Top 10 Best Dog Food For Great Danes (2020 Buying Guide)

If you’re the pet parent of a giant breed dog, you will know that these enormous pooches have some quite specific dietary requirements that differ from smaller breeds.

This means that choosing the best dog food for Great Danes is an extremely important part of looking after one and making sure they live their best, healthiest life possible.

These giants are lovable, affectionate, and tend to forget how large they are. but they tend to suffer from some particular health-related issues and also have naturally shorter lifespans than smaller pups.

We’ve covered all kibble bases here, from puppy to senior, from energetic to inactive, and we’ve presented all the important info so you can compare foods at a glance.

Best Dog Food For Great Danes

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Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation

Criteria 1 – Calorie Count

Because Great Danes are giant breeds, their metabolisms are a little slower than smaller dogs. Also, because they’re very lanky dogs, any extra weight on them can be a problem as it puts pressure on their bones and joints. 

This is why you want to look for a food with a lower calorie count, so your Great Dane can get a decent, filling meal but not overeat and gain weight. The average, moderately active Dane will need around 200 calories per day, while a more highly energetic one will need closer to 3000. Puppies will need between 2500 and 3000 a day. These will need to be spread over a couple of meals, so we’ve tried to stick to foods with calories in the lower to mid-300s unless otherwise specified. This depends on your Dane though – you can use this calorie calculator to work out what would be best for your big guy or girl.

Criteria 2 – Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio

Too much calcium in your pet’s diet can cause their bones to become a little too brittle to support their bodies properly, which can lead to problems that can be painful and dangerous for your pet. AAFCO recommends between 2 and 4.5 grams of calcium per 1000 calories, so you’ll most likely need to do some calculating when checking the calcium content of foods. 

Going hand-in-hand with calcium is phosphorus, and these two minerals should be found in a particular ratio. This ratio should be 1:1 to 2:1 – anything other than that will result in a deficiency of one or the other after prolonged use.

Criteria 3 – Glucosamine & Chondroitin

These two things have a very specific property that is highly beneficial for Great Danes – that is, they help strengthen and lubricate joints, which is crucial for giant dogs whose joints can take a bit of a beating due to their size. 

Seeing this on the guaranteed analysis list is a bonus for a giant breed food. Great Danes are pretty lanky, so they don’t have as much weight on their joints as some other giant breeds, but they’ve still got quite a bit of weight behind them, even if they’re of average size and weight. 

We’ve made an effort to review foods that contain both of these. Some foods may contain only glucosamine, but we’ve specified if that’s the case.

Criteria 4 – Protein & Fat Content

Although it may seem logical that giant breeds would need more protein due to their size, this is not so for Great Danes. Because they are so slim and lean, they actually need less protein than you may think. 

18% is the minimum you should go for if you have an adult Dane, but 23% is optimal for healthy muscle growth but minimal weight gain. 25% is a great number for growing puppies. Animal proteins are always best, and contain the most amino acids your Dane will need to keep his body healthy. Meat by-products should be avoided, though. 

Fats are concentrated sources of energy that are very useful for your pooch. Don’t think more fat equals a more overweight dog! As long as your pet is active, they’ll convert that fat into energy very nicely. Great Danes should eat a food containing between 8 and 12% fat at the minimum. 

We’ve stuck to foods that fall within these protein and fat numbers and that use primarily healthy animal sources. 

Criteria 5 – Affordability

Feeding an enormous, hungry animal is no mean feat! These pups can eat up to 5 cups of food in one meal, so a bag of kibble tends to not last as long as they do with smaller breeds. While affordability is an important consideration no matter what dog breed you own or how much you earn, it’s something you’re far more likely to think about if you’re going through a couple of bags a month feeding your furry friend. 

We’ve added this criterion to give you a good idea of cost at a glance, so you can compare and make a decision that works best for both you and your pet. After all, while this is mostly about choosing the right food to keep your dog healthy, your mood affects your pooch far more than you realise – so a happy owner will also make for a happier pup!

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Questions & Answers

A healthy, active Great Dane who is getting plenty of exercise will need to eat around 3000 calories a day to keep his energy levels where they should be. Seniors and less active Danes should go for around 2500 calories a day, and puppies can eat between 2500 and 3500, depending on how bouncy and energy-expending they are. 

The amount of cups or scoops of food you feed your Dane will depend on how many calories are in one cup of food. If your active pup’s food contains 300 calories per cup, they’ll need 10 cups a day, which would most likely be split between 2 meals, making it 5 cups per meal. This depends on a good few things, though – your Great Dane’s appetite, activity level, and whether or not you want to give them a few treats during the day. 

If you want to feed your pooch some treats between meals, you’ll need to give them slightly fewer calories during their mealtimes to make space for a couple of snacks. Be aware of the calorie count of treats too, to make sure you don’t go overboard and give them too many calories.

Great Danes, like all pets, need wholesome, all-natural ingredients in their food of choice. 

Animal proteins and fats are the best ingredients to ensure your Dane is getting all the necessary amino acids. A healthy, real meat source that is identified is essential, and meat meals are also acceptable protein sources. Plant protein is not advised, because it doesn’t quite offer the same nutrients as animal sources. 

Fats are essential to provide energy, and should also be from animal sources. Salmon oil, chicken fat, pork fat, and so on, are fantastic ingredients. Other fat sources that are good quality include flaxseed and canola oil. 

Carbohydrates aren’t usually found on the guaranteed analysis list, but it’s imperative that these are complex, slowly-digesting ingredients that are all-natural. This means fruits and vegetables, and gluten-free grains such as millet, oatmeal, rice, and barley. 

Additional ingredients you should be looking for on the guaranteed analysis list are glucosamine, chondroitin, calcium, phosphorus, DHA (especially for puppies), and Omega fatty acids. 

Great Danes can suffer from sensitive tummies, and grains like wheat, corn, and soy should be avoided. These are more difficult to digest, and so you should avoid feeding them to your Dane for his own comfort and health. 

Chicken is another common allergen for these big fluffs. While not all of them are going to react badly to it, it may be best to avoid feeding them a chicken-flavoured food, or a kibble containing chicken fat or other ingredients. 

Anything artificial can also cause digestive upset. This includes artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives, so if you spot any questionable ingredients on the list, it’s best to steer clear. 

It’s also a good idea to avoid feeding your giant breed a general adult dog food, as these usually don’t contain the extras that giant breeds need to live a healthy life. Some large breed foods are great options, but we’ve also gone through a few of them above so you can see which are great quality. In general, though, if you can find a food aimed at giant breeds that contains all the important ingredients here, that would be your best choice.

These big guys and girls can suffer from food allergies and intolerances, so it’s really quite important to pay attention to their diet to alleviate these as much as possible. 

There are various other diseases and disorders that these giants can be prone to. Gastric torsion is a particularly dangerous one, and is basically a twisted stomach or intestine due to bloating. It’s the number one killer of giant breed dogs, unfortunately. It’s very important to be aware of the signs and symptoms, therefore, as the only way to fix this problem is emergency surgery. 

These tall, lanky pups can also suffer from joint problems, such as hip and knee dysplasia. This is one of the reasons glucosamine and chondroitin are such great ingredients in a giant breed dog food – it helps limit the chances of your pet suffering from this condition. Arthritis is another bone and joint disorder that can affect these pooches. 

Giant breed puppies can also be susceptible to developing something called hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is when the pup’s bones grow too rapidly and cause pain due to them exerting pressure on the tissues around them. This usually affects puppies and is outgrown when the rest of your pup catches up in the growth department, but it’s a painful condition to suffer from. Making sure to feed your growing puppy the right amounts is essential to keep the chances of this condition at a minimum. 

Other things to be on the lookout for include hypothyroidism, Wobbler syndrome, DCM, and osteosarcoma. 

Great Dane puppies need specific nutrients from the start, to make sure they grow up healthy, strong, and with the best start. 

The best puppy food for a Great Dane will have some specific traits. It will contain a high-quality animal protein source right up front of the ingredient list, and may contain more than one. There will be healthy carbohydrates – these should be fruits and vegetables, or gluten-free grains (no wheat, soy, or corn). There should be multiple healthy fat sources, preferably at least one animal source. 

It should also show DHA on the label, for healthy development. EPA is another fatty acid that is helpful, and glucosamine and chondroitin are a must. The calcium/phosphorus ratio should be close to 1:1, and an additional fact that is very helpful is that the kibble size should be on the bigger side. This helps decrease chances of eating too fast and being susceptible to bloat. 

Make sure not to simply choose any food that says “puppy” on the packaging – not all puppy foods contain the nutrients and supplements necessary for these big little pets to grow as they should. You should be prepared to feed your pooch a puppy formula until about the age of 15 months. 

This is never a good idea, but even less so for giant breed puppies. As you will have read above, Great Dane puppies can suffer from something called hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is what happens when your little guy or girl’s bones grow too quickly for the rest of their body. In addition to causing your beloved fluff a lot of pain, this can lead to other complications down the line. 

Feeding your puppy more than they need can also cause their calcium levels to rise too much, making their bones too brittle. When they get bigger, this can be dangerous as their bones aren’t strong enough to support their big bodies, even though these pooches are leaner than most giants. 

We highly recommend that you stick to the recommended guidelines for feeding your Great Dane puppy and don’t try to add to it. You won’t be helping your pet out at all – in fact, you’ll be contributing to possible health problems.