The German Shepherd is known as the "wolf dog". During the feeding period, in addition to some basic feeding methods, attention should also be paid to their calcium and phosphorus absorption.

Calcium (Ca)

Calcium (Ca) is present in every cell in the body. Calcium accounts for approximately 1-1.5% of the entire body and 98% of bones. It is the most important element in the composition of bones. And calcium participates in many physiological processes (muscle contraction, blood coagulation, release of hormones, nerve responses, etc.).

Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus (P) is mainly distributed in bones (80%) and soft tissues (20%) in the body. It is an important element for cells to exchange energy and an important component of the cell nucleus. Phosphorus accounts for approximately 0.5-0.8% in the body.

Dogs' intake of calcium and phosphorus is mainly through food. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the food and the content of vitamin D are very important indicators (bone tissue cannot be formed without vitamin D).

For an adult German Shepherd, each kilogram of body weight should consume 100 mg of calcium and 85 mg of phosphorus per day to basically meet the body's needs. The optimal calcium to phosphorus ratio should be between 1.2:1 and 1.4:1. Adult dogs have different needs at different times. For example, a pregnant female dog needs to increase the calcium and phosphorus content in the food by 60% one week before giving birth, which means that each kilogram of body weight needs about 160 mg of calcium and 140 mg of phosphorus per day. . During the lactation period, you should pay more attention to the content of calcium and phosphorus in the food, because the female dog will consume a large amount of calcium and phosphorus through lactation. If a dog is deficient in calcium, the calcium content in the blood will be reduced, making the dog susceptible to fright, convulsions and even shock. Depending on the number of puppies, a female dog needs 250-495 mg of calcium and 175-335 mg of phosphorus per kilogram of body weight per day. Compared with cow's milk, dog milk is richer in calcium and phosphorus. During the lactation period, the calcium and phosphorus required for the bone development of puppies are obtained through the mother's milk, which is a heavy burden for the mother.

The first two months after weaning of puppies is also a very important period of bone development. At this stage, the amount of calcium and phosphorus required by puppies is about 4 times that of adult dogs.

Experts have found that there are more and more cases of bone lesions in large dogs. The reason is that large dogs ingest too many high-energy substances during their childhood, while ignoring the ratio of calcium to phosphorus. Many people like to use animal offal as food for German Shepherds. This food is rich in phosphorus but very poor in calcium, which cannot meet the needs of dogs. Dog food is food processed according to different types of dogs. It includes high-calcium ingredients such as bone meal and fish meal. It is an ideal food for dogs. When purchasing dog food, dog owners should pay attention to the type and age of dogs that the dog food is suitable for. One point is very important.