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With great size comes great nutritional needs. Great Danes are a gentle dog breed. Underneath their majestic posture is a loving, confident, and highly devoted pooch, making it a great family companion.
The growth rate of these gentle giants is pretty fast and they need the right food to help them develop properly. Nutrition is a very crucial aspect of caring for this dog breed, which is why you always need to feed them with the best dog food Great Danes.
It is important that you carefully consider the food you will feed your Great Dane with. With the numerous brands and products in the market, many pet owners often have a hard time choosing the right dog food for their Great Danes. In this article, we have carefully researched and selected some of the best dog food for Great Danes that many owners of this breed often use.
The top dog food for Great Danes on our list is the Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein Grain-Free Natural Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food. This recipe is formulated for large breeds, and it contains all the nutrients that Great Danes need.
The protein content of this food is a whopping 32 percent, which is way over our minimum recommendation of protein for Great Danes. The calorie content per cup is also very high, as it measures 380 kilocalories.
This food is also available in two flavors. It is 100 percent grain-free, making it one of the best dog food for Great Danes with sensitive stomachs and skin. To keep the bones and joints of your dog healthy, this food contains chondroitin and glucosamine.
The two flavors of this dry dog food are chicken and salmon and they both contain animal proteins as the first two ingredients. This protein-rich food helps your Great Dane maintain a healthy weight with lean, strong muscles.
Another reason why many dog owners love this food is its price. It comes with a budget-friendly price tag, making it one of the most affordable options on our list.
It also contains the exclusive LifeSource Bits of Blue, which is a precise blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This food does not contain chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, wheat, soy, corn, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Specs
Dry
Adult
High-protein, grain-free, for large and giant breeds
Pros
Grain-free formula
Super rich in protein
Chondroitin and glucosamine for healthy bone and joints
Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Sierra Mountain Premium Dry Dog Food is one of the best dog food for Great Danes and many Great Dane owners love this food.
The core of this formulation is pasture-raised lamb, making this food an easily digestible treat, which is ideal for giant breeds such as Great Danes. This food also contains the K9 probiotics of Taste of the Wild, and it is specifically designed for dogs to boost their immune system, prevent bloating, and help establish healthier digestion.
This food will help your dog to grow as healthy as it should be, as it contains omega essential fatty acids, selenium, zinc, and other vitamins and minerals. It does not contain joint-friendly nutraceuticals. Nonetheless, the combination of nutrients in this food can help prevent some of the common medical issues associated with Great Danes, such as osteosarcoma, cardiomyopathy, and gastric torsion.
Each cup of this food contains 338 kilocalories, which is great for adult and senior Great Danes. The protein content is 24 percent while the fat content is 15 percent. This food also contains taurine, DHA, and 1 billion CFU probiotics. The first five ingredients of this food include lamb, lamb meal, potatoes, peas, and sweet potatoes.
The ingredients of this large breed formula are from sustainable, trusted sources all over the world. It is completely grain-free, and it contains no filler, wheat, corn, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It is nutrient-rich and highly digestible.
Specs
Dry food
Adults, seniors, young adult
Grain-free
Pros
Provides support for the immune system
Provides long-lasting energy
Perfectly balanced omegas
A grain-free formula for optimal health and vitality
Cons
It takes time for some dogs to adjust to this food
Eukanuba is another top brand when it comes to dog foods. The Eukanuba Adult Dry Dog Food is a breed-specific dog food for Great Danes that are at least 15 months older and weighs more than 55 pounds.
The first major ingredient of this food is real cuts of chicken, and it also contains DHA and vitamin E that help support healthy brain function. This food has a 3D Denta-Defense formula that helps to reduce tartar and keeps the teeth and gum of your dog healthy and strong.
It comes with the right amount of carbohydrates and fats to provide your dog with all the energy it needs to maintain an active lifestyle. The protein content of this food is 29 percent, with a whopping 17 percent of fat. The maximum fiber content is 4.44 percent. Per cup of this dry dog food for Great Danes contains 349 kilocalories.
Furthermore, this large breed food contains micronutrients, chondroitin, and glucosamine that help keep the joints and bones of your dog healthy.
This sufficient protein formula also helps your dog develop and maintain strong, lean muscles. It also contains barley and whole-grain sorghum as constituent carbs. For easy digestion, this food features a perfect blend of natural and prebiotic fiber.
The Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Large Breed Dog Food is another great choice for Great Danes. This food is more suited for adult dogs as it contains 25 percent of protein and only 11 percent fat. The major protein sources of this food are salmon and chicken. This food is formulated to keep your Great Dane from gaining too much weight.
It also features a moderate carbohydrate content. This food contains digestible, healthy whole grains, barley, and brown rice. If you have an overweight Great Dane or you just want to keep the weight of your dog in check, this is one of the best dog foods you should consider.
This large breed formula features a great amount of Omega 3 fatty acids from salmon and flaxseed. It does not contain any added salt, making it an ideal option for Great Danes with heart issues.
This recipe also contains adequate amounts of glucosamine and chondroitin, which helps to provide your dog with healthy joints and bones. It also contains a lot of veggies and fruits, which provide your Great Dane with great sources of antioxidants to prevent diseases and support their immune system.
It is made with deboned chicken, chicken meal and whitefish to promote lean muscle development. This food contains 340 kilocalories per cup and 3,400 kilocalories per kilogram, providing your dog with all the energy it needs to remain active.
Specs
Dry food
Adult and Senior
No corn, no wheat, no soy
For large and giant breeds
Pros
Ideal for overweight Great Danes
Great for Great Danes with joint and heart issues
Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids
Contains a wide range of veggies and fruit with no added salt
If you are looking for the best dog food for Great Dane puppies, then the Orijen large breed puppy formula is what you need. This food is formulated to help your puppy grow into a happy, healthy adult. Growing puppies need the best nutrition they can get, which is why this food is on our list of the best dog food for Great Dane puppies.
This food is very rich in protein, as it contains an impressive 38 percent protein to help your dog grow strong and lean. Interestingly, the first 15 ingredients of this food are all animal-sourced. This means you will be feeding your dog with quality animal ingredients. It also contains the perfect amount of calcium for growing puppies.
With all these great ingredients and features, this food is a little high in price. Nevertheless, it is worth the price as it is going to yield a great result in your Great Dane puppy.
This food is made with raw and fresh animal ingredients including organs, meat, cartilage, and bone. This is a completely grain-free diet that is ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs. It is 85 percent meat, 15 percent botanical and vegetable, and 0 percent grain.
With this varied, protein-packed diet, your Great Dane puppy will develop appropriate muscle mass, remain within a healthy weight range, and minimize the stress on their developing joints and bones. It also features WholePrey ingredients in ratios that mirror wild prey.
The second puppy food for Great Danes is the Royal Canin Size Health Nutrition for large breed puppies. This food caters to puppies from 8 weeks to about 15 months, weighing between 56 and 99 pounds.
It is a size-specific puppy food that contains ingredients that match the health and nutritional needs of Great Dane puppies. This food comes in a 35-pound bag, and your puppies are going to feed on it for quite some time. With such a quantity, you will not be returning to the store frequently.
The ingredients and formula of this food are a bit different from the adult version. This food contains at least 28 percent protein. It also contains about 14 percent of fat, which is moderate for Great Dane puppies.
The food also contains 3.5 percent fiber and a maximum value of 10 percent for moisture. It also comes with an exclusive formulation of antioxidants with Vitamin E, which helps in the development of a healthy immune system in Great Dane puppies.
The food does not contain any artificial chemicals and gets its protein from low-fat chicken. Royal Canin promotes digestive health with highly digestive proteins and specific fibers to enhance optimal stool quality. It also comes with chondroitin and glucosamine, which promotes bone and joint health.
Specs
Dry food
Puppy
For large and giant breeds
Pros
Reduced calcium for puppies
Supports health and growth
Prevents dogs from gorging
Great nutrient profile
Cons
It contains grains which could cause allergy issues
It is a bit expensive
What to Look for in Dog Food for Great Danes
Great Danes are a great dog breed that many people love. Unfortunately, these dogs develop several different health issues as they grow old. Some of them deal with musculoskeletal problems. Heart issues are also common among these dogs.
To reduce the chances of your Great Dane suffering any of these issues, you need to provide it with a diet that will enhance its overall heart health and overall well-being. There is also the issue of bloating, which is why they need to eat more often per day.
To help you choose the best dog food for your Great Danes, here are some vital ingredients you need to look for in the food:
High-Quality Protein and Count
If you want your dog to remain healthy and strong always, protein should be one of your major points of concentration when buying dog food.
When it comes to protein count, we recommend a minimum of 22 percent protein for Great Dane puppies and 18 percent for Great Dane adults. You should also make sure that the food contains high-quality protein sources such as turkey, lamb, and wild meat.
Vegetables and Fruits
You should look for food that contains great sources of fiber that steer away from soy and grains. The food should contain varied veggies and fruits, as they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals for good health and growth.
High-Quality Fat and Count
Professionals recommend about 8 percent fat for Great Dane puppies and 5 percent fat for Great Dane adults. Nevertheless, this is not ideal due to the numerous store-bought dog food today.
However, there are many dog foods with great, high-quality fat sources. You should look for dog foods that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to help with a healthy coat and skin.
Chondroitin and Glucosamine
Chondroitin and glucosamine are two vital ingredients that help to enrich a dog food formula to provide optimal support for healthy joints and bones.
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