Hi Brandon. Have you had a chance to look through the 4 and 5 star foods here? Checked them out locally/via online etailers (or direct buy), asked for samples?
What have you tried so far? Do you have brands in mind?
I don’t think there’s one best dog food out there for all dogs (and if someone tells you there is, be very suspicious! 😉 ). Neither is that commonly suggested by longtime posters here.
Rather, we can often tell you what has worked for our dogs and why, and what we look for and value in feeding. All other things being equal (but that is a BIG caveat), ideally I personally prefer a well-designed homemade diet of fresh foods with high quality ingredients.
If a kibble, I have brands I prefer and brands I don’t for a number of reasons. But I have a GSD. And, honestly, I’ve fostered a Siberian mix, and found her diet, exercise needs, training needs very different from GSDs and tending-herding breeds — more familiar to me.
As far as pickiness goes, while the samples should help, in a medium to large (or giant) breed, I don’t allow pickiness. I take into account preferences, but I don’t let my dogs get super fussy/demanding and dictate what I feed (without good cause . . . like cancer) and don’t recommend it. Feed 2-3 x day and pick up the bowl after 10-15 minutes.
Does your pup put on weight easily or stay lean?
