Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Review: Pros, Cons, Recalls

Written by Susan Olayode
Updated: May 27, 2024
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Royal Canin is a brand that has specialized recipes for over 60 canine breeds. They work closely with professional vets and nutritionists to develop these formulas. Come with us on this journey as we review their Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food.

German Shepherds are magnificent dogs. Whether you call yours an Alsatian or a GSD, we all love these intelligent and protective watchdogs. Who wouldn’t love them? With their thick double-layered coats, they’re big softies, aren’t they?

German shepherds are, however, prone to certain health conditions. They tend to have sensitive skin, some digestive problems, and also hip dysplasia. The right food should consider all of these in addition to meeting your German Shepherd’s nutritional needs.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food is a highly nutritious meal tailor-made for your dog. It has the ingredients necessary to support excellent digestive, bone and joint health, and healthy skin and coat. Clearly, your dog will benefit from this meal.

What’s more, you can be sure of the quality of this dog food since it is made in the U.S. under high standards. This review discusses how Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog food meets the proper requirements. It also talks about the pros and cons of this meal and any possible recalls it’s had.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food: Benefits and Features

  • Specially formulated for German Shepherds
  • It contains specific fibers and highly digestible proteins to help with digestion
  • It comes as a uniquely designed kibble that is great for your German Shepherd’s jaws
  • It contains essential fatty acids from fish oil that are great for your dog’s skin and coat
  • It includes compounds that are known to maintain good joint and bone health

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food: Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Vets and nutritionists created it especially for your German Shepherd.A little on the expensive side
Perfect kibble size for German Shepherd’s Jaw and excellent oral health.It might be a little difficult to purchase directly from the company. (We’ve included helpful links to online stores that have this product in stock.)
It contains digestive health, skin, bones and joint support.Since it’s a dry food, it does not help with hydration.
It’s easy to store
It provides numerous nutrients per bite

Where is Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Made?

The Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food you buy in America is made in the U.S. The company’s U.S. headquarters are located in St. Charles, Missouri. This facility houses a factory for pet food production, including Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food. They have another manufacturing facility in South Dakota.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Ingredients

Royal Canin German Shepherd Food contains chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, brown rice, and brewers rice. It also has oat groats, fish oil, pork meal, wheat gluten, vegetable oil powdered cellulose, dried plain beet pulp, and natural flavors.

The minerals you will find in this food include sodium silico aluminate, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, L-tyrosine, and sodium tripolyphosphate. You’ll also find trace minerals like ferrous sulfate, zinc proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, zinc oxide, and copper proteinate. Plus, it includes manganese proteinate, copper sulfate, and manganous oxide.

The vitamins in Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food include vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), and vitamin B12 supplement. There is also folic acid, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), biotin, vitamin D3 supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), niacin supplement, and riboflavin supplement.

Lastly, you have salt, hydrolyzed yeast, monocalcium phosphate, choline chloride, taurine, DL-methionine, magnesium oxide, glucosamine hydrochloride, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), green tea extract, chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract. The food is preserved with citric acid and mixed tocopherols.

While every ingredient in this fantastic German Shepherd meal is beneficial, we’ll be discussing some very important ones individually. Take the dried plain beet pulp, for example. This is a healthy source of fiber that offers numerous health benefits to dogs, including supporting your German Shepherd’s digestive health.

Then we have the fish oil, which contains EPA and DHA. These are known to be great at reinforcing the skin barrier, promoting healthy skin. No wonder pet parents who feed their dogs Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food testify that their dogs’ skin is healthy. Some German Shepherd parents even swear that their dog’s skin problems stopped when they switched to this food.

You’ll also notice that this dog food has glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate. Glucosamine and chondroitin are widely acknowledged to be great for joint health. There is also calcium which is good for bones and teeth.

Which Type of Dog Is Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Suitable For?

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food is created specifically for German Shepherds, sometimes known as Alsatians or GSDs. It is formulated by experts to give your dog the best nutritional benefits and keep it healthy.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Recalls

As of July 2, 2022, This food has never been recalled by the FDA

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food: Where to Buy

Best
Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd
  • Rich in fiber
  • Supports muscle and joint health
  • Boosts immunity and muscle and brain growth
  • Especially formulated for German Shepherds
Check Chewy Check Amazon

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Specs

Design

As a brand, Royal Canin is committed to creating the perfect diet for every dog. This is what goes into the choice of ingredients, the texture and shape of the food, and much more. They work very closely with animal specialists like vets and nutritionists to come up with their breed nutrition.

As a result, Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food is designed to give your German Shepherd the very best. Every ingredient, as we have shown, is tailored towards fulfilling your pet’s nutritional needs and supporting their health.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food also comes in kibble sizes which are specifically designed for your German Shepherd’s muzzle. You may have noticed that your dog seems to inhale them other brands of kibble, which is bad for their digestive health and nutrition.

This food has the right kibble design and size that encourage your dog to chew before swallowing. This is also great for your German Shepherd’s oral health. You’ll discover less buildup of tartar and plaque when you put them on this meal.

Safety

There is no brand you can trust like Royal Canin regarding the safety of your dog food. With over 50 years of experience, this brand develops every meal using science, research and experts. They also conduct extensive ongoing safety and nutritional quality testing.

Durability

Royal Cain German Shepherd Dog Food is in dry kibble form. This makes it easier to feed your dog and easier to preserve. You don’t need to refrigerate it to keep it safe like you would with wet dog food. Don’t forget to check the expiration date and make sure the vacuum protection hasn’t been broken when you receive your purchase.

Price

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food ranges from around $63 to $160, depending on which bag size you go for. It comes in 17-pound and 30-pound bags. Your purchase price will also depend on which platform you use and other factors like memberships.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food vs. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food is another brand some German Shepherd Owners use. This food is specifically made for large breed dogs and comes in 15-pound, 24-pound, 30-pound, and 34-pound bags. It is less expensive than Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food.

Blue Buffalo is, however, not specifically created for German Shepherds as a breed. For example, it does not have dried plain beet pulp, which is the fabulous fiber that Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food contains.  

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food also excels in kibble design. While Blue Buffalo has a large kibble size, it is not specifically designed with your German Shepherd’s strong long muzzle in mind.

Bottom Line

German Shepherds are hardworking, faithful, and protective dogs. Every pet parent who has a German Shepherd will tell you how seriously they take their duty. They deserve a special diet that keeps them healthy and meets their required nutritional profile.

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food is an excellent choice. It is formulated with German Shepherds in mind. That means it’s designed to meet your dog’s nutritional needs and to keeping it healthy. Your German Shepherd will benefit greatly from this food.

Up Next

Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food Review: Pros, Cons, Recalls FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Which dog food is best for German Shepherds?

From our review, Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog food is one of the best for your dog. It meets the nutritional profile recommended by AAFCO. It is also designed to support the digestive system, bones, joints and skin of your German Shepherd

How much Royal Canin do I feed my German Shepherd?

The right amount of Royal Canin to feed your German Shepherd depends on their age. It also depends on things like weight. Please check the nutritional information on your Royal Canin food bag to find the perfect answer.

What dry food is best for German Shepherds?

Your German Shepherd will love Royal Canin German Shepherd Dog Food. It is delicious and specially formulated to meet its dietary needs.

Why do vets recommend Royal Canin?

Royal Canin is a brand that works very closely with expert animal health professionals. That means every pet food from them is adequately tested and can be trusted to do what it says. It is also why their pet food is considered one of the best in the world.

Where is Royal Canin made?

All Royal Canin food purchased in the U.S. is made in the U.S. Royal Canin has two factories in Missouri and North Dakota. There, the pet food sold in the US is produced and tested for quality.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.