Is 4%of body weight the correct amount to feed a 79 lb. german shepherd about 1 1/2 years old??

Question

Is 4% of body weight the correct amount of food to feed a German Shepherd.????  She is a surrender rescued from an animal shelter in California.  She is on the thin side and active on an acreage.  She does not like dogfood ( $62.00) a bag but will eat if if it is doctored up with yogurt and veg. oil.  She won't eat organic treats.  I give her about 1 1/2 lbs. of raw beef in the morning  and potatoes and vegetables mixed with dogfood in the evening to make up at least another lb of food.  Her coat is rough and she is long haired.  She is now in B.C. Canada   where there is 25 inches of snow for her to play in.

Kate M · Accepted Answer

4% is a little much, but as she need to gain weight, it is good. You should feed 2-3% of the ideal weight if you want her to gain a bit. Say she should be 90lbs, you would then feed about 1.5-3 pounds of food to get her there. 

I would cut out the potatoes as dogs cannot digest grains and they are high in carbs. You don't need a lot of veggies, 25% of the total diet is enough. 

Be careful giving raw and kibble at the same time. They digest at different rates and can cause blockages. Feed them separately, with the raw at least 12 hours after kibble.

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Is 4%of body weight the correct amount to feed a 79 lb. german shepherd about 1 1/2 years old??

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