Feeding a Great Dane puppy is challenging because this breed needs an appropriate diet to stimulate slow growth for a healthy body in adulthood. They start eating food at about six weeks of age, and a lot of puppy food is needed for their growth. You can choose raw, homemade, canned, or kibble food for a Great Dane puppy.
They need the right amount of diet to grow a strong body. Do not be seduced to feed Great Danes puppies as adult breeds. So, in this article, you will discover how to feed a Great Dane puppy. Also, I have included Great Dane puppy diet tips, feeding by age, healthy snacks for him, and exercise so that you can take care of your Great Dane puppy smoothly.
What to Feed your Great Dane Puppy?
Many types of diets are available for Great Dane puppies. If you want to purchase a diet on a local pet store or amazon and you have no idea what you want for your puppy so you can use several choices such as kibble or a dried diet that consists of small bites, a wet diet that is canned, homemade food with natural ingredients, and raw diet (BARF).
Feeding your Great Dane puppy kibble
Kibble is a flexible way to feed your Great Dane puppy. You can try a small bag; if your puppy loves it, invest in more kibble. Various brands provide kibbles for giant breeds to fulfil nutrient requirements. Whenever you buy a diet for a puppy, choose a brand that offers an appropriate amount of proteins and fatty acids. Also, use a grain-free diet.
Great Danes can be prone to bloat, a life-threatening disease affecting the deep-chested breeds. So, choose a kibble size of 3mm for your Great Dane puppy to prevent bloating.
Feeding a Great Dane puppy Wet Food
This type of diet is packed in tins, trays, and pouches. You can choose from many flavors, including textures such as meaty chunks or pate. At the same time, wet food does not offer the appropriate nutrients essential to stay healthy.
It also causes periodontal disease in puppies because it is too soft to remove plaque from their teeth. You can use it as a topping on kibble for fussy eaters.
Feeding a Great Dane puppy Raw Food (BARF)
Another most popular option is raw food for Great Dane puppies. This diet is also called biological appropriate raw food. You can purchase this diet in frozen packaging. Then, you can defrost the food whenever you want to feed your puppy.
It is a convenient way to feed your pooch. The Great Danes love to eat raw food. The downside is that it causes infection due to its nature.
Feeding a Great Dane Puppy a Homemade Diet
The last option is to feed your Great Dane puppy a homemade diet. You can use available food in your home, such as rice, vegetables, potatoes, meat, and fish. If you discover that your puppy is suffering from allergies, you can remove the items step-by-step to check out the allergic ingredient.
Homemade diets might be time-consuming and challenging to prepare. You should include the right ingredients to ensure your puppy is taking proper nutrients. Also, consult your veterinarian before feeding a homemade diet to your pup.
The Best Food for Great Dane Puppies
Nutrition must be in top place in puppy food. Great Dane puppies need a balanced amount of nutrients to prevent joint or bone problems when they grow. Whatever type of food you feed your Great Dane puppy, including kibbles, raw food, wet food, or homemade, it should meet the nutritional needs of your four-legged best friend.
The diet must contain protein between 23% and 25%, calcium between 1.2% and 1.5%, and fat between 12% and 15%. Your Great Dane puppy needs 800 to 1000 calories. It will increase to 3000 calories in the most active stage of Great Dan’s life and decrease to 2500 calories in adulthood of Great Dane.
So, the proper nutrients in the diet of a Great Dane puppy are essential for growth and development. If the diet lacks quality nutrition or has too many calories, it will cause problems or diseases in Great Dane.
How much Food do Great Dane Puppies Need?
Well, brands and puppy shops would not sell Great Dane puppy diets until they are of 12 weeks. Your pup will eat between four to eight cups daily, but this amount will grow your pup quickly. So, there are a few tips you should know:
- Stress, weather, activities, and growth levels can affect your Great Dane puppy’s appetite.
- Typically, female Great Dane puppies eat less than males.
- Over-feeding a Great Dane puppy can cause obesity, including digestive disorders, joint problems, back pain, heart disease, and promote metabolism.
- It is recommended to break your Great Dane diet into two servings daily. Your Great Dane puppy’s energy level and hormones will be balanced all day if you feed them twice a day. Feeding them three times a day is also ideal.
Feeding your Great Dane Puppy By Age
Newborn to 3 months old: You would not get a Great Dane puppy until it is three months old. These puppies start eating a diet at three to six weeks of age. Feed wet food that can be soaked kibble or canned to begin with, the teething process. Feed puppy two cups daily for a week, then break it into three servings when he starts eating solid food. Then feed the puppy two to four cups daily after a week.
3 to 6 months old: Great Dane puppies grow surprisingly. They need high calories in their diet with this growth. Feed your Great Dane puppy almost 3 to 8 cups daily in three servings. At this point, dry kibble is a good option but switch to dog food.
6 to 12 months old: Now, you have to feed your Great Dane puppy through observation of potty schedule. Making a routine diet with potty training is beneficial. So, a Great Dane puppy will eat 5 to 10 cups daily. If your Great Dane puppy shows aggression while eating or touching the food bowl, take the bowl away from him and again place the bowl of food after a few minutes.
This action will tell the Great Dane puppy that misbehaving is not acceptable. And he will try to entertain you. An intelligent dog like Great Dane knows how to please his master. Also, feed your pup in measures. You can easily track the caloric intake of your puppy and can prevent him from obesity.
Want Best Nutrition for your Great Danes Check out These Articles.
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- Ultimate 10 Best Dry Dog Food For Great Danes In 2022
How long is a Great Dane considered a Puppy?
Great Dane puppies have a long period of growth than other smaller breeds. These dogs grow in five months rapidly. They also take a long time to reach adulthood than other breeds. At the age of 15 months, these dogs are considered adults.
That means you can feed them adult dog food and schedule their feedings. We recommend you choose a giant breed dog food for your Great Dane to balance nutrients and energy.
What are the Healthy Snacks for a Great Dane puppy?
You can feed your pup healthy snacks without worrying about its weight. Feed vegetables and fruits to your Great Dane as a reward, treat, or snack. Healthy snacks for Great Dane include carrots, Apples, Sweet potatoes, Pumpkin, Zucchini, Green beans, Blueberries, Bananas, Cantaloupe, and pineapple. Also, please do not feed your Great Dane-cooked bone as it is not safe for him.
Great Dane Puppy Exercise
A growing Great Dane puppy is ironic and fragile. Great Dane puppy should do exercise after two hours of feeding. Also, calm your Great Dane puppy while playing if he gets rowdy. During their rapid growth, bone and joint injuries are typical in young Great Dane.
Supervise a Great Dane puppy in a soft grass or dirt area while playing because they are clumsy. Also, socialize your Great Dane puppy with people and other dogs. As he will be a massive dog in the coming years, social and physical development is necessary to easily handle the giant.
Great Danes and Food Allergies
Great Danes are susceptible to food allergies. They may have diarrhea, constipation, weight gain, and throwing food while eating. Food allergies cause dull coats, skin allergies, fur issues, and even itching. Also, gas is severe in the Great Danes. So, the most common food allergies are Corn, Wheat, Spices, Soy, and Yeast.
If your Great Dane is facing food allergies, consult your pup’s veterinarian. Also, feed your dog a diet with no wheat or soy, made from salmon or turkey meat instead of beef.
Tips for Great Dane Puppy Diet
The tips for a Great Dane puppy are as follows:
- Feed diet made with quality ingredients.
- The primary protein source must be real meat.
- The amount of protein must be almost 23% to 29%.
- The fat range should be almost 12% to 18%.
- The ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be almost 1:1 and 1.4:1. The phosphorus level should be 0.3% to 1.3%.
- The Great Dane puppy should be slim enough to see the last rib.
- Feed 300 to 400 calories of kibble to a Great Dane puppy per cup.
- The first ingredient must be meat protein.
- The diet must have probiotics, essential fatty acids, minerals, and digestive enzymes.
- Avoid food with supplement calcium.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why does my Great Dane Puppy Eat Socks?
If your Great Dane puppy is eating socks or slippers, that means your pup is hungry and does not get enough diet. Trust me; it is very rarely found in Great Danes puppies.
What are the Best Times to Feed a Great Dane Puppy?
Feed your Great Dane puppy first meal at 7 A.M. Noontime for lunch and serve dinner at 5 P.M. Give your Great Dane puppy last meal at 5 P.M so that he digests his food and discharges it before bedtime.
Should I only Give My Great Dane puppy Water with Food?
During mealtime, ensure that your Great Dane puppy has water to drink. But only when he eats food; after eating takes up the water.
Can Great Dane puppies Eat Homemade Food?
Yes, Great Dane puppies can eat homemade food. But make sure the recipe contains all nutrition and calories for his growth. Also, made a homemade diet that supports his healthy joints and bones.
Should I Feed My Great Dane Puppy a Raw Diet?
The choice is yours regarding what diet you want to feed your Great Dane puppy. Usually, the risk is that bacteria live in raw meat, causing salmonella in dogs.
Final Thoughts
We hope this blog gives you valuable information about feeding your Great Dane puppy. We will try our best to tell you about Great Danes breed in our articles. Because of how much we know about our dogs, the more they are happy, strong, and healthy.
Also, if you have any feeding suggestions or tips on the Great Dane breed, let us know in the comments. Please share this article with your friends for feeding their Great Dane. Thanks for reading.
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