Best Food for German Shorthaired Pointer (Reviewed in 2021)

Last Updated on 01/23/2021 by Veronica Jones

If you are a dog owner, then you probably know the struggle of finding the best dog food. Such is the struggle for owners of the German Shorthaired Pointers. Though dogs of this specific breed are known to be strong and muscular, they have poor digestive systems.

People used to breed the German Pointers for hunting, but today, they are mostly family dogs. They have high energy levels and require fuel to keep them active. As such, you should find the best food that can keep their energy levels high and their health in check.

To help you with that, we have compiled a list of the best dog food for your Pointer to help you out. But first, let’s learn what to look for when choosing the best food for your German Pointer.

What to Look for When Choosing a Food for German Shorthaired Pointers

German Pointers don’t have the best digestive systems. They have sensitive stomachs and are susceptible to allergies. However, they still need to eat and stay healthy.

When choosing food for your German Shorthaired Pointer, you should take into consideration his nutritional needs. This means you should look for foods with the right amounts of the following:

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats provide your dog with the much-needed energy to hunt or run around. Fats provide twice the amount of energy that your dog would get from carbohydrates or proteins.

Healthy fats can also help your dog absorb vitamins, produce hormones, and repair damaged cells. Therefore, you want to choose a dog food with omega-3 fatty acids.

Proteins

Proteins are important for young pups, and young adult Pointers who are still growing up. This nutrient helps in your pup’s growth and development. As such, you should look for foods with proteins as top ingredients.

Vitamins

Dogs also need vitamins in their diet. Therefore, look for dog food with vitamin B12. Also, vitamins help in the development of your dog’s brain and nervous system.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are good sources of essential sugars and fibers. Since German Pointers are prone to stomach problems, foods rich in carbohydrates can help promote a healthy digestive system.

Minerals

Minerals will help your dog maintain strong bones and teeth. Since dogs can’t make minerals on their own, looking for dog food with mineral-rich ingredients such as dairy products is advised.

Several Health Issues of German Shorthaired Pointers

Knowing what these issues are can help you choose the right diet that will help alleviate said issues.

Bloating

As you are already aware, the German Pointer has a weak stomach. As much as possible, you should avoid foods that might cause bloating and treat any sign of bloating immediately. Always keep in mind that bloating can be fatal if untreated. Ideally, you want to look for foods rich in fiber and anti-acids.

Blood clots

The German Pointer can inherit Von Willebrand’s Disease which is known to cause blood clotting.

Eye issues

This dog breed can also inherit cataracts which can cause blindness. You want to look for signs of cloudy eyes in your dogs as they are great indicators of this condition.

Superfoods such as blueberries are rich in antioxidants that promote eye health can help prevent this from happening.

Joint problems

German Shorthaired Pointers are at risk of contracting osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). This happens when the puppies grow too fast and their cartilage does not attach to the bones properly.

It’s advised to keep a regular feeding schedule in order not to overfeed them. Also, give your puppies a diet that’s rich in glucosamine and chondroitin as it can help keep their joints healthy.

Heart diseases

German shorthaired pointers are at risk of contracting heart diseases. Keeping a regular feeding schedule and checking the weight of your dog can help prevent heart diseases. For this, you want to choose dog feed that is rich in amino acids as they help promote heart health.

Elbow and Hip Dysplasia

As German Pointers get older, they might suffer from elbow and hip dysplasia. A healthy diet with glucosamine can help prevent this from happening earlier on.

Reviews of the Best Foods for German Shorthaired Pointers

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Adult Dry Food

The Taste of the Wild High Prairie food is a perennial dog food with ingredients sourced from high-quality sources.

It provides nutritional needs for most dog breeds including the Pointer. Its proteins are also sourced from buffalo and bison.

Additionally, this dog food product also sources ingredients from superfoods such as sweet potatoes.

With this, your dog can get the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants he needs. It is also perfect for a Pointer’s sensitive stomach.

Merrick Real Texas Beef + Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food

The Merrick Real Texas is a grain-free food that contains chondroitin which helps in strengthening joints and bones of old Pointers. It also contains fatty acids that can energize your dog and keep him happy.

Additionally, this meal is perfect for dogs that are peaky eaters. Ingredients include lamb meal, deboned beef, salmon meal, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

The Honest Kitchen Whole Grain Chicken Recipe

The Honest Kitchen is a whole grain recipe with free-range chicken and organic ingredients. All of the ingredients in this dog food product are stomach-friendly, making it ideal for German Pointers.

The meal contains dehydrated ingredients. Therefore, you need to add water before feeding your dog. There are no preservatives added to this food since it has undergone minimal processing.

Although it is labeled for adult dogs, you can feed this recipe to puppies too. Ingredients include organic barley, oats, and flaxseed, dehydrated chicken, and potatoes.

Blue Buffalo Basics Grain-Free LID Lamb and Potato Large Breed Recipe

This a recipe that German Shorthaired Pointers will enjoy a lot. It has the best-limited ingredients that don’t affect the sensitive stomachs of German Pointers.

It also contains carbohydrates such as potatoes, peas, and pumpkins which are easy to digest.

Aside from that, it also contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and taurine which are all necessary to keep your Pointer healthy.

Meanwhile, the lamb ingredient is non-allergenic to most dog breeds, including your Pointer.

American Journey Chicken and Brown Rice Large Breed Adult Recipe

This dog food product from American Journey is a great recipe for large dog breeds. It consists of healthy grains such as barley and brown rice which are safe for dogs.

Aside from that, it has protein from deboned chicken that helps German Pointers in their muscle growth.

Additionally, this adult large breed recipe contains all essential minerals, vitamins, and nutrients to maintain your dog’s overall health. Ingredients include deboned chicken, chicken meal, peas, brown rice, and rice bran.

Stella and Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties

The Stella and Chewy’s freeze-dried dinner patties are one of the best solid recipes for large athletic breeds like the German Pointer. It has all the necessary nutrients to provide your dog with a balanced diet.

This meal is made up of free-range chicken, bones, and fats to keep your dog strong and healthy. Also, it doesn’t contain any allergens and preservatives which makes it the perfect raw recipe for Pointers and other dog breeds.

Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

This is also a poultry-based recipe that has other added ingredients not found in other poultry recipes. It includes a salmon meal, lamb meal, flax seeds, and dried beet pulp which add nutritional value to the recipe.

Nutro Ultra is also a good option for dogs with sensitive stomachs since it is a superfood-rich recipe. Ingredients include chicken meal, chicken, brewer’s rice, whole brown rice, and rice bran.

Nature’s Recipe Grain-Free Salmon Sweet Potato Pumpkin

If you are looking for healthy carbohydrates, good fats, and high-quality proteins in a dog meal, then you should check this one from Nature’s Recipe.

It includes sources of carbohydrates and fiber such as sweet potatoes and pumpkins.

This recipe also energizes your German Pointer with quality protein and fatty acids from red salmon.

Additionally, this dog food product can boost your dog’s immune system using carefully selected antioxidants.

Ingredients include salmon, peas, garbanzo beans, pea protein, and salmon meal.

Victor Yukon River Salmon and Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

The Victor Yukon dry dog food is a recipe that your German Shorthaired Pointer will surely love. It is a fish-based dog food that gives your dog the proteins he needs to develop strong muscles and fats to keep him energized.

The recipe has mineral complexes and probiotics that are good for dogs with sensitive digestive systems. This makes it a good choice for the sensitive stomachs of German Shorthaired Pointers.

Ingredients include Menhaden fish meal, peas, chicken fat, garbanzo beans, and dehydrated salmon.

Purina Pro Plan Sport Life Stages Performance 30/20 Formula

The 30/20 protein to fat ratio of the Purina Pro Plan is an indication that it’s a meal your German Shorthaired Pointer would love. Its formulation can keep your dogs active and ensures that their muscles and joints will stay healthy.

Additionally, the Purina Pro Plan has EPA, DHA, glucosamine, fatty acids, and many other nutrients. Ingredients include chicken, corn gluten meal, brewer’s rice, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, and poultry by-products.

Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Turkey and Sweet Potato Puppy Recipe

This is a protein-rich recipe that’s good for German Pointer puppies. It consists of 80% of animal proteins that are derived from turkeys, salmon, and other animal sources.

The proteins and fats can help keep puppies active and their joints strong. It also has low glycemic content which can keep your puppies free of diabetes.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost Grain-Free Chicken Large Breed Puppy Recipe

The Raw Boost product from Nature’s Variety is a large breed dog recipe that can also be used as food for German Pointer puppies. It is stomach-friendly since it is easy to digest and doesn’t contain any grains.

This recipe helps puppies in their mental and physical development. It is made from high protein formulas derived from its ingredients including chicken, chicken meal, peas, egg products, and tapioca.

Solid Gold Young At Heart Chicken, Sweet Potato and Spinach Senior Recipe

This recipe keeps old German Pointers look young and strong. It contains just enough proteins and fat from real chicken to help keep your dogs full of energy.

The ingredients that make up this recipe are tummy-friendly and won’t trigger digestive issues.

It also has superfood ingredients that strengthen the immune systems. Other ingredients include chicken, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and peas.

Nutro Wholesome Essentials Chicken Brown Rice and Sweet Potato Large Breed

The Nutro’s Wholesome Essentials Recipe is a perfect meal for the large German Shorthaired Pointers.

It provides them with all the necessary nutrients without causing tummy problems. It also has enough fatty acids that will keep their joints strong.

This recipe contains ingredients that can keep your German Pointer active without causing stomach sensitivity.

Ingredients include chicken, chicken meal, whole brown rice, brewer’s rice, and split peas.

Victor Select Nutra Pro Active Dog and Puppy Formula

This is another formula for the active German Shorthaired Pointers. It is mainly a protein-rich diet that allows your dog to jump around without getting tired. However, it also has other ingredients that keep the diet balanced.

Ingredients include chicken meal, blood meal, whole grain millet, chicken fat, and yeast culture.

Royal Canin Large Puppy Dry Dog Food

This is also another protein-rich formula that does not cause stomach problems for your dog.

It contains fats and probiotics that can keep your dog energized as well as improve his digestion and nutrient absorption.

Many vets recommend this recipe to German Shorthaired Pointer owners.

Ingredients include corn, wheat, wheat gluten, chicken fat, and chicken by-product meal.

Conclusion

Shopping for dog food is not as simple as people take it. It is not wise to just pick the fast bag of dog food you come across especially if you own a German Pointer.

You should consider the life-stage, health issues, nutritional value, and ingredients before buying a bag of dog food.

If you’re a German shorthaired pointer owner who has no idea where to begin when looking for dog food, this guide gives you the first step.

Use different recipes until you find out what your dog prefers. However, remember to follow a transitional process that allows your dog to easily adapt to the new diets.

Always remember to avoid recipes that seem to cause stomach problems since German Shorthaired Pointers have sensitive stomachs.