A Great Dane needs specific care from puppy to adulthood. They need a special diet, nutrients, and proteins to support their giant body. Usually, an eight-month-old female Great Dane weighs about 100 pounds and a male almost 120 pounds. They need exercise, high-quality nutrition, and socialization to live a happy and long life.
So, in this article, we have described all the things or factors you should consider Care for a Great Dane puppy properly. Mostly caring for equipment is simple and will save you money and time. Read all blogs for complete information, and if you skip anything, it will cause an interruption in the care of the Great Dane puppy.
Is it hard to Take Care for A Great Dane puppy?
A Great Dane puppy is a massive size breed that takes a lot of places. As a younger dog, it can be rowdy and noisy. He has chewing and anxiety behavior. Sometimes, he dribbles a lot and might be gassy. So, taking care of a Great Dane puppy is a little challenging. You must follow specific steps to take care of your playful puppy.
Step 1: Feeding The Proper Nutrition
In this step, the following actions are taken:
Feed your Great Dane Puppy a Large Breed Diet
Since Great Dane is a giant breed of dog, they need a diet designed for large breeds. That will help him get proper nutrients and grow properly with a strong skeleton system that supports his large body.
If you do not know what diet to feed your Great Dane puppy, consult the veterinarian or the dog breeder. They will know the best diet to feed your puppy. Also, the first ingredient must be real meat because it is healthy for a Great Dane puppy.
Get Exclusive and High-Quality Diet
To prevent bloating in your Great Dan puppy, feed him a high-quality diet. Because bloating is a life-threatening disease for a Great Dane. Before purchasing any diet for your Great Dane puppy, check the label for the ingredient list on the pack.
A considerable of protein in Great Dane puppy food must be 25%. Otherwise, your pup will face growth problems from overeating protein. Meat should be the first ingredient in the food. Meat by-product is okay in the diet but should not be included in the first five ingredients.
Feed your Great Dane Puppy Small Meals
Never feed your Great Dane puppy large meals. If he eats large meals throughout the day, then it will cause bloating. Small meals are beneficial for him to avoid overeating. So, look at the diet packaging for the recommendation of feeding meals. Also, feed your Great Dane puppy four meals a day. Please do not change your puppy’s food daily as it can cause intestinal problems.
Do not Feed a Harmful Diet
Some foods are dangerous for a Great Dane puppy; you must never feed him these diets because these can kill the Great Dane and cause health problems. Such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, fatty meat scraps, onion, chives, cooked bones, garlic, yeast dough, avocados, chicken bones, alcohol, various nuts, and xylitol found in sugar-free diets.
Feed your Great Dane Puppy Small Snacks
You can feed your Great Dane puppy human diet as a treat or snacks, including small pieces of cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, frozen blueberries, and frozen peas. These snacks are healthy for Great Dane puppies.
Feed your Pup water
Great Dane puppies need enough water to stay healthy. Great Dane puppy needs a lot of water daily due to his massive size. Look over his water bowl every 2 hours a day. Also, ensure he does not drink too much water, which will cause bloating.
Step 2: Grooming your Great Dane puppy
The following actions are taken in this step:
Comb your Great Dane Puppy Coat
Brush your Great Dane puppy coat for a healthy and soft coat every two weeks. Combing the coat will prevent shedding and increase skin circulation. Also, if you find ticks and fleas on the coat, do a proper treatment to prevent them.
Visit the veterinarian if you see any skin irritation, bumps, scratches, or lumps on the skin. Otherwise, these will cause issues and worsen without proper treatment.
Trim Great Dane Puppy Nails
Check Great Dane puppy nails after brushing his coat. Since they do not need a lot of trimming due to their large size and activity levels. But still, nails can get long. If you see his long nails, trim them carefully. You can buy a dog nail cutter from a pet shop. Ensure that it does not hurt the dog when you cut the nail.
A triangular-shaped spot on the back side of the dog’s nail contains the nerves and blood vessels of the Great Dane puppy. If you cut this, that will hurt the puppy and cause infection. If you do not know how to cut the nails, take your Great Dane puppy to the vet and ask him to cut the nails and learn how to do so.
Brush your Great Dane Puppy Teeth
Brush your Great Dane puppy teeth once a week regularly to prevent teeth issues. Use your finger to brush his teeth so that he licks the toothpaste from your finger and wipes it to his gums. The next day, rub the toothpaste to his gums with your finger so that he will become habitual of this.
The next day, rub the toothpaste with the help of a toothbrush on the outer area of the teeth because the work is done for the inner layer of teeth. It would be best if you used your finger to brush many times so that puppy would allow you to brush.
Never use human toothpaste as it contains fluoride that is deadly for dogs. Also, for removing the plaque from puppy teeth, use dental formulated techniques.
Step 3: Enhance your Great Dane Puppy Life
The following steps are required:
Let’s meet your Great Dame puppy with other people and dogs to behave friendly and happy. So, take him to gather places such as dog parks, neighborhoods, discipline classes, rides in the car, and pet shops. Your Great Dane puppy desires human companionship, so ensure that he has cooperation with many people.
Exercise
Great Dane puppy needs exercise daily. The exercise will keep your puppy healthy. But strenuous exercise is not suitable for his muscles. Do not let your Great Dane run too much as it can cause bone and joint issues in him. Do not let him play for a long time as he has a massive body to handle.
Great Dane puppy must not do strenuous exercise at 18 months because, at this age, he is still growing, which means too much stress on the bones will cause malformations. Also, start exercising after an hour of a meal to avoid bloating.
Comfortable Cushions and Living Arrangements
Your Great Dane puppy is large and your family’s best friend. He curled up on a cushion or bed after doing exercise. His bed must be soft and not cause joint damage after rubbing his body on the bed. This breed needs a lot of love and affection, so keep them inside. You can also take him outside but be sure to spend more time with him.
Step 4: Veterinary Care
Follow the under actions:
Your Great Dane Puppy’s First Checkup
When he is six years old, take him to the vet for an overall checkup. If you adopt the pup from a breeder, you do not need to take him for a checkup as he has done this before. The veterinarian will check his eyes and ears, groin and belly for checking hernias, heart and lungs, mouth for checking palate, and skin to check for fleas.
Great Dane Puppy Dewormed
Your Great Dane puppy should be dewormed. He needs two to three deworming medications at his six-week checkup. This treatment will kill worms in Great Dane puppies.
Vaccination
Great Dane puppy also needs vaccination at his first checkup for distemper. Vaccine your puppy every three to four weeks; give him a booster vaccination. This vaccination is taken at the age of eight weeks of the puppy.
At the age of nine weeks, he needs a Lyme disease vaccine and at the age of 12 weeks, give him a booster of this vaccination. A rabies vaccine is also essential at the age of twelve weeks.
Heartworm Treatment for Great Dane Puppy
At the age of eight weeks, he needs heartworm medication. This treatment will prevent your Great Dane puppy from getting heartworm disease, a deadly disease for Great Dane. After starting this treatment, he will be vaccinated for this disease every month.
Neuter or Spy your Great Dane puppy
If your Great Dane puppy is male, he needs a neuter treatment between six and ten months. Spy treatment is necessary for a female Great Dane puppy. This medication will prevent infections, cancers, aggressive behavior, and unwanted puppies in the Great Dane. Do not have your Great Dane neutered if you want to breed him.
Keep regular Checkups of your Great Dane Puppy
Your Great Dane puppy will need checkups yearly for one year, including vaccines, deworming, and boosters. Also, visited to vet for two times checkups a year at the age of 5.
Step 5: Great Dane puppy Health Issues
Follow the under actions:
Great Dane Puppy Gastric Torsion and Bloat
Bloat and gastric torsion are very severe in Great Danes. These are deadly diseases that influence the gastrointestinal system. You can fight bloat in Great Dane puppy by avoiding exercise after eating, such as rowdy plays and walking. Also, feeding him from the bowl placed on the floor instead of elevated bowls, feeding him high-quality small meals, little water during a meal, feed him in a slow feeder bowl so that he does not eat quickly.
Identify Wobbler Syndrome
The life span of a Great Dane is about eight years due to their size. Great Dane is also sensitive to some diseases such as wobbler syndrome. This disease is also known as cervical spondylomyelopthy.
In this disease, the neck vertebrae of the spine get abnormal, which causes squeezing, drunken, or wobbly gait. It also paralyzed the Great Dane. Some Great Danes are born with this disease which shows its spots at a young age because of injury.
Great Dane puppy other Common Diseases
Besides wobbler syndrome and bloat, Great Dane puppies can be sensitive to other diseases such as cancer, hypothyroidism, heart disease, and cataracts.
What does a Great Dane Puppy Need?
A Great Dane puppy will need high-quality dog food, chew toys, bedding, a leash and collar, a crate, treats, and grooming supplies that will fit once your Great Dane puppy grows.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How often Should I walk my Great Dane Puppy?
A Great Dane puppy needs two to three times to walk a day moderately. Also, do not over-exercise him as their bones and joints grow in puppyhood.
When can I Start Training my Great Dane Puppy?
At six months, take a Great Dane puppy for a walk for five to fifteen minutes. Then you can start to walk your Great Dane for 30 minutes at the age of twelve months. Do not force him to do walk as it can cause leashed walking.
How long does it take to Potty Train a Great Dane Puppy?
It takes about two weeks to potty train a Great Dane puppy.
Can Great Dane Puppies Eat Bones?
Do not feed your Great Dane puppy bones, as bones can get lodged in his throat. Also, their teeth are not fully developed and can cause damage.
Are Great Dane Puppies Clumsy?
Great Dane puppies are a little clumsy due to their fast growth.
Conclusion
Great Dane becomes a very valuable and best friend of a family with no time. It is our duty that our best friend must be well-behaved and healthy. If you own a Great Dane puppy, you must plan his care or the things he needs. Follow every step described in this article to properly care for a Great Dane puppy.
So, invest a good amount of penny and time in Great Dane puppy supplies, vet care, proper nutrition, and exercise. Please share this blog with your family and friends. Feel free to ask questions or leave a suggestion in the comment section. It will be answered as soon as I can. Thanks!
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