Feeding German Shepherd Raw Beef Liver

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At 6 months old my GSD puppy almost died.

From about 24 weeks (6 months) he just went off his food.

I tried every brand of food on my vet's shelf…

But every time I'd fill his bowl with food he'd look at it and move away slowly like it was a loaded gun.

At one stage I was sitting on the floor, tears rolling down my cheeks, trying to hand feed him.

I was a nervous wreck and he was losing weight – fast.

If he did eat, it wouldn't be long before he'd vomit it all up again.  And he had the most terrible runny tummy too. Plenty of it, and it stank!

In the background, I'd already started researching the best raw food for German Shepherds.

And the longer this drama continued the more I became convinced that something had to change.  But more about that in a minute…

I was terrified to make the switch to feeding a raw diet, but the more I researched, the more scared I became of feeding my dogs' kibble…

I often get emails from German Shepherd owners dealing with similar issues.  These emails usually go something like this one sent in by Jeff recently…

"I have a 10 week old GSP (…German Shepherd Pointer…) that has lost interest in her kibble. I don't have much confidence in the quality of the food and am looking into an alternative. Every time I think I've found a good brand I see negative reviews and it's back to the drawing board. What would you recommend feeding my pup?"

Or comments from concerned readers like Donna…

"…She eats the same food but I'm changing it bc I've read horrible things about it on other sites and she has been throwing it up on occasion undigested hrs later."

If you're new to the idea of raw feeding, the easiest way to make the switch is to rely on high-quality premade, frozen meals.

And that's how I started off almost 8 years ago. I've done everything from premade frozen meals to grinding and mixing my own.

I used to follow a Prey Model Raw or Frankenprey feeding style, but as my knowledge and education in canine nutrition developed – I've become "nutrient-savvy".

And today I create and follow nutritionally balanced meal plans for my dogs, formulated to NRC guidelines.

In this article, I'll share the best raw food for German Shepherds in terms of premade meals.

At the end, I also share a short guide as an introduction to raw feeding to give you a high-level overview of how raw feeding works.

So keep reading to find out everything you need to know to ensure that your GSD gets the nourishment they need from the best foods out there.

Use the links below and be magically transported to any section you're interested in.

Quick Navigation Menu

1. Where to Find the Best Raw Food for German Shepherds
2. Raw Paws Pet Food Review
3. Raw Wild Dog Food Review
4. Why are Dog Owners Questioning Commercial Dog Food
5. Why are Ingredients Important?
6. Why I Feed my Dogs a Raw Diet?
7. 9 Benefits of a Raw Diet for Dogs
8. So What is the Best Raw Food for German Shepherds?
   • Different Kinds of Raw Diets
   • How Raw Feeding Works
   • How Much to Feed
   • Raw Food Ingredients
   • Pre-Made Raw Food v. Home Made
9. Conclusion

Where to Find the Best Raw Food for German Shepherds

Okay, so you're convinced that raw feeding is the way to go for you and your German Shepherd.

Now what?

You'll be happy to know that you can get high-quality, healthy meals delivered to your door.

If you'd like to explore other non-raw food options that are still packed with nutrition, check out the Spot and Tango Reviews I wrote.

Although, there are very few companies out there that can be trusted with the nutrition of your dog.

Raw Paws is one of those companies…

I've checked them out from tip to toe and reviewed them for your convenience.

As a raw feeder myself I think there are a few must-haves when it comes to creating a nutritional meal plan for your dog…

Where to Start with a Raw Food Diet for Your GSD

Raw food recipes for dogs are all over the internet.  And dog owners like you can prepare their dog's raw food diet from scratch with careful planning and time.

But as I mentioned, there are frozen raw diets on the market that help make raw feeding easier for you.

These diets are delivered frozen or freeze-dried to your door.  Some have everything you need rolled into one.

Ingredients like vegetables, vitamins, and fruits already mixed in.  Or you can buy them separately.

Raw Paws Pet Food Review

Raw Paws Pet Food

Raw Paws offers premade raw food that's grass-fed, certified organic, GMO and hormone-free! They offer a range of diets from beef to chicken to duck, goat and lamb. If you're looking for variety, Raw Paws has what you want.

Order from Raw Paws Now!

Who is Raw Paws?

Raw Paws is one of the suppliers that provide frozen raw food diets to dog owners like you. So let's take a closer look at a few of their products.

All of Raw Paws products are sourced from local farms that treat their stock ethically.  This means Raw Paws is a small-scale manufacturer.

What this means for you and your dog is healthy meat, free from toxins.

RawPaws ship their food frozen in styrofoam containers filled with dry ice.  And it's guaranteed to reach your door within 48 hours – still frozen rock solid.

From my research, there have been no complaints about the food being thawed on arrival.

On a side note, their website is super easy to navigate with all kinds of great information.

There's no guesswork on your part when it comes to portion size or how to transition your dog from a cooked diet to a raw food diet.

I like the fact that Raw Paws offer an auto-ship service.  This means you'll never end up with an empty freezer and a sad dog, looking at a bowl of kibble!

You can get 20% off your first Auto-Ship by using this code:AUTO.Plus you'll get 10% off all your future auto-shipments.

And they offer free shipping all across the United States – that's a serious bonus!

Transitioning to the Raw Paws Diet

1. Are you on a budget?
2. Do you want to feed a mix of raw and kibble?
3. Are you unsure of how to create a nutritional raw diet for your GSD?
4. Does your dog have food allergies?

No problem!

Raw Paws offer a free meal planning service where they will create a meal plan for you based on the needs of you and your dog.

Click Here to Get Your Raw Paws Free Meal Plan.

Raw Paws also has some great advice on transitioning your dog to a raw food diet.

Making it super easy for both you and your dog.  Start with a mixture of 75% of current food and 25% raw food.

If your dog is particularly sensitive to food changes, you should start with a 90% to 10% ratio and increase incrementally.

It could take several weeks to transition your dog to their new raw food diet, so be patient!

Although, here I have a different approach.  I believe in fasting a dog for 12 hours and then transitioning 100% to raw.

Many dogs vomit up their first raw meal, but that's totally normal.  This is because they're so stunned and excited about the raw meat.

Making them gulp down the meal. But at the next go, they take to it like a duck to water.

Raw Paws Preparation and Food Safety

Raw Paws have left no stone unturned and give great advice on how to prepare and handle their raw food.

They recommend transferring the food into the freezer immediately.  And you should only thaw a portion for 3 days worth of feeding.

If you read between the lines here, you can tell their food contains no preservatives.  If it did, it would last much longer when thawed.

This is a fantastic and healthy benefit for your dog.  And a point of peace of mind for you.

When it comes to thawing, Raw Paws suggests doing this in the refrigerator not on the counter or in the sink. Of course, this ensures there's no room for bacteria to breed.

Once the food is portioned for thawing, wrap the remaining food tightly and place it back in the freezer.

Tip: Use separate cutting boards and utensils to prepare the food.

This, by the way, is the same protocol for handling the raw foods that we cook for ourselves and our families.

For storing food in the refrigerator, keep raw food stored in a plastic bag or a bin and store it on the lowest shelf to prevent cross-contamination.

After handling raw food, wash your hands and clean all preparation surfaces with a disinfectant such as bleach.

How to Serve Raw Paws Pet Food

Raw Paws suggests serving a raw food diet out of stainless steel bowls rather than plastic or ceramic. Stainless is non-porous and will never trap food or bacteria.

You should feed your dogs on a floor or solid surface that is easy to clean and disinfect.

Once a portion is served, return any remaining food to the refrigerator. If your pet leaves any food over, place it back into the fridge.

If any food sits out for more than two hours, toss it.

Wash your dog's bowl after every feeding, and disinfect any surfaces that have come in contact with raw food.

Wash your hands often during the preparation and clean-up of raw food.

Click Here to Find Out More About Raw Paws Pet Food.

Raw Paws Signature Blend Food

I really like the Signature Blend from Raw Paws.  It's great to serve as the main part of a raw food diet for dogs. And it offers balanced nourishment for your dog.

The meat they source is human-grade, high quality, and sourced from family-owned farms in Indiana.  In fact, it's probably healthier than the meat you eat every day.

Many commercial farms use growth hormones in their herds.  And some even use genetically modified growth hormones.

In humans, these can cause all kinds of problems from developmental disabilities, reproductive issues, to breast and colon cancer.

And the same can be said for the problems caused in our dogs.

Antibiotics that are regularly used on commercial farms trickle up the food chain and contribute to antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Click Here to Check Out the Variety of Raw Paws Signature Blend Raw Food.

But Raw Paws only use meats that are:

• Grass-fed.
• GMO-free.
• Free-range.
• Certified organic.
• USDA inspected.
• 100% natural.
• Preservative-free.
• Antibiotic-free and hormone-free.

Their foods also contain no fillers or additives.  And they are minimally processed. All of the beef used in Raw Paws products are locally sourced from farms in Indiana.

Earlier I mentioned that mixing up the meats equals a healthy diet.  So I like that the Signature Blend comes in a variety of proteins like:

• Chicken.
• Beef.
• Turkey.
• Duck.

Raw Paws has also taken great care to ensure the proper ratio of meat, bone, and offal.  I can't stress how important these ratios are to optimal nourishment.

Getting this wrong can cause problems so it's great that Raw Paws have taken the guesswork out of it.

Click Here to Check Out the Variety of Raw Paws Signature Blend Raw Food.

Raw Paws Green Tripe

Green tripe is THE superfood for dogs.  Tripe is the stomach lining of cows, bison, sheep, and buffalo.  It's called green because it's unbleached and in its natural state.

Green Tripe contains enzymes and probiotic bacteria that aid these grazing animals to digest grass.  And it has great benefits for our dogs.

It helps with digestion, eases constipation, and improves appetite.  Not to mention the benefits for your dog's immune system.

And if your dog suffers from seasonal allergies Green Tripe is a natural way to help soothe their discomfort.

Tripe is definitely one of the foods that you DO NOT WANT TO PREPARE yourself!  It stinks!

And I'm not exaggerating!  But dogs LOVE it!  I recommend you use this product as a supplement to the signature blend.

Click Here to Find Out More About the Raw Paws Green Tripe Mix.

Raw Paws Raw Meaty Bones

Raw Paws offers a nice variety of raw meaty bones (RMB).  This means you don't need to try and source these from a butcher.

Which can be difficult since most butchers remove all the meat from bones.

Beef marrow bones are a great source of protein, chondroitin, collagen, calcium, and phosphorous.

Bone marrow releases adiponectin which is linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.  It also builds immunity and supports kidney function.

Although I don't recommend marrow bones for anything other than recreation for your dog.  They are too hard to break and can cause damage to their teeth.

Click Here to See the Variety of Raw Meaty Bones from Raw Paws.

The other bone choices on offer are an excellent variety.  There's everything from:

• Lamb.
• Chicken.
• Goat.
• And Duck.

And you'll find everything from:

• Necks.
• Frames.
• Backs.
• Wings.
• And quarters.

You can add these to your dog's diet by substituting 1 or 2 meals a week with RMB which is what I do.

Or you can opt to feed your dog a prey model raw diet using these very meaty bones.

And like I mentioned before, RMB are a wonderful way to stimulate your dog's need to rip, chew, and tear.  And not to mention the natural teeth cleaning RMB offer!

Click Here to Find Out More About Raw Paws Pet Food.

Conclusion

I've said this before and I'll say it again…

Whether you opt for a ground BARF diet or a whole prey model, you're heading in the right direction.

The only question on your lips should be "what are the best ingredients, and where can I find them?"

You can source them yourself.  Or you can go with a company like Raw Paws to help you feed your German Shepherd the best raw food.

Raw Wild

Raw Wild Dog Food

The folks at Raw Wild care about small-batch nourishment. Their food is human-grade, organic, GMO and toxin-free. If you're looking to the highest quality will game meat – check out Raw Wild!

Order Raw Wild Now!

Who is Raw Wild

A few years back, there were very few companies I'd recommend for premade raw dog food.

But thankfully more and more dog guardians are making the switch to species-appropriate food. And companies are committed to giving pooch parents what they want.

Enter Raw Wild!

Raw Wild is a brand of complete and balanced, premade fresh food for dogs. They offer frozen, premixed raw food to dog owners across the United States.

And they stand out as a brand that has some serious boasting rights – here are a few of those…

Raw Wild is:

• Human grade meat.
• Gluten-free.
• Growth hormone-free.
• Non-GMO.
• Unprocessed.
• 100% wild game meat.
• Made in the USA.
• Filler and grain-free.

Raw Wild is a family-owned business that believes in "small-batch nourishment." This is the first and most important benefit of Raw Wild dog food. Here's why…

Small-batch manufacturing means:

• Ingredients are traceable back to the source.
• Individual batch testing will quickly reveal any problems.
• Attention to detail, care, and craft.
• A higher level of sustainability and ethics.

And when you consider the mass-produced dog food recalls of the past two decades, you can see why a company that believes in small-batch manufacturing is so valuable.

Plus, instead of using a mass packaging system, Raw Wild hand packs their food. This adds an extra layer of attention to detail that makes this family-owned business so unique.

The company also guarantees your satisfaction, and if you're not 100% happy, they'll refund your payment in full if you let them know within seven days.

But this is dependent on which shipping method you use.

I just love this short video from Raw Wild – warm fuzzy feeling for sure!

To help dog owners like you fill their freezer with wholesome, complete meals for your dog, Raw Wild offers free shipping on all recurring orders through their auto-ship subscription plan.

So you're guaranteed that you'll never run out of food. And you can log into your account at any time to modify your auto-ship settings.

It's worth noting that if you're on the east coast of the United States, shipping is not free.

This is because shipping to these states is by air and not ground to guarantee the highest standards of freshness.

Check out Raw Wild's Auto-Shipping Deals Here.

What's in Raw Wild Dogs Food?

Raw Wild specializes in dog food made from Elk and Deer. The source of their protein is from the forests of the western Rocky Mountains.

These animals are wild, spending their lives grazing on pesticide-free grasses and plants. And they drink from clean springs and other water sources.

This kind of meat is healthy, fresh, and toxin-free, which is vital for the health of our dogs.

Raw Wild works with hunters who ethically source and hunt healthy animals for their own families.

So you can be sure they use no dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals. Yes, all their meat is human-grade.

This also means you don't have to be concerned about Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

And their food is prepared in a human-grade facility that prepares wild game meat for the human food chain too.

Their food consists of 99.4% Elk and Deer meat and .06% proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals.

Now, you might be wondering…

1. Why does Raw Wild add a premix of vitamins and minerals?
2. Does Raw Wild meet minimum standards to be a complete and balanced food?

I was curious about this myself, so I went digging for the answers…

Why Does Raw Wild Add a Premix of Vitamins and Minerals?

Maybe you're familiar with the hunting tradition of field dressing…

Field dressing is when a hunter removes the internal organs of the prey animal. And although a lot of what they leave behind is highly nutritious for our dogs, field dressing is crucial for these reasons:

• Cooling the carcass.
• Slows bacterial growth.
• Preserves the meat.

So since the nutritious organ meats are left behind, Raw Wild adds a blend of vitamins and minerals carefully developed by an "industry-leading specialist," according to their website.

Raw Wild chose not to add organ meats from domestically raised animals or slaughterhouses.

The reason that these options can potentially contaminate their product, and it makes sense.

Also, Raw Wild only uses meat from Elk and Deer. They don't add any bone. So to be balanced, they need to compensate for the calcium and other mineral requirements.

Raw wild goes to great lengths to ensure that nothing in their vitamin and mineral mix comes from China.

Everything is sourced in the United States, except for vitamins A, D, and E – these are sourced from Switzerland.

Does Raw Wild Meet Minimum Standards to be a Complete and Balanced Food?

Yes, Raw Wild formulates its food to meet the nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

And their food meets the dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages.

Raw Wild offers an impressive Guaranteed Analysis of:

• Crude Protein, minimum – 18.0%
• Crude Fat, minimum – 10.0%
• Crude Fiber, maximum – 0.45%
• Moisture maximum – 70.0%

When I look that the guaranteed analysis of diet I formulate for my dogs using Animal Diet Formulator, it's in the same range.

So I'm happy with what Raw Wild offers here in terms of guaranteed minimums.

Transitioning to the Raw Wild Diet

Transitioning to a raw diet can be stressful for dog owners. But unless you have a finicky eater, you should be able to make the transition smoothly.

Raw Wild recommends the following steps to transition a puppy to the Raw Wild diet:

1. Go "cold turkey" and switch out your puppy's kibble for Raw Wild.
2. Feed your puppy three times a day until around six months of age.
3. Reduce feeding to twice a day from 6 months old.
4. Feed your puppy 2 to 3% of their ideal adult body weight.
5. For mixed breed pups with an unknown adult body weight, feed 10% of current weight.
6. Always monitor weight and adjust meal sizes accordingly.

For adult dogs, Raw Wild recommends making the transition like this:

1. Try the "cold turkey" method and feed 1/2 of your dog's daily Raw Wild ration twice a day. My advice is to feed it separately from kibble.

If after two days your dog is still resisting the new food, do the following:

1. Return to feeding kibble.
2. Replace a percentage of the kibble with Raw Wild – for example, 90% kibble 10% Raw Wild.
3. Gradually increase the amount of Raw Wild, while reducing the amount of kibble until you are feeding only Raw Wild.

Keep in mind that many dogs vomit up their first raw meal. My Charley did precisely that and promptly ate it again.

So don't stress out if it happens, it's normal and likely because they wolfed their new dog food down too quickly.

Raw Wild Preparation and Food Safety

The first step is to transfer Raw Wild into your freezer as soon as your delivery arrives. According to their website, if it's slightly thawed, you can refreeze and use it as needed.

But I have not found any complaints from customers saying that Raw Wild arrived even slightly thawed. But it's still vital that you transfer the food into your freezer asap.

Raw Wild dog food should be handled like you would any other raw meat. Use clean utensils and containers.

And once you're done, wash everything (including your hands) with hot, soapy water.

I highly recommend thawing Raw Wild in your fridge and not on the counter or in the sink.

Also, place the package inside a bowl or on a plate to catch any meat juices released during thawing.

This juice is high in water-soluble vitamins and free amino acids. It's good stuff! You should add some to your dog's bowl – don't throw it away.

How to Serve Raw Wild Pet Food

Being a raw feeder for going on seven years, I've learned a lot about bowls and bowl hygiene.

My first recommendation is to feed your dog's raw food from either a stainless steel bowl that is not from China or India.

Alternatively, use a name-brand glass, or ceramic bowl that you can trust has no hidden toxins.

Once you have portioned your dog's meal, place the remaining food in the fridge for the next meal.

After your dog has finished eating, wash their bowl with hot soapy water and rinse with hot water and apple cider vinegar, then leave to air dry.

Also, make sure to clean and disinfect the floor area where your pooch eats after every meal.

Conclusion

I love feeding wild game meats to my dogs. I know they are toxin and antibiotic-free.

It's excellent that Raw Wild is so particular about what goes into their food and that they meet AAFCO standards.

I would have liked to see real game organ meats used instead of a premix of vitamins, but I know the logic in why Raw Wild does this.

Feeding only Raw Wild is not something I recommend since I do think it's essential to provide a variety of proteins to our dogs.

My dogs eat a diet made up of a variety of wild meats like antelope and ostrich, as well as duck, rabbit, and wild-caught fish.

Raw Wild is an outstanding food, in my opinion. It's clean, toxin-free, and organic.

And I love that it's made in small batches and that none of the ingredients come from questionable sources.

Whether you are feeding a DIY diet or you feed other premixed dog food brands, I strongly recommend adding some Wild Raw to your dog's diet for variety.

Why are Dog Owners Questioning Commercial Dog Food

Nutrition is an important topic, so I've decided to share how I manage the nutritional needs of my dogs.  And from the title of this article, you can already tell I feed my dogs a raw diet.

If the thought of feeding your GSD a raw diet is scary, you're not alone. There's a ton of information out there.

Some good, some bad, and some dangerous.  And because you love your dog it's natural for you to be cautious.

I was cautious too.  I needed to be 100% sure I was choosing the best raw food for my German Shepherds.

But the more I researched, the more scared I became of feeding my dogs' kibble…

First, I want to say that this is not about making kibble feeders feel bad. I was a long-time kibble feeder too.

Feeding a raw diet might not be for you.  And that's okay. You can still opt for kibble, but with a few changes…

• Switch to grain-free kibble.
• Choose a kibble that's certified organic and made with whole foods.
• Go with a company that manufactures in small batches.  These foods usually have a shorter shelf life, which is good.

Or better yet, start cooking for your dog. It's way better than any kibble diet in the world.

For years large commercial food manufacturers have been filling their products unknown to us.  Packaging it up all pretty.  And selling it as "a complete diet".

But you're not here to read about my rant.  You're here to find the best raw food for German Shepherds.  Right?

Why are Ingredients Important?

Here's a list of ingredients of a large breed puppy food from a well-known high-end dog kibble…

Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Dried Beet Pulp, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Pork Flavor, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas.

Firstly, anyone will tell you, the fewer ingredients the better.  More ingredients mean the food has been messed around with and processed loads.  This list has 46 ingredients!

Also, the rule of thumb with any ingredient list is…

The higher up in the order, the more of it there is.  So let's do a quick analysis…

So just looking at ingredients 2 through to 6 and what do you notice?

Yup, that's right wheat, oats, sorghum, corn, and corn again.

And nowhere in the first seven ingredients do so see anything that resembles muscle meat!

Chicken Meal

Chicken meal makes up the majority of the food.  What's Chicken meal?

Note: Chicken meal, or other animal meal, is fine if it forms part of the protein (not all of it).  So for example, if the ingredients were Chicken, chicken liver, chicken heart, chicken gizzards, chicken meal.

According to the AAFCO meal "is the dry rendered product from a combination of clean chicken flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from whole carcasses of chicken, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails."

And "Chicken meal is mainly used in pet foods."

So what's a rendered product?  According to Wiki, "Rendering is a process that converts waste animal tissue into stable, value-added materials."

So the majority of this kibble is made up of animal (in this case chicken) waste products.

Grains

Next up are the grains I just mentioned…

We've got whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain sorghum, corn gluten meal, and whole-grain corn.  These ingredients are used as fillers.

Bulking up the food this way is much cheaper than using actual whole meats fit for human consumption.

Yes, these are also sources of protein but they are incomplete proteins. I'm not trashing grains because I think they are a "pointless" ingredient.

Some dogs do really well with some grain in their diet. In fact, I add a small amount of cooked cereal grains to my dog's food.

What I do have a problem with is a diet filled with as much grain as this well-known food.

Animal Fat

Next, we have pork fat…

I'll admit, I love fried bacon.  And I especially love dipping my toast into the fat.

Of course, our dogs need fat – it's essential for their health. and balancing fats is one of my obsessions when it comes to formulating meals for my own dogs.

But here's the kicker about fat…

It's an essential part of a dog's diet, but once it's been through the processing required for kibble, it reduces the shelf life of any product dramatically.  So to keep that kibble from rotting it's baked at insanely high temperatures.  This process makes the kibble sterile.

The next shocking ingredient is salt.  Seriously, they add iodized salt to our best friends' food.  Of course, sodium chloride is vital for health, mineral balance, and much more.

But I'm not a fan of iodized salt. I'd much rather see a more natural Himalayan rock salt or natural sea salt.

Okay, I'm not going to go through all the ingredients and in all honesty, I can't even pronounce some of them.  But you get the picture.

Ingredients that Really Matter

Now check out the last 5 ingredients…

Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, and Green Peas.  Those are the only ingredients that are remotely healthy, and they are right at the bottom of the list.

They don't even feature in the greater scheme of things.  And even if they did, the kibble is still sterile and so are these ingredients.

Here's a rundown from Dr. Becker from best to worst dog food types.

Why I Feed my Dogs a Raw Diet?

That's an easy question to answer…

• Simply because I want to control the ingredients that are going into my dog's bodies.
• Ingredients I can eat too – not that I'll ever eat green tripe though!
• I want ingredients that promote the optimal health of my dogs.

And unfortunately, as you've seen, with kibble, that's not always the case.

Now I want to move on to a positive note…

9 Benefits of a Raw Diet for Dogs

My 3 dogs have been enjoying their 100% raw diets for almost 4 years. And there are several amazing health and other benefits that I've noticed.

Healthy Coats

My 3 musketeers have lush, shiny coats.  Sure, their coats had a shine while they ate kibble.

But not like this.

There's a sheen to them now that is obvious even when they're not in the sun.  Even the lighter, tan parts shimmer.

Their coats are sleek and soft to the touch.  The outer coat of the GSD tends to be naturally rougher.

This is because it serves as waterproofing to keep the undercoat dry. While the undercoat's function is to keep them warm.

Grooming is easier.  Especially working with their undercoats because the hair clumps together easily so brushing them out is a breeze.

Healthy Skin

Keeping the skin of a German Shepherd healthy is extremely important.  And it's more difficult to do than with dogs who have only one coat.

Charley my 9-year-old GSD struggled a lot with her skin.  I'd regularly wake up to find her with swollen and inflamed hot spots on her hindquarters.

These had developed overnight and were roughly the size of golf balls.

I tried a bunch of different natural remedies but once they showed up there was no getting rid of them.

The only solution was to treat the symptoms with conventional drugs like cortisone.

After changing her diet – and riding out the detox period (more on that later), Charley has had no hot spots since.

Although my dogs had regular grooming and bathing, they always had the 'doggy smell'.  Especially when they were wet.

Since eating a raw diet I'm happy to tell you, they smell a whole lot better!

Bright Eyes

Ensuring your dog has healthy eyes is important because acute eye discharges can lead to blindness.

When my now 5-year-old GSD-Collie mix turned up at my doorstep she had dull eyes covered in gunk. And the whites of her eyes were dark brown.

After eye treatment for a bacterial infection from the vet, the gunk cleared up. And I'm happy to report that those beautiful eyes are bright and shiny.

Clean Breath

Doggy breath makes me feel queazy.  And as much as I love my 3, I could never quite get used to them breathing anywhere near my face.

Now I can't say their breath smells like nothing because that's not possible.  Even if a human's breath doesn't smell bad, it still has a smell.

I'm happy to say, all my dogs now have great smelling breath! So now I can enjoy those face kisses without feeling dizzy from the smell.

Clean Teeth

Dental health is one of the most important things to care for in dogs. Bad teeth cause gum disease which leads to other problems like heart disease.

And if you've ever taken your dog for dental work, you know how expensive it is. None of my dogs have ever had dental work done.

I don't brush their fangs and they don't eat those unhealthy dental sticks either.

Here's a picture of Charley's mouth.  For a 9-year-old dog who ate kibble for the first 6 years of her life, she has pretty healthy gnashers.

The 2 young ones have beautiful pearly whites too!

Increased Agility

Recently we had a visit to the vet for their yearly check-up.  I was smiling from ear to ear when the vet listened to their hearts and said, "Geez, your dogs are fit!"

I'm not saying dogs who eat kibble are not fit.  But imagine if your diet was Burger King twice a day.

Would you be fit enough to do a minimum of 1.5 hours of exercise a day?  I definitely wouldn't!

Healthy Gut

My GSD was the one who struggled with his gut most.  Each month he'd either be vomiting or have a runny tummy.

There were a couple of mornings I woke up to find he'd puked all his food up during the night.

I can't remember the last time he puked up his food.  The only time he pukes is when he's munched on a plant in the garden!

Healthy Poop

Poop patrol is my least favorite thing.  But someone's got to do it! Kibble poop was big, smelly, and A LOT!  And often runny.

Sure, I have 3 dogs but I'm sure their poop was equal to that of 6 dogs!

Raw food poops are well-formed.  They go hard and turn white within a day so they're easy to scoop up.  And if I accidentally miss one, by the next day it's turned to powder.

Okay, so if you're still reading you're interested to find out even more. So let's dive into the in's and out's of raw feeding for your German Shepherd.

You might already know this, but there are a lot of myths surrounding raw feeding for dogs.

I won't go into these here.  But if you're interested, check out this article I wrote on a fellow blogger's site about 9 of these myths.

No More Poop Eating

Yes, my boy Zè was also a regular poop eater!  Yuk!

Poop eating is actually a thing, it's called Coprophagia.  I literally tried everything possible to get him to stop. Pineapple and bitter sprays.

I even scooped the poop after every toilet break but if I missed just one piece, he'd find it and eat it.  After switching him to a raw diet the poop eating stopped and we've never had the problem again.

Switching to a raw diet, was one of the most essential steps to getting my boy to stop his poop eating habit in its tracks.

So What is the Best Raw Food for German Shepherds?

Before you decide on the best raw food for your German Shepherd there are some 'tricks of the trade' you'll need to know about first.

Essentially there are 3 schools of thought in the raw feeding community.

If you can give you any advice, don't get wrapped up in it.  If you do, you'll never make the change.  Just stick to the facts and focus on the benefits.

BARF feeding or ratio feeding relies on feeding a wide variety of foods, some folks who subscribe to this style of feeding like to add plant matter to their dogs' meals.

Prey Model Raw (PMR) or Frankenprey feeding relies on feeding a whole prey animal or creating a "Frankenstein" style animal from various parts of different animals.

Both of the above feeding styles tend to be unbalanced in several nutrients and require heavy supplementation.

After years of studying canine nutrition and completing some of the best courses available, I no longer feed or encourage others to feed ratio or BARF diets or even exclusively PMR.

I followed my own advice and stuck to the facts (and science) as I learned more and more. From a personal perspective, I am comfortable admitting that I needed to improve on the way I was preparing my dog's meals.

And the words of the famous American poet Maya Angelou, helped me overcome the "guilt" I felt once I realized I wasn't doing the best I could.

Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

So today I formulate meals for my own dogs that meet the nutrient guidelines of the NRC. I'm pleased to see even more improvements in my dogs since I started following nutrient guidelines in their meals.

I'll be writing in more detail on balanced nutrition for dogs in future articles.

But the bottom line is if you're new to raw feeding, the best decision you can make is to go with a nutritionally balanced, premade raw food while you learn the ropes.

And in my opinion, as a Canine Nutrition Consultant, Raw Paws and Raw Wild are both excellent options to choose from.

Quick Checklist to Judge a Premade Raw Dog Food and Company

You can safely use this short checklist to find the best raw food for German Shepherds.

1. The ingredients must be human grade.
2. All ingredients must be ethically sourced.
3. Preferably small-scale farmers or wild meat from remote areas.
4. Companies that are able to tell you exactly where their ingredients come from.
5. Companies that manufacture their food in small batches.
6. Foods free from additives, hormones, and toxins.

I'm passionate about canine nutrition and I'm constantly studying new research and development in the field.  I'd like to help you if you have any doubts or questions.  So feel free to drop them in the comments below.

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Source: https://germanshepherdcorner.com/the-best-raw-food-for-german-shepherds/

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