# help with food for German Shep, all very confusing and need some direction please :)



## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

Hello All, 

I get my german shepherd on Saturday, she is 2 years old, full pedigree and currently eating Arden Grange Lamb and Rice. I am happy to keep her on this although its quite expensive so thought about looking at alternatives. I went to the pet shop and they said i should switch her to Wagg dry food but she only explained that it was cheaper! 

Honestly im not bothered about cost (within reason) and want Leah to be happy and healthy so ive been looking around and found a couple of foods that seem decent enough and wondered whether anyone has any expenrience of using them? and what they are like? 

Ive bought 2 15kg bags of arden grange because i know thats what she has at the moment and if im going to change her food i will need to do it gradually. 

Any help would be really appreciated. 

Ive looked at the following: 
Wagg
Skinners
James Wellbeloved
Burns
and of course Arden Grange. 

Arden grange is around £40 a bag and i know the others (accept waggs) are also around the same so dont know whether it would be best to switch her onto something of the same price or better or whetther thats the best for the price range im in?! 

Very difficult and confusing to make the right decision!! any help would be great  

Thanks in advance


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## henry (Mar 16, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I get my german shepherd on Saturday, she is 2 years old, full pedigree and currently eating Arden Grange Lamb and Rice. I am happy to keep her on this although its quite expensive so thought about looking at alternatives. I went to the pet shop and they said i should switch her to Wagg dry food but she only explained that it was cheaper!
> 
> ...


Hi - Arden Grange Lamb is an excellent quality food (AG breed German Shepherds themselves).

I would personally stick with the AG Lamb - look on Berriewoods Wholesale - you can usually get 2 x AG Lamb 15kg bags for around £56 delivered. They are the plain brown Breeder Bags but are exactly the same as the green bags.

Would definitely NOT change to Wagg - AG is far superior!

Good luck. Claire


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## henry (Mar 16, 2009)

OK - just had a look on Berriewoods for you and they are doing 2 sacks AG Lamb for £52.25 including delivery - BARGAIN!! Claire


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

I believe Arden Grange can be brought for about £25 per sack online from same places. I don't use it myself but I'm sure I've heard people mention it on here before. Skinners feild & trial (duck, salmon or turkey) has alot of good reports, and is afforable too. Burns is alot of money for something which is over 60% rice! Out of your list the only one I've used is James Wellbeloved, I've been using it over ten years and have no problems with it at all, it's a good food IMO.

Things like Wagg etc are cheap for a reason- they're full of nasty ingredients, cheap fillers and very little meat. You also have to feed loads more than you would a higher quality food, so they don't always work out cheaper!

You could also look into the BARF diet, which can work out very cheaply. I feed my dogs part kibble and part BARF (kibble one day, BARF the next) and it works out very cost effective. I only buy about 40% of my BARF, the rest I get free from the butchers and fishmongers. It's great for them, they love it and it makes the kibble last longer. There are plenty of raw threads on here for you to have a look at if you fancy giving it ago


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks for getting back to me so quickly. 

With regard to raw feeding i have looked into it but decided against it purely because of the amount of time it takes (i understand that some might think its being lazy!) i need something a little more conveniant so i can concentrate on getting her out and about. I think i will give her a raw chicken carcass once a week as apparently its good to keep her teeth in check? I guess i would have to give her the whole chicken? an organic one with no antibiotics injected etc.

I think shes a little underweight at the moment so want to build her up. I know its not a case of just feeding extra and someone mentioned that tripe is good if mixed with her food, any thoughts? 

I think ill stick to arden grange because the breeder im getting her from mentioned that she has always used it and her dogs are in great condition. I just wondered whether wagg was too good to be true- but i guess most things have a catch and id rather Leah have good quality and a healthy life. Just want to do the best for her. 

Is it a good idea to give her different flavours? I know the dogs weve had previously have eaten a variety of meats and im not sure with the dried foods whether to keep her on the one? I worry it might get a bit boring for her? 

Thanks


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## henry (Mar 16, 2009)

You could change flavours if you wanted every bag or so. What I do is feed some wet food for dinner like Naturediet to bring in different meats.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

I think I'd stick to the Arden Grange if I were you. As has already been said you can get two bags for just over £50 from Berriewoods and other suppliers.

GSD's tend to have sensitive stomachs and if you start fiddling about with food, it may well cost you a lot more in the long run.


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## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

I'd stick with Arden Grange too. The lamb and rice is a great food. As mentioned You can get it much cheaper online.

http://www.berriewoodwholesale.co.u...3-per-bag-FREE-DELIVERY-ON-YOUR-ENTIRE-ORDER/

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/arden-grange...36/arden-grange-lamb-and-rice-dog-food-p-1918


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
> 
> With regard to raw feeding i have looked into it but decided against it purely because of the amount of time it takes (i understand that some might think its being lazy!) i need something a little more conveniant so i can concentrate on getting her out and about. I think i will give her a raw chicken carcass once a week as apparently its good to keep her teeth in check? I guess i would have to give her the whole chicken? an organic one with no antibiotics injected etc.
> 
> ...


Don't worry, raw feeding isn't for everyone, just like dry food feeding or wet food feeding isn't for everyone. It's all about what suits different dogs and owners. You're right though raw meat and bones are great for keeping teeth clean and healthy- tearing meat from the bone acts like a floss, cleaning between the teeth, and the crunching of the bone helps to remove plaque. If you fancy giving her a little bit of raw, just for the dental care benefits, then a chicken quarter or a few lamb ribs (with meat on) a couple of times a week should do the trick. You can also feed chicken drumsticks, wings and thighs but be careful with a larger dog that they don't just bolt them whole- make sure you hold onto the bone as they chew for the first few times whilst they get the hang of crunching and chewing before swallowing. The chicken (or any meat) needn't be organic, no. That's up to you.

Feeding little and often is the best way to build up an underweight dog. When I adopted my greyhounds they were very underweight and they had 3 small meals a day, I also gave them lactol, which is a puppy milk- full of calories and nutrients to help put the weight on, and a high calories paste called calopet. Lamb is a very good meat for helping dogs to gain weight- I used to use a bit of lamb Naturediet mixed in their food too.

In regards to the different flavours, thats completely up to you. Some dogs do better sticking with 1 flavour- for example, my greyhounds can only eat the six fish Orijen, they don't do as well on any of the other flavours, but my other 3 dogs have James Wellbeloved, and I swap flavours everytime I buy a new bag and they love the variety. You can also use things like canned fish, high quality wet food, natural yoghurt, stock, fish oils or raw veg to mix through the kibble, to add a bit of variety.


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## Ducky (Nov 23, 2008)

id definitely stick with the AG. i use it with my two and htey look fabby on it. really good food. 

as has been said, you can buy it pretty cheap online.


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## ian1969uk (Sep 5, 2010)

Arden Grange is an excellent food.

If you are considering introducing a little wet food as well, you could do much worse than the Wainwright's wet trays from Pets at Home. Their Wainwright's dry is good too, although imo not as good as their Fishmongers dry, which is a really good food and an excellent topper for the wet trays.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

im not sure how underweight she is so ill get her to the vets when i collect her on saturday (VERY excited!) then i can decide if i need to supplement her food and ill deffo give the puppy milk a try to help her add some weight. 3 times a day feeding will be fine and i can easily fit another meal over my lunchbreak in. 
I looked up on raw feeding cause i thought it would be a good idea but after all the prep and the anmount of time id take finding the meat and chopping it all up i just dont think id have the time. id rather not mess her around and keep chopping and changing and as long as she puts weight on once i get her I hope that she will be happy on arden grange. if not ill be back asking more questions!
She is a german shepherd so a large breed i guess it might be best to give her something larger to keep her teeth healthy so she doesnt swallow it whole, but i read somewhere that she shouldnt have legs or anything cause they can chip her teeth cause they are so strong. do i have to freeze everything due to bacteria? any feedback on tripe to gain weight? this is what the woman in the pet shop said but after researching apparently it can upset their stomach and should be introduced slowly? 

Sorry for all the questions just dont want to get it wrong!!


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> im not sure how underweight she is so ill get her to the vets when i collect her on saturday (VERY excited!) then i can decide if i need to supplement her food and ill deffo give the puppy milk a try to help her add some weight. 3 times a day feeding will be fine and i can easily fit another meal over my lunchbreak in.
> I looked up on raw feeding cause i thought it would be a good idea but after all the prep and the anmount of time id take finding the meat and chopping it all up i just dont think id have the time. id rather not mess her around and keep chopping and changing and as long as she puts weight on once i get her I hope that she will be happy on arden grange. if not ill be back asking more questions!
> She is a german shepherd so a large breed i guess it might be best to give her something larger to keep her teeth healthy so she doesnt swallow it whole, but i read somewhere that she shouldnt have legs or anything cause they can chip her teeth cause they are so strong. do i have to freeze everything due to bacteria? any feedback on tripe to gain weight? this is what the woman in the pet shop said but after researching apparently it can upset their stomach and should be introduced slowly?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions just dont want to get it wrong!!


I've got a Mastiff and a Bernese Mountain Dog, so both much larger than your GSD, and they have wings, drumsticks and thighs, and have lamb and pork ribs too- doesn't matter about the size of the dog, providing they learn to chew the meat and bone properly (thats why holding onto the bone while they chew is recommended for the first little while)  Any chicken bone is fine, the leg bones you are talking about (weight bearing bones) that shouldn't be given due to teeth cracking are generally considered to be ones from sheep, pigs or cattle- since these are just too hard and dense, because they support so much weight, chicken bones are fine as they are all resonably soft.

Tripe is great for putting on weight, it can cause runny tums if not introduced properly, but all foods should be slowly introduced anyway. Get yourself a pack of Prize Choice tripe mince for ease, and start off with just a little bit (50g or so) and build up bit by bit- it shouldn't cause tummy upsets that way. Do remember not to feed raw and cooked foods too close together though- if you're going to be giving both in the same day, make sure they are as far apart as you can get them- ie, kibble in morning, raw in evening.

Only meats that NEED to be frozen are pork and game, and some say beef. Chicken is fine to give as you buy it- straight from the pack to the dog.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

If you're looking for a cheap, healthy way to feed a large dog go with BARF. I can feed six dogs 60-57-43-10-8 & 2kgs for just over £50 per month! And that's just because I buy veg and goats milk which ups the cost by about £10.


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## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> im not sure how underweight she is so ill get her to the vets when i collect her on saturday (VERY excited!) then i can decide if i need to supplement her food and ill deffo give the puppy milk a try to help her add some weight. 3 times a day feeding will be fine and i can easily fit another meal over my lunchbreak in.
> I looked up on raw feeding cause i thought it would be a good idea but after all the prep and the anmount of time id take finding the meat and chopping it all up i just dont think id have the time. id rather not mess her around and keep chopping and changing and as long as she puts weight on once i get her I hope that she will be happy on arden grange. if not ill be back asking more questions!
> She is a german shepherd so a large breed i guess it might be best to give her something larger to keep her teeth healthy so she doesnt swallow it whole, but i read somewhere that she shouldnt have legs or anything cause they can chip her teeth cause they are so strong. do i have to freeze everything due to bacteria? any feedback on tripe to gain weight? this is what the woman in the pet shop said but after researching apparently it can upset their stomach and should be introduced slowly?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions just dont want to get it wrong!!


About the raw - if prep is the only thing putting you off (it put me off too, so I understand), you can buy pre made raw packs. Natural instinct and darlings are two great sites, they sell pre made complete raw blocks, defrost and put in the bowl, no prep needed.

But AG is a great food.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks for all your replies really appreciate it. Its not the prep of the raw food that puts me off, its the amount of time i need to spend sorting it out and making sure she gets everything she needs, like she needs 10% offal, 10% bone and 80% meat and so it uses lots of brain power!! lol 
i think for now ill stick to dry and possibly feed a carcass each week and see how it goes. i really would like to lookinto raw feeding though as i think its probably alot better for her. just need to get the weight onto her before i start. 

I understand raw digests at a different speed to dry so i need to keep them apart so will do so. once i weigh her anf find out what weight she is ill get looking into the cost and see how it will work out. its more the conveineance of dry food i like to be honest but dont want her to be comprimised for my own conveinience either!


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## Lyceum (Sep 25, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> thanks for all your replies really appreciate it. Its not the prep of the raw food that puts me off, its the amount of time i need to spend sorting it out and making sure she gets everything she needs, like she needs 10% offal, 10% bone and 80% meat and so it uses lots of brain power!! lol
> i think for now ill stick to dry and possibly feed a carcass each week and see how it goes. i really would like to lookinto raw feeding though as i think its probably alot better for her. just need to get the weight onto her before i start.
> 
> I understand raw digests at a different speed to dry so i need to keep them apart so will do so. once i weigh her anf find out what weight she is ill get looking into the cost and see how it will work out. its more the conveineance of dry food i like to be honest but dont want her to be comprimised for my own conveinience either!


As I said, the likes of natural instinct, it's all done. You buy the blocks, keep them frozen, defrost required amount and put in bowl. It's complete, with the correct amount of offal, bone, meat etc.

Not trying to push you into raw, just saying it's all done for you by some companies. All you need to do is defrost and dish up. Feed extra to put weight on, less to drop it. There's even a calculator online that you put the dogs current weight in, tell it if you want to drop weight, maintain current or gain, and it tells you how much to feed per day.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks, i had a look on the natural instinct site yesterday, im feeling i might be converted but its still expensive, say £3 (excluding lamb) for a KG and i feed 700g a day (i guess thats about right). i would need 21KG a month (say 30 days. that would cost £63 a month. 
the breeder im getting Leah from gives her 500g of Arden grange a day which means a bag for say £35 lasts a month so by using dry food i save £28 and shes already used to the AG. But im not sure that the AG amount is enough,. like i said previously she is quite thin but i dont know whether thats the reason. 
Another think with raw food is storing it all. I know a few people on here have seperate freezers for them which might be an option but i think if i could figure it out myself and get the meat for myself it would be much cheaper. just need to get my head around it and make sure i have the time to do it all. 
im deffo going to give her a carcass or bone a week to keep her teeth clean- ill keep an eye on her though so she doesnt choke. 
really appreciate all your help


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## lovewhitegermanshepherds (Jan 25, 2011)

hi i have had thoughts about changing from arden grange but have changed my mind i have two shepherds alfie who is 3 is not keen on the lamb and rice so i get him salmon and rice and he is fine on that kia who is 19 weeks is fed on arden grange large puppy and she is also doing fine on it find that shepherds are fussy but you just have to ignore it as they get fussier!! i do add frozen minced dog food to spice it up but i have to cook it they will not touch raw at all


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## SmokeyRabbit (Aug 28, 2010)

My shephard cross collie has two meals of Butchers tinned food a day plus a couple of handfulls of James Wellbeloved or wagg complete dry with each meal. Does him fine, He also has winalot shapes,pointers liver squares and liver cake as the ocassional treat.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

im hoping she wont be too fussy to be honest! the breeder said shes always had Lamb and rice and so i guess she likes it. but to be fair she has 11 sheps and so i guess they get what they are given and all jump in. the breeders were great though and have been realy helpful. 
ill take on board that if she is fussy to ignore it and carry on. im also thinking i might try her on different flavours although the breeder mentioned the beef one was a little rich and gave her a bad stomach- which is what concerns me about tripe! also when you say you mix mince in with their food is this just like the stuff that we buy? cooked up? (maybe a stupid question!!) 

thanks for the advice on Wagg and butchers also, i know some of the others said to stick with arden grange for now. so thats what im going for, its good to hear yours is doing good on it though and might consider the wagg- as the woman ion the shop suggested if she doesnt get on with AG but to be honest i think shell stay on this and ill vary flavours 

thanks for all yoyur help


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

£40 for a bag of arden grange.blimey i used to get mine from here much cheaper and nxt day del if ordered b4 3pm
Arden Grange Adult Lamb & Rice Dog Food | Buy Products for Dogs

its £29.24 for a 15kg bag free del.

or u could try ebay as i used to get mine off there for around £28


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## lovewhitegermanshepherds (Jan 25, 2011)

loulou87 said:


> im hoping she wont be too fussy to be honest! the breeder said shes always had Lamb and rice and so i guess she likes it. but to be fair she has 11 sheps and so i guess they get what they are given and all jump in. the breeders were great though and have been realy helpful.
> ill take on board that if she is fussy to ignore it and carry on. im also thinking i might try her on different flavours although the breeder mentioned the beef one was a little rich and gave her a bad stomach- which is what concerns me about tripe! also when you say you mix mince in with their food is this just like the stuff that we buy? cooked up? (maybe a stupid question!!)
> 
> thanks for the advice on Wagg and butchers also, i know some of the others said to stick with arden grange for now. so thats what im going for, its good to hear yours is doing good on it though and might consider the wagg- as the woman ion the shop suggested if she doesnt get on with AG but to be honest i think shell stay on this and ill vary flavours
> ...


i buy the frozen mince from pets at home but as i say wont touch raw good luck i am sure she will be a dream to own they bring so much love my older one does not like tripe lucky really as it stinks looking forward to seeing a photo


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

i'll get my next lot from one of the places suggested, feel i could have bought 2 bags for the price i paid!!!! ah well lesson learned! Im going to collect her on saturday! IM SOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED i could pop! really cant wait- bought her bowls, lead, collar, food, treats. nothing else yet but think im there with the basics- got to get her a bed before i go for her on saturday too- anything else i need that sounds major? i think im covered- she has 3 collars infact- it was quite addictive buying them :nono:
going to stick her on AG initially just so she can settle becasue i dont want to cause too much upset.


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## Steffie (Jun 5, 2008)

Hi there
I also have a German Shepherd and was recently thinking of changing her from AG because of the price, but after some thinking i have decided to keep her on it. It has done wonders for her. When i got her she was on Royal Canin which made her very hyperactive, someone recommended AG and i changed her to it and started noticing the difference straight away. She was so much calmer and it made her coat go beautiful. So i would definatly recommend staying on it. I brought a bag from Nutrecare last week for £29 and got a free bag of AG treat bites  on my last order from them a few months ago i got 3 free Kong squeaky tennis balls


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks for all the help, Getting her tomorrow!! cant wait. am driving up at 10 so should arrive by 12 and have her home by the evening. All VERY exciting and everything is prepared- except her bed which i need to go and get later on after work.  xx


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

http://i946.photobucket.com/albums/ad308/lou_lou1987/2686019-205m.jpg

heres Lia- I thyought id post as a couple people wanted pics and this is the only one i have, its from last summer so shes not quite as thin as she is at the moment. Ill add some pics ive taken of her yesterday soon. I hope the link works :001_smile:

thanks for all the help


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## Guest (Apr 18, 2011)

Good luck today


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## NicoleW (Aug 28, 2010)

AG do a sensitive salmon one as well.

I switched from AG to Skinners Field and Trial Salmon just because it's a tad more affordable, but once I get some firm income I will be switching back over to AG


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

First day shes on her own, im feeling how parents must feel when they leave their children alone for the first time! 
sure everything will be fine and she will settle down. going home on my lunch at 1 to check her (which ill do everyday moving forward!) ive left her outside so she can wee etc and after lunch ill put her inside and see how that goes.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

i think she looks very healthy on that pic,how a gsd should look!

how's she been today on her own?


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

hi, 

she was fine yesterday on her own- i was probably worse than she!! 
she looks great on the picture i want to get her back there and hopefully with some hard work she'll get there! cant expect too much at the minute as shes settling still but trying to give her a little extra food and feed her smaller amounts but 3 meals instead of 2 and with an extra 100g to what the breeder fed. 
Ive been told 500g of AG is fine for her and so been giving her about 600 as i thought it might be a way to build some weight up for her- plus im going to try her with some tripe. 

Amy is very beutiful by the way!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

loulou87 said:


> hi,
> 
> she was fine yesterday on her own- i was probably worse than she!!
> she looks great on the picture i want to get her back there and hopefully with some hard work she'll get there! cant expect too much at the minute as shes settling still but trying to give her a little extra food and feed her smaller amounts but 3 meals instead of 2 and with an extra 100g to what the breeder fed.
> ...


hehehehehe i'm Amy, blade is my german shepherd 
and thank you.
blade will only eat 200grams a day,although he weighs 48kg u would think he gets fed no end but he's not a pig and only gets 2 gravy bones a day.

would love to see more pics of your gorgeous girlie


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

whoops!! Sorry:blushing:
i just read my name is amy and im owned by: and saw the pic so assumed wrong :S 

heres some pics of her from yesterday attached. 

I took her up to the vets yesterday and questioned her about a few things. I didnt mention her limp as it seems to have gone now. 

I did ask her to check her feet though and she said her pads are thin which might be the reason she doesnt like to walk much- i literally need to coax her to move a little quicker all the time!! The vet said that because she was in a kennel she would not be used to the differing surface of the road and to walk her on grass to make her paws more hardy for a while. 

Also she said her weight wasnt too bad which i was suprised about! she weighs a grand old sum of 26KG (because she was over 25 i had to pay double for worming tablets ) she mentioned she needed a kg or two of extra weight but i should be able to feel her ribs when i run my hand over them. At the moment you can see them and thats not how it should be. She should still have a tucked up waist too. So that was good news! 

Also her panting may be because she is used to living outsuide and is now getting used to being inside. so nothing to worry about 

shes going to be spayed once i can find out when her last season was and she had her first vaccination (she was very brave for a gravy bone!!) i feel much better now shes been to vet! 

Do you think 500g is too much food? or maybe its fine unless she starts putting weight on? 

how old is Blade? very beautiful


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## Steff (Mar 28, 2011)

She is gorgeous, look at those ears lol
She may just be a dandy girl, my shep weighs about 30kg i would say she is quite small for a shep. Even when she was podgy she was no more than 34kg.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

she is quite tall though 25inches which is dog size by the kennel club standards. she is only 2 so i expect she will podge out at bit when she stops being so leggy!!  
i love her ears! all fuzzy and cute. in fact i love her all over! 
its good to hear i dont have too much to worry about with weight, the vet said a couple kgs and shes be hot to trot!!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

hey loulou,she is so beautiful,if she eats it all then keep feeding her it and just keep an eye on her weight.
though if u look at the AG bag it should say how much for each weight of the dog to feed though this is only a guide line.
i do think that 26kg is slightly too thin and i'd try to get her to 30kg if she were mine.
but only u can tell just how much she should be putting on and yes u should be able to feel her ribs but not see them and her waist should go in.

was she from a german shepherd breeder kennel then?

amy x

p.s gsd's are known for little lump bumpy things on them there cysts gsd's are prone to them so if one crops up its more than likely this,however do get it checked by a vet incase.
blade has a couple and a few have burst on there own so i just bathe with warm salt water,all the gooey horrible stuff comes out. yuk.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

sorry ive not replied amy! 
i took Lia to the vets yesterday and they didnt weigh her even though i asked, im not impresssed with them and seeking out another vet. Lia has now been chipped- she did warn the vet odff and had to be muzzled- im quite annoyed that the vet didnt tell me she might react and also she wrote on her records that she tried to bite her- i dont think she did she just turned around in suprise! ah well ill look around and see if i can find someone else. 
Lia is eating really well, she looks as if she has gained weight so im happy with that- id just like to know for deffinatete that she has. 
Shes also been in season for the last few days- about a week now i think. its a nightmare but im going to get her spayed as soon as possible after its all finished (i have a cream carpet!!) 
Everything is going really well with her and shes settled really well. i had problems walking her initially as she was REALLY lazy but she went for a run with me yesterday so thats some good progression. She was a kennelled dog. she lived with a small breeder who grew her from a pup to become a breeder/show dog. she was too big to be shown and so couldnt be used for that and also they decided to give it up and sell on their dogs, hence why i had Lia. 
She doesnt know how to play ball so im working on that too. generally though shes doing well. how is yours getting on  x


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

hey there,just gota comment on your sig pic she is one beautiful girl.

if i were u i'd go to another vets!
though at my vets there is a weighing machine in reception so i just stick blade on it when we go.

regarding the spay,give her a couple of months after she's finshed her season to let her hormones calm down.

other than that it sounds like you have yourself a very special gsd girl on your hands and i'm jealous.

keep posting the pics of her.

my big loaf is fine,he's just had a nice juicey butchers bone to clean his teeth.
can't believe he's now 6yrs old doesn't seem like 5 mins since he was 6 weeks old.

glad things are going well with her
Amy x


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

im going to go to the butchers at the weekend to sort out some bones. i think she would really enjoy it. i gave her her first ever bone a few weeks back and she was so funny, she couldnt figure out how to keep it still and kept pushing it around trying to eat it. eventually she watched my parents dog and copied her- held it in her paws and enjoyed it. Her teeth are in quite good condition and i want to keep it that way. 

im definately going to look into another vets, none of them seem great around to be honest. the vet i use have one guy whos good (and loves shepherds) but the girls in there i dont like, they are only young and seem quite inconsistant. when they checked her over the first time i had to ask for them to check her feet. they didnt check her bits or her ears. i would have assumed it was a normal rountine but i guess they havent been there long. just dont want to be their test! I think if i go when the guy is on id be happier, its just inconveiniant, id rather pop in and just see any competant vet to be honest! 

I really cant imagine being without her now. love her to bits, today she jumped up on the windowcill to see me leave for work. (its naughty but very cute). not had her long but really cant think of what i would have done before. we have a little routine set up which works really well. im never late for work anymore cause i have to get up to sort her out! shes great. 

Blade doesnt look 6 in the pic, he looks cute and not grey at all. lia already has a little grey and shes only 2!! ill have to get some tips of you as shes growing up. i know shes not a pup but she often acts like one cause shes been kennelled. so for example she has puppish ways when she plays and flings things everywhere and jumps everywhere. its cute to watch but considering shes so big im not putting ornamnets up!! guess we just have to get used to eachothers habits. like last night she started pacing and i called her- she squatted and started to wee and i had to take her outside! something a pup would do i suppose but we will get there.  

bet you are glad that blade is trained and sorted out. just a quick one, do you let him off lead? and do you have a sign warning people he is in your house? uim no sure what to do from a legal point of view as a couple of sites make it quite confusing


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hi Lou 
Blade actually does have quite a bit of grey round his wisker and chin area.
I'll have to post some close ups of him.
Blade was toilet trained at 9 weeks old shepherds are very clever and learn quick.
As soon as shes ate let her out and wen she has woken from her sleep.
It's good u have a routine blade has one too my husband takes him out at 6.30am everyday before work and then I take him in the afternoon. But if I've worked a nite shift it's either a walk or not depends on how I feel and what time I get up in the afternoon.
I work 3 nites a week. Blade has separation anxiety where he'll howl for 5 mins after we've gone out. But he shuts up and parks his ass on the sofa or our bed. 
Yes blade is let off lead and comes wen called he even walks off lead on paths by my side.
He walks to heel on the lead too. I wouldn't let yours off lead yet give her another month with u so she builds up a bond u can also buy those long training leads from pet shops and have dome small pieces of cheese at hand to teach her recall.
Tinned hot dogs are a fav training treat as well. 
I used to work at a german shepherd kc reg breeder kennels. He still breeds now and shows them he takes some to germany to the seiger shows.
All 14 of his gsd's were in outside kennels and they were mental. They get time up in the paddock to have a good run.
Sone were trained as bite work dogs on the sleeve.
But all were soft as muck.
It was a fantasticjob I got to rear gsd puppies and see them go off to there new homes, some were kept back to see if they were good enough to show from and breed if not they went to pet homes.
I used to feed, clean , groom and play with them.
I really miss that job but I had my hours cut so I had to find a new job due to the recession in 2009.

Sorry for the long post
Amy x


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## [email protected] (Nov 22, 2010)

I would stick to Arden Grange. If the dogs look great on it and there are no problems then dont even think about moving them from it. German shepherds can suffer with dicky tummies sometimes when they're on crap cheap diets. Do not feed Wagg, its a seriously high cereal based food whereas Arden Grange will have a much better ingredient listing. You generally get what you pay for in the pet food world and the more expensive it is, the more meat or fish content it has which is far better for the dogs digestive system. I feed Fish4Dogs Salmon and Potato which, if you ever needed to change the diet, would be a good one to look at Fish4Dogs Online Shop - Healthy Premium Complete Food & Treats for Dogs. Prices Include Delivery. The better quality dog food companies will also have someone at their head office who will furnish you with all the details nutritionally if you're confused. Unfortunately most of the pet shops employ staff who struggle to make the time to understand the differences between one food and another. Not good when you're asking them for a comparison!! Best of luck with your new pup!


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

blade100 said:


> Hi Lou
> Blade actually does have quite a bit of grey round his wisker and chin area.
> I'll have to post some close ups of him.
> Blade was toilet trained at 9 weeks old shepherds are very clever and learn quick.
> ...


I noticed today when i left for work that Lia was Barking but I hope she was just having an off day. To be honest when im there she doesnt stick to me like glue she will quite happily sit and play and completely ignores me. On the same side if i leave the room she will follow me.

Ive not let her off lead as shes been in season (what a mess!! cream carpets arent doing so well so now i ghave duvets covers covering everywhere!) i have an extendable lead i use with her at the minute and she comes back when i call, sometimes if shes sniffing around she doesnt listen but after a while she comes. 1 problem i have is that she is right at the door when i get in and leave. this morning she got out as i opened the door to leave, me heart jumped into my mouth but she came when i called her calmly (although i was screaming inside!!)

I cant really moan about her too much shes really been great. got her a kong which shes started to show some interst in now, after i make out its the best thing in the world! I am consistant with her too, manly cause i have to be due to work but i get up, let her out and prepare her food while shes out. she comes in eats, we have a cuddle and i go to work. come home for lunch just to let her out and check her. then after work get in do her dinner (and mine) feed and then we go out for a run.

when i fist had her i literally had to drag her to get her to walk but now shes alot better and ive found that she is better when we run. her extendable lead means she can have some freedom but generally she stays ight next to me.

your old job sounds great, i work for a property developer but my heart lies with animals, would love to do RSPCA inspecting but theres no money in it so its a difficult decision. i do enjoy my job but know id be loads happier with animals but at the moment i cant afford it! maybe if i meet a millionnaire i can 

Blade sounds really well trained, i think if i put the effort in Lia will be too. im going to take her to training classes so she can get her good citizen badge and then she can go to agility. Shes clever alright, i taught her to sit and now i dont have to treat her, with dineer she sits and waits. like you say its all about routine and not giving in- it would be far easier just to give it to her when she doesnt wait and sometimes we spend 15mins dfoing it till she gets it right but now she does it without fault and thats only in a couple weeks.

Hope you have a lovely weekend with Blade and im sure ill speak onmonday (dont have the internet at home, my funds go on lias food , not really i just havent sorted it out :S ) 
xx


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Just a quick one regarding lia and you running her after feeding. How long are u giving her till her foods gone down before u go for a run?
It's just deep chested dogs such as the gsd can suffer with torsion.
It's where the stomach flips over and twists death is usually the case if not seenby a vet within half hour.
There stomach gies hard like a drum.
It's alsobest not to exercise wen they have had a lot of water as this too can have same effect. Our nxt doors gsd had this happen. Luckily he survived in time.
Think theres something about torsion also known as bloat on here in health section at the top of the page. Or google if your not sure.

You have a good wk end too with your gorgeous girlie 
Spk soon
Amy and blade
P.s there is an excellent gsd forum u should go on I'm a member its loving gsd.com
All gsd mad on there and very friendly.


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## loulou87 (Jan 18, 2011)

i give her an hour to an hour and half after shes eaten. I know about torsion and it would be awful so i always wait regardless. Im not looking forward to running in thios rain tonight!! 
Went out with her friday, saw a woman with a GSD and she said theres a local training class for GSDs up the road so going to head there on thursday and see how that goes- im actually really nervous!! im sure it will be fine though and hopefully i can get a few tips. I have taught her to sit and lay (sometimes) but when shes out and has something more interesting to look at she doesnt listen so need some advice there. she got out my house on saturday i nearly had a heart attack but she came back- she was wagging her tail thinking i was playing but my heart nearly popped out my chest! (i live on a busy road although set back) lia was running round on the front garden, was terrified but stayed calm and called her back. I think its probably me thats more concerened about her and actually she does really well! ill take a look at the other forum


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## Steff (Mar 28, 2011)

Im glad Lia has settled in well, Shes gorgeous.


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## NSPS-Hokamix (May 11, 2011)

Hello,
I would recommend using Hills Science Plan which can be at a decent price if you take a look at the Hills Professional Partners scheme.(Its actually cheaper than Arden Grange)
Whichever food you are going to feed her on make sure it is a food for a Large Breed dog as you need to do everything you can to ensure she is getting everything out of her food to give her a long happy life.
Hope This Helps.


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## snoopydo (Jan 19, 2010)

When I asked on here Skinners was a popular Choice...Sasha was fed Wagg before I got her she seemed ok on that with her previous owner..Also I was told Green Tripe is also good for them I think to give once or twice per week...She love's it IF you can cope with the smell 


Congratulations on getting a Shepherd They are a Joy to have in your life  You have a beautiful girl there she's gorgeous


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I wouldn't feed hills science plan I read the ingredients aren't very good.
Besides Arden grange is made by german shepherd breeders so designed for them really as shepherds have dicky tummies.
I don't see a problem paying £29 for a 15kg bag from swell pets!!

Anyway Lou hope all is well with lia?
Forgot to mention in my other post that I do have a sign on my gate saying keep out with a gsd on it.
Amy x


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