9 Healthy Great Dane Puppy Food You Have To Check Out

Last Updated on September 7, 2023

Puppyhood is such an important stage in every dog’s life. And Great Dane puppies, like any dog breed, need the right nutrition in order to grow properly and healthily. They need to eat food that is specially formulated to cater to the nutrition they need for normal development.

In this article, we will be reviewing the following dog food brands and determine which is the best Great Dane puppy food:

1. NUTRO ULTRA Dry Dog Food
2. Royal Canin Great Dane Dry Dog Food
3. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Puppy Dog Food
4. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food
5. Wellness Wet Canned Dog Food Puppy
6. Purina ONE Natural Large Breed +Plus Formula Dry Dog Food
7. Iams Large Breed Dry Dog Food
8. Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food
9. Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dog Food

9 of Our Best Great Dane Puppy Dog Food

Below, we list down our top Great Dane puppy food picks. All recommendations below feature the following ingredients: real meat as a premium protein ingredient, natural sources of Glucosamine, probiotics, and fatty acids. These Great Dane puppy food recommendations also have zero artificial additives.

If you’re still unsure what Great Dane puppy food you should get, check out the list below:

1. NUTRO ULTRA Dry Dog Food

NUTRO Ultra Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food is our best Great Dane puppy food recommendation. It has the right amount of calories, protein and fats that a Great Dane puppy needs for optimal growth. This high quality Great Dane puppy food provides the pups with a strong foundation.

The best dry dog food for Great Dane puppies features original ingredients. Providing the large breed pups with best nutritional value in each food bowl. And this is what makes NUTRO Ultra Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food our best Great Dane puppy food recommendation.

Its protein comes from the chicken, lamb and salmon in its ingredients. And it contains a blend of superfoods including coconut, kale, chia, etc. Furthermore, it has no artificial preservatives, flavors and colors.

Furthermore, NUTRO Ultra can help with diarrhea and/or loose stool. It also promotes healthy skin and a shiny coat by getting rid of dandruff and dry skin.

2. Royal Canin Great Dane Dry Dog Food

Our best pick for Great Dane food is Royal Canin Great Dane. This dry dog food is tailor-made for the breed and has the important nutritional value a Great Dane needs.

This brand of dog food is particularly designed to ease the risk of bloat, which is a condition that Great Danes are prone to. And the kibble is just the right size for the dog, making it easier to chew, swallow and digest the food.

Furthermore, the wholesome Royal Canin Great Dane food helps in keeping bones and joints healthy. Which is important when your dog is a large breed like the Great Dane. Moreover, it has the the perfect blend of probiotics and antioxidants that help create a strong immune system.

Royal Canin is a great food for Great Danes 24 months and older. If you’re looking to feed your Great Dane puppy with the same brand, you can try Royal Canin Giant Puppy Dry Dog Food.

3. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Puppy Dog Food

The Blue Buffalo brand is known for its healthy products for all breed sizes, including large breeds like the Great Dane. And the brand’s Life Protection Formula’s recipe is made up of high quality protein from real chicken.

If you haven’t decided which Great Dane puppy food to buy, this is an excellent option. The size of of the kibble is perfect for smaller jaws and helps in tartar removal, thus promoting healthy teeth.

Furthermore, not only does it support lean muscle growth, but it also includes ingredients that promotes healthy brain and eye development and a shiny coat. And it also has vitamins for your puppy’s immune system.

However, if your puppy has a sensitive stomach, Royal Canin, Hill’s Science Diet or Purina would be better Great Dane puppy food options.

4. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed Dry Dog Food

The Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food also makes it to our list of the best Great Dane puppy food. This dry dog food is perfect for puppies with sensitive stomachs.

Hill’s Science Diet’s dry dog food for large breed puppies provides a lot of nutrition without giving puppies digestive troubles. Its nutritious formula supports optimal bone growth and supports muscle and joint health.

It is made from natural and high-quality ingredients and has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Moreover, the dog food tastes good which Great Dane puppies generally enjoy.

5. Wellness Wet Canned Dog Food Puppy

This wet canned dog food by Wellness is our recommended wet food for Great Dane puppies. The canned formula includes organic ingredients, such as vegetables and fruits, providing a nutritional start. It is also packed with proteins thanks its chicken and salmon ingredients.

Overall, Wellness Just For Puppy Canned Dog Food ensures a wholesome and nutritious canned food for canines.

6. Purina ONE Natural Large Breed +Plus Formula Dry Dog Food

Purina One is a highly recommended dry dog food for Great Danes in particular. This brand is good for Great Danes with sensitive stomachs and those with joint problems.

This is one of our best dry dog food for adult Great Danes due to its fitting recipe. If you have tried a lot of dry dog food brands and your dog is not happy, then this might be the brand of food they need.

Furthermore, this brand of dog food also has a formula for Great Dane puppies. And this Great Dane puppy food is usually recommended by veterinarians for optimal developing muscles and bones in puppies.

7. Iams Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Iams Large Breed Dry Dog Food is formulated to support the needs of large breed dogs like the Great Dane. It’s first ingredient is real, farm-raised chicken with other ingredients made to maintain a dog’s strong muscles. If you own an active Great Dane, then this brand is the one you need.

Iams also has Great Dane puppy food. And usually, Great Danes love the taste of this brand of dry dog food.

8. Holistic Select Natural Dry Dog Food

Holistic Select Dry Dog Food is the perfect food if you want to keep your Great Dane lean. The unique combination of the formula ensures that your Dane will not gain weight, while still providing all the essential nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. Of course, it also comes in a formula for Great Dane puppies.

Holistic caters to hip and joint health, muscle maintenance and easy digestion. Furthermore, if your Great Dane has a sensitive stomach, try switching to this healthy and safe grain-free dog food. You just have to ensure that the transition from whole grain to grain-free food is smooth.

Overall, Holistic Select Dry Dog food is a highly recommended, safe, and premium quality dog food to feed to adult Great Danes and puppies.

9. Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Dog Food is one of the many dog food brands that dogs find easier to digest. It is made from real ingredients needed for joint and bone development. Also, it helps keep a dog’s coat shiny.

Purina Pro also has a Great Dane puppy food formula that is available in both dry and wet types. Which means you can mix the two with the right ratio to feed your Great Dane puppy. It holds all the ingredients necessary to support the proper and healthy growth of Great Danes.

Great Dane Food Requirements

Great Danes are a large breed. A Great Dane puppy can grow from 5 to 8 pounds at 4 weeks to 100 to 200 pounds in about 15 to 18 months. And their growth phase can usually last up to 18 months at most.

Sustaining a massive growth like that takes a lot of calories. That’s why what and how much you feed them is vital to their growth.

A high-protein and low-fat diet is, in particular, beneficial for large dog breeds like the Great Dane. This is because it is a balanced and healthy diet that promotes proper bone and muscle growth.

Great Danes, starting at an early age, should eat high quality food meant for large breeds, like the aforementioned list. To be able to grow steadily, you should avoid giving Great Dane puppy food that is extremely high in protein and calories.

Growing puppies need a lot of proteins more than fully grown adult dogs. However, too much of it can cause problems to a Great Dane. It can negatively affect the dog’s bone and joint development. And they need less fat in their food because food that is high in fat can make the puppy grow faster than it should, therefore resulting in skeletal abnormalities.

A Great Dane puppy should not eat protein levels more than 24% and fat levels somewhere in the middle of 12%-14%. So, choosing the right puppy food is important in a Great Dane’s healthy development and growth.

This highlights the significance of finding the best Great Dane puppy food for their balanced diet. In addition to their genetic make up, a Great Dane also depends on food to grow up strong and healthy.

No matter what Great Dane puppy food brand you choose, you have to feed Great Dane puppies according to schedule and with the right portion. Furthermore, you should not feed them dog food meant for adult Great Danes.

The general feeding guidelines for adult Great Danes are the following:

• 1 to 2 year old Male Great Danes: 9 to 12 cups a day, divided into 2 meals.
• 1 to 2 year old Female Great Danes: 6 to 10 cups a day, divided into 2 meals.

A Great Dane eats more food than many breeds out there due to their size. And this calls for nutritious and scheduled meals appropriate for their size. After all, food and feeding habits are factors that impact a Great Dane’s growth.

Great Danes should grow at a steady pace. Overfeeding them and not dividing their meals will encourage a lot of health problems like bloat and hip dysplasia.

Generally, the feeding guidelines are the following:

1. 2 month old Great Danes: 2 to 4 cups a day, divided into 3 or 4 meals.
2. 3 to 4 month old Great Danes: 3 to 6 cups a day, divided into 3 meals.
3. 5 month old Great Danes: 5 to 7 cups a day, divided into 2 meals.
4. 6 to 8 month old Great Danes: 6 to 9 cups a day, divided into 2 meals.
5. 9 to 12 month old Great Danes: 7 to 10 cups, divided into 2 meals.

As early as 2 months, you should start dividing the Great Dane puppy’s food into three meals throughout the day. And as they grow older, you can divide their food to two meals a day.

For Great Dane puppies, the recommended dry food calories per cup is 350 to 400 calories. However, if the puppy is too lean, you can increase its food intake accordingly by half a cup or a whole cup.

As Great Danes grow older, they will need lesser calories than puppies, but enough to maintain their energy levels.

The ideal weight for a Great Dane is not even included in the weight calorie chart of the National Research Council. Still, there are several standards in the Great Dane muscle build that needs to be followed. The following can help you determine if your Great Dane has the right amount of muscle it needs to be healthy. These can also guide you in feeding you Great Dane.

1. Keep the Great Dane puppy light and lean. By being lean, they are thin but look strong and healthy.
2. The puppy ought to have a smooth coat.
3. You should be able to feel the outline of the Great Dane’s last rib with your palm. If you feel the sharp edges rather than the outline, then your Dane is too thin.

Some owners want their Great Danes to have a heavier and bigger build, so they end up free feeding them starting from a young age. This can actually put the dog in danger and will lead to the development of different medical problems.

So, as a responsible owner, you should provide high quality Great Dane puppy food and a proper feeding schedule to encourage your Dane’s natural and healthy growth.

What We Suggest

Food is such an important factor to live a long and healthy life. This is true for both humans and dogs. So, ensuring your Great Dane gets proper nutrition from puppyhood until adulthood is a must.

In this article, we have enumerated our best and healthiest Great Dane puppy food recommendations. If you are still unsure and cannot decide which one to choose, we highly suggest NUTRO ULTRA Dry Dog Food, which is what we consider as the best dry dog food for Great Dane puppies.

Although, you have to keep in mind that Great Dane dog food formula keeps changing. Ingredients like calcium and phosphorous can change. So, it is better to always check the ingredients of these suggested food before feeding your dogs.

Furthermore, we also suggest that you let your Great Dane puppy eat puppy food as long as possible – given that the food is providing all the right nutrients to help in its development. It is advised to feed a Great Dane puppy food until it is 15 to 18 months old. After that, you can gradually switch from puppy food to adult food (which we also listed above).