Great Danes are known as a large giant breed. They can effortlessly rise above other dogs and weigh over 100 pounds. Even as puppies, they can be massive in size. However, despite being enormous dogs, this dog breed is gentle and loving.
With its big build, a Great Dane demands specific nutritional needs to develop correctly. This kind of dog is also prone to different health conditions and injuries if not given a high-quality diet. They grow up fast, which means that they will need your constant support with their health to live a full life in good shape.
What are the Nutritional Requirements of Great Danes?
Once they are off their mother’s milk, Great Dane puppies should be given raw feeding or high-quality Great Dane puppy kibble specially made for large and giant breeds. They need a diet with low calcium levels, 25% protein content levels, and around 15% fat levels.
The reason why you should feed your Great Dane puppy with low levels of calcium is that your Great Dane puppy’s skeletal development won’t be complete until it’s about 18 months. Too much calcium in its diet can lead to orthopedic problems.
A tip for checking if your giant breed puppy has the right weight for its breed should be slim enough for you to feel its last rib. When your Great Dane puppy is overweight, their joints will have too much weight to support, leading to numerous orthopedic issues in the future.
How Much Amount of Food Should You Feed a Great Dane Puppy?
For male Great Dane puppies, aged 3 to 6 months, you should feed them 4 to 8 cups of food daily, divided between three meals. From 8 to 12 months, raise the amount to 6 to 10 cups per day. When they reach 1 to 2 years of age, you should feed them 9 to 15 cups.
For female Great Dane puppies, aged 3 to 6 months, you should feed them 3 to 6 cups every day. From 8 to 12 months, females should be fed 5 to 8 cups. When the pups are a year to 2 years old, they would need 8 cups of food daily.
Best Food for Great Dane Puppies
To support your Great Dane puppy’s healthy diet, you should choose an excellent Dane puppy food brand that is aligned with its nutritional requirements. There are many options in the market, but we’ve rounded up the best dry puppy food you can give to your growing dog.
Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula with Probiotics Dry Dog Food
Type:
Dry dog food made with high-quality protein.
Main Ingredients:
Pea Fiber, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken, Rice, Beef Fat Preserved with Mixed-tocopherols, Poultry By-Product Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, and Dried Egg Product, among others.
Benefits:
- The product has real chicken as its #1 ingredient.
- This product contains natural sources of glucosamine for joint and cartilage support.
- It has DHA from fish oil, which helps with brain and vision development.
- Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula includes antioxidants that boost your Great Dane puppy’s immune system.
Room for Improvement:
Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Rice Formula is a bit more expensive than other dry dog food brands. However, despite its price, it’s still a popular choice for many great Danes.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Type:
A taste of the wild with roasted bison & venison.
Main Ingredients:
Buffalo, egg product, sweet potatoes, canola oil, flaxseed, peas, potatoes, roasted venison, tomato pomace, roasted bison, ocean fish meal, beef, pea protein, potato fiber, natural flavor, lamb meal, and salmon oil (a source of DHA), among others.
Benefits:
- The product has high-quality animal proteins designed for Great Danes.
- This product has small-sized kibble.
- It does not contain any grains, corn, and wheat.
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula is made in the USA and by a family-owned business.
Room for Improvement:
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula has high-protein ingredients. This can produce an unpleasant meaty smell that can put off dog owners but make the puppies salivate.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Puppy Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Type:
A recipe packed with real chicken.
Main Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Deboned Chicken, Tapioca Starch, Pea Protein, Peas, Pea Starch, Menhaden Fish Meal (Source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), and Dried Tomato Pomace, among others.
Benefits:
- The product is grain-free with healthy carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes and peas.
- This product has a precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- It contains amino acids and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to help support your Great Dane puppy’s skin and coat health.
- Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Puppy Chicken Recipe has lean protein sources such as chicken, chicken meal, and fish meal, which helps with muscle development.
Room for Improvement:
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Puppy Chicken Recipe is a great all-around dry food for puppies as it can also help with the dog’s skin and coat conditions. However, some pet owners have said that this product made their pup’s stomach upset. The peas in this product’s high-quality ingredients may lead to your Great Dane puppy to have loose stool and gas.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Deboned Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
Type:
Premium protein with advanced natural canine nutrition.
Main Ingredients:
Turkey Meal, Peas, Chicken Meal, Dried Ground Potatoes, Deboned Chicken, Ground Flaxseed, Tomato Pomace, Lentils, and Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), among others.
Benefits:
- The product has guaranteed levels of DHA from salmon oil, antioxidants, calcium, and phosphorus.
- This product contains high protein levels from fresh meat ingredients.
- It has glucosamine, probiotics, and taurine to support your puppy’s heart health.
- Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Deboned Chicken Recipe kibble is covered with a unique probiotic solution called “acticoat” to promote digestive tract health.
Room for Improvement:
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy Deboned Chicken Recipe has chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal at the top of its ingredient list, making sure that this product promotes lean muscle and healthy muscle growth. However, this product is one of the expensive ones in the market.
Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food
Type:
Great Dane puppy food with complete and balanced nutrition.
Main Ingredients:
Corn Meal, Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine), Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Flavor, Brewers Rice, and Dried Egg Product, among others.
Benefits:
- The product supports muscle growth and bone health with high-quality animal protein.
- This product has DHA levels to help with your puppy’s healthy brain development.
- It has excellent-quality chicken listed as its first ingredient.
- Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food has a blend that supports active growth and energy for growing puppies.
Room for Improvement:
The ingredients found in Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food can assist your Great Dane puppy while it grows into a big and healthy adult. However, this product is not grain-free and contains corn and wheat, which may cause allergic reactions to some Great Danes.
Taking care of Great Dane puppies is a huge responsibility. They will need special dietary requirements to keep them healthy and going throughout the day. Be sure to choose the right Great Dane puppy food. You can do this by checking the product’s ingredients and reading through dry dog food reviews to get some insight into products used by other owners.