A Great Dane is a large and friendly dog, as any owner will attest. Keeping your dog on a good diet is crucial to his or her longevity and happiness. Here, you’ll learn how much to feed a Great Dane puppy.
To help you choose the best food, we’ve put up a detailed Great Dane feeding chart and recommendations on how to feed a Great Dane.
Whether you’re a first-time owner or simply searching for some useful information, we have you covered.
To assist you in choosing the best food for your Great Dane, we will delve into the realm of dog food and puppy nutrition in this article.
How Much Should A Great Dane Puppy Eat?
Growing so quickly and becoming so enormous requires special attention to the diet of Great Dane pups.
A Great Dane puppy, up to the age of roughly six months, should consume three or four smaller meals every day. After they’ve been on the three-meal-a-day schedule for six months, the feeding frequency may be reduced to twice a day.
Great Dane puppies have varying dietary requirements according on their size, metabolism, and degree of activity.
One to two cups of high-quality puppy food daily is a reasonable beginning point, and this quantity may be increased as the puppy gets bigger leading to about 7-8 cups in adulthood.
Great Dane Feeding Chart
The RER formula for a Great Dane puppy is as follows: RER = 70 x (body weight in kg) 0.75. Let’s suppose, for argument’s sake, that your Great Dane pup is 20 kg in weight. Their RER is 10.55, which is obtained by raising 20 kilograms to the power of 0.75.
Next, you would take the RER and multiply it by 10.55 and 70 to get a daily caloric intake of around 738. Keeping the puppy’s resting metabolic rate at this level would need a diet of around 738 calories per day.
But remember that the puppy’s entire calorie demands, between their activity level and development rate, will exceed their RER. If you want to know how many calories your Great Dane puppy needs, it’s better to see a vet.
4 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
The puppy should still be feeding from its mother at this point. If they aren’t, start feeding them a little quantity of solid food mixed with water or puppy milk replacer.
You should start by feeding them a quarter to a half cup of food three to four times a day.
6 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Puppy should have transitioned to solid food by now. Feed your puppy three to four small meals a day made from high-quality puppy food.
The recommended daily quantity is 1/2 to 1 cup of food, but you may start with less and add more as your puppy grows. Make sure they have access to lots of clean water, and keep an eye on their growth.
8 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Puppies need 1-2 cups of high-quality puppy food each day, divided into three or four little meals.
Keep an eye on their growth rate and modify their food intake accordingly. When the puppy is still developing, it is important to avoid over-exerting it.
10 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Feed your puppy three to four times a day, with around two to three cups of high-quality food spread out among the meals.
Do your best to keep them hydrated with clean water and keep an eye on their growth. Puppies’ bones are still forming, so it’s important to take it easy on them during their early exercise sessions.
12 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Feed your puppy three to four cups of high-quality food every day, split between two and three meals.
Keep an eye on their growth rate and modify their food intake accordingly. Get the puppy out and around and started on its training.
14 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Feed your puppy twice a day on a high-quality puppy chow and aim for four to five cups of food each day.
Keep an eye on their growth and make necessary adjustments to their food intake. Start working out and training more regularly.
16 Week Old Great Dane Puppy
Provide high-quality puppy food twice day, and try to fill 5-6 cups of bowls in total.
Ensure that their weight increase is being closely tracked, and make any necessary adjustments to their food intake. Start working out more and training harder.
6 Months – 12 Months Old Great Dane Puppy
Feed your adult dog two meals a day of high-quality food that is designed for big breeds. You should aim to consume 6-8 cups of food day, and spread it out throughout your meals.
Keep an eye on their growth rate and modify their food intake accordingly. Maintain a program of physical education and training.
12 Months & Above Fantastic Danes
Feed your adult dog two meals a day of high-quality food that is designed for big breeds.
The recommended daily intake of food is 5–6 cups. Keep an eye on your dog’s weight and make adjustments as necessary to their food intake based on their activity level and metabolic rate.
Dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so it’s important to watch how much food you give them.
Understanding Great Dane Puppy Nutritional Needs
To put it simply, Great Danes are massive canines. The minimal protein and fat content of their diet should be 23% and 12%, respectively. A male adult Great Dane needs 7 to 9 cups of food each day, but a female Great Dane only needs 6 to 8 cups.
Check the ingredients of high-quality dog food thoroughly before purchasing it for your large pets.
Adult food is an important investment, and you may wish to choose a high-quality brand formulated especially for big breeds. To help alleviate the pain and discomfort in their joints, Great Danes need special dog food.
Your Great Dane’s nutritional requirements will be the same as those of any other dog and will vary with factors such as his or her age, level of activity, and the kind of dog food you provide.
If you want to save money, don’t be duped into purchasing cheap dog food. It’s not only unhealthy for your dog that you may have to offer them additional food to make up for the difference in calories and nutrients.
How Many Times A Day To Feed A Great Dane Puppy?
Great Dane puppies of different ages need to be fed at different intervals throughout the day. Puppies need to be fed many times a day to keep them healthy and growing, but as they become older, they may stick to a more consistent routine.
Feed your puppy three to four little meals a day until he or she is three months old. You may cut down to twice daily feedings when your baby is 3 to 6 months old.
Around six months of age, you may switch to feeding your Great Dane puppy twice a day with high-quality dog food designed for big breeds.
If you want to keep your puppy from becoming overweight, you’ll need to keep an eye on their calorie intake and make adjustments to their feeding schedule and portion sizes.
For more particular information on what to feed your Great Dane puppy, talk to your vet.
Kibble Vs Wet Food For Great Dane Puppies
Puppies of the Great Dane breed may get all the nutrition they need from both dry kibble and wet food. It’s important to keep in mind a few key distinctions, however.
Kibble is widely used because it is easy to prepare and because it helps improve oral health by decreasing tartar formation. Puppy food specifically made for big breeds should be rich in protein, fat, and calcium.
For finicky eaters or pups with dental problems, wet food might be a great alternative. Moreover, the added moisture may help keep the urinary system healthy.
When deciding between kibble and wet food for your Great Dane puppy, it boils down to personal taste and what your dog prefers.
Choose a high-quality, well-balanced food, and ask your vet for recommendations on how much to give your puppy.
Switching From Puppy Food To Adult Food
By the time they are 18-24 months old, most Great Danes have reached their full size and weight. Since adult dogs have different nutritional needs than puppies, this is a good time to make the transition from puppy food.
It’s best to ease into eating like an adult over the course of a week to 10 days. Mix a tiny quantity of the new food with the puppy food at first, then increase the new food while lowering the puppy food until the puppy is fully weaned.
This will make the shift easier for your digestive system and lessen the likelihood of any discomfort.
What If My Great Dane Puppy Won’t Eat?
Discovering the root reason of your Great Dane puppy’s lack of appetite is a prerequisite to implementing any corrective measures. Illness, stress, dental problems, and even just a change in habit or surroundings may all contribute to a decrease in appetite.
You should start by exposing your puppy to a selection of high-quality dog diets to see whether it has a preference.
Veterinarian help should be sought if your puppy persists in refusing food. The vet can suggest a new diet, some medicine, or more tests.
Avoid trying to coax your puppy to eat, since this might cause more anxiety and resistance to food. Provide meals in an unhurried setting, with plenty of clean water nearby.
Can You Freefeed A Great Dane Puppy?
Great Dane pups are not often candidates for free-feeding, the practice of putting food available for a dog to consume whenever it chooses.
It may be difficult to keep track of a Great Dane’s food consumption while you’re free-feeding it, which increases the risk that it will overeat and become overweight.
Great Dane pups should instead be fed a measured quantity of food at regular times throughout the day. This controls their calorie intake, which aids in healthy development.
Best Puppy Dog Food For Great Dane
1. Eukanuba Puppy Big Breed Dry Dog Food
Editor’s Choice
Eukanuba Puppy Big Breed Dry Dog Food is one of the best choices you can make.
This full and balanced meal is ideal for big breed pups up to 15 months old. It has high-quality animal protein and calcium and phosphorus to promote muscle development and bone health.
DHA boosts brain development for smarter, trainable puppies. This food’s optimum fat and carbohydrate proportions provide growing pups energy.
With high-quality chicken as the first component, your dog is receiving the greatest nourishment.
Pros
- Promotes muscle development and bone health
- DHA boosts brain growth
- Optimal fat and carbohydrate levels for development and play
- High-quality ingredients
- Balanced nourishment to ensure your puppy thrives
#2. Purina Pro Plan High Protein Chicken & Rice Formula
Runner-Up
Check out Purina Pro Plan High Protein Chicken & Rice Formula Large Breed Dry Puppy Food. This recipe contains high-quality protein, including chicken as the #1 component, to help your pet grow.
Glucosamine strengthens joints and cartilage, while DHA from omega-3 fish oil boosts brain and eyesight development.
Calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals strengthen bones and teeth. This dry dog food supports your puppy’s growing immune system with antioxidants.
Pros
- Large breed puppy foods
- Promotes optimum development rate
- Glucosamine aids growing joints and cartilage of big breeds
- Brain and vision development
- Sturdy bones and teeth from calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals
Cons
- Not the best packaging
#3. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Dry Dog Chow
We suggest Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Lamb Meal & Rice Dry Dog Chow because you want the best for your pet. This recipe includes everything a healthy dog needs.
This formula ensures proper calcium levels for bone formation. Fish oil DHA promotes brain and eye growth and learning. Your pup’s immune system is boosted by the antioxidant and vitamin E and C mix.
This recipe uses natural, healthful ingredients since we realize how vital it is to give your dog high-quality foods without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Pros
- Fish oil DHA for brain, vision, and learning health
- Antioxidant and vitamin E/C mix for immunological support
- Regulated calcium for big breed puppy bone development
Cons
- Not all dogs like lamb
4. IAMS Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food With Real Chicken
IAMS Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food with Real Chicken gives your pet a healthy start. This dish starts with farm-raised chicken and is designed for large-breed pups.
This premium-sourced protein helps your pet build strong muscles for growth and movement.
This puppy chow contains 22 essential nutrients, including omega-3 DHA, which boosts cognition and makes puppies smarter and more trainable. This formulation provides balanced and complete nutrition for your puppy’s growth.
Pros
- Designed for large-breed pups.
- Protein-rich chicken is the first ingredient.
- Includes 22 essential nutrients
- Omega-3 DHA helps your dog learn faster and smarter.
Cons
- Not the best packaging
#5. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food, Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dog food is last on our list but certainly not the least.
It is non-GMO, chicken by-product meal, maize, wheat, and soy-free dog food. Chicken is the first ingredient, providing high-quality protein for muscular building and general health.
This recipe promotes brain and ocular development with omega-3 fatty acids like DHA. Calcium and antioxidants strengthen bones and the immune system.
Pros
- First ingredient, chicken for strong muscles
- Non-GMO ingredients
- No chicken by-product meal, maize, wheat, or soy
- Omega-3 fatty acids and DHA for brain and eye development
- Calcium and essential antioxidants
Cons
- Not the best Packaging
Is A Raw Diet Healthy For A Great Dane Puppy?
While some dogs do well on a raw food diet, Great Dane pups, who have unique nutritional demands at this period of development, are not among them.
When feeding a Great Dane puppy a raw food diet, it may be challenging to ensure that the puppy receives enough of the right kinds of food to support healthy bone and joint growth. This may cause a wide variety of health problems, including stunted development.
Puppies of the Great Dane breed should be fed commercial dog food that is both high in quality and nutritionally complete, with a focus on ingredients developed for big breed development.
Talk to your vet about what kind of food you should be giving your Great Dane puppy.
How Much Do Great Dane Puppies Grow Each Week?
Great Dane pups, especially in their first year, often become much larger than their initial size. Throughout the first six months of life, kids may gain between two and four pounds each week.
Great Dane pups put on just a few ounces a day of weight in their initial weeks of life. Yet, after they hit the 3- to 4-month mark, their growth rate speeds up and they may acquire 1-2 pounds each week.
Great Dane pups continue to develop, although at a slower rate, from 6-12 months of age. In general, Great Dane pups attain their full size and weight by the time they are 12 months old. They may still be growing and maturing until they are 18-24 months old.
How Much Water Should A Great Dane Puppy Drink?
Puppies of any breed, including Great Danes, should always have access to clean water. Because to their size, it is crucial to keep an eye on how much water they consume.
Great Dane puppies need half an ounce to an ounce of water for every pound of body weight per day. Take a Great Dane puppy of 50 pounds in weight, for instance; it has to drink between 25 and 50 ounces of water per day.
They may need to drink extra water to keep hydrated in hot weather or after strenuous physical activity.
In order to avoid dehydration, it is crucial that kids have constant access to clean water and that their water consumption be closely monitored.
