Importance Of Treat Reward For Successful Dog Training

Training German Shepherds seems to be comparatively easier than some of the stubborn breeds like Shiba Inu, Chow Chow, Pekingese, Borzoi etc. Yet wrong techniques can make easiest things tougher. Even with the most intelligent breed like GSD, training may be incredibly challenging if not proceeded correctly. However, abusive training methods are a big ‘NO’, and ‘NO’ for ever, and ‘NO’ for any and all animals – irrespective of breed, group, class and species.

Importance of reward based training finds its role to play here.

What does a reward have to do with training? 

Let’s start off with asking ourselves: “why should we need to train a dog at all?” Well the answer is simple… we train our dogs because we want them to behave the way we want, which means we want to modify their behavior to suit best the way we live and mingle in the society. Rewards can really do the trick.

For dogs, the punishment (traditional and primitive way of teaching tricks for example leash jerks, shock from the collars, hitting, and using prong choke chains) works just temporarily and on a surface level. Training based on rewards like lavish praises, treats etc. is a better, safer and smarter alternative that gives desired outcome more effectively. The reward-based dog training (positive training) methods has drastically won over the traditional discipline-based training methods. Most contemporary canine behaviorists and trainers are relying on the effectiveness of treat reward training systems. Reward based training system emphasizes on praising and rewarding on correct actions of your dog, rather than not rewarding and accompanied with punishments based corrective measures when your dogs behaves incorrectly. Years of experimentation and study of canine psychology concluded that “not rewarding and accompanied with punishments based corrective measures when your dogs behaves incorrectly” works less effectively compared to “praising and rewarding on each and every correct action of your dog”.

What the reward based dog trainers stress on? 

Most modern reward based trainers believe in eliminating the undesirable behavior by gradually replacing them with desirable ones. And that can be done by rewarding your dog when he does what you want and refusing praising or rewarding him when he does what you don’t want. The new behavior that is the one that you want him to act like is called “incompatible behavior” (good behavior - not compatible to the current situation, and needs to make them compatible), which can be eventually induced through Positive Reinforcement – rewarding. Food like cookie tidbits yield awesome results in a Reinforcement Training. However, with wrong identification of the specific behavior to target, the reinforcement training may backfire.   

To conclude with I should be pointing that the most important thing about reward based, positive reinforcement training is “Attention”. Attention is the best reward for your dog when he does something good and another important thing is that training should be a fun for both your and your dog. Proper exercise in the form of play is the best source of stimulation to ensure physical and mental well-being. Just came across CollarsAndTags.co.uk-kong-dog-toys an online shop for pet toys offering a good assortment of fun and indestructible dog toys. A content dog (the one that usually adequate exercise and play) is mentally more stable and more focused which make him a better student for any experienced trainer.

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Does Your German Shepherd Dog Eat Poop?

One of the most challenging situations for you as a dog owner is when your dog have grown a tendency to eat poop and you need to stop him doing so.

The first step to dealing with this problem is to spot out what makes your dog find poop edible. Apparently eating poop may not cause any instant damage to the health, but the habit is one of the most unpleasant behavioral flaw that hinders the healthy environment when it comes to staying with dogs. However, this habit of eating poops, called 'Coprophagia' may expose your German Shepherd to the risk of getting heavily infested by parasite, and viral or bacterial attack.

Image Courtesy: Wolfie & Ustina - Mr. S. Mitra, Lt Col, IA.
(Wolfie & Ustina are highly trained & award winning specimens and have got no relation with any kind of behavioral issues talked about in this post. )

Several studies have come up with a few conclusions as to why dog may be growing tendency to eat stool. While some of the reasons are simply quite natural based on certain situations, the others are driven by really complicated psychological factors.

Natural Reasons Why Your GSD Eats Poop 

Mother cleans her puppies (Natural Maternal Instinct): Mothers tend to lick up her pups after they are done with their meal. This is a natural process to defecate puppies and to stimulate urination. Most often mothers also lick up their babies stool and urine as a cleaning process. Dogs living with us at home should be kept under supervision and the owners needs to be a bit more proactive with the cleaning process until the puppies grow and separated from their mother.

Psychological Triggers Driving Your German Shepherds To Eat Stool 

Frustration elicited habit: Poop-eating habit has been connected to certain psychological conditions by some canine behaviorist. Studies aver shown that bored, frustrated, unattended and lonely dogs usually develop certain undesirable behavioral problems - and 'Coprophagia' (habit of eating stool) is one of them.

German Sheperds are working dog and always need something to do until their energy is fully exhausted through proper exercise. Hence they get bored more easily compared to many other breeds if they are left unattended and without right exercise. Loneliness and boredom generate mental stress in your dog. Just like many of us are found biting nails under stress, your shepherds may develop 'Coprophagic' tendency as a frustrated elicited behavior, often times leading to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In case it has developed into OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) medicine doesn’t really work. It is then recommended to provide your GSD with an optimized environmental enrichment – play fetch, chasing Frisbee, long walk (composed of both brisk walk and stroll).

What Some Nutritionists Have To Say About This 

Some nutritionists think that food type contributes to this habit to a fairly good extent. The food that you give to your shepherds may have nutrient deficiency. Same food may work good with other dog, which means your shepherd require certain thing in extra. This is yet another challenge to find out what is that thing that your dog is not getting adequately. It may not be the case that your dog is not getting adequate nutrient, but some nutritionists believe that malabsorption of dietary nutrients in your dogs may also lead to Coprophagia.

Many dogs are keen to ingest stool of other animals and investigate garbage bin to find what have to eat. Often times, odor of poops and garbage acts as an enticing attribute for you dog and waste parts, like stools and stale garbage may not be unpleasant to dogs unlike they are for us, humans. Many a times I have found many dogs getting attracted to fowl odor while investigating environment.

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Diet Management For German Shepherd Puppy

Diet management for German Shepherd puppy is one of the trickiest dispositions. Whatever good and nutritious for you and your kid may not be enough for your dog, or at times may also be harmful for them.


Making food for your GSD at home can be a real fun and a big responsibility at the same time. Good nutrition is always more than important during his growth period. Diet management for your puppy doesn’t only mean giving him the right kind of food with right percentage of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, but it also mean feeding him right quantity of food at the right time. The most common mistake noticed in many dog owners – especially in newbie is a tendency of overfeeding, which may be detrimental for your growing puppy. It is rather wise to invest time on planning a healthy feeding routine for your pup. Rather than feeding in bigger volumes, it is advisable to break your puppy’s food into 5 to 6 feeds a day and gradually decreasing the feeding frequency and increasing the volume as he grows.


What Should Your puppy’s Food Contain?

Keep a close eye on your puppy’s health condition and growth rate. Remember a fast growing puppy gives you an indication of impending anatomic problems. Promoting optimal health starts with giving him the right kind of diet that is well balanced, at right quantity. A balanced diet may promote good growth in your German Shepherd puppy.


Let’s think of it a bit different way. Instead of feeding your puppy those so-called ‘puppy food that are available in the pet stores, let’s plan your puppy food that will promote optimal growth and build strong immune system. Well balanced diet with all necessary nutritional factors can be prepared at home with right quantity of fat, protein, carbohydrate and minerals. Planning a diet with very high protein to promote excessive growth is not a wise decision. However, planning a low protein diet for your puppy is not wise either.


The base of your puppy’s food can be chicken and vegetables, which are readily available and not much expensive as well. Fresh chicken, eggs, cheese, fruits and vegetables (not all types of veggies and fruits are permissible though) are a great source for carbohydrates, fats, minerals, proteins and vitamins that are required for your puppy’s growth. Organ meats are simply as nutritional in your GSD’s diet as the muscle meat itself.

What I prefer personally and it proved to be quite healthy…


Meat - 

Organ meats are rich in B vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K, and important minerals like phosphorus, copper and iodine. To complete 100% of the meat side in my dogs’ diet, I prefer a combination of organs, muscle meats and bones. I mostly give chicken, where I prefer the combination as follows:

• 15% organ meat (mainly heart, liver…)
• 45% lean muscle meat
• 30% chicken neck bones (safest way to give natural source of calcium – no risk of splinters)
• 10% chicken head


Organs like heart, brain and eyes are concentrated source of taurine – an essential amino acid that forms the main constituents of all proteins. Hence this promotes good growth. However, muscle meat also has taurine, but just not enough as in the organ meat. By planning home made diet with components like fresh meat, necks, heart, liver and brains you already make sure that your puppy is getting enough of essential nutrients and growth promoting amino acids.

Please Note: Although organ meats are a nutrient dense food and good for your GSD puppy, but too much of it is not recommended. 10% to 15% of heart and liver with 80% of other types of meat each day is a good combination or 20% to 25% every alternative day may be nice as well.


Fruits and Vegetables - 

Fruits and vegetables are rich source of antioxidants and reduce the risk of cancer in dogs, though not all can be included to his diet chart. Just like fruits and vegetables are good for us humans, they are also highly effective to promote a healthy life of your dogs. Fruits like orange, banana, apples, watermelons, guavas, mango, papaya, cucumber, cantaloupe, cranberries are mini powerhouses of antioxidants and are great for your dog’s internal health.


Vegetables like carrots, broccoli, green beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, bottle gourd, ladies finger are a great addition to your dog’s daily diet. Cooking and steaming these veggies will break down the cellulose walls, making them easily digestible for your GSD puppy. Apart from lycopene, tomatoes also contain concentrated vitamins A and C. Occasional inclusion of tomatoes in your puppy’s food may be a good decision. However, if your dog may develop acidity, you should consider stopping tomatoes in his food.

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Fat is a Four Legged Issue And GSD is No Exception

Fat is a four legged issue

Recent research* shows that 50% of domestic dogs are now overweight in the US and the UK and with obesity being the single biggest cause of health problems in dogs, UK based pet insurance company Bought By Many recently challenged a group of German Shepherd dog owners to reveal all about their pets’ diet and exercise habits in an attempt to answer the question:

‘Are we killing our dogs with kindness (and cake?)’

Any proud pet owner would say they would go to whatever lengths they could to look after their pet and in recent years the health and well-being of our pets has become a booming business with dog walkers, dog groomers, and dog psychologists all becoming a growing breed.

Despite this, we are hearing more and more about the growing problem of dog obesity with a recent study showing dogs as heavy as 9 stones in weight (126 lb or 57 kilos), similar to a fully grown female human.**

No dog lover wants to think that they may be the cause of ill health in their dog but we all know how easy it is to be in denial... the plump person who swears it’s caused by their ‘glands’; the dieter who secretly scoffs a packet of crisps in the car; the couch potato who never gets round to that much-needed jog.... is our love for our dogs meaning that we are pampering them too much, letting them fall into bad habits just like us humans and ignoring the health dangers?

The good news is that the survey showed that ‘diet and exercise’ were almost universally recognised by the German Shepherd dog owners questioned as the most important factors in the health and well-being of our pets – and indeed they are!

Unfortunately though, when it comes to putting theory into practise, we don’t always live up to our own ideals – in fact quite often, our bark is stronger than our bite...

80% of German Shepherd dog owners questioned pride themselves in putting a lot of effort into getting the right diet & exercise for their pet, yet despite that 38% said that the single biggest improvement they could make to their dog’s health was more exercise or cutting down ‘bad’ foods. And when it comes to food it seems we may be in danger of turning our pets into plump pooches! 30% of owners admitted to feeding their dog more than the recommended twice a day with 7% stuffing food down their dogs’ mouths 4 or more times a day.

We all have good intentions. The main diet staples are prepared dog food and fresh meat and fish, but our love for our dogs means that 15% of dogs gorge on leftovers from the family meal every day on top of their normal meals and a whopping 40% do this at least once a week. What’s more, our dogs are becoming comfort eaters. Treats figure highly on the menu, with 54% of those surveyed having tucked in to the British favourite roast dinner in the last month while an amazing 9% were treated to the famous British dish fish and chips!

Of course, as long as your dog is getting plenty of exercise then maybe they deserve those treats, right? Well, yes but unfortunately we don’t always walk the walk when it comes to exercise. A quarter of respondents admit to walking their dog for only 30 minutes or less a day and despite this lack of exercise nearly three quarters would never employ a dog walker.

So rather than being famous as a nation of dog lovers is the UK actually a nation of dog feeders? Is it inevitable that our pets, like so many humans in the western world, are set to expand their waistlines?

The good news for the German Shepherd dog owners surveyed is that only 11% of their dogs are currently showing signs of being overweight and indeed studies have shown that luckily German Shepherd dogs are less naturally susceptible to obesity than other breeds such as Labradors and Cocker Spaniels. However, with 25% of pets in the survey having suffered from joint problems and insufficient diet and exercise for a significant proportion of dogs, the time bomb could be ticking and we could be storing up health problems for the future.

Our dogs’ metabolic rate drops as they age with neutering being another significant cause of lower calorific needs. In fact if a dog is neutered or older it may need as many as 20% fewer calories per day. So if it is still eating the same portion sizes as it did as a puppy then you can be sure that excess weight will follow.

Vets recommend a simple fat test – reminiscent of the ‘can you pinch an inch?’ UK TV campaign of the eighties. Simply feel for your dog’s ribs – they should be easily visible. If they are not and you need to prod harder, your dog is carrying excess fat.

Cuddly of course can be cute and nobody wants to deprive their beloved pet but it’s worth remembering that obesity is the number one nutritional disease affecting pets today. Its relation to arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and decreased life span make it a serious medical condition.

With rising obesity and vet fees having doubled on average over the last 10years, regular health checks are a must. With 9% of respondents admitting their dog would benefit from more regular health checks and 40% saying they do not have pet insurance, this may be another reason why obesity issues are not being spotted earlier.

Studies have shown that most dogs need pet insurance in the first 3 years of their lives, yet most owners don’t take pet insurance out until after that, incurring extra cost by paying for vet fees that they could have been insured against. With 96% of people expecting vet fees to increase further, there has never been a better time to take out pet insurance.

The good news for German Shepherd dog owners is that a few small changes will go a long way – investing in the right amount of good quality food, ditching the fish and chips, making time or allocating money to dog walkers for proper exercise and making sure you have insurance in place for regular health checks are the main things you need.

Studies have also shown that a dog owner's lifestyle and own body condition have a significant impact on those of their pets too, so the message is clear – we all can benefit from an exercise and diet buddy, so team up with your number 1 best friend and get in shape today.

Author Biography

This researched article has been contributed by the UK's top pet insurance company.

Bought by Many is a UK based independent who bring groups of people with similar insurance needs together and uses their collective buying power to get them better deals. They have over 35,000 members who on average benefit from a discount of 18% on insurance deals. They are able to negotiate excellent deals on pet insurance for German Shepherd Dog owners and as their members grow, their deals get better and better. To find out more & join today, just click on the links above.

Additional Notes

*Sources: Association for Pet Obesity Prevention 2008 states 44% of dogs overweight; Liverpool University study shows an increase from 35% to 50% in UK in last 4 years (i.e. 4m dogs). Higher than France (39%) or Australia (31%)

**Source: UK Sunday Times 17/8/2014.

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Wishing You All A Merry Christmas and A Very Happy And Prosperous New Year

To all of my friends I have made through this blog, those who left for a while and those who have stayed... Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2014 with heartfelt love.

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Best of Breed Christmas Gift For Your Dog

Hello friends, Christmas is around the corner and I am sure you are in search of one of the most inspirational christmas gift for your dog! Forget about all those common stuff like Ring Dog Toy, Shampooo, Christmas dog collar, dog Christmas stockings, festive Dog Shirt, yummy treats, cookies etc. that are being talked about hugely across the web. Make this Christmas really enjoyable for your dog -- strike him with a shrieking surprise. Yes, the indestructible ball for your super boy can give him a new life!

Whether a German Shepherd Dog or a Rottweiller or a powerful Mastiff, this indestructible dog ball can be the best gift ever!

Indestructible; hence he cannot destroy this toy
Playing with this dog ball your dog is going to get a full-body workout
Best gift for overly energetic dog
It is 100% safe and you do not need to supervise

Buy Christmas Dog Toy - The Indestructible Dog Ball here at low cost.

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Protection Dogs of Prince Williams Were Killed

Brus (Belgium Shepherd - aged seven and a half years) and Blade (German Shepherd) the two beautiful RAF guard dogs were killed after Prince William's tasks ended  in North Wales

Prince William completed his tasks as a search and rescue pilot in North Wales, and finally shifted
Friday, September 20, 2013. After his shift the two guard dog that had been appointed for the prince's protection were killed for sarcastic reasons - "too old to be deployed again" and "unsuitable to be rehomed". 

Protection Dogs Brus and Blade of Prince Williams Were Killed

Two Dogs That Guarded Prince William on RAF Duty Were Killed After His Shift

Because They Could Not be Redeployed or Re-homed


Prince William quit from his role as a search and rescue pilot in North Wales
Few days after his last shift On Friday, September 20, 2013 his two guard dogs were put down
Reason for killing was mentioned as: "too old to be deployed again" and "unsuitable to be rehomed."

Two guard dogs - Belgian Malinois (Brus) and German shepherd (Blade) that had been assigned for the protection Prince William on RAF duty were put down a few days after he had quit from his role as a Search and Rescue pilot in North Wales. When asked, the reason for destroying the dogs had been quoted: "too old to be deployed again" and "unsuitable to be rehomed." However, Officials said that there wasn't any link between Prince William quitting and the dogs being killed.

Although, within just a few days of Prince's last shift, his two guard dogs had been killed on Friday night (September 20, 2013), his spokesman declined to comment on this. According to the Ministry of Defence, Belgian shepherd Brus had 'come to the end of his work life’ while for the GSD Blade there was no duties that could be reassigned to him, according to ‘a record of veterinary and behavioral issues’. The poor creatures were put down after the air force bosses decided that the dogs could not be redeployed or placed with a family.

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My German Shepherd Puppy Takes Her Meat Pieces And Hide Them For Future Use

Sometimes this indicates that you are not good at diet management for your dog. This gives an indication that your German Shepherd is being over fed. He/She is trying hide the extra amount of food for the future use. It is hence important for you to understand the right quantity of food for your dog. Some dogs eat up everything even though they are given extra, while a few refuses to eat, and some of them are smart enough to hide their favorite part of the extra food so that then can have them later.

However, there may be other reasons to this behavior as well. Some dogs tend to eat at their own choice of time. Many dogs have been noticed to hide their food to be eaten whenever they would prefer, and not on the schedule you want to set for their meal.

Diet management for your dog doesn’t just involve planning the food components, but also includes planning the feeding time and food quantity. Failing to set time/ schedule for feeding your dog and managing quantity will eventually create lot of mess, and end up with health issues.

Managing the food quantity

Over feeding your German Shepherds, as for any other breed, may turn out to be quiet detrimental. Most overfed dogs tend to develop irreversible anatomic problem. Digestive and hepatic problem are also quite common in dogs that are overfed. Quantity management for your dog’s diet should be based on the science of giving your dog correct amount of food that provides right kind of nutrition. Whether you give your GSD raw whole foods or you want to keep him on homemade diet, it is important that your dog should finish it within 15 – 20 minutes of serving it. Take off the amount left and do not force your dog to eat or allow him to take her favorite meat piece to hide it for future use.

However, gulpers will finish off even the extra food within a few minutes of serving it. It is important to understand how much should your dog be fed at her age.

Manipulating your dog’s hunger

Set your dog’s biological clock according to your will without jeopardizing her health. The moment you bring your German Shepherd puppy home, it is important that you set the meal times, play times, and repose times. These are all part of basic training. It is easy to teach your dog when to expect her meal. Fixing a specific time for her diet will help teach your dog not to hide part of his food to be eaten on his own schedule. She should know her time for meal. All you need to do is to be consistent about your dog’s feeding time. If you offer food to your puppy at a fixed time, her biological clock will be set on that particular time for the meal. This is how you can manipulate your dog’s hunger – you already knew this.

Managing the food ingredients finally

Most owners prefer chicken heavy diet because they think breeds like GSD, Rotties, Mastiffs dobs etc. require very high protein. BIG NO. Meat heavy diets cannot be considered as balanced diet. Give your dogs some green as well, like spinach, carrots, pumpkin, bottle gourd, parsley, green papaya, ladyfingers, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. and also fruits apple, banana, ripen papaya, cantaloupe (in small quantity), mango (in small quantity). It is a misconception that dogs are carnivorous animals. They are rather omnivorous, like us humans. A more related read could be found here: German Shepherd Food

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Few Things You Probably Don’t Know About German Shepherds

Few Things You Probably Don’t Know About German Shepherds Here are some very rare facts about the breed that most owners would love to know. I bet that you were not aware of some of these facts. Read on and enjoy…

First GSD registered in the US: The first German Shepherds that was registered in the US was the "Queen of Switzerland" – beautiful female whose offspring sadly suffered from anatomical problems due to unplanned breeding…. Read More… 
 
Fact about Rin-Tin-Tin: Rin-Tin-Tin (September 1918 – August 10, 1932) came into had America with the an American soldier, Lee Duncan. Duncan discovered Rinty (as he was lovingly called by his owner) in the debris of a bombed German dog kennel, while returning back from the battlefield.

Death of Rin-Tin-Tin: Rinty died on August 10, 1932 when he was 14 years old. He expired in Los Angeles in the arms of Jean Harlow Carpenter - American movie actress. After his death Rinty was taken to his birth land - Lorraine, France for his burial in the Cimetière des Chiens, the famous pet cemetery in the Parisian suburb of Asnières-sur-Seine.

German Shepherds in the World War II: After the WWI, GSD had a myriad contribution in WWII. A huge number of German Shepherds were effective trained to work for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. GSD did a commendable job in the war…. Read More…
 
“Long Straight Topcoat with Undercoat” is considered as a distinctive variety in the GSD breed standard: The resolution of 2008 -2009 Federal Assembly, the SV filed a motion with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) for considering the coat type “Long Straight Topcoat with Undercoat” as a distinctive variety of the breed. The motion was approved… Read More…
 
Loudest dog in the world: A white GSD – Daz has been crowned as the loudest dog in the world. Daz is the Guinness World Record holder… Read More…

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What Should You Feed Your German Shepherd Puppy?

Beyond all doubts... there's nothing more important than immunization and diet during the growing phase of your puppy. The two most important things regarding this that should be kept in the forefront of your mind are:

a) The puppy's diet should be nutritionally beneficial having all components to promote growth
b) The puppy's diet should be in correct quantity based on age

Your German Shepherd puppy should get a balanced diet. Any highly reputed commercial dog food brand that "meets the nutritional requirements of puppies established by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)" is recommended. Your vet should be the best person to give you a proper guidance about the brand of dog food for your puppy. Remember that all dog food brands that are hugely advertised may not be good for dogs. There's nothing like home made foods if they are prepared keeping in mind your puppy's nutritional requirements.

Whether or not you are using a commercial food but here are certain foods that you should consider giving your GSD pup...

Chicken neck: Properly cooked chicken neck is highly beneficial for your puppy because chicken neck is rich in natural calcium. There is no risk developing splinter with chicken neck. Moreover, necks are easy to digest for your dogs.

Pure Chicken: Apart from just neck, pure chicken meal is very rich in vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein and production of RBC and strengthens the immune system.

Chicken gizzards and hearts: Both chicken gizzards and hearts are rich source of natural zinc which helps in strengthening the ligaments. Apart from zinc these are are rich sources of iron, which is one of the most essential components for puppies during its growing phase. Both heart and gizzard provide all B vitamins - especially vitamin B12. Heart and gizzard are also very decent source of riboflavin, folate and pantothenic. Chicken hearts are good for your dog's heart too.

Chicken liver: Chicken live is a nutrient-rich organ that is rich in vitamin A, vitamin B, protein and essential minerals like phosphorus, zinc, iron, niacin and copper. Liver is a decent source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and amino acids that are essential for your growing GSD puppy. Feeding too much of liver may lead to constipation. Give your pup small quantity of it daily or moderate quantity for at least 4 days a week, giving gaps in between.

Give him green: I have purposefully and consciously used this phrase "give him green" in many of my articles across the web. Remember that puppies that are kept only on meat and egg do not get balanced diet. Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli florets, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, edamame, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pumpkins, green papaya, gourd, spinach.

Here is why these veggies are important for your growing GSD: 

• Asparagus - Good source of vitamin K. Good source of Vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E, folate, iron copper, fiber, manganese and potassium
• Broccoli florets - Good source of Vitamins C and K. Good source of Vitamin A, folate, manganese and fiber
• Brussels sprouts - Good source of vitamins K and C. Good source of manganese, folate, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, B1 and B6
• Carrot - Good source of vitamins A, K and C, and fiber and potassium
• Cauliflower - Good source of vitamins C, K and B6, folate and choline
• Edamame - Good source of vitamin B2, vitamin K, Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium and fiber
• Green beans - Good source of vitamins C, K and A, manganese and fiber
• Peas - Good source of vitamins B1, A, B6, B3, B2, C and K, manganese, fiber, folate, phosphorus, protein, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, potassium and vitamins
• Sweet potatoes - Good source of vitamin A, C, B6 and B5, manganese, potassium and fiber
• Potatoes - Good source of vitamins C and B6, potassium, manganese and fiber
• Green papaya - Promotes cardiovascular functionality and enhances the immune system, prevents constipation
• Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds - Pumpkin effectively prevents constipation. Pumpkin seeds are rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants that are good for a growing puppy. According to many vets pumpkin is good for overall healthy skin and fur and also promotes urinary health.
• Gourd: Gourds are rich source of water and helps keep your puppy cool from within. It prevents dehydration. 

Eggs: Eggs are rich source of protein and even water. Many dog owners have misconception that raw eggs are good for your puppy. the fact is that raw eggs block the absorption of biotin and hence is not recommended. Always feed your pup cooked eggs that are good source of digestible protein. Boiled eggs are rich in riboflavin and selenium, which are beneficial for your growing pup.

Your growing German Shepherd puppy need more than just balanced food.
 
Water: Last but not the least Water is one of the most essential nutrient for all animals. Healthy puppies regulate their consumption of water as long as they are provided with fresh and clean drinking water. Water is the only thing that helps flush off the toxins from your puppy's body. Water aids your pup in proper digestion of food and helps its body to absorb all nutrients. Puppies that are kept mainly on dry food, may need more water than they may consume naturally. Consider giving them soup prepared with all greens and meat products.

Correct measurement: Quantity is as vital as quality. Overfeeding your GSD pup will eventually lead to a series of health disorders including skeletal as well as digestive problems, thereby checking the growth process. It is important to break the meals in small quantity to be given 5 to 6 times a day keeping enough gap in between for proper digestion.

Play: Free play is associated with proper digestion, and mental and physical stimulation, which are hugely important for your puppy's growth. Free play also increases the water intake that has already been marked as important for your puppy. However, don't let your puppy to drink water immediately after the play.

Last of all remember that your German Shepherd puppy may be allergic to one or more components here that have been discussed. If your pup is allergic to any of the compenent(s) consider giving it to your pup.

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