Best Dog Food For Great Danes

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If you are searching for the best food for your Great Dane, you have come to the right place. When fully grown, your Great Dane can weigh as little as 100 pounds and as much as 200 pounds.

A lot of calories are required to support that kind of growth, and what you feed your dog is just as important for his health.

In this article, we talk about the best dog food for Great Danes and go over our top picks, along with each one’s benefits and drawbacks.

At A Glance: Best Dog Food For Great Danes To Buy:

Below is a comparison table you can scroll through to learn the features of each product. You’ll also find more detailed information about each product later in the article.

Compare Best Dog Food For Great Danes

OVERALL BEST 1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Adult Fish & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food View on Chewy Read Review	BEST FOR ALLERGIES 2. Blue Buffalo Freedom Adult Beef Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food View on Prf Read Review	BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS 3. Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food View on Prf Read Review	BEST FOR PUPPIES 4. Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food View on Prf Read Review	BEST FOR SENIOR DOGS 5. Natural Balance Gentle Balance Chicken, Barley, & Salmon Meal Formula Dry Dog Food View on Prf Read Review
Protein 20% Min	Protein 24% Min	Protein 26% Min	Protein 26% Min	Protein 28% Min
Fat 13% Min	Fat 14% Min	Fat 12% Min	Fat 14% Min	Fat 16% Min
Fiber 6% Max	Fiber 6% Max	Fiber 5% Max	Fiber 5% Max	Fiber 5% Max
Calories 363 calories per cup	Calories 377 calories per cup	Calories 340 calories per cup	Calories 337.4 calories per cup	Calories 410 calories per cup

Best Rated Dog Food For Great Danes Reviewed

As it is, Great Dane dogs aren’t given many years, making it your job to make sure that the given years are the best. Healthy food is the only way to make sure that they have health, happiness, and energy.

Choosing the perfect food for them is your job. Lucky for you, we have already compiled a list of the best Great Dane dog foods for every stage in their lives.

OVERALL BEST

1.

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Adult Fish & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food

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Product Info

• Protein: 20% Min
• Fat: 13% Min
• Fiber: 6% Max
• Calories: 363 calories per cup

Pros

• High protein content
• Most customers found their dog’s overall health improve with this diet
• Supports healthy digestion

Cons

• A few people said the delivery was a bit late

This Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Adult Dry Dog Food includes whitefish as the first ingredient. That acts as a good source of protein for your dog. Moreover, the L-Carnitine that is featured in this blend helps your dog maintain lean and strong muscles. Additionally, this blend includes added vitamins and minerals. So that ensures that your dog is getting the best possible nutrition. Finally, the blend of antioxidants featured in this dog food helps strengthen your dog’s immune system and keep your Great Dane healthy.

BEST FOR ALLERGIES

2.

Blue Buffalo Freedom Adult Beef Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

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Product Info

• Protein: 24% Min
• Fat: 14% Min
• Fiber: 6% Max
• Calories: 377 calories per cup

Pros

• Many dog owners found their dog’s stomach issues clear up while eating this food
• Most dogs liked the taste of this dog food
• Good nutritional value in this food

Cons

• Several customers agree that this food doesn’t work for every dog

This BLUE Freedom Grain Free Dry Dog Food features meat as the number one ingredient with fresh deboned beef and nutrient rich chicken meal. Moreover, the carbs in this blend help replace the grain and ensure that your dog stays alert and energized. Furthermore, the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids featured in this dog food help ensure that your dog has the healthiest coat and skin. Finally, the antioxidants found in this dog food help build your dog’s immune system and keeps it as healthy as possible.

BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS

3.

Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Adult Deboned Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

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Product Info

• Protein: 26% Min
• Fat: 12% Min
• Fiber: 5% Max
• Calories: 340 calories per cup

Pros

• Rich in protein and fatty acids
• Dogs enjoyed the taste of this food
• Ideal size kibbles for larger dogs

Cons

• A few customers were disappointed to find the wrong food delivered to them
• A lot of dogs, according to their owners, did not like the taste of this dog food

This Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Large Breed Dog Food features a chicken and rice blend. That ensures a balanced diet and optimal nutrition for your dog. Furthermore, this blend includes regulated calories in order to ensure that your dog is maintaining a healthy weight. Additionally, this dog food is made only from natural ingredients. That allows you the confidence that your dog is getting a meal of the highest quality. Finally, this blend features a larger kibble in order to make sure that your Great Dane is chewing its food and cleaning up its teeth during meal time.

BEST FOR PUPPIES

4.

Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

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Product Info

• Protein: 26% Min
• Fat: 14% Min
• Fiber: 5% Max
• Calories: 337.4 calories per cup

Pros

• LifeSource Bits provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
• Supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin for strong bones and joints
• Affordable and has a fair value

Cons

• Some dogs might be sensitive to chicken

This Eukanuba Puppy Dry Dog Food includes DHA, a substance added through fish oil that is believed to help the dog’s brain develop better. That is said to make them more trainable. Moreover, the beet pulp and prebiotic FOS help improve your puppy’s digestion and absorption of nutrients. That makes it easier for them to access the nutrients they need in order to grow.

Additionally, this blend features only high-quality animal-based products. That ensures your dog is getting the nutrients, fat, and protein that they need in order to grow. Finally, the Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids found in this blend ensure that your dog always looks amazing with healthy skin and coat.

BEST FOR SENIOR DOGS

5.

Natural Balance Gentle Balance Chicken, Barley, & Salmon Meal Formula Dry Dog Food

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Product Info

• Protein: 28% Min
• Fat: 16% Min
• Fiber: 5% Max
• Calories: 410 calories per cup

Pros

• Made with a single source of protein and limited ingredients
• Supports clean teeth and healthy gums in large breed dogs
• Many customers found their dog’s overall health improve with this food

Cons

• A bit expensive

This Natural Balance Synergy Ultra Premium Dry Dog Food features ingredients that will help strengthen your senior dog’s immune system and digestion. Furthermore, the flaxseed and salmon oil found in this blend helps maintain a sleek and shiny coat and keeps your dog’s skin healthy. In addition, the unique mix of fibers that this dog food features is for less frequent and heathier stools. Finally, the multiple high quality protein sources found in this food helps your senior dog maintain their lean body and strong muscles.

What To Look For When Buying Food For Your Great Dane?

The best place to start when looking for the best dog food for Great Danes is a high-quality diet formulated for large-breed dogs. This will help ensure that your dog gets the protein it needs to build healthy muscle without so much fat that it becomes overweight or obese.

In terms of specific nutritional needs, your dog requires at least 18% crude protein, 5% crude fat, and no more than 5% fiber in its diet. That is the bare minimum, however, so keep that in mind.

When it comes to protein and fat, your dog will be able to digest animal-based ingredients better than plant-based ingredients.

Meat, poultry, and fish are excellent sources of protein for dogs, and healthy fats include things like chicken fat and salmon oil. Your Great Dane dog can digest certain carbohydrates as well like whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans, and legumes, but protein should be the star of its diet.

In addition to protein, fat, and digestible carbohydrates, your large breed dog can benefit from certain supplements.

Probiotics, for example, help to ensure smooth and regular digestion, while chelated minerals provide a biologically valuable source of key nutrients. Glucosamine and chondroitin are also important for large-breed dogs to support their bone and joint health.

Keep reading to see our top 5 recommendations for the best dog food for large breeds.

Nutritional Requirements

Here are some of the top things to look for when buying dog food for Great Danes:

• High-Quality Protein. Protein is the most important nutrient for any dog, but it is particularly important for Great Dane dogs to maintain lean muscle mass. Look for premium animal sources for protein.
• Moderate Fat. Fat provides your dog with a concentrated source of energy as well as essential fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, but you want to keep the content moderate to avoid feeding your dog so many calories that he becomes obese.
• Joint Support. Great Dane dogs have a higher risk for bone and joint problems than smaller breeds, so look for a recipe that contains joint-supporting nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin.
• Digestibility. Many Great Dane dogs have sensitive stomachs, so you want to make sure that the recipe you choose is made with digestible ingredients and free from low-quality fillers and artificial additives that could upset its stomach.

How Much To Feed Your Great Dane According To Age?

Feeding your Great Dane has a lot to do with what stage of life your dog is in. However, no matter their size, these giant breed dogs will be consuming massive amounts of calories.

• Puppy: Great Dane puppies should be fed small meals a few times a day. The exact quantity of the portion cannot be specified as the puppy’s diet changes as they grow. However, it is important to remember not to overfeed your growing puppy as then they will grow too fast and painful pressure will be put on their joints.

• Adult: Great Danes are extremely lazy and don’t move about unless forced to. Therefore, if your dog is lazy at home, then you shouldn’t be feeding them more than 2675 calories per day. However, if your dog is more active, or maybe even working, than you can be feeding them up to 4000 calories a day.

• Senior: As with most senior dogs, Great Danes are no exception when it comes to laziness and weight gain. However, Great Danes do differ in the sense that while they gain weight very easily, they do not lose it very easily. Therefore, it is important to keep your dog’s diet healthy and avoid feeding them more than 2190 calories a day.

Food Allergies And Food-Related Health Issues

Great Danes are extremely likely to develop a long list of health issues. Some of these can be affected (but not cured) by your dog’s diet. However, cancer specifically has a lot of links to your Great Dane’s diet, making it super important for every dog owner to know exactly what to avoid.

• Weight: As stated above, Great Danes gain weight quite easily, however, in order to keep them from running a cancer risk, it is important that you keep their weight balanced. Moreover, excessive weight can strain your dog’s joints and cause them to develop obesity-related illnesses.
• Anti-inflammatory: Another way to keep your dog safe from cancer is by feeding them anti-inflammatory foods. What this means in practice is avoiding carbs and grains and pushing for foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids.
• Artificial Ingredients: Artificial ingredients have been linked to cancer in dogs as well as humans. Basically, there has yet to be a study which finds something positive about these ingredients, and it is just better to keep your dog away from them.
• Antioxidants: Fruits and vegetables, both feature lots of antioxidants, which help the dog with its immune system. A healthy immune system means a healthy dog. Therefore, make sure to look out for these ingredients.

Final Thoughts

Great Dane dogs were bred to be used as hunting dogs. While their size can be intimidating, they have been bred to be gentle. They are excellent with both children and adults, and they are naturally social, making them suitable companions for almost anyone. To this day, they make excellent guard dogs.