GREAT DANE FACT SHEET
Large breed puppies require a special diet. Your puppy should only be fed a high quality ADULT DOG FOOD or a GIANT BREED PUPPY FOOD. Do NOT feed your puppy a regular puppy food. Doing so can cause serious bone, joint and hip problems which can be very costly and painful for your dog. These foods are also lower in fat and protein, which allow your puppy to grow at a slower rate, lessening the likelihood that he will develop hip, bone and joint problems. (Don’t worry, your dog will still grow to be the same size!)
When searching for an adult food for your dog, avoid foods with high amounts of corn, salt and any meat by-products. These foods are not very digestible nor are they good for your dog’s health. It’s OK to give your dog small amounts of healthy table-food, such as cooked chicken breast, hamburger, rice, and raw vegetables and fruits.
Puppies need to eat at least 3 times a day for the first 4 months. It’s OK to switch to twice a day at around 5-6 months. Some people recommend free-feeding; leaving a bowl of food out for your puppy all the time. Recent studies are suggesting that free feeding may help to avoid bloat. (Bloat is a condition in which the belly fills up with air causing the stomach to turn upside down, killing the dog if he is not treated immediately.
Environment:
Great Danes overheat and chill easily. Do not leave your puppy outside for more than ½ hour at a time during the hot summer months or he may get heatstroke. Do not leave him outside in the winter for more than a few minutes at a time – since they have no undercoat, they freeze easily. Provide your dog with a soft place to lay: blankets, dog beds and crib mattresses work well.
Growth:
Since your puppy will grow quickly, some precautions must be taken to ensure proper bone development:
Do not allow your puppy to run for long periods of time as this can cause hairline fractures in their developing bones. Wait to run or play long games of fetch until your dog is at least 18 months old.
Do not allow your puppy to play on slippery surfaces. This is a possible environmental cause of hip dysplasia.
Some studies have shown that vitamin C helps to ease “growing pains” associated with rapid bone growth. Talk to your vet about supplements
Vaccinations:
Vaccinations are very important! There are many deadly diseases such as Parvo that can spread rapidly. These diseases can be easily prevented by simply vaccinating your dog. Vaccinations typically cost around $50.00 each, while treating your dog once he has a preventable disease will cost hundreds, even thousands, and many dogs will still die. Other diseases such as distemper are almost always deadly, but can be prevented with a vaccine.
Obedience Training:
Your dog will be very large and powerful, and will be very strong willed! Large dogs without manners tend to be exiled from the house and family which causes them to be lonely, and since they’re lonely, the make more trouble, which makes you more angry…It’s a vicious cycle! I recommend obedience training to prevent this from happening. Many obedience schools offer a course on puppy training that can be started at 4 months - 6 months. The classes help with potty training, chew training, sit, stay, come, heel, etc.
Potty and Chew Training:
Puppies need to potty every 4 hours until they are 4 months old, at which time they can usually hold it for about 6 hours. They should be able to hold it for about 8 hours by the time they’re 6-7 months old. Puppies will need to potty approx. 5-30 minutes after eating or drinking, and always after a nap.
Grooming:
Great danes require relatively little grooming. They should be bathed regularly (every week or two). Nails should be trimmed weekly. Ears should be cleaned after each bath or weekly if they are dirty. After bathing your dog, inspect for ticks, fleas, cuts, and ear mites. Your dog’s teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with an enzyme toothpaste for dogs. Danes tend to collect food particles in the back of their cheeks, and if it isn’t cleaned out regularly, you will have expensive tooth decay problems within a few years. You can also consider giving treats designed to assist with cleaning teeth between brushings.
Where's the best place to get a new puppy?
There are so many options when looking to adopt a puppy it's hard to know where to start. So, I will start by encouraging you NOT to start at a pet store. The majority of the puppies you see in pet stores are raised in places called puppy mills. These dog farms typically keep dozens or hundreds of dogs in tiny, filthy pest and feces infested crates their entire lives, producing litter after litter. They rarely receive veterinary care, exercise, or love. Many of the puppies produced by these places have genetic defects and health problems related to the conditions they are raised in. By purchasing a dog from a pet store, you are creating a demand for these puppy millers to supply and are supporting their cruelty and mistreatment of dogs.
Great Dane Club are listed in the directory. Most perform adequate medical screenings prior to breeding, but please do your research before selecting a breeder! We make no guarantees as to the responsibility of the breeders listed or the health of their puppies, and do not endorse any specific breeders.