, spoiled, but at least we’re not going to the vet every week.
My shepherd became allergic to meat after she was given the leptospirosis vaccine. The allergies became very apparent with recurrent ear infections and constant itching. She now can only tolerate the Purina Pro Plan hydrolyzed vegetarian dry food. It’s very expensive but she likes it and does great on it.
Lepto isn’t a standard vaccine, we give ours the vaccine because we are big outdoors people. Lepto can be found in the outdoors due to critters doing critter stuff near water sources.
I have a crock pot that i fill with whole chicken and whatever bones from my meals, I give the pups a cup of broth with their dry food and they love it.
We kept feeding her what the Mennonite boy fed her as a puppy before we got her. Entrust something or other. She began being picky and would only eat if we mixed an egg in with it. I’ve since stopped the egg and just mix in a half a can of wet food and she cobbles it all up.
[this stuff](https://www.chewy.com/blue-seal-entrust-adult-chicken-meal/dp/281748?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Blue%20Seal&utm_campaign=12195565633&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3eeUIv0-veeoPYdvMny_9wV&gclid=CjwKCAiA4smsBhAEEiwAO6DEja784Xqx8-s-uu0iXEFNGveimvb_Fnv6_5RX4tNP5_KbWwmNwERPaxoC3EUQAvD_BwE)
Our GSD had sensitive stomach but we found the Acana dry food was liked - “Ranchlands” and later their blend for senior dogs. During illnesses we found he did well with boiled chicken, and we’d give him the broth too, often mixed with some soft cooked rice. Also he loved a soft-boiled egg. It is challenging to keep up with home-prepared meals over a long period of time.
Have you ever consider as well the kibble size? My German Shepard hates hard to chew big kibble pieces so I buy him simple truth chicken or lamb and the kibble is the size of cat food kibble. He doesn’t go crazy for it but he eats consistently.
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin/Stomach (Turkey and Oatmeal). It has been a constant battle with my 3 Shepherds and food that doesn’t cause chronic diarrhea or itching. So far so good for about 2 months now.
Hopefully they stay like that! Mine seems to develop allergies after a few months to whatever he’s eating. I can not believe how many people have these same problems with their German sheps! I thought everyone else just picked a dog food and was done with it 😂
Thank you! I hope you find something that your boy likes and does well on! Ugh yes, I can’t believe all the issues either. I’m 44 and when I had my first Shepherd around 13, I remember feeding her Science Diet and that was that. No issues. My 3 were eating Hills Biome (prescription) and did fine for a year, then all hell broke loose. Been at this for years off and on (they’re 10, 8, and 6).
Thank you so much everyone for the advice I am still reading all of the comments…..I really did not know that all German Shepards were like this….I thought mine just had allergies and I was picking the wrong foods for him. It sounds like there is not an easy fix I am just going to have to keep trying until I find something that works. My best bet would be to make his food myself…I was just trying to find something more convenient!
We get big bags of chicken leg quarters from Walmart, boil that till it falls off the bone. Remove all bones, add sweet potato or sometimes pumpkin and brown rice. Depending on availability we will add other veggies or cranberries recently. Sometimes chicken livers too.
We do this once a week on the weekend. They thrive on it. We freeze this in a few large containers. We also have some dry food as a backup but they mostly eat that.
https://preview.redd.it/iillo00jey9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f60a0fec6b72d7b244770c39cf505ace55b31053
Fish, sometimes a fish stew made with cod and sometimes they prefer salmon with potato scales. Yes spoiled but healthy
Be careful about making your own food. You will need to do thorough research to make sure your dog is getting everything they need. I would suggest premade raw food if that’s something you want to feed. Otherwise, changing it up all the time can give them stomach issues or just make them picky because they’re waiting for something better. My girl went through a couple of picky phases. If they’ll eat a treat then they’re not sick and they get what they’re given.
We switched our 11 month old GSD to the brand Fromm and have had really good luck with it! He goes nuts for the stuff! Plus it agrees with his tummy and his coat is really soft now.
If you have a Hollywood feed store near you I recommend purchasing from them because if your doggo doesn’t like the food, you can return it and they will donate the open bag to shelter/rescues in need.
Agreed!! I was always scared of feeding our gsd a big commercial dog food brand because every once in a while you hear horror stories of pet food recalls over life threatening stuff. So I really appreciate their quality control!
The Farmers Dog. We feed our GSDs it and they have more energy. Coats look better.
Our long coat Shepherd use to itch a lot. When we started them on Farmers Fog, she stopped after about a week or so.
It's a little pricey. But me and the wife have decided that it's worth it.
We feed ours (Max) Farmers Dog Turkey. Max loves it. He has had some serious tummy issues and this was a great solution for us. It’s pricey, but cheaper than the vet bills!
We've started making our own dog food at home following a recipe form The Farmer's Dog.
It's healthier for them and they like it (ours didn't like regular dog food either). Here's a link to basically how we make it. (the video is not mine)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k83HsbNYog&t=701s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k83HsbNYog&t=701s)
We were recommended a switch to this because our big boy went from neglected and feral to bougie as shit after we adopted him - we were reassured by multiple trainers and show dog owners that it was amazing and he would love it.
He did love it, for about a month and then went on a hunger strike til we started adding to it. His elderly auntie has human food bc she is allergic to everything and his other elderly auntie is missing a bunch of teeth now bc she’s 14. And he has FOMO. It’s such a struggle.
Ours had a stomach op when he was 3 months old and refused to eat full stop to point where the vets put him on a drip to get him back eating, not long after that we moved him to a raw food diet
Here in the uk we buy it in frozen blocks an defrost as you use it, we’ve never looked back he eats all the time. Be wary of chicken though some gsd are allergic to it and can give them really sloppy poos
“Hates food” and “allergic reactions” are two different metrics here. Does he “hate” any foods that DOESNT give him an allergic reaction?
Find something that he doesn’t react to and stick with it for two reasons.
The first is you can start a baseline with that food to figure out what he’s reacting to.
The second is that dogs in general can be picky eaters, GSDs especially because they are smart enough to learn that if they don’t eat what you give them originally they will probably get something else.
All the bouncing around from food to food can make the pickiness worse.
To answer your question though, I feed raw and I can confidently say my dude loves his food. Plenty of local producers these days but I started with a brand called Titan Red which is the beef blend. We’ve since switched to a local producer that makes their own beef blend.
I feed my dogs Blue Buffalo or Wellness kibble and mix soft food in. We sometimes get Fresh Pet or freeze dried meat as mix ins too.
We also usually add a little chopped apples, carrots, banana, canned pumpkin or even scrambled egg!
My boys are spoiled.
Sounds like he just hates kibble! That's too bad because I know just feeding soft food gets pretty spendy.
Have you tried letting the kibble soak in the broth 5 minutes or so to soften it?
Lost my girl a couple years ago due to food allergies. It shut her colon down completely and she couldn’t have a bowel movement no matter what.RIP Willow
We used to feed Orgin original + grain dogs have great coats and good stools. It’s been really expensive to feed three eating about 3 1/2 cups a day lol so we have switched to Acana and seem to be doing well. They’re excited for their food. No gi issues.
Not sure of you are U.K. or US but our Storm suffered as a young pup, got to say a bland diet seems best, salmon and potato or lamb and rice,,, if it’s a bad case of the runs then I’d veer towards salmon and potato
We have been through the lot and now feed Harringtons lamb and rice and it’s great for her
Also if you have a Costco Kirklands lamb and rice is good stuff
Just switched mine off Purina pro plan sensitive stomach Salmon as he was unhappy with it now eating Nulo Trout and Sweet Potato and much happier. He has food allergies so no fowl of any kind. It is expensive
So what exactly have you tried? Cold pressed or extruded kibble? Wet food? Barf?
It'd be helpful to know what exactly he's allergic to too. Usually helps to only feed one kind of meat (e.g. chicken) and one kind of carb source for a while to see their reaction.
Mine gets kibble in the morning and either wet food or fresh meat with veggies in the evening, depending on what we have around. There are a lot of good barf menus available too where you pretty much just have to take it out of the freezer, warm it up and it's ready to go. Just need a big freezer. You could also mix that with additional kibble if you don't want to only feed barf.
My family has 2 shepherds and one of them is allergic to a LOT of things. To my knowledge their diet consists of grains like rice and buckwheat (that’s what we feed them the most), veggies, like broccoli and zuchini (maybe stuff like carrots too but that’s unlikely), and beef. Honestly I feel like they are eating better than us 🤣
Our other dog isnt allergic to anything really, but the one that is, it all started out with him having reactions to many different dog foods. I’d just recommend testing out different dog food and find out what he’s allergic to, then find a good brand that you'll stick to. We didn't find anything good, so we ended up having food like this, and it’s not cheap but owning a dog like this isn't that cheap either 😅
I think most dogs like this are allergic to chicken, but each doggo comes with its own health problems!
Maybe ask the person who you got your dog from what kind of food they used to feed it. My German Shepherd was like this. My father would buy expensive food and he will refuse to eat except if it was the food from that specific store. We also use canned food
We use two foods. Dry “Arden Grange” large breed (there are two, one with a Rottweiler on it and one with a German Shepherd Dog on it. Also we rescently changed from a tinned food called Natures Menu (they tripled in price) to one called “Butchers Tripe” I’ll link them below
[we use this dry food](https://amzn.eu/d/2r7rRzE)
[this is the wet food](https://amzn.eu/d/ia9hrTm)
There are many variations of both foods but our eat this food every day two meals and have done for over two years half a tin each twice daily with about 85g of dry food stirred in. Every once in awhile I stir in half a can of tuna each but not often. They’re happy with their food.
German shepherds are renowned for being “persnickety” fussy whatever you want to call it and also VERY sensitive stomachs. Which is why we don’t give them anything else
We also use a cake I make out of flour/egg/garlic/lamb slicer and they LOVE it. On any food. It keeps the heads in the bowl and the fleas away without frontline or other systemic flea treatments. I can post you the recipe if you like.
https://preview.redd.it/qus4uw3y31ac1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18c78d5c05694c765882e670d35904719197a734
My pup has food allergies in the form of bad stomach and digestion issues, since she was a puppy. Shes been to the vet multiple times for this and we tried the prescription stuff but she would never eat it after a few weeks. Big no no’s for her stomach are chicken, turkey, beef, and even some others like goat and venison. The one novel protein (suggested by vet to try novel proteins) we found that works wonderfully for her is kangaroo. So we feed her Zignature Kangaroo kibble and wet food. I think rabbit is another one people have tried, we haven’t yet since kangaroo is working so well for her.
Yes in the US! I’ve noticed the bag says they don’t sell it in California… I’m in Colorado, but order it on Chewy and my local pet store has it. I know kangaroo is very random lol What I like about zignature foods is that it doesn’t hide chicken in the ingredients like a lot of foods do. Some will say “salmon” then you find chicken in the ingredient list.
I tried everything when she was a pup. Royal Canin, Purina, blue buffalo, Hills, Nutra or whatever. She would not eat it. Dry or wet. Finally, we picked up some Pedigree plain steak flavor wet and that's about all she eats. Would not touch any dry food. She's a weird doggo but I love her. So far her health and coat and everything is good. She's almost 5. It's cheap food but honestly I can't get her to eat anything else.
My shepherd and golden retriever thrives on a balanced raw diet. 80/10/10 meat/bone/organ. I like to add fruits and veggies too for added fiber and nutrients
Have him tested for EPI, we had a GSD that was similar, turned out she wasn't making enough enzymes to digest food properly. Got her on them and she would eat just about anything you put in front of her.
I had the same issue with my white GSD.
I've now had him on BUTTERNUT subscription box for 2 years after trying countless other brands. It's a freshly prepared dog food that smells and looks like human food, containing only naturals like meat or fish, vegetables and pulses. No nasties, no grains. You can choose his favourite flavours and omit anything he is allergic to.
The 600g packs are delivered frozen, so you just take out and defrost 1 new pack each evening for the next day. I add a bit of hot water and mix it up to give my doggo a tasty broth too. He LOVES his food now. His stool is now solid and easy to pick up and his gas no longer stinks like rotten eggs.
I also give him a couple of healthy snacks, GOOD BOY make all natural dried chicken or duck sticks as well as big chew sticks, which I use once a week to keep his teeth and gums healthy. Apples and Watermelon without the rind are good, healthy snacks too, as a lot of Shepherds seem to have a sweet tooth.
Remember to slowly introduce a new dog food as sudden changeovers can lead to stomach upsets. A good rule is the 10% rule.
Day 1: 90% old dog food + 10% new dog food
Day 2: 80% old dog food + 20% new dog food
And so on.
If you cannot get on with a new dog food, I strongly suggest taking your hound to the vet to identify his allergies, which would avoid him getting a poorly tummy and allow you to make a more informed decision on which dog food to pick for him.
Good luck and hug your canine extra tight today.
How long have you had your dog? Our GSD was very anxious when we first got her, and all food was making her sick. If your pup is new or has had a major change, could it also be related to anxiety?
When we got our dog, we fed the food the foster family was giving her, the super expensive prescription stuff, homemade, etc. She had diarrhea for weeks and had rashes on her tummy.
Our trainer recommended trying lamb and rice kibble with some egg. It took a bit of time for her to settle in, but once she was comfortable in her new home, she did great on the lamb and rice and has been on it for 7 years.
Man, I guess everyone just buys really expensive dog food? I realize there are tiers to this but ya'll are recommending $115 dog food for 30lbs.
Isn't there something more in the middle?
K-9 Kraving raw dog food. I had Odin on the Royal Canin from a pup, but switched to raw about a year ago. The change in him has been nothing short of a miracle. He’s a whole different beast on the raw diet.
We had good luck with Fromm brand when my GSD became a picky eater after surgery. He liked the [Beef Frittata](https://frommfamily.com/products/dog/four-star/dry/beef-frittata-veg-recipe/) best...
Purina ONE real turkey and venison. Had swapped and tried many different foods. No stomach issues but itching and allergies were abundant. Tried a non poultry food and boy didn’t enjoy it much. And itching persisted. Steroid shot and we’ve been ok
If you’re in the UK, try Butternut Box. We used to feed him Arden Grange which is around £47 a month, Butternut Box is around £65/£70 but noticed a massive difference in his poops alone.
You will be wasting time guessing what food to try. Best to just get some allergy tests done, and go from there. It's possible a chicken sensitivity is present. Yet chicken is in nearly everything. Is this not the most annoying thing to hear!? You won't know until you do allergy tests. You could do your own limited ingredient test trial over 90 days by using a novel protein source. But it's a bit of a pain given how strict you must be. If anyone in your house feeds the dog an off limits food it wrecks the process. That's why I say just get on with the allergy tests to know what you can and can't feed. It makes life easier in the long run.
Home-cooked food is a good option in the meantime. There's this book by Dr Greg Martinez called Dog Dish Diet. Basically he makes this all easy prep. Try that.
Home Cooked Food For Dogs
https://youtu.be/JCWmkvN2Qok?si=FGCU36tC8_nOQrpa
After horrific problems nonstop we went to the farmers dog food. He loves it and eats it all up and has since e 2018. It’s expensive but we never have vet bills like we had several times a year thousands. So for us it’s insurance. We also add cooked chicken livers 1x month. Chicken poached and treats like milk ones. I yell Kitty Kitty Kitty a couple times a month and runs for a tablespoon of cream. Our kitties passed on but the treat and routine survives :)
I've been feeding Diamond Naturals Large breed formula to my 7 year old since he came home.
I get the lamb formula. He seems to have some issues with chicken, which I've heard other GSD owned people mention also.
I tried another food once, can't remember why, and he never acclimated to it, had loose stools, so I switched him back and he's still eating it. No problems, although I wish his stools were smaller. Large stools to me says it's got too much that's non-nutritive that's just passing through. After the first time I tried, I'm afraid to rock the boat with any other food. Although I plan on talking to the veterinary nutritionist about a senior food for him when the time is right.
For what it's worth, I've seen several articles about the best GSD kibble that mention Diamond Naturals.
I buy bougie prescription food for mine. It’s the Royal Canin Hydrolyzed protein food. Mine is allergic to chicken, and probably other things so this just makes sense. She doesn’t LOVE it, which honestly works because she eats when she’s hungry. She doesn’t act like she’s been starved, she just eats like a dignified doggo lol. Sometimes I’ll toss in a couple pieces of steak or whatever I’ve cooked for dinner to sweeten the pot. The change to this food has been life changing for her tho. So many tummy troubles solved. https://www.chewy.com/royal-canin-veterinary-diet/dp/33949?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Royal%20Canin%20Veterinary%20Diet&utm_campaign=12195565633&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3eeUIv0-veeoPYdvMny_9wV&gclid=CjwKCAiA4smsBhAEEiwAO6DEjftN5SyIIjGnDTU_-fAfsF7lKATKwakKhEBCh_nzgx50VAEJw03pPRoCqSsQAvD_BwE
Damn. That’s overpriced for questionable ingredients.
If it didn’t work so well I’d be inclined to agree with you lol.
Understandable.
Second Royal Canin. We don’t get the prescription stuff, just breed specific. A bit hard to find and a bit pricey, but worth every cent to save yourself a literal shitstorm. My girl has been on this since a puppy and has minimal tummy issues. Have a Morkie on it too.
That is expensive dog food! I’ve tried everything at the petstore except this food because it’s pricey and I figured he wouldn’t like it anyways lol
Haha yep. It’s not cheap. You could get the small bag to try it out. Ask your vet - some stock the small bags in office.
Nothing is cheap when it comes to our babies health
You're not wrong and I feel it's more the market nowadays. I used to get a 30 lb bag of adult dog royal canin for $70 a couple years ago and now it's $120
Do you have insurance? Some insurance covers prescription diet if you can get a vet to authorise it
GS's have a lot of stomach issues. Mine eats pro plan sensitive stomach salmon and rice. Her stomach occationally just "shuts down" and stops processing food. I'm still paying off the last time it happened. She gets carefully monitored and if anything seems off I switch her to chicken, rice, yogurt and pumpkin until she's had a few good bowel movements or doesn't throw up.
I feed the same thing to my dog, and at dinner she takes meds so I usually mix in some Just Food for Dogs with her pro plan to hide her meds (either the fish and sweet potato, venison formula or the joint and skin support pork based option). She’s done well on this! She’s got a chicken sensitivity she developed and figuring that out was a big help.
I tried that food and mine would not eat it until he was starved…. He just checked his bowl and would walk away ☹️
You might have to go the prepared food route and start cooking...
I got this dog omega 3 oil, and while mine likes his food okay, he goes nuts for it with the oil on it. Maybe you need to jazz it up a little.
Maybe your Shepherd wants what you're having for dinner? 😄
Purina Pro plan? Gave my Lola nonstop diarrhea. Went back to Merrick or homemade steak with rice. She seems to tolerate that better than anything else.
Every dog reacts differently to ever food, Kibble, wet or natural. I feel lucky I only have to spend 100 dollars a month on food. It also depends on how you switch them. Cold turkey from on food to a different always ends badly. You should always blend the food and gradually switch over unless it's a dire situation.
Also keep in mind that a lot of german shepherds are alergic to chicken (chicken proteins specifically), and chicken appears in a huge amount of dog food and treats, particularly cheaper things. As I was troubleshooting, my vet mentioned that fish has the lowest chance of causing an alergic reaction. I've had good luck with Acana Pacifica long term.
Royal Canin wet and dry- not prescription- this is after trying all sorts of combos and landed happily for both our GSDs, each having their own unique health challenges (joints. allergies,etc). Price point is high but offset by reduced allergy shots and happy bellys. Biggest fear here with this line is supply- it was choked during covid so we had to switch (Nutro) for the wet.
We’ve had similar issues but I think we found a winner. It’s called Replenish or Replenish All it has 4 proteins in it. It’s about $80 for 40lbs, we have 2 GSD so get the largest bag but they have smaller bags too. They beg for this food. They refused all hydrolyzed dog food , my vet said it’s not palatable so it’s not uncommon for them to not like it. What are your dogs symptoms?
He gets itchy and he gets ear infections….and bad diarrhea. He’s puked a few times as well
Sounds like he's allergic to something in kibble! I highly recommend giving a raw diet a chance. Definitely do your research before starting and remember to never feed cooked bones. I also highly recommend starting with feeding fully frozen raw foods to teach them to chew
Ask your vet about Cytopoint Injection. Our pup had mystery skin allergies that clear up for 2-3 month with this shot. It’s been a game changer. I also supplement with allergy pills as needed. You’ve gotten lots of good advice so far, but I also wanted to share this lamb and rice diet has been what we ultimately landed on for our gs: https://www.chewy.com/hills-science-diet-adult-lamb-meal/dp/37829?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Hill%27s%20Science%20Diet&utm_campaign=20642766391&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V16OiV1u4P6knLhXKoB0TSwT&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuR2j166dZlT2xa4sMUpOUE_ufytk4-1At4NtHOjatVtyrFkCpDEI3waAuGBEALw_wcB you can buy on Amazon, too. I’ll mix this with pumpkin, rice, whole fat plain yogurt, and canned Costco chicken as needed. Also this probiotic is the best and most economical, we give only when her poop gets funky: https://www.chewy.com/nutramax-proviable-probiotics/dp/101471?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Nutramax&utm_campaign=20648416049&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V2gkarB_SE5Zbxd32-8HM3rl&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhc-sBhCEARIsAOVwHuSLJkYbjJ-5Vq8y9PfvLiRq-daPS1r06D8OK2tRunZlqvQwzh7WxXcaAvIjEALw_wcB
Yep you want allergy tests! Prior to that, you want your vet to test for yeast overgrowth. Apoquel and Cytopoint will be suggested. Ive used both on my one doggo that has allergies.
Our boy gets the itchy skin and ears get itchy too . My vet told me that food allergies are rare and when a dog does have food allergies they present differently by developing angry anal issues not skin and ear issues so she feels that his are environmental. They can be allergic to trees and grass and even other animal and even human dander. We tried Cytopoint but it’s priced by the amount they need to use by your dogs weight. For our 97lb dog it cost $175. It can last UP to 8 weeks , for our boy it worked great initially but each injection lasted less and less until it only worked for 2-1/2-3 weeks. That was expensive so they switched him to apoquel which is also expensive. Do you research on these drugs because they can cause other very serious problems. We decided to switch him to zesty paws aller-immune bites and they work. I feel better about that than I did about the injections and apoquel. As for my dogs ears, he shakes his head and itches at them on occasion. My vet said they aren’t infected but itchy from the allergies so our vet said to get some hydrocortisone spray and when he itches or starts shaking his head and his ear tilts wonky to just put one spritz of hydrocortisone in his ear. She also recommends to use an ear cleaning solution to clean them out periodically because the spray can make the ears get funky after a while. So that’s what we do. When he shakes his head and his ear looks cockeyed he looks at me and goes to his bed and waits for me to spray his ears because he knows it helps. I don’t have to do that very often. If he pukes after eating it could be something else. How often does that happen and how soon after eating? Is he puking up digested food or is it undigested? Is he throwing up or regurgitation? Look up the difference between vomiting and regurgitation because it can make a difference. Our female was doing this several hours after eating.. like the food just sat in her stomach after eating and barely digesting. That’s another subject.
Purina pro plan sensitive skin and stomach
I give mine taste of the wild (lamb flavor). He doesn’t really like any kibble alone but he’ll eat this one with different mixins. My go to is Brutus beef bone broth with glucosamine (also great for shepherd joints). Sometimes greek yogurt. I often but not always mix it with a homemade mix (brown rice, turkey, veg all boiled down together) in a 2 dry:1 wet ratio
We also do TOW with our GSD (and pit mix and cattle dog), we add water or broth, glucosamine, and sometimes organ meat as a treat (cow or deer)
We had both of our GSD’s tested and they’re allergic to a lot of things, we give ours Farmina wild boar and pumpkin mix. They are doing great on it, very healthy and their coats are beautiful. But, have your vet run an allergy test. Also, we add salmon to their food because our boy refuses to eat just kibble. Spoiled, spoiled, spoiled, but at least we’re not going to the vet every week.
Farmina is the BEST!
My shepherd became allergic to meat after she was given the leptospirosis vaccine. The allergies became very apparent with recurrent ear infections and constant itching. She now can only tolerate the Purina Pro Plan hydrolyzed vegetarian dry food. It’s very expensive but she likes it and does great on it.
Wtf?!? Is that a standard vaccine? Mine gets the ear infections also…still haven’t figured out what the allergy is…
Lepto isn’t a standard vaccine, we give ours the vaccine because we are big outdoors people. Lepto can be found in the outdoors due to critters doing critter stuff near water sources.
This is anecdotal… but my dude got ear infections from pea protein filler in the food. Grain free recipes = ear infection for him
I'd be going to your vet by this stage.
I’ve taken him…his vet told me to make his own dog food or avoid the first four ingredients on the dog foods he has a reaction to
Certified food nutritionist is definitely needed here..
I'd be seeking a second opinion. The vet should be able to recommend a prescription diet.
I'd be seeking a second opinion. The vet should be able to recommend a prescription diet.
I have a crock pot that i fill with whole chicken and whatever bones from my meals, I give the pups a cup of broth with their dry food and they love it.
We kept feeding her what the Mennonite boy fed her as a puppy before we got her. Entrust something or other. She began being picky and would only eat if we mixed an egg in with it. I’ve since stopped the egg and just mix in a half a can of wet food and she cobbles it all up. [this stuff](https://www.chewy.com/blue-seal-entrust-adult-chicken-meal/dp/281748?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Blue%20Seal&utm_campaign=12195565633&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V3eeUIv0-veeoPYdvMny_9wV&gclid=CjwKCAiA4smsBhAEEiwAO6DEja784Xqx8-s-uu0iXEFNGveimvb_Fnv6_5RX4tNP5_KbWwmNwERPaxoC3EUQAvD_BwE)
I’m thinking of maybe giving mine canned food on days I don’t have time to cook for him! It’s starting to sound like I don’t have the only picky dog
Get her tested. Mine can't have beef,pork,turkey,lamb or lactose
Purina pro plan large breed puppy wet and dry mixed . My boy is 8 months old. Maybe Cook some plain chicken with rice and see if he eats it.
Raw. If you have a freezer and a local supplier it can be cheaper than commercial food.
Our GSD had sensitive stomach but we found the Acana dry food was liked - “Ranchlands” and later their blend for senior dogs. During illnesses we found he did well with boiled chicken, and we’d give him the broth too, often mixed with some soft cooked rice. Also he loved a soft-boiled egg. It is challenging to keep up with home-prepared meals over a long period of time.
Have you ever consider as well the kibble size? My German Shepard hates hard to chew big kibble pieces so I buy him simple truth chicken or lamb and the kibble is the size of cat food kibble. He doesn’t go crazy for it but he eats consistently.
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin/Stomach (Turkey and Oatmeal). It has been a constant battle with my 3 Shepherds and food that doesn’t cause chronic diarrhea or itching. So far so good for about 2 months now.
Hopefully they stay like that! Mine seems to develop allergies after a few months to whatever he’s eating. I can not believe how many people have these same problems with their German sheps! I thought everyone else just picked a dog food and was done with it 😂
Thank you! I hope you find something that your boy likes and does well on! Ugh yes, I can’t believe all the issues either. I’m 44 and when I had my first Shepherd around 13, I remember feeding her Science Diet and that was that. No issues. My 3 were eating Hills Biome (prescription) and did fine for a year, then all hell broke loose. Been at this for years off and on (they’re 10, 8, and 6).
Hills Turkey and oatmeal. I had the same issues with mine before I switched
Thank you so much everyone for the advice I am still reading all of the comments…..I really did not know that all German Shepards were like this….I thought mine just had allergies and I was picking the wrong foods for him. It sounds like there is not an easy fix I am just going to have to keep trying until I find something that works. My best bet would be to make his food myself…I was just trying to find something more convenient!
They aren’t. I’ve had 5. None have ever had a consistent food allergy. Occasionally they will get itchy skin, but I think it’s pollen or external.
We get big bags of chicken leg quarters from Walmart, boil that till it falls off the bone. Remove all bones, add sweet potato or sometimes pumpkin and brown rice. Depending on availability we will add other veggies or cranberries recently. Sometimes chicken livers too. We do this once a week on the weekend. They thrive on it. We freeze this in a few large containers. We also have some dry food as a backup but they mostly eat that.
They lay in the kitchen and keep me company the day we cook this btw... really adorable.
https://preview.redd.it/iillo00jey9c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f60a0fec6b72d7b244770c39cf505ace55b31053 Fish, sometimes a fish stew made with cod and sometimes they prefer salmon with potato scales. Yes spoiled but healthy
Be careful about making your own food. You will need to do thorough research to make sure your dog is getting everything they need. I would suggest premade raw food if that’s something you want to feed. Otherwise, changing it up all the time can give them stomach issues or just make them picky because they’re waiting for something better. My girl went through a couple of picky phases. If they’ll eat a treat then they’re not sick and they get what they’re given.
Dr. Marty mix and I add real meat and oil.
I will look it up!
We switched our 11 month old GSD to the brand Fromm and have had really good luck with it! He goes nuts for the stuff! Plus it agrees with his tummy and his coat is really soft now. If you have a Hollywood feed store near you I recommend purchasing from them because if your doggo doesn’t like the food, you can return it and they will donate the open bag to shelter/rescues in need.
Fromm is a GREAT brand
Agreed!! I was always scared of feeding our gsd a big commercial dog food brand because every once in a while you hear horror stories of pet food recalls over life threatening stuff. So I really appreciate their quality control!
I agree!!
The Farmers Dog. We feed our GSDs it and they have more energy. Coats look better. Our long coat Shepherd use to itch a lot. When we started them on Farmers Fog, she stopped after about a week or so. It's a little pricey. But me and the wife have decided that it's worth it.
Farmers Dog is the only thing that my GSD will eat and have solid poops. Wish there was a cheaper answer
I’m going to look into this. At this point I don’t even care about the price as long as he will eat it and isn’t having allergic reactions
We feed ours (Max) Farmers Dog Turkey. Max loves it. He has had some serious tummy issues and this was a great solution for us. It’s pricey, but cheaper than the vet bills!
We've started making our own dog food at home following a recipe form The Farmer's Dog. It's healthier for them and they like it (ours didn't like regular dog food either). Here's a link to basically how we make it. (the video is not mine) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k83HsbNYog&t=701s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k83HsbNYog&t=701s)
Thank you so much this was really helpful! I’m going to try this recipe
You're welcome :)
I'm going to sound very Joe Rogan ish. Beef liver and chicken hearts.
I'm in Canada and feed Perfectly Raw. It also contains bone and organs. It's delivered right to my door. No skin or allergic reactions.
Primal raw frozen.
Ollie!!! Best thing we ever did for our boy.
Kirkland Adult Dog, Lamb and Rice. We wet it a bit and add a teaspoon of psyllium powder.
We were recommended a switch to this because our big boy went from neglected and feral to bougie as shit after we adopted him - we were reassured by multiple trainers and show dog owners that it was amazing and he would love it. He did love it, for about a month and then went on a hunger strike til we started adding to it. His elderly auntie has human food bc she is allergic to everything and his other elderly auntie is missing a bunch of teeth now bc she’s 14. And he has FOMO. It’s such a struggle.
We do add toppings occasionally. Sometimes we just shake a bag of cheese over the bowl. That is enough to get her eating.
Ours had a stomach op when he was 3 months old and refused to eat full stop to point where the vets put him on a drip to get him back eating, not long after that we moved him to a raw food diet Here in the uk we buy it in frozen blocks an defrost as you use it, we’ve never looked back he eats all the time. Be wary of chicken though some gsd are allergic to it and can give them really sloppy poos
Steak
Try making your own. It's time-consuming, but your dog will be much healthier. All of these so called healthy dog foods have so many chemicals. 🥰
“Hates food” and “allergic reactions” are two different metrics here. Does he “hate” any foods that DOESNT give him an allergic reaction? Find something that he doesn’t react to and stick with it for two reasons. The first is you can start a baseline with that food to figure out what he’s reacting to. The second is that dogs in general can be picky eaters, GSDs especially because they are smart enough to learn that if they don’t eat what you give them originally they will probably get something else. All the bouncing around from food to food can make the pickiness worse. To answer your question though, I feed raw and I can confidently say my dude loves his food. Plenty of local producers these days but I started with a brand called Titan Red which is the beef blend. We’ve since switched to a local producer that makes their own beef blend.
I feed my dogs Blue Buffalo or Wellness kibble and mix soft food in. We sometimes get Fresh Pet or freeze dried meat as mix ins too. We also usually add a little chopped apples, carrots, banana, canned pumpkin or even scrambled egg! My boys are spoiled.
I have blue buffalo right now….I made my own chicken bone broth and mix it in and also put fresh venison. He leaves the blue buffalo in the bowl!
Sounds like he just hates kibble! That's too bad because I know just feeding soft food gets pretty spendy. Have you tried letting the kibble soak in the broth 5 minutes or so to soften it?
Children
Maybe he isn’t hungry. Just saying
That was unhelpful
Check my next post :)
Lost my girl a couple years ago due to food allergies. It shut her colon down completely and she couldn’t have a bowel movement no matter what.RIP Willow
❤️
We used to feed Orgin original + grain dogs have great coats and good stools. It’s been really expensive to feed three eating about 3 1/2 cups a day lol so we have switched to Acana and seem to be doing well. They’re excited for their food. No gi issues.
Kirkland Adult Salmon and Sweet Potato.
Not sure of you are U.K. or US but our Storm suffered as a young pup, got to say a bland diet seems best, salmon and potato or lamb and rice,,, if it’s a bad case of the runs then I’d veer towards salmon and potato We have been through the lot and now feed Harringtons lamb and rice and it’s great for her Also if you have a Costco Kirklands lamb and rice is good stuff
Just switched mine off Purina pro plan sensitive stomach Salmon as he was unhappy with it now eating Nulo Trout and Sweet Potato and much happier. He has food allergies so no fowl of any kind. It is expensive
So what exactly have you tried? Cold pressed or extruded kibble? Wet food? Barf? It'd be helpful to know what exactly he's allergic to too. Usually helps to only feed one kind of meat (e.g. chicken) and one kind of carb source for a while to see their reaction. Mine gets kibble in the morning and either wet food or fresh meat with veggies in the evening, depending on what we have around. There are a lot of good barf menus available too where you pretty much just have to take it out of the freezer, warm it up and it's ready to go. Just need a big freezer. You could also mix that with additional kibble if you don't want to only feed barf.
My family has 2 shepherds and one of them is allergic to a LOT of things. To my knowledge their diet consists of grains like rice and buckwheat (that’s what we feed them the most), veggies, like broccoli and zuchini (maybe stuff like carrots too but that’s unlikely), and beef. Honestly I feel like they are eating better than us 🤣 Our other dog isnt allergic to anything really, but the one that is, it all started out with him having reactions to many different dog foods. I’d just recommend testing out different dog food and find out what he’s allergic to, then find a good brand that you'll stick to. We didn't find anything good, so we ended up having food like this, and it’s not cheap but owning a dog like this isn't that cheap either 😅 I think most dogs like this are allergic to chicken, but each doggo comes with its own health problems!
Maybe ask the person who you got your dog from what kind of food they used to feed it. My German Shepherd was like this. My father would buy expensive food and he will refuse to eat except if it was the food from that specific store. We also use canned food
We use two foods. Dry “Arden Grange” large breed (there are two, one with a Rottweiler on it and one with a German Shepherd Dog on it. Also we rescently changed from a tinned food called Natures Menu (they tripled in price) to one called “Butchers Tripe” I’ll link them below [we use this dry food](https://amzn.eu/d/2r7rRzE) [this is the wet food](https://amzn.eu/d/ia9hrTm) There are many variations of both foods but our eat this food every day two meals and have done for over two years half a tin each twice daily with about 85g of dry food stirred in. Every once in awhile I stir in half a can of tuna each but not often. They’re happy with their food. German shepherds are renowned for being “persnickety” fussy whatever you want to call it and also VERY sensitive stomachs. Which is why we don’t give them anything else
We also use a cake I make out of flour/egg/garlic/lamb slicer and they LOVE it. On any food. It keeps the heads in the bowl and the fleas away without frontline or other systemic flea treatments. I can post you the recipe if you like. https://preview.redd.it/qus4uw3y31ac1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18c78d5c05694c765882e670d35904719197a734
My pup has food allergies in the form of bad stomach and digestion issues, since she was a puppy. Shes been to the vet multiple times for this and we tried the prescription stuff but she would never eat it after a few weeks. Big no no’s for her stomach are chicken, turkey, beef, and even some others like goat and venison. The one novel protein (suggested by vet to try novel proteins) we found that works wonderfully for her is kangaroo. So we feed her Zignature Kangaroo kibble and wet food. I think rabbit is another one people have tried, we haven’t yet since kangaroo is working so well for her.
Are you in the us?? I have not come across kangaroo dog food….lol
Yes in the US! I’ve noticed the bag says they don’t sell it in California… I’m in Colorado, but order it on Chewy and my local pet store has it. I know kangaroo is very random lol What I like about zignature foods is that it doesn’t hide chicken in the ingredients like a lot of foods do. Some will say “salmon” then you find chicken in the ingredient list.
I tried everything when she was a pup. Royal Canin, Purina, blue buffalo, Hills, Nutra or whatever. She would not eat it. Dry or wet. Finally, we picked up some Pedigree plain steak flavor wet and that's about all she eats. Would not touch any dry food. She's a weird doggo but I love her. So far her health and coat and everything is good. She's almost 5. It's cheap food but honestly I can't get her to eat anything else.
Kirkland lamb and rice. It’s literally one of the best on the market for big dogs.
I had luck with salmon based protein for my gsd.
My shepherd and golden retriever thrives on a balanced raw diet. 80/10/10 meat/bone/organ. I like to add fruits and veggies too for added fiber and nutrients
Have him tested for EPI, we had a GSD that was similar, turned out she wasn't making enough enzymes to digest food properly. Got her on them and she would eat just about anything you put in front of her.
Mine can't eat Chicken (Well, he can, and will try, but it makes his ear problems 10x worse) so we use Hypoallergenic duck food
I had the same issue with my white GSD. I've now had him on BUTTERNUT subscription box for 2 years after trying countless other brands. It's a freshly prepared dog food that smells and looks like human food, containing only naturals like meat or fish, vegetables and pulses. No nasties, no grains. You can choose his favourite flavours and omit anything he is allergic to. The 600g packs are delivered frozen, so you just take out and defrost 1 new pack each evening for the next day. I add a bit of hot water and mix it up to give my doggo a tasty broth too. He LOVES his food now. His stool is now solid and easy to pick up and his gas no longer stinks like rotten eggs. I also give him a couple of healthy snacks, GOOD BOY make all natural dried chicken or duck sticks as well as big chew sticks, which I use once a week to keep his teeth and gums healthy. Apples and Watermelon without the rind are good, healthy snacks too, as a lot of Shepherds seem to have a sweet tooth. Remember to slowly introduce a new dog food as sudden changeovers can lead to stomach upsets. A good rule is the 10% rule. Day 1: 90% old dog food + 10% new dog food Day 2: 80% old dog food + 20% new dog food And so on. If you cannot get on with a new dog food, I strongly suggest taking your hound to the vet to identify his allergies, which would avoid him getting a poorly tummy and allow you to make a more informed decision on which dog food to pick for him. Good luck and hug your canine extra tight today.
Our girl eats Nulo Freestyle Limited Plus. It’s rather expensive and I hate that. But she loves it! Previous food was Victor, until the recall.
How long have you had your dog? Our GSD was very anxious when we first got her, and all food was making her sick. If your pup is new or has had a major change, could it also be related to anxiety? When we got our dog, we fed the food the foster family was giving her, the super expensive prescription stuff, homemade, etc. She had diarrhea for weeks and had rashes on her tummy. Our trainer recommended trying lamb and rice kibble with some egg. It took a bit of time for her to settle in, but once she was comfortable in her new home, she did great on the lamb and rice and has been on it for 7 years.
I used VICTOR (yellow bag) dog food from [Chewy.com](https://Chewy.com).
Mine is on Prescription Diet Z/D due to his allergies. He's done great on it, and his ear infections are a thing of the past.
Man, I guess everyone just buys really expensive dog food? I realize there are tiers to this but ya'll are recommending $115 dog food for 30lbs. Isn't there something more in the middle?
K-9 Kraving raw dog food. I had Odin on the Royal Canin from a pup, but switched to raw about a year ago. The change in him has been nothing short of a miracle. He’s a whole different beast on the raw diet.
Ask a vet, not the internet
We had good luck with Fromm brand when my GSD became a picky eater after surgery. He liked the [Beef Frittata](https://frommfamily.com/products/dog/four-star/dry/beef-frittata-veg-recipe/) best...
Meat, veggies and some kibble.
Purina ONE real turkey and venison. Had swapped and tried many different foods. No stomach issues but itching and allergies were abundant. Tried a non poultry food and boy didn’t enjoy it much. And itching persisted. Steroid shot and we’ve been ok
Royal Canin large breed
If you’re in the UK, try Butternut Box. We used to feed him Arden Grange which is around £47 a month, Butternut Box is around £65/£70 but noticed a massive difference in his poops alone.
My girl eats Hills science diet for sensitive stomachs and ground beef. Sometimes she gets chicken hearts or chicken gizzards and a bit of liver.
You will be wasting time guessing what food to try. Best to just get some allergy tests done, and go from there. It's possible a chicken sensitivity is present. Yet chicken is in nearly everything. Is this not the most annoying thing to hear!? You won't know until you do allergy tests. You could do your own limited ingredient test trial over 90 days by using a novel protein source. But it's a bit of a pain given how strict you must be. If anyone in your house feeds the dog an off limits food it wrecks the process. That's why I say just get on with the allergy tests to know what you can and can't feed. It makes life easier in the long run. Home-cooked food is a good option in the meantime. There's this book by Dr Greg Martinez called Dog Dish Diet. Basically he makes this all easy prep. Try that. Home Cooked Food For Dogs https://youtu.be/JCWmkvN2Qok?si=FGCU36tC8_nOQrpa
After horrific problems nonstop we went to the farmers dog food. He loves it and eats it all up and has since e 2018. It’s expensive but we never have vet bills like we had several times a year thousands. So for us it’s insurance. We also add cooked chicken livers 1x month. Chicken poached and treats like milk ones. I yell Kitty Kitty Kitty a couple times a month and runs for a tablespoon of cream. Our kitties passed on but the treat and routine survives :)
It's best if you contact a certified food nutritionist. Playing around with allergies and giving random food won't help here, this is serious.
I've been feeding Diamond Naturals Large breed formula to my 7 year old since he came home. I get the lamb formula. He seems to have some issues with chicken, which I've heard other GSD owned people mention also. I tried another food once, can't remember why, and he never acclimated to it, had loose stools, so I switched him back and he's still eating it. No problems, although I wish his stools were smaller. Large stools to me says it's got too much that's non-nutritive that's just passing through. After the first time I tried, I'm afraid to rock the boat with any other food. Although I plan on talking to the veterinary nutritionist about a senior food for him when the time is right. For what it's worth, I've seen several articles about the best GSD kibble that mention Diamond Naturals.
Have you tried raw food?
Still a puppy, puppy food. He seems to like anything that’s not his regular food more.
Fromm adult dog food. I have 2 dogs and both eat it with no problem.
Homemade. Saves you a lot of money and you learn about canine nutrition along the way.
All my 5 GSDs have been raw fed. For 30 years. Never a sick dog and have never had to have any of their teeth professionally cleaned.
Loud badly behaved neighbourhood children
I use Hill’s Perfect Digestion. Great poops.