My 1-year-old German Shepherd is small. What food helps her grow?

Hello. Good care is all you can do for Kyra. At 2 months of age, she still has the potential to reach her potential maximum growth. Feed her the best large breed puppy food you can purchase. Do not supplement her with any vitamins or minerals. Deworm her based on a veterinarian's analysis of her stool & make sure she receives all appropriate vaccinations at the appropriate times. Treat her well & she will mature into a healthy, beautiful dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would recommend feeding a high quality large breed puppy food such as Purian Pro Plan large breed puppy or Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy or Royal Canin German Sheperd Puppy. These foods will have to correct balance of protein, calcium and phosphorus to allow the correct growth of muscle and bones in a large breed dog. The rest is up to genetics, as you cannot make a dog grow larger than their genetics have determined them to grow. Female dogs are often smaller than males, and there isn't really anything you can do to increase their height other than provide good nutrition.

I use the large breed adult food from 9 months on. I like the dogs to grow a little slower to prevent bone problems. Soska will reach her full size but it will just take a little longer with less bone and joint issues. I usually mix the new food with the old food for a week or two so she doesn't get a stomach upset. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Soska.

Grown up size of a doog depends on genetics and nutrition. You can help your dog grow to his full potential by feeding him a good quality complete puppy food for large dogs. Some dogs will stay on the smaller side within the breed sprectrum. This does not take away from them. You do not want to make your dog grow taller faster than nature wants him to grow, as you make him prone to bone problems. Your dog will still grow for about another year to 18 months. Be patient.

I would say Pedigree is the best for Zara. Be sure to feed her a puppy formulated food, as puppies need higher amounts of calcium, protein, and calories than adult dogs. A puppy food will provide that for it, as well as all the nutrients she needs to grow correctly and be healthy. She does NOT need any medicines, her puppy food will give her what she needs. Adding additional medications with her food can abnormally affect her growth, i.e. too much calcium leads to bone growth abnormalities. As for weight, each puppy grows differently even within a breed, so it's not really possible to say her perfect bodyweight. At four months of age, she should be roughly half of her adult weight, and female German Shepherds can weigh between 48.5-70.5 pounds when fully grown. I hope this helps!

German Shepherds are lanky dogs, especially when they are puppies. Make sure you are feeding him enough and that he is dewormed regularly. If Boe is still abnormaly thin as an adult, then I would worry about something else going on. I would recommend to feed the Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy Formula. This is a nice diet with the right calories for a growing puppy. Please post again if you have any further questions!

I would continue her on a puppy food until she is 1 year old. At that time you can transition to to an adult maintenance food. When you transition her be sure to mix the old food with her new food for at least 7-10 days to help prevent an upset tummy. I hope this helps!