GSD

Question
My dog is 5 months old. He refuse to take Royal Canine dry food and only eat the pasted meat canes. He suffering diarrhoea frequently.
He has only one erected ear while the other one is falling down.

Kindly advice me.

Thank you.  

Answer
Shepherds can be difficult.  The diarrhea could be from parasites.  Can you have a vet check a fecal sample?  There are many different types of parasites and you need to identify which one to choose an effective remedy.  Sometimes you even have to do repeated checks to catch the parasite.  

It is quite common for young Shepherds to refuse to eat enough to keep their ribs from showing.  Cut out the pasted meat canes and anything else but an all life stages food.  Switching to an adult chow for the larger breeds around 4 months, slows growth and helps develop sturdier joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx  Don't worry if your Shepherd is on the thing side by that guide.  

The worst thing you can do is to bribe a dog with rich foods into eating more than it needs. Instead, Put down the dish with what the dog should eat, and give it 15 minutes to eat. Then take it up. Do not give it anything to eat until its next scheduled meal. In a few days, it should be eating what it needs. Continue to check its ribs and adjust the food as needed. This is not easy. I had a Shepherd go 3 days on a few nibbles. I was a wreck, but she was fine. It is almost unknown for a healthy dog not to eat what it needs. Unfortunately, in too many cases, it is less than the package says, and less than the owner thinks the dog should have. Many dogs are quite good at holding out for tastier chow. Like kids, sometimes it calls for tough love.