Hello Danes

Author: Hello Danes

  • Why Does My Great Dane Look So Skinny?

    Why Does My Great Dane Look So Skinny?

    Does your Great Dane look so skinny that you are concerned he’s not eating enough? Were you expecting a giant, robust, beefy dog and ended up with a walking skeleton instead? A lot of people are concerned about their Great Danes’ weight and we’re here to clear up any myths and misconceptions.

    There are so many reasons for a Great Dane to appear skinny, and I’m going to cover them all. To get you started, here is a short list. I will go into more depth on this below:

    Reasons that your Great Dane may look underweight:

    • Genetics
    • Age
    • Nutrition
    • Lack of exercise
    • Early spay or neuter
    • Medical problems

    Chances are your Great Dane is not actually too thin!

    why does my great dane look so skinny

    Skinny Great Danes & Genetics

    Like humans, Great Danes can come in different body shapes.

    For information on the Great Dane breed standard, read HERE.

    It’s entirely possible that your Great Dane appears skinny to you because you were expecting a more stocky, mastiff-like dog, and that’s not the genetics your dog has.

    The Great Dane written standard in both the U.S. and Europe say that Danes should be balanced, powerful, muscular, and smooth. They should never be stocky or heavy.

    Read more about EURO Danes HERE.

    Some Great Danes are built like tanks, with a short stocky build.

    Other Great Danes are built more like greyhounds, and have a lean wirey build.

    Here is an illustration of the correct Great Dane body type. These dogs below are not stocky, nor are they greyhound like.

    If your Great Dane seems thin and lacks substance, it could just be genetics at play. Those genetics may also result in slow maturity; some Danes take years to reach their full potential, and patience is key.

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    Age and Weight in Great Danes

    Some Great Danes appear skinny because of their age.

    Puppies, especially intact males under the age of 2, are notoriously lean and lanky (read more about this in the nutrition section). Seeing a few ribs is normal and healthy.

    Older adult dogs may also begin to appear thin, as they lose muscle mass with age.

    One of the most common concerns we see from Great Dane owners is that their growing puppy looks too skinny.

    One of the worst things you can do in this case is to start adding fatty foods, toppers, and supplements. Do not “give your dog more groceries” in order to bulk them up or fill them out. This dangerous practice can lead to pancreatitis or obesity; neither are things that you want.

    For puppies, make sure you are feeding a correct diet and getting your pup moving freely on soft, varied terrain as much as possible so they can build muscle and tendon strength. For older dogs, the same thing applies.

    As always, talk to your veterinarian if you are worried that your dog is too thin. 99% of the time, you’ll learn that your dog is actually just fine!

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    A very lean, healthy intact male Dane around 14 months of age

    Nutrition for Great Danes

    Another reason you may find that your Great Dane is too skinny has to to with nutrition!

    Some formulas simply do not have the correct recipe that will allow your Great Dane to thrive. The information I’m about to share may surprise you!

    Great Dane puppies will be starved of certain nutrients if they are fed adult formulas that were not created to support large & giant breed Growth.

    It is not uncommon for us to see 6-12 month old Great Dane puppies, who were fed adult foods, that are incredibly lanky and unstable looking.

    These dogs will benefit from a properly formulated puppy food that will have the correct protein, fat, and carb ratio to promote muscle development, skin, heart, brain, eye, and bone health.

    It’s 2023, Here is Why Great Danes Should Have Puppy Food

    Great Dane Puppy Foods

    For adult dogs (24 months +) who seem to be struggling with muscle development, energy levels, skin and coat health, or structural stability, talk to your veterinarian.

    We recommend sticking to dog food brands that have board-certified veterinary nutritionists on staff, and that do a lot of peer-reviewed nutritional research.

    Here is our list of top-tier foods for Great Danes. Feed the puppy formulas until 18-24 months.

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

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    Lack of Exercise & Great Danes Weight

    Great Danes were originally bred to hunt wild boar.

    They are meant to be a lean, graceful, athletic, and muscular breed.

    In other words, it’s not natural for Great Danes to get all or even most of their exercise from obedient leashed walks on pavement.

    Of course, all Great Danes should know how to walk politely on a leash.

    However, the most natural thing for a Great Dane is to be able to freely move on soft, varied terrain as often as possible. Off-leash activities such as exploring fields and trails are ideal for physical and mental health.

    Many Great Danes who appear thin and unstable simply lack muscle.

    If you are not able to get your dog moving safely (and legally) off-leash, we recommend a long biothane line clipped to an escape-proof martingale collar, and spending time together in an empty field!

    Teach a Great Dane to Recall with an E-Collar

    Off-Leash Training Guide for Great Danes

    You can also look into swimming. Many canine therapy and training, boarding, or sporting facilities have pools for dog swimming that can be rented by private users.

    Contrary to popular belief, Great Danes are not lazy dogs. They have an excellent off-switch and love the couch at home, but they should be robust and athletic otherwise.

    If your Dane is excessively lazy or docile, talk to your vet. They may be in pain, have a medical issue (see below), are depressed, are overweight, need better nutrition, require a nail trim, or have unstable structure that makes it difficult or even painful to move normally.

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    Early Spay & Neuter in Great Danes

    This is a big one. Many people are understandably confused about when to spay or neuter their Great Dane.

    Research on this topic is ongoing, and many veterinarians now believe that delayed spay and neuter is beneficial for joint development and stability.

    We believe that most Great Danes should remain intact until at least 18, if not 24 months.

    For starters, it’s not ideal to perform a gastropexy prior to 18 months of age (after the time when the dog is less likely to experience any more explosive growth spurts), and you generally want to perform the spay/neuter and gastropexy in the same surgery. So waiting has its benefits here, too.

    Second, studies have shown that large and giant breed dogs skeletal development could benefit from being kept intact through maturity. The benefits may include:

    • Lower risk of ACL / CCL tears and ruptures
    • Lower risk of developing hip dysplasia
    • Lower risk of developing certain cancers, including osteosarcoma
    • More stable structure overall

    If your Great Dane appears to lack bone, muscle, and substance, and seems unusually thin, lanky, and even a little too tall, early spay/neuter may have been a contributing factor.

    Of course, owning an intact giant-breed dog is a huge responsibility. Training, socialization, and management are key.

    If you cannot keep your Great Dane under control and on your property at all times, spay/neuter is recommended to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

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    The Ideal Great Dane structure, from the GDCA Written Standard

    Great Dane too Skinny and Medical Problems

    Of course, all of the above reasons for your Great Dane looking too skinny mean nothing if the root cause is a medical problem.

    Here are some common medical reasons why your Great Dane may be struggling to gain or maintain weight.

    Talk to your veterinarian if you are worried about the health, weight, or wellness of your Great Dane.

    Common reasons for weight loss and skinniness in dogs:


    Of course, that list is not exhaustive. A veterinary checkup can address issues and get you on the path towards health with your Great Dane!

  • Dr. Judy Morgan, DCM and the FDA

    Dr. Judy Morgan, DCM and the FDA

    Those of you heavily invested in dogs (as we are) have probably heard about the FDA and DCM as it relates to grain-free dog foods and boutique (BEG) diets causing heart disease. You may also have heard a lot about Dr. Judy Morgan and want to know if she is a legitimate, trustworthy source of information.

    This topic is a HOT one and we’re coming in with all the tea. What prompted this post?

    Oh, just Dr. Judy Morgan (an influencer) posting something that was blatantly anti-science and having thousands of followers blindly follow her without any critical thinking.

    It’s been months since I wrote this post, and now Dr. Morgan has launched a profitable smear campaign against all dog kibble.

    Dr. Morgan is a controversial figure in the world of veterinary medicine, and if you follow her, or want to know if she’s a reliable source of information, this post is for you.

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    Is Dr. Judy Morgan a Legitimate Veterinarian?

    Dr. Judy Morgan is a licensed veterinarian in at least one state. From what we understand she no longer practices medicine the traditional way.

    U.S. law prohibits her from diagnosing and treating disease via telehealth or online consultations in most cases, so she generally sticks to ‘nutritional consultations’.

    On her website, Dr. Morgan highlights her certifications of unknown origin in chiropractic care, acupuncture, and food therapy, which are all offered with a “holistic” mindset.

    Dr. Morgan makes her money through affiliate links and speaking engagements, as well as by selling “holistic” supplements, food, recipes, books, and online nutrition courses.

    Despite claiming to be a nutrition expert, Dr. Morgan is NOT actually boarded in nutrition. That title is reserved for a select few veterinarians who complete a nutrition residency, pass rigorous exams and present legitimate nutrition research. She has done none of these things.

    www.acvn.org

    This wouldn’t normally be an issue, except that she promotes herself as a nutrition expert and goes on to actively denounce the opinions, studies, research, and mentoring provided by veterinary professionals with much more advanced credentials in nutrition than she has.

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    Dr. Morgan, Dr. Becker, and Holistic Pet Care

    You may have heard a few big names in the “holistic pet care” community. Dr. Morgan, Dr. Karen Becker, and Dr. Marty come to mind.

    What does the word “holistic” mean?

    “It is characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the symptoms of an illness.”

    Holistic pet care, an approach that evaluates the animal’s whole body health, absolutely has a place. Most people use many “holistic” and whole-food approaches in their own home!

    For example, we address exhaustion by eating a healthier diet and nailing down the reasons for the anxiety that keeps us up at night. Or we might choose ibuprofen to tackle a severe headache, and chase it with lemon water to aid in digestive upset.

    We give our dogs Olewo carrots to help with loose stools and fish oil to help with coat and skin health.

    The idea of holistic pet care is a good one, actually a great one.
    The word “holistic”, however, has been bastardized.

    Through marketing, people have come to believe that something labeled as “holistic” is higher quality, better, healthier, and more natural.

    Where “holistic” fails is that it’s become associated with a lot of pseudoscience and misinformation.

    Being more “natural” isn’t necessarily a good thing. Arsenic is perfectly natural, for example.

    The “appeal to nature fallacy” is a great discussion on this very thing. (Read more about this topic HERE).

    Unfortunately, “holistic” is an unregulated term. There is no legal definition and therefore, any food brand, veterinarian, practice, or supplement can claim to be “holistic”, no matter what. This term is being abused.

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    Pseudoscience & Cherry Picking in Holistic Pet Care

    Here is where my concerns with celebrity Veterinarians such as Dr. Judy Morgan (and her “holistic” colleagues) come into play:

    They often denounce evidence-based medicine and nutrition information, discredit their peers, and re-frame official statements from the FDA.

    Doing so is VERY profitable for celebrity veterinarians! Click-bait style headlines drive engagement, traffic, and sales.

    Keep in mind that Dr. Judy Morgan’s end goal is profits: she wants followers to purchase her supplements, books, and recipes.

    That’s completely fair. We all want to make money by sharing our talents with the world. It is not to say that Dr. Morgan has never contributed valuable information and content. She has! I’m sure many people have learned valuable things that helped them with their pets.

    I believe it’s essential for us to scrutinize prominent influencers, however. When their views are perceived as controversial or deviate from the mainstream, it’s crucial to dig deeper and ask additional questions. Especially if their platform relies heavily on discrediting peers who hold a more popular, or science-backed opinion on something.

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    How are Pseudoscience and the FDA Reports on DCM Connected?

    To put this simply, Judy Morgan is a master at interpreting and presenting research, science, and official statements to suit her needs and the desires of her followers. This is a great talent to have, but also, a really good thing to keep in mind when assessing how media and content can be used to engage, mislead, inspire, or even manipulate us.

    Let’s explore this further. Grain-free diets and their potential link to Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) have become a contentious issue, sparking a debate between scientists and researchers on one side and the ‘holistic’ pet community on the other.

    In December 2022 the FDA released an updated statement on its page about dietary DCM in dogs.

    Dietary DCM is a complex issue, with multiple research studies having been developed to address concerns related to dogs developing heart disease on certain diets.

    Because researchers have yet to pin down the reasons why it happens, many people in the holistic pet community have promoted that it’s a hoax made up by big pet food companies.

    You can see the FDA DCM announcement page HERE.

    The statement reads:

    December 23, 2022: 

    “FDA does not intend to release further public updates until there is meaningful new scientific information to share. A count of reports of DCM in dogs submitted to FDA as of November 1, 2022, has been added to Questions & Answers: FDA’s Work on Potential Causes of Non-Hereditary DCM in Dogs. FDA has followed up on a subset of these reports, but is unable to investigate every report to verify or confirm the reported information. While adverse event numbers can be a potential signal of an issue with an FDA regulated product, by themselves, they do not supply sufficient data to establish a causal relationship with reported product(s). FDA continues to encourage research and collaboration by academia, veterinarians, and industry.“

    Let’s dig in, shall we?

    The scientific and critically curated summary of the FDA statement on DCM is as follows:

    • The FDA was unable to thoroughly investigate every report (of which there were many) submitted to them
    • Adverse event numbers such as the reports submitted above could signal a problem, however, that factor alone isn’t enough to definitively create a correlation between grain-free foods and DCM
    • The research related to this topic has been passed off to researchers to continue investigating (they are more qualified than the FDA)
    • Finally, the FDA will withhold further public updates until additional scientific information is available (further updates may be incoming in the future)

    On the flip side, Dr. Judy Morgan has interpreted the statement to say (paraphrased) that “the FDA called bullshit on the DCM/Grain-Free link, it doesn’t exist, it’s made up by “big dog food” to generate profits, and the discussion is over”.

    These deliberate wording choices are made to trigger emotions that breed suspicion, anxiety, conspiracy theories, and distrust. The resulting emotions and beliefs can be used to manipulate and leverage entire groups of people into believing something that has absolutely no scientific backing.

    She even goes on to say that “millions of pets were switched to poor quality pet food brands because big pet food companies used their influence on the FDA to make more money!“, a statement that has absolutely no proof behind it.

    (Have you heard about the wellness to QAnon pipeline? It fits into this discussion. If you want some more tea, dig in HERE)

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    DCM & Grain-Free Dog Food

    Now, if you aren’t up-and-up on the whole grain-free heart disease thing, this entire conversation may be a little confusing to you. So here is a summary:

    Around 2014, board-certified veterinary cardiologists (heart doctors) noticed an alarming trend. Dogs with no genetic link to DCM were turning up with heart disease. Since then, 100’s more reports have been filed, with new ones coming weekly.

    When they looked into this, most of the dogs with this disease (confirmed) had been eating boutique grain-free foods (which at the time were trending alongside boutique and “holistic” food options that were marketed as higher quality).

    In 2019 the FDA released a statement citing that a handful of brands were highly associated with this correlation. Those brands included foods by Fromm, Acana, Zignature, and 4Health.

    None of the implicated brands have a qualified person on staff to formulate the food they are selling.

    Following the release of that statement, pulse & legume growers (whose profits largely came from dog food brands like the ones listed in the report) went to bat. Financial motivations from these farmers (note, not big dog food!) began to complicate things.

    Despite this, multiple studies continued to show a correlation between nutrition and heart disease. However, the correlation, as it turns out, had little to do with a lack of grains or low taurine.

    It appeared to be related to pulse ingredients (peas, potatoes, legumes, chickpeas) and their use in formulation as a whole.

    In other words, it’s NOT grain-free that is the issue. Just as the FDA has said.

    If a dog food brand uses a lot of peas, potatoes, beans, and chickpeas in their food, whether the food has grain or not, they often effectively replace a lot of actual meat (and certain amino acids, which are necessary for heart health) with plants.

    Anybody who doesn’t think that’s a problem is fooling themselves.

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    Holistic Veterinarians and Ignoring the Science

    To date, multiple studies have shown that there is a link between poorly formulated foods and dogs developing heart disease. Veterinary Cardiologists also report positive outcomes for dogs with nutritional DCM, when they are switched to a properly formulated (and often grain-inclusive) diet.

    The most recent study (December, 2022), indicated that every single one of 23 dogs who were fed non-traditional diets (foods with a lot of peas, potatoes, or legumes) had changes to their heart muscle.

    Why is the holistic community, and influencers like Dr. Morgan ignoring the published research on this topic?

    We have questions about how the “holistic” community reconciles their deep concern about a potential conspiracy within “big dog food” while overlooking the fact that many of their favored “holistic” foods lack formulation oversight from individuals with veterinary or nutrition credentials.

    Those “better foods” are often co-packed in factories handling multiple brands. They aren’t better.

    What leads her to dismiss the existence or significance of the nutrition-DCM link, despite numerous confirmed diagnoses, while concurrently promoting the view that veterinary flea and tick preventatives are harmful and always toxic because a handful of dogs had a negative reaction?

    It’s confusing and alarming.

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    One Simple Answer – Marketing Rules

    Dr. Judy Morgan operates by keeping people suspicious and full of anxiety about anything mainstream or evidence-based. Vaccines, flea and tick prevention, and pet food are all targets.

    It’s one thing to promote sea kelp (brown algae) for dental health (heck, my veterinarian promotes this and we use it in our home). This is a legitimate “holistic” whole food remedy that has science behind it.

    It’s another to cherry pick science and studies to intentionally drive mistrust for veterinary medicine and pet foods that are backed by dedicated teams of highly educated and experienced researchers and boarded nutritionists.

    If only Dr. Morgan could stick to selling science-backed supplements (including sea kelp) and balanced home dog food recipes.

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    More Information on DCM, Nutrition & Science-Backed Research

    Are you with us? Would you like to get away from pseudoscience?
    I will add to this list as more information becomes available:

    All Trades DVM Famous DCM Timeline

    Is the DCM Debate Over?

    Report Nutritional DCM to the FDA (yes, they are still accepting reports!)

    Comparison of Echocardiograms Between Dogs Fed Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Diets

    Veterinary Science and the FDA

    Tufts University Petfoodology

    https://skeptvet.com/Blog/

    https://nutritionrvn.com/

    Balance It (Balanced Home Cooked Diets Calculator)

    Holistic Veterinarians and Therapeutic Diets

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    Should I Feed My Dog Grain Free?

    Only you can decide.

    It makes no sense to feed dogs a diet that is comprised mostly of peas, potatoes, and legumes in place of meat.

    Unfortunately, most grain-free foods are loaded with those ingredients. If they aren’t loaded, they are also often from companies that don’t employ qualified staff to formulate the diet.

    We recommend feeding a large or giant breed dry diet from an established brand with a large market share such as Purina, Royal Canin, Hill’s, Iams, or Eukanuba and thoughtfully supplementing the diet with balanced fresh or canned foods to reduce the risk of bloat.

    Some extremely dedicated, educated owners who are working with veterinary nutritionists may also be interested in looking into fully home-cooked diets.

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    Dr. Judy Morgan and the Purina Panic

    This paragraph is a new update to this post, as of January 2024.

    A now-debunked viral post on Facebook (December 2023) speculating that “toxic levels of metal” in Purina Pro Plan killed a dog became the kindling for what I call the “Purina Panic”.

    People who read that viral post shared it with commentary such as “See, I keep telling you Purina is bad, when will you listen?”

    The fire grew. As people read it, they began to be concerned that their pet’s health problems were caused by Purina, so they shared their story.

    Vomiting? Purina.

    Diarrhea? Purina.

    Bad dreams? Purina

    Weakness? Purina

    You get the idea. A Facebook group, with Dr. Judy Morgan as an administrator and “veterinary expert” became a hub for this activity. The group exploded almost overnight, with thousands of people joining to blame their pet’s random health problems on Purina.

    Some dogs had died of Parvo. Their deaths were blamed on Purina, and Dr. Morgan and her loyal advocates were there to swoop in and provide the solution. Seizures are a common genetic disorder, but Purina is taking the blame.

    Conveniently, all members need to do is visit Dr. Morgans’s website for courses and supplements to detox their pets.

    The group is convinced that a “recall is coming” and claims that thousands of dogs have definitively been harmed or killed by Purina pet foods. Meanwhile, the group leadership is discouraging people from sharing their pet’s medical records with the FDA or with Purina and has told them not to get the food tested, either.

    I’m going to make a controversial statement here. This anti-Purina rhetoric is nothing more than profit-driven fear-mongering, and the activity of the group promoting the panic is scarily suspicious of cult behavior.

    I have many thoughts on the topics of social panic and cult-like behavior, which I cover more in-depth in our new blog post “Is Purina Making Sogs Sick”. You can read that HERE.

    I suppose I haven’t truly summarized why Dr. Morgan is so concerning to the pet community, but if you’ve made it this far into my post, please leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you, no matter which side of the fence you stand on. Unlike the Purina Panic group, we don’t shut down our critics. All we ask is that you bring critical thinking and an open mind to the table.

    Cheers!

  • Homemade Dog Food for Great Danes

    Homemade Dog Food for Great Danes

    Embarking on the journey of preparing homemade dog food for Great Danes can be a well-intentioned endeavor, driven by the desire to offer these magnificent animals a nutritious whole-foods diet tailored to their specific needs.

    While the idea of creating wholesome meals at home may seem appealing, it’s crucial to approach it with caution. I cannot state this enough; homemade food for dogs has it’s benefits but it’s very easy to get wrong.

    Great Danes, due to their large size and rapid growth, have specific nutritional requirements that can be challenging to meet consistently through homemade recipes. Achieving the right balance of essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and protein in the correct proportions is crucial for their bone and muscle development and health.

    We’re going to deep-dive into giant breed nutrition and homemade dog food! Here is a summary of what to expect in this article:

    • The benefits of fresh food for Great Danes
    • Homemade dog food recipes
    • How to balance homemade dog food
    • The problems with making your own dog food at home
    • How to choose a nutritious kibble
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    The Benefits of Fresh Food for Dogs

    There are many bloggers and influencers who claim incredible benefits associated with fresh home cooked food for Great Danes and other dogs. Yes, there are some fresh food benefits that are backed by clinical research!

    Unfortunately, however, many of these benefits are overstated. Some people who promote them might encourage you to ignore veterinary advice including recommended medications, treatments, and foods (uh, yikes).

    They might even tell you that fresh foods can:

    • Reduce, cure, or even prevent cancer
    • Cure allergies and skin conditions
    • Extend lifespan
    • Provide a shiny coat and more energy
    • Reduce or eliminate the need for medications and treatments
    • Prevent or even treat parasites and worms without the need for veterinary preventatives

    Of course, some of these things all sound amazing. But tread cautiously: extreme claims tend to be based on anecdotes or pseudoscience, and are often presented as a means to drive clicks and revenue.

    Be smart about it.

    That caveat out of the way, of course there are some legitimate benefits to feeding a home cooked diet to your Great Dane, especially if they suffer from food allergies or certain health conditions!

    Knowing exactly what goes into your dogs food is one of the key benefits of cooking your pet’s food.

    One study found that fresh foods, added to a dry kibble diet, helped reduce the risk of bloat in Great Danes. That is a huge benefit and the main reason for this article today!

    But, you have to do this right. Let’s head to the kitchen….

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    Home Cooked Diets for Dogs Study

    Before you start cooking up some ground beef, rice, and veggies, you should be aware of a major study that was done at U.C. Davis.

    They tested 200 homemade dog food recipes from bloggers, Pinterest, veterinarians, and board certified veterinary nutritionists.

    The study found that 191 out of the 200 homemade dog food recipes tested were deficient or in excess of at least one nutrient.

    What does this mean for you as a well-meaning pet parent? It means that you should be very, very cautious about making dog food up in your home kitchen, especially when using recipes from dog owners, influencers, bloggers, books, and Pinterest.

    Nutritional deficiencies are dangerous for a number of reasons! Without the correct balance of amino acids and nutrition, you’d basically be starving your pup to death without knowing it.

    Excess nutrients can actually be toxic, too. Vitamin D and copper are commonly seen in high amounts in poorly balanced homemade dog food recipes.

    To put this simply: a crock pot full of meat, rice, and veggies is not a balanced diet. In feeding something like that, you may actually be doing more harm than good.

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    How to Balance Home-Cooked Dog Food

    This doesn’t mean that all homemade dog foods are bad!

    As a matter of fact, Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionists have responded to this by creating an incredibly useful tool called BALANCE IT.

    You simply plug in the ingredients that you wish to include, and it tells you how much of each to add to your recipe as well as what supplements are needed to make it nutritionally complete.

    VIEW THE BALANCE IT WEBSITE HERE

    For fun, I plugged a popular Great Dane dog food recipe of meat, veggies, and rice.

    Balance It replaced the rice with millet and also told me it still had 15 nutrient deficiencies, unless I added a recommended supplement powder. This is because it’s incredibly difficult to reliably get all of the necessary nutrients into the recipe.

    BalanceIT.com 3

    Nutrient Deficiencies in Homemade Dog Food

    15 nutrient deficiencies is not something to mess around with. If your dog food is not correctly balanced, it can lead to some serious health problems.

    These health problems include:


    Most, if not all popular recipes online are deficient without supplementation; and you can’t just throw a random multivitamin at the problem.

    A tool such as Balance It can help resolve this issue. They will move ingredients around and then recommend the exact portion of specific vitamin and mineral supplement to add.

    Dr. Judy Morgan’s homemade “Pup Loaf” is a popular and common dog food recipe. However, Balance IT was unable to resolve the deficiencies in the formula without significant changes. The system even said that some ingredients could result in dangerously high levels of certain nutrients and even…toxicity.

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    How to Create a Dog Food Recipe From Scratch

    If you are still interested in moving forward with home cooking for your dog, the Balance It tool and/or working with a board-certified Veterinary Nutritionist is the only way to do this safely.

    Tread cautiously with self-made “nutritionists” and Canine or Pet “food and nutrition experts”. Unless they have a veterinary degree and are boarded in nutrition, they aren’t qualified.

    Here are a few additional tips:

    • Visit www.petdiets.com and find a veterinary nutrition expert to help you
    • Work with ingredients that are readily available to you
    • Once you have a recipe dialed in, be careful with substitutes as they can throw off the entire balance of the food
    • Follow the directions given to you in your Balance IT recipe as closely as possible
    • Run your recipe through Balance It on occasion, as updates in nutrition science may change the algorithm that is used by their system
    • Use one of the pre-made recipes on Balance It to get started
    • Follow the directions given to you by Balance It for your recipe regarding how much homemade dog food to feed: every recipe you make will be different!
    • See your veterinarian regularly; they spent nearly a decade in school learning how to keep your pet as healthy as possible

    NOTE: what BALANCE IT does not do is differentiate between puppies, adults, and large or giant breed dogs. For this reason, we recommend speaking with your veterinarian or a DACVN as well as diligently reading the nutrient analysis of the recipe you create.

    Especially if you are feeding a Great Dane puppy (more on this below)!

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    Homemade Food For a Great Dane 101

    I would not recommend feeding a home cooked diet to a Great Dane under the age of 12-18 months, especially if you are not being diligent about formulation.

    Giant breed puppies have very particular nutritional needs, and unless you are working directly with a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, I would steer clear.

    For Great Dane puppy food advice, read HERE.

    Once your dog is more mature, and you’ve chosen to start feeding some fresh foods, we recommend topping a balanced kibble with balanced fresh.

    One study showed that dogs fed a dry-only diet had a higher risk of bloat, and that adding fresh and canned foods to the diet reduced the risk of bloat.

    This is where making your own dog food will shine.

    I recommend topping your dog’s kibble with fresh, canned, or raw food IF that food is completely balanced according to the BALANCE IT tool.

    Make sure that you reduce your kibble to account for the extra calories from the topper. Use calories to calculate the reduction, as cup-for-cup the values may be very different.

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    Kibble vs. Fresh Food for Great Danes

    Formulating your own dog food at home can be rewarding and incredibly helpful for dogs that just don’t do well on commercial foods.

    However, as you may have noticed, it’s not exactly a cake walk. A misstep could cost your dog its life and health.

    It’s important to note that kibble-fed dogs are living long, healthy lives. Properly formulated kibble is safe and healthy. Switching entirely to fresh foods may provide some minor benefits, but for most dog owners, the risk of formulation issues isn’t worth the reward.

    I personally feed my dogs a kibble diet (Pro Plan Large Breed and Royal Canin Giant Breed) and top their food with canned, fresh, and raw options.

    They thrive on a 90/10 ratio, which is recommended by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists:

    90% complete and balanced kibble

    10% balanced fresh or canned including unbalanced treats, toppers, and dental chews

    Sometimes I offer up to 40% balanced fresh foods in lieu of kibble.

    The key here is BALANCE. Balanced nutrients and educated feeding.

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    Homemade Food for Great Dane Puppies

    I have mentioned this above, but felt that this topic was worth it’s own heading.

    Homemade food for Great Dane puppies is rarely if ever recommended. This is because they need exact levels of calcium and phosphorus, plus the correct balance of amino acids, proteins, carbs, and fats.

    Lacking this balance, Dane pups can suffer from knuckling, painful inflammation, hip dysplasia, flat feet, poor conformation, and poor development of brain, eyes, tendons, and muscle.

    We promise, the ‘benefits’ of fresh homemade dog food are massively overstated in this case especially, and you would be smart to stick to a properly formulated large or giant breed puppy food from a reputable company.

    Here is our list of quality, approved Great Dane puppy foods. Feed these until 18-24 months of age. If you want to add fresh foods, remember to keep it balanced and reduce kibble intake accordingly, beginning no sooner than 6-8 months of age.

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

  • Do Better for Danes: 2023 Resolutions

    Do Better for Danes: 2023 Resolutions

    Happy New Year, Dane lovers! It’s time to make our list of 2023 Resolutions and this year I’m calling it “Do Better for Danes”. Here are 10 dog-inspired resolutions for all of us!

    Pick one or pick them all, what resolutions do you have in 2023 to do better for your Dane?

    5 1

    #1 – Sparkly, Healthy Gnashers!

    Did you know that dental problems in dogs are not only incredibly painful, but they can lead to tooth loss, heart disease and infections, too?

    Resolve to keep your pups teeth in top shape this year. Daily brushing can go a long ways towards keeping gunk and bacteria at bay.

    With lots of positive reinforcement and yummy toothpaste, even the most resistant dog can learn to tolerate teeth brushing!

    Read here to learn more about veterinary dental cleanings, which are the gold standard for dogs and a great place to get started if your dental maintenance is a little behind.

    This article covers some of the best vet-recommended dog chews as well, which can be helpful for removing daily tartar and plaque build up.

    10 1

    #2 – Time for a Pawdicure

    Overgrown nails on Great Dane Dogs lead to pain, arthritis, joint damage, breakage, and changes to the way the dog moves and walks.

    If the nails touch the ground, it’s time for a pawdicure!

    Of course, some dogs are incredibly resistant to this process. For those dogs, veterinary advice is a must. Daily positive interactions with nail trims (even if just seeing the nail tool in exchange for a treat) is a step in the right direction, too!

    We prefer to keep our Danes nails short and round, the same style seen on show dogs. Short nails are written into the breed standard because they are best for orthopedic health.

    For trimming Great Dane nails, we recommend a DREMEL tool and diamond or sanding bit.

    Weekly nail trimming is the gold standard. Not there yet? Make this one of your top “Do Better for Danes” resolution this year.

    How to trim Great Dane nails

    How to trim Black Nails

    Great Dane Puppy Nail Trimming

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    #3 – A Shiny Coat

    Having a dull, dry, itchy coat is uncomfortable for your dog and may be a sign of other health problems, too.

    A shiny coat is not only eye-catching, but healthier and more comfortable for your dog to live in!

    Here are some top shiny-coat tips for your Great Dane:

    If your dog has a dull coat and chronically itchy or problematic skin, it’s time to see a veterinarian. They may be able to refer you to a veterinary nutritionist, internest, allergist, or dermatologist so you can get to the root of the issue.

    Cost of Great Dane Ear Crop
    Cost of Great Dane Ear Crop

    #4 – Healthy Weight

    Of course, in humans “diet culture” and “weight loss resolutions” have become a toxic and dangerous space. For dogs, however, it’s a different story.

    Humans can be a size 18 or a size 2 and still be incredibly healthy either way. We are not dogs; we have different needs and a much different build. We also have much more control over the food we are fed.

    Dogs unfortunately cannot control their diet.

    Great Danes that carry extra weight will, on average, shorten their lifespan by around 2 years.

    It is never good to bulk up a Great Dane in the interest of making them heftier, bigger, or more robust. Great Danes are actually a lean, athletic breed and seeing a rib or two is not only normal, but desirable.

    If your Great Dane needs to lose weight, talk to your veterinarian about a balanced weight-loss diet and appropriate exercise.

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    #5 – Boredom Busters

    Did you know that many behavioral problems, including separation anxiety, are a direct result of boredom?

    Destruction, whining, pacing, barking, laziness, and even reactivity can be brought on by, or worsened in dogs that are well…bored. Resolve this year to alleviate boredom in your dog. Give them the best life possible with natural enrichment opportunities.

    Most dogs do not receive enough exercise or enrichment. In most cases, a walk on pavement, toys, a yard, and another dog are not nearly enough.

    Here is a list of things you can do to bust boredom in your dog (and better their social, obedience, and separation skills in the process!)

    With proper exercise and socialization, many people are surprised to find that a lot of nuisance behaviors are greatly minimized, if not eliminated. Enrichment is fun and a great opportunity to bond with your dog, too!

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    #6 – Get Off-Leash, Finally!

    We believe that Danes should be off-leash as much as possible.

    Their giant bodies and joints are susceptible to damage which can be made worse by the restrictions and pressure from harnesses, head collars, and collars…especially if they lunge or pull a lot!

    Of course, teaching a solid loose-leash walk is 100% necessary. However, when possible, Danes should be allowed to move as naturally and freely as much as they can.

    Enter the modern E-Collar. This is the only tool on the market that is more gentle than a Gentle Leader, and allows complete, unrestricted freedom of movement.

    If your Great Dane will come when called from 10-20 feet away in a low distraction environment, your Dane can be E-Collar trained and reliably off-leash within weeks.

    Interested in learning more? We have a ton of resources on this topic.

    Buy an E-Collar for your Great Dane HERE

    Learn how to E-Collar train your Great Dane HERE

    5 Reasons to E-Collar Train your Great Dane

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    #7 – Ditch the Food Shaming

    Did you know that some of the best dog foods available for your Great Dane are not actually the most expensive or fancy ones?

    Marketing has taught us to equate fancy, unregulated terms such as “holistic” and “super-premium” with better nutrition. These things are often nothing more than marketing schemes meant to separate your money from your wallet.

    This year, we encourage the Dane community to ditch food shaming.

    If you want the best nutrition for your Great Dane, skip the boutique foods and look towards science and research, instead. There are proven options available at all price points, and because they are fully complete and balanced, no expensive unbalanced toppers are needed.

    I recommend a large or giant breed food from tried and true brands such as Purina, Royal Canin, or Eukanuba for Great Danes. Hill’s or Iam’s are great, too. Purina One Large Breed is a solid, budget-friendly option, for example.

    Read our best foods for Great Danes post HERE.

    For healthy toppers that don’t break the bank and have actual benefits (such as reducing the risk of bloat or cleaning teeth) try one of these:

    • Canned food such as Purina ONE or Pro Plan to provide fresh/wet food in the diet
    • Balanced raw food from RAWS PAWS. Use code HELLODANES for 10% off to replace a portion of their balanced dry food
    • Scrambled eggs (5 or less per week)
    • Minced or blended fruits and vegetables from your kitchen (less than 5% of the diet)
    • Raw turkey necks or chicken paws (for dogs that know how to crunch them up properly, 1 each week)

    Still unsure about what to feed your Great Dane and why? Check out Tufts University Petfoodology blog for science-backed nutrition information that is not motivated by affiliate links or sales.

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    Above All, in 2023…

    Let’s all do better for Danes.

    We’re going to support ethical breeders and ethical rescues…and make it socially irresponsible for breeders and rescues to be anything less.

    We’re going to talk to our veterinarians, and learn to trust them. After all, they want our dogs to thrive.

    We want to get our dogs out more. Moving, living their lives, being spoiled rotten. Snuggled up with us, running beside us, and being our faithful, healthy companion for as many days on Earth as we are given with them.

    What resolutions do you have for your Danes in 2023? Share them below!

  • How Do I Stop a Great Dane from Marking

    How Do I Stop a Great Dane from Marking

    Is your Great Dane marking in the house!? This nasty little habit can be a major headache for family life and the cleanliness of your home. It’s time to dig in and learn about why dogs mark things, and how to stop a Great Dane from marking in your home!

    how to stop a great dane from marking

    Why Do Dogs Mark Things?

    All dogs (male or female, spayed or neutered) can and will urine mark things. There are several reasons for leg lifting, including:

    Scent marking

    Dogs on a walk will often lift their leg on things as they sniff around. In doing so, they are able to leave their scent, too. This tells other dogs that they were there.

    Ownership & Territorial marking

    This occurs when the dog wants to mark an area they deem to be theirs. This can be a common issue when moving to a new home, or if a dog feels the need to mark a boundary (for example a couch, bed, fence line, or exterior wall of a home) to warn others (neighbor dogs, other pet dogs, or otherwise) that they live there.

    Hormones

    Intact male dogs in particular are susceptible to hormone-induced urine marking. If a female is in heat nearby, he may become distressed and territorial, and begin to mark things that he normally would have have before.

    Poor Cleanliness

    Many dogs will mark (or urinate) over areas that were previously soiled by themselves or another dog. We cover how to clean up indoor urine marking stains below!

    Stress & Boredom

    Stressed and anxious dogs are more likely to urine mark, as it may be a form of stress relief. This is especially true if they are not receiving enough mental, physical, and emotional enrichment.

    Medical Reasons

    Dogs with a UTI, kidney or bladder stones, thyroid disease, diabetes, or otherwise may be likely to urinate or mark indoors.

    If your dog started marking indoors and never did before, a visit with the veterinarian may be helpful to rule out medical causes.

    why do dogs urine mark

    How to Stop a Great Dane from Marking

    After you see a veterinarian to rule out infections and other health problems that can lead to poor indoor potty habits, it’s time to buckle down on training.

    Here is a quick, simple guide to follow:

    Step One: Clean up the mess

    We’re covering this below!

    Step Two: Supervise

    A dog that marks in the home is a dog that has lost the privilege of freedom. Supervise your dog at all times, even if that means using a crate or tethering the dog to you while you sort out the behavior.

    With strict supervision, you can prevent the behavior and that is a key step in eliminating it.

    Step Three: Address the Root Cause

    If your male is marking in the house because there is an intact female nearby, it’s likely that the behavior will go away once the females heat passes. Neutering can also help with this particular cause.

    If your dog is anxious, bored, or frustrated, add mental enrichment!

    If the scent from marking remains in your carpet or furniture, you need to follow our diligent cleaning protocol (included below).

    Step Four: Retrain

    It may feel frustrating to have to do this, but go back to potty training 101.

    Fill your pocket with treats, prevent mistakes, and go outside often. When your dog marks or pees outdoors, immediately praise and treat.

    For a potty-trained dog older than 7-8 months (when sexual maturity begins), it’s also ok to correct a marking behavior if you witness it happen indoors. You MUST catch your dog in the act to issue an appropriate correction. I like a sharp ‘AH-AH’ followed by immediately taking the dog outside.

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    Belly Bands that Fit Great Danes

    Some people try to find belly bands for their Great Dane that marks in the house.

    Belly bands can be a helpful tool for intact males that may be marking for hormonal reasons, however, in general, we don’t consider them a healthy tool to rely on every day of the year. Urine being held against the skin as well as rubbing from the elastic can cause irritation.

    They must be changed often, and nothing replaces diligent supervision and training to eliminate the marking behavior. However, if you are looking for belly bands that fit Great Danes, there are some fantastic options on Amazon!

    I prefer the reusable kind.

    JoyDaog Reusable Belly Bands

    Washable Male Dog Belly Band (Stylish Pattern)

    Pet Parents Premium Washable Dog Belly Bands & Extenders

    PRO TIP: If you want them to last longer in between washes, you can easily line them with human sanitary pads.

    61KhJAziQUL. AC SL1001 1

    How to Clean Pee From Carpet & Couches

    This is a quick version of my popular and insanely effective method for cleaning up urine and marking stains from your home.

    Step One: Remove Liquids

    Use paper towels or microfiber to remove as much of the liquid as possible. The more you can get out, the better. On carpet, you can lay down towels and then put something heavy on top of them to help with moisture wicking.

    Step Two: Rinse Rinse Rinse

    Use a quality carpet shampooer and hot water to rinse the affected area as much as possible. The goal here is to remove as much of the stain as you can.

    Do NOT use carpet cleaning solution, vinegar, baking soda, or any kind of soap. All this will do is minimize the effectiveness of the enzyme cleaner in the next step.

    Tineco Carpet One PRO: $499 +

    Hoover Power Scrub Elite Pet – $239 +

    61hJ2Z71BVL. AC SL1500 1
    Premium Carpet Cleaner for Pet Owners. See the Tineco PRO Here.

    Step Three: Apply Enzyme Cleaner

    Once the area is as clean as you can possibly get it (having used nothing more than water), you want to lightly saturate (not dripping, but not dry) the area with one of my favorite enzyme cleaners.

    I have personally tested and used both of these with exceptional result. They work much better than Nature’s Miracle and similar formulas.

    Enzyme cleaners work to eliminate urine stains by attacking the proteins that cause the smell. These cleaners become much less effective if a lot of soaps and shampoos were used in the previous step!

    Skout’s Honor Urine Odor Remover – has a very light scent

    Rocco & Roxie Professional Stain & Odor Remover – has an herbal scent

    41BoAcykhrL. AC 1
    61PcNVItD0L. AC SL1500 1

    Do Dogs Urine Mark Out of Spite?

    The idea that dogs urine mark out of spite is actually incorrect.

    A dog that pees in the house out of spite or anger is actually acting on insecurity.

    If there is stress in your home, shouting, yelling, harsh training, stomping, or general anxiety, a dog may pee or mark in areas that they normally. This behavior is actually caused by fear.

    Many people mistake this act as deliberate; however, dogs don’t actually have the mental capacity (ie, they don’t have the part of the brain necessary for this) to harbor ill-will, resentment, and spite.

    They cannot draw a conclusion from point A to point B that peeing on something will make you angry and ‘get you back’ for something that you did to them.

    Not only that, but dogs in general actively seek to avoid conflict. This is a basic principle of survival. It makes no sense for a dog to purposefully anger somebody when in doing so, it may put themselves in harms way.

    Does your Great Dane mark in the house? Share your story below!

  • Flat Front and Cathedral Chest in Great Danes

    Flat Front and Cathedral Chest in Great Danes

    Poorly built giant breed dogs are being set up for a lifetime of injury, pain, weakness, and instability that shortens their lifespans and enjoyment of life. Flat Front and Cathedral Chest in Great Danes are a structural problem that is plaguing the breed.

    A focus on correct build and movement are key elements of ethical and thoughtful Great Dane breeding programs.

    Unfortunately, a large majority of people breeding Danes have minimized and even disregarded the importance of correct build, structure, and movement.

    Let’s look at some Great Danes and talk about it!

    Flat Front and Cathedral Chest in Great Danes
    A Great Dane with a flat chest and poor front angulation

    What is Flat Front and Cathedral chest in Great Danes

    Flat front in Great Danes are seen because there is a lack of muscle development and “ooomph” in the chest area, and is commonly seen in addition to poor angulation in the front limbs.

    A lack of angulation in the front assembly removes any ‘give’ that would be be necessary for joint health and fluidity. Reach (the dogs ability to extend the arms forward) is compromised, and movement is no longer natural.

    It’s kind of like walking with peg legs, in other words. At a certain point, that’s going to take a massive toll on the body.

    A Great Dane with correct chest, muscle, and angulation will be able to extend the arm (as seen in the image below, from the GDCA written standard), allowing for graceful, long strides and forward momentum.

    Screen Shot 2022 12 28 at 9.56.40 AM

    A flat chest and poor angulation are genetic problems in Great Danes that can lead to early arthritis, poor athletic abilities (sometimes seen as “laziness”), and damage to joint health.

    Dogs with poor structure especially must be kept as lean, fit, and sound as possible.

    Feeding a good diet and offering lots of free play and movement opportunities on soft-varied terrain benefits all Great Danes, but especially those that lack angulation and chest.

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    A Great Dane with a flat front, poor angulation, and a “cathedral chest” (indicated by the somewhat peaked arch shown where the legs and chest meet at the front).

    What is a Cathedral Chest in Great Danes

    A cathedral chest in Great Danes is caused by the shoulders being set too far forward on the chest. This is, as above, genetic.

    Keep in mind that a dog carries roughly 60% of their weight on the front end. When the shoulders and front limbs are too far forward, it completely throws off balance, weight distribution, and movement.

    The heavy, large chest of a Great Dane should be supported by strong, muscular shoulders that are set correctly; when they are not, the front end suffers.

    To put this into perspective, imagine carrying a somewhat heavy or large box by stretching your arms outward, instead of carrying it closer to your chest.

    Dogs with a cathedral type chest may even suffer from joint damage and deformities to the feet, elbows, and pasterns as their front limbs struggle to carry their weight.

    To compare, here is a drawing of ideal Great Dane structure, from the GDCA written standard. You can see how the dog is able to stand up tall, and the chest is well supported by the structure, ‘lay back’, and placement of the strong and muscular shoulder blades.

    Screen Shot 2022 12 28 at 10.17.08 AM

    On the flip side, below is a young Great Dane dog with a flat chest, cathedral chest, and poor angulation whose feet are flat and straining to support her weight. You may also notice some bowing of the long bones in the front limbs, and that the feet are turning outward.

    This is the result of genetics, made worse by poor nutrition and care.

    Unfortunately, this dog is being used for breeding by a popular breeder, and as a result is perpetuating painful structural problems in every puppy that she produces.

    Screen Shot 2021 04 19 at 1.20.26 PM

    What is a Weak Chest in Great Danes?

    Some Great Danes suffer from weak chest, or poor chest development and breadth of chest.

    You can see this in dogs, like the one below, whose front limbs are close together.

    While it can take a Great Dane 2-3 years to truly develop and mature physically, many dogs never develop and will have this lanky, narrow ribcage look for life.

    This can be made permanent, or worse, by early spay and neuter. It is my belief that Great Danes need hormones to correctly mature, especially if they have unstable structure to begin with. Spay and neuter should happen no sooner than 18-24 months.

    Talk to your veterinarian, and be a responsible owner when it comes to breeding or ‘accidental’ breeding of intact pet dogs.

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    A Great Dane with a Flat Chest and front limbs that are struggling to hold the weight of the dog up

    The Role of Ethical Breeding in Great Dane Health

    Unfortunately, many of the issues above are extremely common in pet Great Danes. A lot of people are breeding these dogs with very little understanding of how and why to breed for correct structure.

    They rarely if ever seek a 3rd party opinion of the dogs they are breeding, and thus, blindly perpetuate orthopedic instability in their pedigree.

    This is not fair, nor is it ethical.

    Many of these breeders are friendly, have nice websites, and claim to health test their dogs. A lot of them are exceptionally popular because they produce so many puppies each year. That doesn’t mean, however, that they are producing stable, sound, and well-built puppies.

    Of course, even in a well-bred, thoughtfully-bred litter from an outstanding pedigree of proven (in show) dogs, most puppies will have some minor faults. But they will have been set up for success, longevity, and health. Those are the breeders we should all be supporting (not the careless, profit-driven ones).

    Screen Shot 2022 12 28 at 10.42.48 AM

    The Great Dane Written Standard

    For more information about what Great Dane structure should look like, and how to find an ethical breeder, here as a little light reading for you!

    Great Dane Written Standard – GDCA

    Great Dane Structure

    What is the GDCA?

    Going to a Great Dane Dog Show

    I Want a Pet, Not a Show Dog!

    Health Tests for Great Danes

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    What Should I Do if my Dog Has a Flat Front or Cathedral Chest?

    The good news is that there are things you can do!

  • Should Great Danes Have Puppy Food

    Should Great Danes Have Puppy Food

    I’m going to jump straight into the deep end with this one. Should Great Danes have puppy food?

    Yes. Without a question.

    This answer may surprise you! Today I’m going to dig into the science of giant-breed nutrition and bust some pet food myths (that just won’t die) in the Great Dane community.

    Great Dane puppies should be fed a large or giant breed puppy food until 18-24 months of age.

    Ready to understand why? Let’s dig in!

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    Problematic Great Dane Nutrition Advice

    Visit just about any Great Dane community on Facebook and ask what to feed a Great Dane puppy, then prepare to be overwhelmed.

    People are actually very passionate about this issue! Here are some common responses:

    • “NO PUPPY FOOD!”
    • “My vet said to feed puppy food, not adult”
    • “Ask your breeder, not your veterinarian”
    • “Protein levels must be below 24%”
    • “Puppy food is bad! Never feed puppy food!”
    • “Adult food is for adults, not puppies. Feed puppy food”
    • “Great Danes are giant breed dogs, not large breed dogs, they must have adult food”
    • “I just feed my Danes fresh meat, they used to be wolves, kibble is trash!”

    So on, and so forth. The “no puppy food ever” people tend to be particularly emphatic.

    This kind of information can be confusing to Great Dane owners, especially because so much of it is in direct contradiction to itself. What a headache!

    Great Dane Potty Training

    Why Should Great Danes Have Puppy Food

    We believe that all of this back and forth is unnecessary and harmful to Great Danes. It is 2022 (actually, almost 2023 as of this writing) and we have much better options when it comes to feeding giant breed puppies than we did even just 15 years ago.

    A small handful of dog food companies (Purina, Hill’s, and Royal Canin in particular) have dedicated some legitimate resources towards understanding large and giant breed puppy growth.

    20 years ago, “All Life Stages” (and in some cases, adult formulas) were actually among the only safe options for feeding Great Dane puppies.

    These days we have some incredible options in puppy foods that were designed to support slow, even bone and joint growth in addition to muscle, tendon, eye, gut, and brain health.

    I’m going to dig into this more below, but here is our list of approved Great Dane puppy foods:

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

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    The Problem with Adult Food for Great Dane Puppies

    The reason adult foods were considered the ‘gold standard’ for so long is because anecdotally, breeders noticed that their puppies had fewer growth problems (such as knuckling) when being fed adult foods.

    In general, adult foods tend to have lower protein, fat, and calories per cup than many puppy foods, and thus, kept Great Dane puppies from growing too quickly.

    To put it simply, the intent behind feeding adult food to Great Dane puppies was to starve them of nutrition. In doing so, they could better control growth rates.

    The thing is, we don’t have to do this anymore. Some puppy foods have been reformulated and designed specifically to support large and giant breed growth. They have the correct protein/fat/amino acid/nutrient levels and balanced calcium/phosphorus.

    People who hold onto this old idea about only feeding adult foods to Great Dane puppies are deliberately ignoring the current science and research on this topic.

    134938850 695281657811797 8111659047787088021 n

    Why are Puppy Foods Good for Great Danes?

    Unlike comparable adult formulas, well-researched puppy foods from Purina, Hill’s, Eukanuba, or Royal Canin have been designed specifically for this.

    Adult foods work in a way by restricting calorie, fat, and protein intake. While this may minimize the chance of overfeeding and the resulting development of growth disorders in fast-growing giant breed puppies, many adult formulas actually do not provide enough balanced nutrition to support holistic growth.

    Growing Great Dane puppies need support for their bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, brain, and eyes. These are all things that may actually suffer as a result of being fed adult formulas from a young age.

    Brittle bones, poor overall conformation, dry skin, chronic loose stools, extreme lankiness, sensitivities, and poor muscle development can all be related to not receiving the right nutrition.

    Modern large and giant breed puppy foods have been reformulated to support slow, even growth and the development of the entire body from head to tail.

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    How Long Should Great Danes Eat Puppy Food

    This next answer may also surprise you.


    As long as you have chosen a science backed large or giant breed puppy food from the list below, your Great Dane puppy should remain on puppy food until 18-24 months of age.

    Veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists, who are the experts on this topic, agree.

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

    Remember, Great Dane puppies are NOT adult dogs. Just because they are bigger than most dogs by 3-4 months of age doesn’t mean that adult nutrition is correct for them. They are still growing rapidly at that stage and every ounce of balanced nutrition counts.

    NOTE: In pet foods, both large and giant breed dogs are defined as one in the same as they have identical nutritional requirements. While statements from the FDA and AAFCO may only say “large breed”, this is meant to include all dogs that are 70 lbs or more as adults.

    Still not convinced? Here are some articles that may be of interest to you:

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/02/confused-about-what-to-feed-your-large-breed-puppy-new-rules-may-help/

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2021/11/whats-the-best-food-for-your-new-puppy/

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2022/01/growth-guide-keeping-your-puppy-on-the-right-track/

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/04/when-your-baby-isnt-such-a-baby-anymore-when-to-switch-to-adult-foods/

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    How Much Should I Feed a Great Dane Puppy?

    While modern puppy foods are safe and beneficial to feed your Great Dane puppy, one piece of advice is still very true.

    It is extremely important that you do not overfeed your puppy! Too much food can lead to growth disorders, obesity, and chronic loose stools when using any formula (including adult foods).

    We recommend offering 3-4 small meals each day until 4-6 months of age, then 3 meals each day until 9 months of age, at which point you can switch to 2 meals each day. Encourage slow, stress-free eating.

    Use kibble as training treats whenever possible.

    The amount depends a lot of the food you feed (higher quality foods such as Pro Plan and Royal Canin will require that you feed less), growth spurts, and the metabolism of your dog. The feeding chart on the back of the bag is an excellent guide to get you started.

    Then, adjust intake accordingly! If you see that your puppy is becoming heavy or growing too fast, cut things back. If your puppy seems to be hungry and asking for more, don’t be afraid to let them eat a few larger portions!

  • New Great Dane Puppy? This Guide is For You!

    New Great Dane Puppy? This Guide is For You!

    December is a popular time to get a new Great Dane puppy. I believe that a lot of this is related to the Holidays; puppies are readily available, adorable, and popular to receive or give for Christmas!

    If you are new to the world of Great Danes, or ready for a refresher, let’s jump in. I’ll be covering:

    • Great Dane puppy nutrition
    • Crate and potty training
    • Training and socialization basics
    • Favorite must-have Great Dane puppy products
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    What to Feed a Great Dane Puppy

    This is arguably the most common question we see in the community. Because Great Danes grow so quickly, they are prone to a number of devastating growth disorders such as knuckling, hip dysplasia, Pano, and Angular Limb Deformity.

    Nutrition plays a big role in these disorders. Great Dane puppies cannot eat just any food that you pick out at the pet store. They require nutrition that is balanced specifically to support their growth.

    Lucky for you, we made a list! No need to deep dive, research, or read a million labels. (Though, if you are a science nerd like we are, we have TONS of great deep-dive style Great Dane puppy nutrition articles, which I will link below).

    Great Dane puppies should be fed a well-researched large OR giant-breed puppy food until 18-24 months of age.

    So simple. Here is the list to choose from. These foods are safe, nutritious, correctly balanced, and packed with everything your Great Dane puppy needs to thrive. If they are on this list, it’s because we believe in the science behind them:

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

    Interested in digging into why some foods made our list and some foods (including popular ones) did not? Here are a few articles to deep-dive into!

    Puppy vs. Adult food for Great Dane Puppies

    DCM: Dietary Heart Disease Update 2022

    How to Choose the Best Dry Food for Great Danes

    6 3

    How to Potty Train a Great Dane Puppy

    Ethical Great Dane breeders will have already started the process of potty training your puppy. The good news is that if you chose an exceptional breeder, this process should be a breeze!

    For puppies that weren’t given a head-start, expect to put a little more time in. Your patience, however, will pay off.

    To potty train a Great Dane puppy, follow these steps:

    • Keep your puppy near you and supervised at ALL times
    • Go outside often, especially after naps, meals, training sessions, and play
    • Don’t expect your puppy to hold their bladder for more than 2 hours at first, even overnight
    • When your puppy does their business outdoors, immediately praise AND offer treats
    • If your puppy has an accident indoors, ignore it. Clean it up with Rocco & Roxie Urine Destroyer (my personal favorite, it smells amazing and works like a dream)

    Great Dane puppies grow up incredible fast! While potty training your puppy may seem like a chore, it will be a distant memory before you know it.

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    How to Crate Train a Great Dane Puppy

    Hopefully you’ve chosen to crate train your Great Dane puppy! Crates are not cruel; they are a safe space for your puppy and may become their favorite place in the house!

    (Need help choosing a crate? We’ve compiled a list of the BEST crates for Great Dane Puppies HERE).

    To crate train your Great Dane puppy, follow this list:

    • Make sure your crate is in a safe, quiet spot
    • The crate should also be a cozy space with a quality orthopedic mattress
    • Feed all meals in the crate
    • Use a West Paw Toppl Toy before naps; stuff it with soaked kibble (freezing this can make an extra challenge) or balanced canned food (in moderation at first)
    • Encourage positive, stress-free interactions with the crate; not crying and panic
    • Play the “Catch & Release” game below

    To play “CATCH & RELEASE”

    Toss a treat into the crate and say “CRATE!”

    Then toss a treat outside of the crate and say “FREE!”.

    With repetition, your puppy will quickly bounce into and out of the crate on command.

    Gradually add time between the two commands (increasing the time that your puppy is inside of the crate before being released) and begin closing the door, even if only for a moment at first.

    Play this game several times each day until you can say “CRATE” from several feet away (and your puppy runs in with enthusiasm) and until your puppy will not exit the crate until you say “FREE”.

    We recommend minimizing excessive crate use in exceptionally young puppies; focus first on positive crate training and supervision (even if this means hiring a pet sitter to help out for the first month or two).

    An x-pen can be a great alternative for super young puppies!

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    How to Socialize a Great Dane Puppy

    Socialization, next to proper nutrition, is one of the most important things you can do to raise a healthy, confident, friendly puppy.

    Many people believe that socialization means going to the pet store or the dog park and flooding a puppy with people and other dogs (who may be rude, pushy, or scary).
    This is actually a huge mistake!

    Socialization actually means: “Positive exposure to a variety of interesting, novel, and everyday things”.

    This could mean exposure (good experiences) to:

    • Other dogs walking by (and ignoring them)
    • Children playing from a distance
    • A variety of people
    • Loud sounds such as fireworks, doorbells, hammers, and knocking
    • Wood chips, puddles, sand, gravel, grass, sidewalks, bridges
    • Things that wobble, bounce, or roll
    • Things that are noisy such as vacuums, cars, lawnmowers, and large fans
    • Being handled and touched all over: teeth, paws, ears, torso, tail
    • Being brushed, groomed, and manicured
    • The veterinarians office (including the scale and exam room)
    • Pet friendly stores (and learning to ignore things in them)

    If you want to raise a stable puppy, start by choosing a breeder who is known for creating stable, friendly, confident puppies. Socialization is the icing on top!

    Need more socialization ideas? Check out our popular Great Dane puppy socialization guide.

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    New Great Dane Puppy 101

    Last, but not least, here is our list of Great Dane 101 tips!

    • Don’t stop at puppy classes! Continue working on obedience until your Great Dane has ideally obtained at minimum their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) title. Use lots of positive reinforcement.
    • Learn about bloat, one of the top killers of Great Danes (read here for more information)
    • Learn about DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy), a common genetic heart disease in Great Danes that may also be caused, or worsened, by bad nutrition
    • Trim nails weekly and brush teeth daily
    • Avoid training tools such as Gentle Leaders, Halti Head Collars, and “No-Pull” or “Front Clip” style harnesses that work by restricting movement and applying aversive (and even damaging or dangerous) pressure to the shoulders, chest, or head.
    • Consider E-Collar training your Great Dane; our modern method uses less pressure than a leash and will allow complete freedom of movement (Get our E-Collar training guide HERE)

    At Hello Danes we support and believe in: gastropexy, balanced dog training, ethical breeding practices, reputable Great Dane rescues, and the concept that Great Danes should be confident, friendly, and built for longevity.

    Need more? Join our popular Great Dane group on Facebook (Hello Danes Group) where we share modern, science-backed nutrition and training advice.

  • Dietary DCM in Dogs Update

    Dietary DCM in Dogs Update

    We’ve been closely watching and monitoring information and studies in regard to dietary DCM in dogs. DCM is a deadly heart condition that often results in the sudden and unexplained death of otherwise ‘healthy’ looking dogs. This condition is often seen in relation to feeding grain-free or boutique dog kibbles.

    A new DCM dog food study came out this week (December 2022) and the results are unfortunately concerning.

    We are now several studies on nutritional DCM, and every single one has shown this same correlation: certain diets are causing heart disease in dogs.

    If you have a dog and are trying to find the healthiest and safest dog food to feed them, you need to read this update.

    Before we dig into the nitty gritty of this study, I will summarize the results with a quote directly from the abstract:

    “Healthy dogs eating nontraditional diets had lower indices of systolic function and larger left ventricular volumes compared to dogs eating traditional diets. Screening of apparently healthy dogs eating nontraditional diets might allow for early detection of diet-associated DCM.”

    In other words; dogs fed certain diets had alarming changes to their heart muscle. Whether we want to hear it or not, there are dog foods on the market that are causing heart disease in dogs, and you may be feeding one of them!

    The results of this study were published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine and can be viewed HERE.

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    Defining the ‘Non-Traditional’ Dog Food Diet

    To better understand this study, we have to define what a non-traditional dog food diet is.

    “Nontraditional diets were defined as those that contained pulse ingredients as main ingredients”

    Pulse ingredients may include:

    • Peas
    • Garbanzo beans/chickpeas
    • Lentils
    • Potatoes
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Beans

    Here is an example of an ingredient list with a lot of non-traditional ingredients, including lentils, pinto beans, peas, navy beans, and chickpeas.

    Screen Shot 2022 12 16 at 9.54.21 AM
    hand putting dog treats on bowl Dietary DCM in dogs update

    Dietary DCM in Dogs Study Details

    For this study, they recruited 46 healthy adult dogs over the age of 3.

    They did not use dogs with a known genetic link to DCM such as Great Danes, Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Irish Wolfhounds, Newfoundlands, or Portuguese Water Dogs.

    All 46 dogs chosen were determined to be healthy at the onset of the study. Dogs that were not chosen were excluded for a number of reasons, including existing heart issues and other health conditions. Those receiving medications or taurine supplements were also excluded.

    This means that at the beginning of the study, all 46 dogs had normal, healthy hearts.

    They tried to match breeds between the two groups.

    For example, if a Viszla was in the non-traditional diet group, they tried to place a Viszla in the traditional diet group as well.

    90% of the food that the dogs ate had to be provided by a single dry-extruded food, and the dog’s diets and the ingredients in them were well documented.

    This study shows that many efforts were made to ensure a clean, accurate, fair, and informational result. It’s important to note that there are ethical dilemmas associated with studying something that, based on current knowledge, could potentially harm one of the groups in the study.

    That makes dietary DCM difficult to study, because more and more evidence is showing an alarming correlation (note: likely causation). We also have to take note of the fact that studying something like this takes years! Each study can really only look at one small factor.

    At least 12 studies to date have shown that this is happening; nutritional DCM is real. It is not a scam cooked up by large dog food companies.

    If we are to think logically, feeding dogs diets that are heavy in peas, legumes, pulses, or potatoes isn’t going to be good for them…no matter how we spin it.

    smiling black lady training dog in green park

    DCM Study Results: Changes in Heart Function

    None of us here are veterinarians, but we can all agree that the following statement from the DCM study is alarming:

    “In this study of apparently healthy dogs, those eating nontraditional diets had lower systolic function compared to those eating traditional diets using 2D and 3D echocardiographic measurements of EF, as well as GLS.”

    In other words, 23 dogs who began the study with healthy, normal hearts in the “non-traditional diets” group ended the study with signs that their heart muscle and function had changed for the worse.

    Many Veterinary Cardiologists and veterinarians have been alarmed and concerned about a potential link between certain dog food diets and dilated cardiomyopathy. This study along with many others (which can be seen here) are collectively building a strong and concerning case that not all dog foods are created equal.

    So what makes a diet safe or not safe for your dog? Let’s dig in.

    greyhound dog watching elderly owner reading book

    Non-Traditional Dog Food Examples

    Here are some examples of the kind of non-traditional dog food brands that are similar to or identical to the foods fed in the study. Please note, that these are just a handful of examples in a dog food market with literally thousands of choices.

    This is not to say that these diets below are going to hurt your dog’s heart, but we highly suggest avoiding foods like this until additional information comes out regarding dog food and nutritional DCM.

    Please note that some companies use ingredient splitting to move pulse and non-traditional ingredients lower on the list. A food with peas lower on the list could still actually be very high in peas.

    In general, basing your dog food choice solely on the ingredients list is not the best way to make a decision, however, in this case, the ingredients list will provide valuable information.

    Note how the examples below:

    • May include multiple non-traditional or pulse ingredients, not just one
    • Might have ‘split’ ingredients into multiple forms (peas + pea protein + pea fiber + pea flour + pea starch)
    • May or may not include added taurine. Taurine does NOT prevent nutritional DCM.
    • Often present their food as “high-quality”, “holistic”, “natural”, and “free of fillers and by-products”
    • Are often sold at a premium price point

    NOTE: by intentionally splitting single ingredients into 2 or more parts (peas + pea protein + pea fiber + pea flour) or using multiple different pulse ingredients (lentils, peas, potatoes), food companies can make the recipe appear to be meat-focused.

    Add those ingredients up, however. If you put them all together in a bowl, it’s likely they actually outweigh the meat that was included in the formula.

    69179 MAIN. AC SL1200 V1605743533 1

    Ingredients in Wellness Core Large Breed Dog Food:

    Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine), Turkey Meal (source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Lentils, Peas, Dried Ground Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Pea Fiber, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Choline Chloride, L-Carnitine, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract. This is a naturally preserved product.

    64387 MAIN. AC SL1200 V1669946237 1 1

    Ingredients in Blue Buffalo Large Breed Rocky Mountain Recipe

    Deboned Beef, Fish Meal, Peas, Pea Starch, Tapioca Starch, Pea Protein, Beef Meal, Dried Tomato Pomace, Potatoes, Flaxseed (Source Of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Natural Flavor, Canola Oil (Source Of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Dried Egg Product, Fish Oil (Source Of Epa-Eicosapentaenoic Acid), Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Deboned Lamb, Deboned Venison, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Chicory Root, Dl-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Taurine, Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols, Vitamin E Supplement, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vegetable Juice For Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite, Oil Of Rosemary.

    75677 MAIN. AC SL1200 V1646272965 1

    Ingredients in Blue Buffalo Basics Large Breed

    Deboned Lamb, Potatoes, Pea Starch, Peas, Lamb Meal, Pea Protein, Tapioca Starch, Pea Fiber, Canola Oil (source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Natural Flavor, Potato Starch, Fish Oil (source of EPA-Eicosapentaenoic Acid), Direct Dehydrated Alfalfa Pellets, Choline Chloride, Pumpkin, Dried Chicory Root, Flaxseed (source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids), Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Salt, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Chondroitin Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable juice for color, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Copper Sulfate, L-Lysine, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Dried Yeast, Dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary.

    154549 MAIN. AC SL1200 V1657655675 1

    Ingredients in Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream

    Salmon, Ocean Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Lentils, Salmon Meal, Smoke-Flavored Salmon, Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Salt, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Dried Chicory Root, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

    a person with long wavy hair hugging a dog

    Grain-Free Foods and DCM

    Unfortunately, a large percentage of studies show a correlation between DCM and grain-free foods. This is because many grain-free diets have replaced grains with suspect ingredients such as peas, potatoes, and legumes.

    However, dogs fed grain-inclusive foods are also turning up with nutritional DCM. While it’s more commonly seen in dogs fed grain-free foods, the lack of grains itself is not necessarily to blame.

    This is 100% a formulation issue that is complex and likely has many factors.

    This information can be scary for pet owners who, understandably, aren’t sure how to choose safe and healthy dog food for their pets!

    Here is what we do know:

    • A shiny coat and good stools are nice, but, it’s not an indication that the food is healthy or safe.
    • Many dogs with nutritional DCM show few signs at all until one day, they have a “heart attack” and die. They may even have been ‘healthy’ just moments before their death.
    • Some dogs with nutrition DCM do show signs. We’ve shared the signs of DCM in dogs below.
    • IMPORTANT: adding grains or taurine to a poorly formulated diet does not prevent or treat nutritional DCM.
    • Many common signs of nutritional DCM are easy to write off as ‘aging’ or ‘laziness’.
    • Dogs with nutritional DCM typically have normal taurine levels.

    If you have been feeding a suspect diet, in particular a diet with a lot of pulse ingredients or legumes including peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or lentils, it may be smart to see the veterinarian and request an echocardiogram. We also recommend changing your dogs diet.

    papillon licking face of woman stroking labrador retriever in nature

    What are the Signs of DCM in Dogs?

    DCM is primarily a genetic disorder, and yes, Great Danes are prone to it.

    That makes the nutritional aspect of DCM even more alarming: for dogs with a genetic risk, choosing the wrong diet effectively increases the chance that they may suffer from heart problems.

    While many dogs with DCM (especially secondary DCM, caused by nutrition) will show no signs at all (and may even appear healthy and shiny), many others will show symptoms. These symptoms can be subtle and mistaken for other things.

    Symptoms of Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs

    • Low energy (including being “lazy” or the assumption that it’s normal because they are “getting older”)
    • Poor muscle tone, including a loss of muscle tone or even atrophy
    • Anorexia and weight loss
    • Intolerance to heat or exercise
    • Panting
    • Pale gums
    • Coughing
    • Irregular heart rhythm
    • Weak pulse
    • Distended abdomen
    • Collapse

    As a whole, nutritional DCM is considered “rare”. However it’s important to note that many cases of it are never officially diagnosed and documented. If an otherwise “healthy” dog dies randomly, it is most often considered to be caused by a heart attack.

    These cases are not often included in nutritional DCM statistics. Most people understandably do not pay to have advanced diagnostics done on their deceased pet. Documented, verified cases of nutritional DCM have to meet certain guidelines.

    (To see cases of nutritional DCM being documented in real time, as well as information regarding brands that were being fed at the time of diagnosis, visit the Diet Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy page HERE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859)

    photography of three dogs looking up

    What Dog Foods Do Not Cause DCM?

    Because we don’t entirely yet understand why some foods cause DCM and not others (though, the picture is becoming more clear, as we’ve seen in the recent DCM study), it’s hard to say definitively whether one particular food will cause or not cause DCM.

    There is one common factor that is worth noting, however.

    Dogs being fed well-researched brands that have board-certified Veterinary Nutritionists formulating the diet are not turning up with Nutritional DCM.

    As a matter of fact, time and time again, dogs with nutritional DCM are recovering when they are switched to a properly-formulated grain-inclusive diet.

    Catching the disease early is a key element to treating N-DCM with a diet change.

    What is a properly formulated, grain-inclusive diet?

    It will meet the following guidelines:

    • They will have at least one Board-certified veterinary nutritionist formulating the diets (ideally several of them) and they should be employed by the company – not working as consultants
    • Those companies should also employ qualified staff focused on food science, toxicology, microbiology, and quality control
    • Have a commitment to peer-reviewed science and research, indicating that they are advancing our understanding of veterinary medicine, nutrition, disease, growth, and health; all knowledge that can be applied to nutritional formulations
    • Will do feeding trials, proving formulations and bioavailability in “real life”, not just on paper (which is the bare minimum)
    • Owned facilities, not co-packed
    • Strict quality-control procedures and guidelines
    • Traditional formulation containing meat meal, meat by-product meal, and traditional (well-researched) grains such as rice, oats, or corn

    The primary brands that check all of these boxes include:
    Purina, Hill’s Science Diet, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, and Iam’s.

    If you are unsure if your pet food meets these basic ethical guidelines, send them an email! Be a saavy consumer, watch for signs that they are intentionally misleading you.

    For example:

    • “We have a team of nutrition professionals” (Note the avoidance of the word ‘we employ’, implying that their team is likely made up of consultants who may do nothing more than check a box)
    • “Our food is packed in a USDA facility” (Making a co-packing situation sound good; this company doesn’t own their facilities and has less control over the final product)
    • “We do our research and feeding trials in-house” (This often means that they aren’t willing or able to have their research peer-reviewed and critiqued and thus, anything goes…including the ‘results’)

      You can also check some of the stats on your food brand at the Pet Nutrition Alliance.

    Additionally, here is a great video on how to choose a pet food for your dog:

  • Puppy Knuckling Quick-Start Guide

    Puppy Knuckling Quick-Start Guide

    Puppy knuckling is when a puppy’s feet appear crooked or bowed out. It often happens due to various factors, including incorrect nutrition, genetics, and care. Some information available about puppy knuckling is outdated, confusing, or misleading. We get it!

    Rather than boring you with science and research data, I will lay this out in a quick-start guide-type format. It’s 2024, and we have new information about how to prevent knuckling in puppies and how to treat it, too!

    Read on if you have a large or giant breed puppy, such as a Great Dane, showing signs of puppy knuckling.

    1 2

    Signs of Puppy Knuckling and “Bowing Out”

    Your puppy may be knuckling over if you see the following signs:

    • Flat or weak feet
    • Turned out feet (which may also be genetic)
    • An ankle that bows over the foot
    • Ankles that shake or roll over the foot on soft surfaces
    • Feet and limbs that don’t look right

    In the image below, you will see three puppies experiencing knuckling, from severe to mild. Mild knuckling in puppies can become severe or even permanent if left untreated.

    Puppy Knuckling Photos

    How to Treat Puppy Knuckling

    Here is our easy 3-step guide for treating puppy knuckling!

    STEP ONE – SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN

    STEP TWO – CHANGE YOUR FOOD

    STEP THREE – CHANGE YOUR ROUTINE

    Step One – See Your Veterinarian

    Veterinarians attend school for many years to learn about companion animal health and wellness. They see hundreds of dogs weekly in a clinical setting and will know much more about the current science and research than any other resource you may find.

    Many veterinarians are highly experienced in large and giant breed dogs and will give you the best advice.

    Not only that, but if your puppy has crooked feet, your veterinarian needs to rule out other health conditions that may be similar or that may be contributing to growth disorders in your puppy:

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    Step Two – Change Your Dog’s Food

    Forget everything you hear in breed groups and from pet owners. An alarming amount of it is based on anecdotes, profit-driven marketing, and other nonsense. The correctly balanced puppy foods (listed below) are necessary to fix growth disorders.

    Switch foods quickly. Do not add toppers or supplements, and keep training treats to a minimum. Getting your puppy onto 100% correctly balanced nutrition will be a key to success.

    We dig deeper into the science with our posts linked below. But for this quick-start guide, here is a list of dog food to feed a knuckling puppy. These are readily available at Petsmart or on Chewy.com (which we’ve linked below for your convenience).

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

    It is critically important that you do not overfeed your Great Dane puppy, especially if they are knuckling. Too much food is related to growth disorders. Encourage small, frequent meals.

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    Step Three – Change Your Routine

    Large and giant breed puppies have delicate joints. Protect the soft cartilage and help your puppy strengthen their feet by avoiding hard, slick surfaces and encouraging movement on soft, varied terrain.

    Here are some movement and exercise ideas for puppies that are knuckling or that have flat feet:

    • Explore a natural area with small rolling hills
    • Play in sand or gravel
    • Stand on couch cushions and gym mats
    • Sit on a grassy lawn or at a park and watch the world go by (also great for socialization)

    Put runners and mats down on slick floors in your home. Discourage your puppy from jumping.

    Trim nails weekly. We recommend a DREMEL. Keeping the nails short will help protect the joints and keep unnecessary pressure off of the toes.