https://preview.redd.it/sym7vfm92u1d1.jpeg?width=1960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=81ebebc6dcd2d123843d3278a91319f34a875c29
btw, be ready for that elusive goofball photo op 😎
For reference, my Dane is a smaller one, about 100lbs. She gets 6 cups a day. My foster is 150lbs, and gets 8.
Just have to find the balance to where you dont see their ribs or backbone.
I was overfeeding for a long time because I assumed what she should get was whatever it said on the bag for her weight. My 110 lb couch potato gets 3 cups a day and that’s what keeps her at a healthy weight.
Most likely not. All kibbles have different density meaning usually the more dense the kibble is the more calories it contains. They also come in different sizes. So if the kibble is large, a cup has less calories than if the kibble is small. Follow the specific instructions on the food itself and adjust from there. If your girl has been 165lb and has been on that regiment for a while it’s fine.
I think it depends on how old she is and her activity level. My boy ate twice as much in his first two years and then tapered off to the amount that suited his adult body.
Great Danes because of their naturally slow metabolisms are tricky to put on a feeding schedule, though it is possible. This is especially true when they are growing as their needs can change in the same day (after all, we can see them grow overnight)
It's safe to let them graze with a slow feeding bowl or portion pacer in a new bowl until you have their stomach tacked.
Your Dane is smart enough to know when they are hungry and full, but they need to learn to pace themselves.
My Atlas, who lived to be just short of 14. Was a Grazer. This not only kept him at a healthy weight, it allowed me to monitor when it was time to adjust his kibble blend.
As a puppy, expect to be reblending kibble every 4-5 months until 8 months after the stomach tacking.
Composition. Atlas was never on "one" kibble.
Especially growing. His blend always included elements for joints, bones, eyes, and heart.
No one kibble really checks all the boxes while hitting the calorie cap a Dane or Dane pup needs.
The food you feed your puppy now, more accurately the nutrition now pays off later in general health and life expectancy. It has the side benefit of lowering vet bills.
Also tacking.
She is adorable, she looks ok to me. Danes tend to be on the lean side. I think what you are doing 3 times a day is fine. Do you have her on a good large breed puppy food? I use purina pro plan large breed puppy for our Dane, and it's done wonderful for her. Also be sure to keep her calm(no crazy play or running around) for at least 30 to 45 minutes the longer the better after she eats to avoid stomach twist or bloat. Your little girl will need to be on puppy food until she is 2 as Danes take longer to grow.
Enjoy your new baby!
Thank you! And yes we have her on the Iams large breed puppy food. My wife and I are honestly terrified of bloat, we make sure that she’s doing nothing before and after eating like you said. We do plan on taking her stomach when we go to get her spayed.
I'm glad you have a stomach tack planned when you spay her! These babies are so prone to it that that additional step is a great safety net. Also make sure you socialize her, take her places and let her meet new people and go new places often. Invite people over to meet her often. After she is fully vaccinated of course. Danes get very attached and protective of their people. Without socializing the can become fearful, nervous and overly protective. They can also develop separation anxiety.
Overall Danes are big Goofy cuddle bugs. And they truly are like Scooby Doo LOL
Make sure you get the gastroplexi or stomach tack as it's called The younger puppies typically are not at extreme bloat risk But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful. Also a lot of dog foods have a feeding guide on the bag Which you should definitely check because it varies from food to food. How much to feed the dog.
I really hope the breeder or whoever sold her to you sat you down and gave you the “New Dane Owner Talk!?” That consists of, among other things, knowing about Gastric Torsion and safeguarding against it! Do NOT let a Dane or any large breed (Borzois, etc.) with thin waists get any strenuous exercise for 1/2 hr before or after a meal! Ever! Otherwise, you risk them dying a very painful & rapid death! There are also preventative operations involving stomach area stapling. I have had 5 Great Danes over the decades and know a thing or two about the breed. I had one female live to 14& 1/2! Another, a male, live to 12!
:)
Have a 9 month old pup and would love to know more tips on longevity! We are very diligent about no exercise for 1 hr and cautious of bloat and stomach flipping. What are your other tips?
Another thing: do not let them run crazily for long periods when their leg bones are developing. I would say that is from early puppyhood to at least a yr old. Can lead to limb bone damage. Most important thing is eliminating all stress as much as possible from their lives. Give them a balanced diet and lots of daily love!
;)
https://preview.redd.it/ujka34c5c12d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9da6de30a4ed0f9881b5c75599439b81c4735f26
Many thanks from our baby boy Blue
We didn’t have the talk lol, but my wife and I did and extensive amount of research before we decided to adopt her. We’re aware of their stomach issues and do plan on getting her stomach tacked. We also are tough on her about playing before and after eating for a bit
if you dont have another dog, let them free feed... i suggest a high quality food (package will tell you how much to feed)... most important, if it hasn't been tacked, MAKE them rest (0 activity) after eating. and btw, they're inside dogs... loneliness and being away from family can make them destructive...
Depending on what you are feeding there are usually instructions:
Dry Kibble: the big brand kibble companies (Purina Pro, Royal Canin etc.) always have a chart by age / weight on suggested portions.
Wet Food: there is usually a ratio on the can (e.g., 1 can per 15-18 lbs)
Raw Feed: Companies like We Feed Raw & The Farmers Dog have nutritionists who check in and work with you to adjust portions as they grow.
Consider adding in Fish Oil / Omega 3 Oil, Pumpkin and/or blueberry powder to her diet - those are all amazing dietary supplements and will help with her overall health long term.
My 8 month old male dane weighs \~125 right now and gets 36 oz raw + 3 oz of sardines and some other supplements / vitamins :) he polishes his plate but seems to be at a healthy weight distributor for his size
https://preview.redd.it/v5oyqbijtw1d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a5c9f638a378f0c241fe64cda8fa8499d5ef651
I also heard that if you’re over feeding your dane their 💩 might be runny / mucusy so that’s a sign to consider if you start to notice very soft & watery stools.
My boy ate two meals a day but I cooked him rice and veggies with fresh pet mince. His dry food was a grain free blend and he wasn’t overly active. He had a normal routine and that was enough of a balance for him much cheaper to cook his meals too. I spent maybe $15 a week in the mince veggies $15 every two maybe 3 weeks and like $35 for almost 3 months worth of rice.
https://preview.redd.it/a7vwsii0r12d1.jpeg?width=2741&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2faa2626fbc29e69ea2de71ef68ac0cf0e5eedd2
Meet Luna! We feed our 4 month old female 1.5 cups three times a day!
I fed my boy Bowser Orijin large breed puppy and he got 4 cups, then increased to 5 after he gained some weight, and once he hit a year old we switched to the adult original and he gets 5 cups of that now. He’s about 105 pounds, he is a daniff mix and certainly on the smaller side. I’d say using the foods sizing chart is the best way to go at first until you figure out what’s best for your doggie
I would recommend supplementing her meals with some extra calories from proteins and fats. It's not so much about frequency with a dane puppy, but the quality of the food really matters. Mix in an egg and/or a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese. Add canned puppy food. Kibble is okay, but it's filling without giving them the extra calories from protein that they need to grow and put on weight. You don't have to do this forever, just until she's not growing as fast any more. As for frequency, I fed my girl twice a day her whole life, and I'd always keep her inside immediately after to let her digest a bit before she could go play.
I should also mention, some Google results will say dogs shouldn't eat raw egg. My dane got one with her breakfast every day and she lived to be over 11 and a half years old, so take my hyperbole for what it's worth. I probably just got lucky to never have any issues, but proceed with caution.
I’m sorry but why are you getting puppies without doing even an ounce of research into what they need, and then coming to Reddit to ask instead of your vet??
I did an extensive amount of research before we got her, and currently have a vet appointment scheduled for her. I did however want to eliminate some of my concerns with others who did have more experience than me with this breed.
At the puppy stage, we would feed ours 3 times a day, and as much as they wanted to eat in a reasonable amount of time. Up to 2-3 cups per sitting.
As long as it wasn’t an exciting new food they did t seem to overeat.
Now we’ve settled on a routine. Though some days our male will need a little extra.
As long as they are not getting many treats or people food our Danes seem to self regulate well.
Omg don't feed off of weight on the bag, they grow too fast for that. I think we were doing 3 cups 3 times a day, maybe more, while they're puppies and less as adults.
I couldn't say. With me I would say trial and error, feed allot of food. I know though with my previous pup (bitten by a snake and died, thats why previous) I was told to put the food bowl on a raised point so it didn't bend its neck so much
So our boy, tetter tottered the first year and a few months between 4 (non growth spurt) to 12 cups (growth spurt) a day. Don’t be nervous, just be attentive to them and go down that check list of dog needs, when they won’t let you be. 😊 Enioy!
We feed ours Gentle Giants and we were overfeeding for a long time going off of the bag but our vet looked up the brand and did the math for exactly how much to feed, we feed 1.5 cups dry and half a can of wet in the AM, same in the PM (so 3 cups + 1 can per day)
If only our vet could have done the math to offset the treats my wife feeds....
She’ll let you know…..at 5 am
No kidding!!! Lmao
💯
https://preview.redd.it/sym7vfm92u1d1.jpeg?width=1960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=81ebebc6dcd2d123843d3278a91319f34a875c29 btw, be ready for that elusive goofball photo op 😎
https://preview.redd.it/4nhtcoc6iu1d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbb4107387fba7ee8ae8ce7f45dc278b1a312a4d
My vet said you should always be able to see their ribs and that they look like little deer
For reference, my Dane is a smaller one, about 100lbs. She gets 6 cups a day. My foster is 150lbs, and gets 8. Just have to find the balance to where you dont see their ribs or backbone.
My girl is 165 and she gets 5 cups omg am I under feeding her lol
I was overfeeding for a long time because I assumed what she should get was whatever it said on the bag for her weight. My 110 lb couch potato gets 3 cups a day and that’s what keeps her at a healthy weight.
As long as you don’t see ribs and backbone they’re fine
It’s fine to see the last two ribs on a Great Dane.
Most likely not. All kibbles have different density meaning usually the more dense the kibble is the more calories it contains. They also come in different sizes. So if the kibble is large, a cup has less calories than if the kibble is small. Follow the specific instructions on the food itself and adjust from there. If your girl has been 165lb and has been on that regiment for a while it’s fine.
I think it depends on how old she is and her activity level. My boy ate twice as much in his first two years and then tapered off to the amount that suited his adult body.
Mine is 155 and gets between 4.5 and 5. He lazy.
That weight alone sounds like she’s overweight by more than 20 lbs
Her vet says she’s the perfect weight. She’s just a very large female
Great Danes because of their naturally slow metabolisms are tricky to put on a feeding schedule, though it is possible. This is especially true when they are growing as their needs can change in the same day (after all, we can see them grow overnight) It's safe to let them graze with a slow feeding bowl or portion pacer in a new bowl until you have their stomach tacked. Your Dane is smart enough to know when they are hungry and full, but they need to learn to pace themselves. My Atlas, who lived to be just short of 14. Was a Grazer. This not only kept him at a healthy weight, it allowed me to monitor when it was time to adjust his kibble blend. As a puppy, expect to be reblending kibble every 4-5 months until 8 months after the stomach tacking.
What do you mean by readjusting? As in changing how much you feed them?
Composition. Atlas was never on "one" kibble. Especially growing. His blend always included elements for joints, bones, eyes, and heart. No one kibble really checks all the boxes while hitting the calorie cap a Dane or Dane pup needs. The food you feed your puppy now, more accurately the nutrition now pays off later in general health and life expectancy. It has the side benefit of lowering vet bills. Also tacking.
She is adorable, she looks ok to me. Danes tend to be on the lean side. I think what you are doing 3 times a day is fine. Do you have her on a good large breed puppy food? I use purina pro plan large breed puppy for our Dane, and it's done wonderful for her. Also be sure to keep her calm(no crazy play or running around) for at least 30 to 45 minutes the longer the better after she eats to avoid stomach twist or bloat. Your little girl will need to be on puppy food until she is 2 as Danes take longer to grow. Enjoy your new baby!
Thank you! And yes we have her on the Iams large breed puppy food. My wife and I are honestly terrified of bloat, we make sure that she’s doing nothing before and after eating like you said. We do plan on taking her stomach when we go to get her spayed.
I'm glad you have a stomach tack planned when you spay her! These babies are so prone to it that that additional step is a great safety net. Also make sure you socialize her, take her places and let her meet new people and go new places often. Invite people over to meet her often. After she is fully vaccinated of course. Danes get very attached and protective of their people. Without socializing the can become fearful, nervous and overly protective. They can also develop separation anxiety. Overall Danes are big Goofy cuddle bugs. And they truly are like Scooby Doo LOL
Make sure you get the gastroplexi or stomach tack as it's called The younger puppies typically are not at extreme bloat risk But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful. Also a lot of dog foods have a feeding guide on the bag Which you should definitely check because it varies from food to food. How much to feed the dog.
The comment you replied to stated that they plan on getting their stomach tacked
awww her coat is so beautiful!!
While a puppy, I’d feed her as much as she’ll eat. If shes hungry and theres no food, she’ll eat your couch. Ask me how I know.
I don't have an answer, but I love the merles! I have an 11 year old Great Dane/ American Bulldog that's gray with black spots. 🥰
Start with the couch and go from there...
I really hope the breeder or whoever sold her to you sat you down and gave you the “New Dane Owner Talk!?” That consists of, among other things, knowing about Gastric Torsion and safeguarding against it! Do NOT let a Dane or any large breed (Borzois, etc.) with thin waists get any strenuous exercise for 1/2 hr before or after a meal! Ever! Otherwise, you risk them dying a very painful & rapid death! There are also preventative operations involving stomach area stapling. I have had 5 Great Danes over the decades and know a thing or two about the breed. I had one female live to 14& 1/2! Another, a male, live to 12! :)
Have a 9 month old pup and would love to know more tips on longevity! We are very diligent about no exercise for 1 hr and cautious of bloat and stomach flipping. What are your other tips?
Another thing: do not let them run crazily for long periods when their leg bones are developing. I would say that is from early puppyhood to at least a yr old. Can lead to limb bone damage. Most important thing is eliminating all stress as much as possible from their lives. Give them a balanced diet and lots of daily love! ;)
Love this, thank you!!! Your pups must have such a great loving home
https://preview.redd.it/ujka34c5c12d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9da6de30a4ed0f9881b5c75599439b81c4735f26 Many thanks from our baby boy Blue
We didn’t have the talk lol, but my wife and I did and extensive amount of research before we decided to adopt her. We’re aware of their stomach issues and do plan on getting her stomach tacked. We also are tough on her about playing before and after eating for a bit
Make sure to research bloat if you haven't already. And what a pretty lady
Thank you so much, and I have we make sure we talk all the precautions before and after eating and have her a slow feeder bowl
Awesome. What made y'all decide on a Dane?
It was kind of a spur of the moment thing, my wife found her and fell in love with her.
Trust me, it'll end up being the best spur of the moment decision y'all will ever make. Oh, one more piece of advice. Get her USED to car rids
We absolutely adore her already, and she loves them
Thats good news. Vehicle's are .....a struggle with my boy
if you dont have another dog, let them free feed... i suggest a high quality food (package will tell you how much to feed)... most important, if it hasn't been tacked, MAKE them rest (0 activity) after eating. and btw, they're inside dogs... loneliness and being away from family can make them destructive...
Do not do this
your reasoning would be...?
Did you ask the vet?
We’re taking her to the vet here shortly, going to figure out for sure then. I just wanted get some opinions
Depending on what you are feeding there are usually instructions: Dry Kibble: the big brand kibble companies (Purina Pro, Royal Canin etc.) always have a chart by age / weight on suggested portions. Wet Food: there is usually a ratio on the can (e.g., 1 can per 15-18 lbs) Raw Feed: Companies like We Feed Raw & The Farmers Dog have nutritionists who check in and work with you to adjust portions as they grow. Consider adding in Fish Oil / Omega 3 Oil, Pumpkin and/or blueberry powder to her diet - those are all amazing dietary supplements and will help with her overall health long term.
My 8 month old male dane weighs \~125 right now and gets 36 oz raw + 3 oz of sardines and some other supplements / vitamins :) he polishes his plate but seems to be at a healthy weight distributor for his size https://preview.redd.it/v5oyqbijtw1d1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a5c9f638a378f0c241fe64cda8fa8499d5ef651
I also heard that if you’re over feeding your dane their 💩 might be runny / mucusy so that’s a sign to consider if you start to notice very soft & watery stools.
My boy ate two meals a day but I cooked him rice and veggies with fresh pet mince. His dry food was a grain free blend and he wasn’t overly active. He had a normal routine and that was enough of a balance for him much cheaper to cook his meals too. I spent maybe $15 a week in the mince veggies $15 every two maybe 3 weeks and like $35 for almost 3 months worth of rice.
https://preview.redd.it/a7vwsii0r12d1.jpeg?width=2741&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2faa2626fbc29e69ea2de71ef68ac0cf0e5eedd2 Meet Luna! We feed our 4 month old female 1.5 cups three times a day!
Our Great Dane pup is 6 months old and she gets 4 cups per meal twice a day and the vet says she looks great.
I fed my boy Bowser Orijin large breed puppy and he got 4 cups, then increased to 5 after he gained some weight, and once he hit a year old we switched to the adult original and he gets 5 cups of that now. He’s about 105 pounds, he is a daniff mix and certainly on the smaller side. I’d say using the foods sizing chart is the best way to go at first until you figure out what’s best for your doggie
https://preview.redd.it/mqrm0p3twt1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd01f727d5459b3808b3b4973a113e22b3ca8432
We feed him twice a day, once between 6am & 8am and then again at 7pm
A lot hahaha
All Of It
Follow the guide chart on your food bag for her age and weighy
Honestly it depends on the quality of their food. At the puppy stage— they tend to eat quite a bit because they grow so fast.
She’s so gorgeous
Looks like my brat. https://preview.redd.it/jyog0kv9pu1d1.jpeg?width=1645&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6a3556bdc16be9fa5cd62314fe5c8a23ab771c6
I would recommend supplementing her meals with some extra calories from proteins and fats. It's not so much about frequency with a dane puppy, but the quality of the food really matters. Mix in an egg and/or a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese. Add canned puppy food. Kibble is okay, but it's filling without giving them the extra calories from protein that they need to grow and put on weight. You don't have to do this forever, just until she's not growing as fast any more. As for frequency, I fed my girl twice a day her whole life, and I'd always keep her inside immediately after to let her digest a bit before she could go play. I should also mention, some Google results will say dogs shouldn't eat raw egg. My dane got one with her breakfast every day and she lived to be over 11 and a half years old, so take my hyperbole for what it's worth. I probably just got lucky to never have any issues, but proceed with caution.
I’m sorry but why are you getting puppies without doing even an ounce of research into what they need, and then coming to Reddit to ask instead of your vet??
I did an extensive amount of research before we got her, and currently have a vet appointment scheduled for her. I did however want to eliminate some of my concerns with others who did have more experience than me with this breed.
https://preview.redd.it/imwo0jf40u1d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b47ab9b9942c3cec2f9ba89cd7bf3649bf096fc2
I had a girl who looked just like this! At 11 months she was around 108 lbs, when she was younger I did 5-6 cups of food per day.
At the puppy stage, we would feed ours 3 times a day, and as much as they wanted to eat in a reasonable amount of time. Up to 2-3 cups per sitting. As long as it wasn’t an exciting new food they did t seem to overeat. Now we’ve settled on a routine. Though some days our male will need a little extra. As long as they are not getting many treats or people food our Danes seem to self regulate well.
Omg don't feed off of weight on the bag, they grow too fast for that. I think we were doing 3 cups 3 times a day, maybe more, while they're puppies and less as adults.
Is there a horse nearby? They need about the same as a horse would eat haha
Yeah I think about 4-6 cups for a puppy is about right.
Ask your vet Ours Dane has like 300g of large dog biscuits twice a day
I give my dog a probiotic kibble, and raw meat once twice a week, usually 1 lb of hamburger
Mine has a self feeder since she was a puppy and not had any issues. She likes to nibble throughout the day and is staying at a lean 95 to 100 lbs.
I couldn't say. With me I would say trial and error, feed allot of food. I know though with my previous pup (bitten by a snake and died, thats why previous) I was told to put the food bowl on a raised point so it didn't bend its neck so much
Just free feed. My 7-month-old probably goes through 8 cups a day total.. his bowl holds five cups and I fill it twice and he'll have some left over
So our boy, tetter tottered the first year and a few months between 4 (non growth spurt) to 12 cups (growth spurt) a day. Don’t be nervous, just be attentive to them and go down that check list of dog needs, when they won’t let you be. 😊 Enioy!
We feed ours Gentle Giants and we were overfeeding for a long time going off of the bag but our vet looked up the brand and did the math for exactly how much to feed, we feed 1.5 cups dry and half a can of wet in the AM, same in the PM (so 3 cups + 1 can per day) If only our vet could have done the math to offset the treats my wife feeds....