Weighing Pros and Cons of Costco dog food for Great Danes

Last Updated on March 2, 2021

The Costco dog food is quite famous for its highly nutritional formula recipes. But how can you tell if the Costco dog food is right for Great Danes? Well knowing the particular nutritional needs of Great Danes it might not be a very good idea to choose the Costco dog food for your huge goofy. Find below what has made us believe in this.

However if you are in a hurry and just want to know what the closest to acceptable Costco dog food for Great Danes is, then we suggest the Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food. Given the giant Great Dane wellness, this is the most befitting Costco dog food. Offering the most suitable ingredient quality, comparable calories count, and related nutritional value for the breed.

IS Costco Dog Food for Great Danes?

There are 9 Costco Kirkland dog foods for large breeds available on the market at the moment. Which are;

• Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal and Sweet Potato Dog Food
• Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food
• Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Formula Chicken & Vegetable Dog Food
• Nature’s Domain Organic Chicken & Pea Dog Food (grain-free)
• Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Puppy Formula Chicken & Pea Dog Food (grain-free)
• Adult Formula Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food
• Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food
• Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Dog Food
• Kirkland Signature Mature Formula Chicken, Rice and Egg Dog Food

Amongst these dog foods there is only one Costco dog food can be suitable for Great Danes. You can also figure out how we can determine if the food is right for these giant dogs. Just follow along.

Costco dog food recipes- Overall Ingredient quality

Quality is the foremost thing we all look for in any item. Same goes with the dog food choices for Great Danes. The Costco Kirkland dog food has been a superior quality recipe for canines for decades. They are determined to keep the food full of nutrition whilst adhering to the principle quality ingredients. Including wholesome ingredients, proteins, and fat sources. Each item is picked with caution so as to keep in line with dog food’s overall quality. Therefore, Costco dog food is a good recipe for canines as far as the quality of ingredients is concerned. 

Grain Free formula

Many people argue that grain free dog foods are better viz-a-viz other regular dog food recipes. Alluding to one of the studies conducted by the FDA it can be propagated that grain free dog foods are not a really fine choice. Except that your canine is suffering from some medical ailment and is recommended to eat grain free diet by the veterinarian. 

You might have also noticed that there are two food recipes in the aforementioned Costco Kirkland dog foods which are grain free. As the dogs eating grain free dog foods are more prone to dilated cardiomyopathy than other dogs.

Thus the grain free Costco Kirkland dog foods are not our favorites for Great Danes.

Calorie count

The second most fundamental thing when it comes to feeding a Great Dane is the Calorie count. Since the dogs are huge and tend to grow quite fast. Particularly, it’s initial couple of years are consequential in this regard.

We all know that the pup is determined to hit the growth spurts during the phase. So the food recipe is crucial. It has to furnish the dog with the most perfect calories. Which neither make it over or under fed, but a perfect calorie amount in each bowl.

Typically the needed calories vary from breed to breed. For Great Danes the recommended amount of calories has to be somewhere between 350-400 calories. This is the amount each cup must carry for your Dane.

Now we can compare the calorie count of each Costco Kirkland dog food excluding the two grain free formulae, since they are already out of the race.

 

Costco dog food recipe	Calorie count
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal and Sweet Potato Dog Food	336
Kirkland Signature Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	390
Healthy Weight Formula Chicken & Vegetable Dog Food	275
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	373
Adult formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	393
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Dog Food	336
Kirkland Signature Mature Formula Chicken, Rice and Egg Dog Food	330

Inference

Following the criterion of optimal calorie intake there are only three Costco dog foods recipes which are suitable for Great Dane breed. Namely 

Kirkland Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food, Kirkland Adult Formula Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food, and Kirkland Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food. Containing 390, 373, and 393 calories respectively.

 

Nutritional value

The nutritional value a recipe offers is quite crucial in choosing the right food for Great Dane. Knowing the higher latency of the breed to suffer from growth related ailments. It becomes even more fundamental to discover the amount of Calcium and phosphorus in the Costco dog foods.

Calcium and phosphorus 

Given the pivotal role of calcium and phosphorus in the bone development and growth, this is the first query anyone would like to search for. Since the uncontrolled amount of Calcium and Phosphorus can make your Dane’s legs bowed. Which can be taken as a disability for these behemoth canines.

Now considering the Great Dane dog breed requirements, the dogs entail 1%-1.5% calcium preferably. Whereas the need of Phosphorus in feed has to be proportionate to that of calcium. And the level of phosphorus has to be 1-1.5 times than the later. 

This rule brings the following calculated values for nutrients like calcium and phosphorus in the food for Great Danes. Exceeding the amount or lowering the intake both can bring grave problems for your dog. So try to keep the intake within the recommended quantity.

 

Calcium	Phosphorus
1%	0.67% – 1.0%
1.25%	0.83% – 1.25%
1.5%	1% – 1.5%

 

The nutritional value of each Costco dog food formula can be found on the website. If not provided on the back. Since we have already excluded the food recipes not adhering to the caloric intake now we are left with three Costco dog foods.

 

Costco dog food recipe	Calcium	Phosphorus
Kirkland Signature Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	1.2%	1%
Adult Formula Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	*not listed	*not listed
Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	1%	0.8%

 

These nutritional values are found under the guaranteed analysis portion of the Costco dog food website. Since one of the food recipes do not provide the exact value of calcium and phosphorus. Which indicates that most probably the Costco dog food is not evaluated for these micronutrients.

Inference

Given their indispensable nature, it is not a rational choice for a Great Dane parent to feed a dog food which is unable to tell the analysis of nutrition. Thus, the food recipe which can not tell the exact amount of calcium and phosphorus it offers is not our recommended dog food for these huge canines.

Proteins and fats

The optimal proteins and fat requirements of Great Dane breed ranges from;

 

Protein	22%-26%
Fats	12%-20%

 

The right amount of Proteins and fats are significant for the Great Dane dog breed. As the dogs tend to grow rapidly naturally. And protein in diet can influence growth pattern even further. As higher protein diets can induce an increased fast growth. Thus protein levels can alter the natural course of the growth and inhibiting the optimal bone development. 

Similarly fats are crucial for mass of a dog. Therefore, you have to be meticulous in feeding the dogs. Just like proteins, the amount of fat has to be optimal. Neither too much as the dog can get overweight if fed high in fat nor less than required as it can influence the necessary hormone production.

 

Costco dog food recipe	Protein	Fats
Kirkland Signature Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	28	17
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	26	14

Inference

The puppy food recipe is a little bit higher on protein levels. Thus the Costco dog food with the ideal fats and protein levels for Great Dane dog breed is only Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food. 

 

Here is the table to show the 9 Costco dog foods against the Great Dane breed requirements for ingredient quality, calorie count, and nutritional value in terms of calcium phosphorus, proteins and fats. Give a perusal;

 

Costco dog food recipe	Quality	Calories	Calcium/ Phosphorus	Proteins/ Fats
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal and Sweet Potato Dog Food	✓	✕	✕	✓
Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	✓	✓	✓	✕
Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Formula Chicken & Vegetable Dog Food	✓	✕	✕	✕
Nature’s Domain Organic Chicken & Pea Dog Food (grain-free)	✕	✕	✕	✓
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Puppy Formula Chicken & Pea Dog Food (grain-free)	✕	✕	✓	✕
Adult Formula Lamb, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	✓	✓	✕	✓
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food	✓	✓	✓	✓
Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Dog Food	✓	✕	✕	✓
Kirkland Signature Mature Formula Chicken, Rice and Egg Dog Food	✓	✕	✕	✕

 

Inference

After evaluating the 9 Costco dog foods on the market according to the Great Dane breed food requirements, we have found out that the most suitable food recipe furnishing all the needs for the dog is just one. Which is Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food.

What do we suggest?

However, the Costco dog food is not our most favored dog food recipe for the Great Danes. But there are chances that your dog might like the flavor and develop perfectly. Yet when you have better and more suitable food options to feed the dog you might not also consider this one. Thus, our best recommended dog food for Great Dane breed is NUTRO ULTRA Dry Dog Food.