Hello Danes

Category: Puppy Nutrition

  • Is Victor Dog Food Good for Great Danes?

    Is Victor Dog Food Good for Great Danes?

    You may have seen that the Great Dane community often recommends Victor Dog Food. Is Victor Dog food good for Great Danes? Why is Victor so popular among Dane owners? Can Great Dane puppies eat Victor food?

    We’re bringing you the science, stats, and facts today on choosing Victor dog food and yeah, what I have to say about this may be controversial.

    If you are looking for the best food to feed your Dane, this post is for you. I’ve done the research for you!

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    Is Victor Dog Food Good for Great Danes?

    I’m going to come out and say this, but please make sure to continue reading into the post because I’m backing my stance up with actual science. Here it is:

    Most Victor Formulas are incorrect for Great Danes.

    Many popular Victor dog foods have the WRONG balance of calcium to phosphorus, and contain excessively high levels of calcium to begin with.

    As a matter of fact, here is a list of things that can be caused by incorrectly balanced food and excessive calcium, especially when fed to Great Dane puppies under the age of 2:

    • HOD & Panosteitis
    • Retained cartilaginous cores
    • Disturbed endochondral ossification
    • Delayed skeletal maturation & growth of bone length
    • Abnormal bone remodeling
    • Skeletal disorders such as incorrect hip or elbow development
    • Conformational faults including flat feet (affects dogs of all ages)
    • Heart Disease (affects dogs of all ages)
    • Poor breeding outcomes (including small litter sizes)

    Calcium and skeletal disorders in Great Danes go hand in hand, especially for puppies who are exposed to a high amount of calcium in their diet.

    Are you feeding a Victor dog food that is not correctly balanced for your Great Dane?

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    Calcium, Phosphorus, & Great Dane Puppies

    To understand why many Victor dog food that are commonly recommended in the Dane community are incorrect to feed, we have to first understand what appropriate calcium and phosphorus levels are.

    Great Dane Puppies should be fed a diet with the following ratios:

    • Calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1.2 – 1 or 1:1
    • Calcium guaranteed analysis below 1.3%, and ideally around 1.1%
    • Balanced vitamin D levels
    • Calcium amount below 4.5g per 1000kCAL, and ideally below 3.5g per 1000kCal

    Why does this matter?

    Because study after study shows that excessive intake of calcium, and calcium that isn’t balanced correctly with phosphorus (and vitamin D), leads to skeletal problems and bone growth disorders.

    Too low of calcium is also bad, however, that’s a problem seen primarily in raw and home cooked diets, not in commercially prepared diets that meet AAFCO guidelines.

    Dane Puppies will utilize nearly all of the calcium fed to them, and it is believed that adult giant breed dogs in general are less able to deal with excessive minerals (including calcium) as well. Basically put, if a Great Danes’ food has too much or too little calcium, it can be disastrous for their bone health.

    To further complicate things, nutrients such as vitamin D play a role in the bioavailability of the calcium and phosphorus provided in the diet, and zinc may as well.

    You can read more about calcium & orthopedic growth disorders in large & giant breed dogs HERE.

    Many people believe that knuckling is the only growth disorder that Great Dane puppies face. Knuckling is the most obvious, but not the most dangerous.

    Knuckling results from other nutritional factors, not necessarily just calcium, as knuckling is related to laxity in the tendons and excess weight on underdeveloped joints.

    Just because a puppy doesn’t knuckle and seems to ‘grow fine’ on a particular food, doesn’t mean that food is the best choice.

    Many growth disorders related to nutrition or even genetics are not apparent until the dog is slightly older, in pain, becomes lame, or presents with poor bone health and structural problems.

    Correct structure and build of the Great Dane is part genetics, part nutrition, and part environmental factors.

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    From the Great Dane Club of America.

    Victor Foods for Great Danes

    While we don’t love any Victor formula (we will cover this more below), there are a few popular foods that, based on calcium content and the CA/PH ratio alone we would not feed.

    This data below is based on the GENERAL analysis, not the Guaranteed Analysis (which Victor gives us very little data on, unfortunately).

    The actual calcium levels may be even higher or lower than listed in the general analysis. It seems that Victor doesn’t do a lot of testing on the actual nutrient levels in their foods, which is also problematic.

    When I inquired with Victor via email to clarify their general analysis information, they directed me to their 800 number instead. The fact that I have to run around in circles to obtain relevant nutrition information in writing is a red flag.

    NameCalciumCA/PH RatioAAFCO Large Breed?
    Victor Professional (Purple Bag)1.76%1.3 to 1Yes
    Victor Multi-Pro (Yellow Bag) 1.71%1.4 to 1Yes
    Victor High Energy (Red Bag)1.69%1.2 to 1Yes
    Victor Hi-Pro Plus (Teal Bag)2.39%1.5 to 1 No
    Victor Beef & Rice1.77%1.4 to 1Yes
    Victor Chicken Meal & Rice1.371.3 to 1Yes
    Victor Grain Free (ANY type)VariesVariesVaries

    Some of the foods listed above DO have the AAFCO statement indicating that they meet the nutritional levels for large breed growth. Essentially this means that their calcium content is less than 1.8% on a dry matter basis.

    In our opinion, 1.8% is MUCH to high for a Great Dane, we like to see 1.2% or less.

    All formulas on that list above, regardless of their AAFCO statement, have unbalanced calcium to phosphorus ratios for Great Danes, with one exception (the Victor Hi-Energy red bag), and even that still has a high calcium content (1.67%).

    It’s important to note that a Hi-Energy formula is meant to provide extra nutrition (in this formulation, they use a lot of fat). Excess nutrition is ALSO linked to orthopedic growth disorders, so that food is another example of one that should not be fed to Great Danes under the age of 2.

    Read more about calcium and phosphorus, and how it affects growth, HERE.

    The two most popular foods also have high calcium levels as a whole, which exceed the recommended safe upper limit of 4.5g per 1000kCal.

    • Victor Professional at 4.7g per 1000kCal
    • Victor Beef & Rice at 5.4g per 1000kCal

    Both of those formulas are popular among Dane owners who feed them to puppies, and we’re not sure why. The analysis alone goes against every reasonable guideline on the topic.

    There is one food that I found among Victor foods that has a small label on it indicating that it’s for ‘big dogs’. That is the Elite Canine, green bag. It has a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1.3 to 1 or 1.2 to 1 (depending on the analysis), approximately 3.4g per 1000kCal, and is an “all life stages” formula (essentially, this is puppy food).

    Do not go running to get that formula without finishing this blog post, though, as Elite may also be problematic!

    Victor 5lb ELITE CANINE NEW51 1

    Is Victor Dog Food Good?

    We don’t like to food bash around here.

    One of my biggest pet peeves in the dog focused social communities are statements such as:

    • The food is full of fillers and trash
    • Never feed ‘grocery story’ or ‘cheap food’
    • I would never feed my dog corn and slaughterhouse waste
    • Danes are expensive, you MUST feed a ‘premium’ food
    • That’s like feeding your dog McDonald’s!
    • Veterinarians have no training and receive kickbacks
    • There have been “no recalls” so it must be good
    • The FDA said the DCM grain free link was debunked!

    Truth time: all of those statements above are based on misinformation and classism. The misinformation that leads to these statements is often dangerous and frustrating, too. (I’ll be covering each in different blog posts).

    We have no tolerance for bashing foods that are correctly balanced and at a price point that dog owners can afford. A lot of marketing goes into ‘premium’ pet foods to make us feel like they are healthier or better for our pets, but it’s all marketing.

    Of course, you want to choose the best option for your budget, and that is where science and information comes into play. Many people choose Victor because it’s marketed as “Super Premium” and comes at a reasonable price point.


    You will notice that we don’t food bash, but we DO point out legitimate factors to consider when choosing nutrition for your pet. We look past marketing and past a lot of the needless, inflammatory, and misguided statements listed above.

    See the most recent recall on Victor food here

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    Should I Feed Victor Dog Food to a Great Dane?

    Here are some other legitimate factors to consider when choosing a food like Victor to feed your Great Dane.

    Victor Foods does not staff a qualified nutrition professional.

    At least one of these people should be on staff for the brand itself:

    To put this simply, the “head chef” at Victor Pet foods has an animal science degree buffered by a simple, inexpensive online certificate in companion animals, from an organization focused primarily on livestock. He does not have even basic nutrition credentials, let alone a veterinary background.

    While Victor does collaborate with consultants, they aren’t clear about the scope of that relationship or the qualifications of the consultants.

    It’s important to understand that most times, what this really means is that a recipe in written form was signed-off by a 3rd party, or tested in an off-site lab for verification of nutrient content.

    Just because a food meets AAFCO minimums, does not mean it was thoughtfully and professionally designed to provide optimum nutrition. For giant breed dogs, this is an important consideration as they have very particular nutritional requirements.

    One of the greatest faults of many dog food brands is that they don’t have formulas which were designed and tested specifically to properly support large and giant breed growth.

    Of course, some dog foods have the correct ratios, but were they designed for that purpose? Or do they just happen to meet the AAFCO minimum guidelines on paper?

    We prefer foods that were developed, by qualified nutritionists, specifically to support the slow, even growth and healthy bone development of large and giant breed puppies.

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    Calcium Levels & Great Dane Puppy Growth

    The science of calcium and the calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D link to bone growth issues and poor bone modeling becomes more and more clear as research is done.

    Here is a study that found puppies under 6 months of age were most susceptible to inconsistent calcium levels: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12118666/


    Here is another resource, a well-cited paper regarding nutrient levels and feeding large or giant breed puppies.

    When we look at food brands that have qualified nutrition staff, who do feeding trials, and who do a lot of research, we see MUCH different analysis from their large and giant breed formulas than we see from most, if not all Victor formulas.

    Science-backed companies have cutting-edge nutritional profiles and their formulas should be the baseline upon which other true large and giant breed puppy formulas are built.

    When I’m choosing food for a Great Dane puppy, I want food that most closely matches the brands who have qualified nutritionists, do feeding trials, and publish actual research on this topic. (Or better yet, feed the brands backed by actual science and research).

    Unfortunately, Victor foods does not meet any of these basic requirements and most (if not all) of their formulas end up missing the mark. Notice how the Victor formula is lower in protein, much higher in fat, and higher in calcium, too.

    A note about protein: many people choose food for their Great Dane based off the protein level. This is an outdated practice with many studies showing that the protein level is not a factor in the development of growth disorders.

    Too low of protein can actually be detrimental to proper growth, and may result in excessive intake of calcium.

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    Do Great Danes Do Well on Victor Food?

    Anecdotally, many people cite that their Great Dane does well on Victor foods. Fixing an issue with chronic loose stools seems to be a common positive comment that we see from Dane owners who switched to Victor.

    Many Victor dog food formulas contain inulin (a prebiotic) and probiotics, so this isn’t a surprise.

    Good stools happen on many other brands as well. While good gut health is super important, it’s not the only sign of good health, however.

    Many dogs with shiny coats and perfect stools die in their sleep from unchecked heart disease that presented with very few symptoms. When evaluating the health of the dog, we’re not just looking for good stools.

    Additionally, most Great Dane owners are unable to properly evaluate their dogs movement and structure. As a result may not see an issue with poor angulation, wonky movement, swollen knuckles, turned out limbs, or flat and splayed feet. These are all things where genetics, environment, and nutrition play a role.

    For perspective, check out this young Great Dane. In the first image, she’s being fed Victor foods. Notice her feet after being switched to a more appropriate food. She no longer has swollen ankles, and her feet are providing a much better, stronger platform to support her weight.

    This was a positive and notable change for multiple dogs in this same breeding program, not just the one in this photo. I know this dog personally and her feet improved in a matter of 2 weeks on the food switch.

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    Does Victor Dog Food Cause Breeding Issues?

    We prefer to rely on science rather than anecdotes, but we should note that MANY reproductive veterinarians advise clients to stay away from Victor foods and recommend using well-researched, specially designed formulas from Pro Plan and Royal Canin instead.

    Anecdotally, there is a huge volume of reports from breeders whose dogs were struggling on Victor. Low birth weights, stillbirth, and small litter sizes are just some of the suspicious volume of noted complaints.

    This problem could be related to certain ingredients, bioavailability, or the nutritional balance of protein, fat & carbs.

    We will never know, however, because Victor does NOT do any research and does not perform any feeding trials.

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    Does Victor Dog Food Cause DCM?

    Many studies have shown, on repeat, that there are two main factors contributing to dogs developing heart disease (DCM) from dog food.

    1. An abundance of peas, potatoes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, or similar legumes used in the first 10 ingredients.
    2. Foods that do not have a board certified Veterinary Nutritionist (DACVN) or PhD in Animal Nutrition on staff to formulate the foods (incorrect formulation).

    It’s not about being ‘grain free’. There are confirmed cases of DCM on all kinds of foods, with or without grains.

    There is a lot of misinformation about grain-free dog foods and DCM.

    For a comprehensive look at DCM and dog food, check out this non-biased (contains no ads, sales pitches, affiliate links, or food shaming) timeline of events.

    Think the FDA debunked the grain-free DCM food link? Think again.

    We do not believe that all Victor dog foods will cause heart disease, but, we encourage all Dane owners to stay away from Grain Free foods of all types. Here is an ingredients list from Victor Grain-Free.

    Notice how peas and sweet potato make up a huge portion of this diet. Peas in particular have been shown to be problematic when used in large amounts. For more information on nutritional DCM, READ HERE.

    Screen Shot 2023 02 14 at 8.49.31 PM 1

    Does Hello Danes Recommend Victor Dog Food?

    We do not.

    The lack of qualified formulation staff and unbalanced calcium levels should give dog owners pause about considering this food for their Great Dane.

    Of course, if it works for you and you love it, we’re not going to bash you for feeding it. We do however, want to make sure you are well-equipped with legitimate information.

    If you wish to use Victor foods, keep in mind that the green bag, Elite Canine, is the only grain-inclusive formula by Victor that is actually balanced correctly for giant breed dogs. It does list peas in the first 4 ingredients, however, which is a risk factor for nutritional DCM. We do not recommend this food.

    For our list of professionally formulated foods that fully meet guidelines and recommendations, go HERE.

  • What are By-Products in Dog Food?

    What are By-Products in Dog Food?

    In the world of pet nutrition, the mention of byproducts in pet food often raises eyebrows and sparks concern among pet owners. We’ve all seen the commentary about by-products in dog food being “leftovers scraped off the slaughterhouse floor”. (Spoiler alert, that’s propaganda, not truth).

    It’s essential to put initial apprehensions behind when reading this blog post because I’m about to change your understanding of by-products!

    When sourced from companies committed to rigorous scientific standards and uncompromising quality, these ingredients can be a valuable and nutritious choice for your pet’s diet. Do I even say that by-products are biologically appropriate for dogs? Yeah, I’m going to go there.

    In this blog post, we will explore the often misunderstood realm of byproducts in pet food, shedding light on predatory pet food marketing, misinformation, and nonsense in the dog nutrition industry.

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    What are By-Products in Dog Food?

    Here is a list of things that you may see on your dog food label which indicates that by-products have been used in the formula:

    • Meat By-Product Meal
    • Chicken By-Product Meal
    • Meat By-Products
    • Liver, Kidney, Lung, Heart, Tongue, or Spleen in any form
    • Brewer’s Rice
    • Cartilage
    • Bone Meal
    • Blood Meal
    • Beef Cheek
    • Beef Pizzle
    • Chicken Paws
    • Gelatin
    • Fat

    You may be surprised to learn that many dog foods and dog treats contain by-products, even if they aren’t labeled as such.

    Brewer’s Rice is a by-product. It’s the tiny bits of rice left over from milling. They have the same nutritional value as whole pieces of rice, but aren’t ‘pretty’ so they are sorted out and sold as an inexpensive by-product.

    Author’s Note: the EU (European Union) defines by-products differently than the U.S. This is simply a matter of language and semantics; however, the concept remains the same. For this post as a U.S.-based blog, we are using ‘By-Products’ somewhat interchangeably with ‘Co-Products’ to avoid confusion.

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    Are By-Products in Dog Food Bad?

    The word ‘by-products’ conjures up visions of trash, scraps, and junk scraped off the factory floor. Many people have a visceral reaction to the word ‘by-products’ and will say they would never dream of feeding them to their dog.

    This always makes me chuckle because many of these same people will turn around and offer their dog a freeze-dried liver treat, bully stick, or bowl full of raw dog food (which is loaded with by-products such as spleen, cartilage, and bone).

    The actual definition of a by-product is simply this: “an incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else”.

    Oxford Languages

    Cream of Tartar, commonly used in Snickerdoodle cookies, is a natural by-product of winemaking!

    Whey, commonly used for its generous protein content, is a by-product of cheesemaking.

    Rennet, which is necessary to make many cheeses, is a by-product coming from the stomach of ruminant animals.

    Leather is a by-product (co-product) of the beef industry.

    Whether you like it or not, if you feed your dog the following items you are feeding by-products:

    • Bully stick / Beef Pizzle (which is made from bull penis)
    • Freeze-dried liver or other organs
    • Chicken paws
    • Poultry necks
    • Freeze-dried duck heads
    • Pig ears
    • Spleen, heart, kidney, lung, etc.
    • Eggshells

    By-products (co-products) are found in many places, not just pet foods! Many by-products we humans use and consume daily are not labeled as by-products (or co-products), but that’s what they are.

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    What is the By-Product Meal in Dog Food?

    Here is where we can dig into this discussion. Chicken By-Product meal is the first ingredient in one of our most commonly recommended foods, Royal Canin Giant Breed.

    That word ‘by-products’ sounds gross and cheap, when really, it’s exactly what a dog needs in their diet. Allow me to explain.

    If you give a dog a whole dead chicken, they will first dig into the organs. They also want the bones, tendons, and cartilage. Then some fat and skin. Finally they will eat the muscle meat.

    Dogs need meat, bone, organ, and cartilage in their diet. These things are incredibly nutritious!

    When you see “chicken by-product meal”, you are seeing an ingredient that contains a nutritious dehydrated meal made of those things: meat, bone, organ, and cartilage.

    These ingredients come from the chicken meat processing industry. They are considered ‘by-products’ because unlike chicken wings or breasts, they are not widely consumed by humans.

    By utilizing by-products in pet food, we’re making a conscious, eco-friendly choice to reduce the impact that our diets and our pet’s diets have on the Earth.

    Now think of the dog food brands that rely on “fresh meats”. Those are brands that intentionally turn away the nutritious parts of the slaughtered animals such as the bones, organs, and cartilage.

    They are not only being wasteful, but they are ignoring valuable nutrition.

    AAFCO defines meat by-products as follows: “rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach, and rumen contents”.

    While you may have read that ‘by-products’ in pet food are “slaughterhouse waste full of hooves, hair, beaks, and feet“, it’s not true.

    What is Meat Meal in Dog Food?

    To better understand meat meals, it’s helpful to understand first how extruded kibble products work.

    Fresh meat (which may be labeled as “fresh chicken, deboned lamb, grass-fed beef” or similar) is around 70% water content.

    In other words, fresh meat is heavy, but mostly because it contains so much water. This is what allows the dog food company to place “fresh meat” as the first ingredient.

    However, once the kibble is extruded (cooked) and the moisture content is significantly reduced, the actual amount of meat left in the finished kibble is much less than you think. Remember that a finished kibble is a dry product with very low moisture content.

    Enter meat meal.

    Meat meals are an ingredient that was developed to solve this problem. If you want your dog’s kibble to have a legitimate amount of animal-based nutrition in it, you want to see “meat meal” or “meat by-product meal” in the ingredients list!

    Meat meals have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of bloat in dogs!

    To make a meat meal, the manufacturer ‘renders’ animal products (including muscle meat, tissue, cartilage, bones, and organs) to remove the fat and moisture.

    The finished product is a nutrient-dense dry ingredient that is easy to store and incorporate as a primary ingredient in a dry, extruded kibble. It is incredibly high in protein and amino acids, especially when compared to fresh meat (by volume).

    You can think of ‘meat meal’ (including ‘by-product meal’) as a protein powder of sorts. However, instead of mixing it up in a blender bottle after a workout (as you might do with your whey protein), the dog food manufacturer is turning it into a nutritious, chewable finished product.

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    What is in the By-Product Meal in Pet Food?

    Now that we understand the difference between fresh meat and meat meal, and we understand what by-products are (“co-products”), we can dig a little deeper into what a by-product meal is.

    Dog food companies are NOT required to state what is in their meat meals specifically, but there are important guidelines they must follow regarding what is and is not allowed in pet food.

    No matter what nonsense you read on the internet, there should be no feet, beaks, hair, hooves, or euthanized pets scraped off of a slaughterhouse floor in your dog food.

    Royal Canin, who is widely known for its use of chicken by-product meals, talks about this topic directly from HERE. Their by-product meal utilizes all acceptable and nutritious parts of the chicken; the same ingredients a dog would eat when offered a whole raw chicken.

    Royal Canin employs a massive team of veterinary nutritionists and food scientists and has made massive contributions to veterinary science, medicine, health, and research.

    They are known for turning away entire truckloads of ingredients that didn’t meet their strict standards. Not only that, Royal Canin has directly stated that they refuse to relabel their products to follow trends.

    Honest trust time: the only people who continue to perpetuate this idea that by-products are bad, are people who are trying to sell you something.

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    Should Dog Food Companies List Ingredients Separately?

    Some people believe that instead of saying “chicken by-product meal” manufacturers should be forced to list what is in the meal, specifically.

    For example, they might say instead “bone meal, dehydrated liver, dehydrated spleen, dehydrated lung”.

    We understand the point here, however, remember this: they cannot put slaughterhouse trash, hooves, beaks, and feet into their by-product meal. The things you are likely concerned about, don’t exist in a properly formulated and thoughtfully sourced food.

    If you believe a company is trying to ‘hide something’ (such as feet or beaks or intestinal contents) by listing a “by-product meal” instead of the individual ingredients within that meal, consider this.

    Ingredient splitting is the practice of splitting up whole ingredients into multiple parts on the ingredients list to deceive you.

    Instead of saying “peas”, some brands will say “whole peas, pea protein, green peas, pea fiber, whole yellow peas”. Or instead of saying “lentils” they will say “whole lentils, green lentils, lentil fiber, red lentils, lentil flour”.

    All on the same ingredients list. Because ingredients must be listed by weight before extrusion, this allows the company to artificially change your perception of how many peas or lentils are in the food. Splitting reduces their weight and moves them down the ingredients list.

    Manufacturers use a lot of deceptive practices, and choosing to indicate that they use a “by-product meal” instead of splitting it up for you on the ingredients label is not one of them.

    By-product meal is an ingredient, and as a regulated ingredient, it’s not full of trash and junk.

    The companies who use a lot of intentionally deceptive ingredient splitting are often the same companies who tell you by-products are bad. The bigger question here is this: what are they trying to hide?

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    Pet Food Marketing – It’s Shady Business

    There are thousands of dog food brands and formulas available to choose from. Many of them are made by marketing companies, who design a fancy eye-catching bag and website and then have their food concept manufactured by a co-packing plant.

    The dog food industry is a huge one, with sales in the BILLIONS! For small companies to get a piece of that pie, they have to work pretty hard to be seen.

    In other words, many dog food companies will say what they have to say to get your attention.

    Walk into any pet store and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the volume of options. Everything is colorful and eye-catching, and sales reps lurk around every corner to get your attention on whatever brand they are trying to sell that week.

    Here are some common marketing phrases and pet food trends you may have heard of:

    • Holistic
    • No By-Products
    • No Meat Meals
    • No Fillers
    • Grain-Free
    • Whole Food Ingredients
    • Fresh Meat as the 1st Ingredient
    • Gluten-Free
    • Keto / Low Carb

    There is a lot of misinformation and general nonsense floating around the internet regarding pet food, and we’re here to help you sort through all of it. We cannot wait to cover each of these topics individually so that you can be an educated and savvy consumer when it comes to choosing foods for your pet!

    Until then, don’t be afraid of meat meal or meat by-product meal in your pet’s food.

  • 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.

    2 1

    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.

    5

    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.

  • 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.

    5

    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/

    1

    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
    11 2

    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.

    25

    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.

    1 2

    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.

  • How to Choose the Best Dry Dog Food for a Great Dane

    How to Choose the Best Dry Dog Food for a Great Dane

    When it comes to choosing the best dry dog food for a Great Dane, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

    Not all dog foods are created equal, and some will be better for your pet than others! In this post we will discuss:

    • A list of the best foods for Great Danes, by brand, and handpicked to make your job easy!
    • How to read a dog food ingredients label
    • Deceptive marketing tricks to watch out for
    • What to look for in a Great Dane food
    • How to choose a dog food that is healthy for your pet
    • Information about dog food recalls

    This post does not cover raw, freeze-dried, or air-dried diets. We support balanced fresh feeding, however, that’s not the purpose of the post today.

    Here we will be covering kibble + wet dog food diets, which are the most popular ways to feed a Great Dane!

    The best food for any dog will of course be the one that they do best on.

    Keep in mind that a shiny coat and good stools are only minor indicators of health. A perfectly ‘healthy’ looking dog can suffer from congestive heart failure or other devastating disorders if the nutrition isn’t correct.

    That said, there are some important things to consider when you are on the search to find the best canine nutrition among the thousands of dog food options on the market today. Let’s dig in!

    12 1

    What to Look for in a Great Dane Dog Food

    Great Danes are not like other dogs. They are a giant breed with specific nutritional needs. Choosing dog food is even more overwhelming when we throw that aspect into the mix!

    In order to grow and develop properly, Great Danes need a diet that has the correct balance of calcium, phosphorus, and amino acids.

    Many health problems can arise when Great Danes are not offered the right dog food for their needs, especially when they are puppies and growing rapidly. The food you choose must be formulated for the dog’s life stage, which, for giant puppies means large or giant breed puppy food (more on this below!).

    When it comes to choosing the best dry dog food for a Great Dane, look for a food that meets the following criteria:

    Professionally Formulated Dog Food

    This key factor will help eliminate literally thousands of options, making it much easier to choose good dog food!

    Did you know that Fromm, a popular brand, is formulated by a chemical engineer? Victor, another popular brand, is formulated by somebody who has an online certificate in dairy cattle nutrition.

    These people are, unfortunately, not qualified to formulate dry dog food.

    While on paper these foods (and thousands of others like them) meet AAFCO bare minimums, they may be deficient in important amino acids and nutrients over the long term.

    We would never dream of buying baby formula that was created by people who were less than qualified to do so, especially if that food wasn’t also heavily tested and researched before being sold.

    This is an unfortunate reality, though, of many expensive pet foods.

    Your pet’s health is closely related to the quality and formulation of the ingredients in their food!

    This is not an area where you want to cut corners. Keep in mind, however, that a higher price does not necessarily mean higher quality.

    For an adult dog or definitely for a puppy, I recommend choosing dry kibble diets that were formulated by Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists (DACVN), who are also directly employed by the actual brand itself for that purpose.

    Visit the Pet Nutrition Alliance HERE. ➡️

    Look up your brand and see! If they didn’t answer, refused to answer, or the food brand doesn’t directly employ a DACVN / ACVN or Veterinarian with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition, keep looking.

    Pro Tip: Having a ‘team’ does not count. Many times, what a statement like that actually means is that the brand pays an outside firm (consultants) to check boxes. Ask more questions.

    The Pet Nutrition Alliance has asked this question of hundreds of pet food manufacturers.

    Make sure that you verify that the name brand itself (Merrick, GO, or Earthborn, for example) has a qualified person formulating the brand of food, dedicated specifically to that brand, not the parent company.

    For example, Mars employs Veterinary Nutritionists that are dedicated to the Royal Canin brand, but not ones dedicated to the Nutro brand (also owned by Mars Pet care).

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    Meat Meal + Meat By-Product Meal to Reduce Bloat

    Meat meals are a nutrient-dense, high-protein, dehydrated form of organ meats and muscle, skin, and cartilage tissue that has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of bloat. Contrary to popular belief, they are a GOOD thing to see in your pets food!

    Bloat is a deadly condition in Great Danes and other large and giant breed dogs.

    Because meat meals are more likely to contain valuable nutrition such as liver, bone, skin, and cartilage, it makes sense that this ingredient can help keep your Great Dane healthy!

    Don’t be afraid of ‘By-Product Meal’. By-Products, such as liver, kidney, bone, and cartilage are commonly fed as part of a raw diet because they are SO nutritious.

    Animal byproducts are exactly what your dog needs in its diet. Not to mention, using the whole slaughtered animal is the ethical, economical, ecological, and responsible thing to do.

    Fresh ‘human grade’ meat, on the other hand, is roughly 70% water, so after it’s turned into kibble there may not be much meat or nutrition left. The nutritional value of muscle meat is much less than what is found in organ meats!

    Many pet owners have been misled by ‘fresh meat in kibble‘ marketing, and we think it’s time to change the narrative!

    It’s important to always choose dry food where meat meal (such as poultry meal) or meat by-product meal makes up the bulk of the nutrition.

    Grain-Inclusive vs. Grain-Free Diet

    Grain-free diets (kibble) replace grains and often some of the meat protein as well with ingredients such as lentils, peas, garbanzo beans, and potatoes.

    A grain-free kibble is NOT free of carbohydrates!

    While a ‘grain-free diet’ may sound healthier and may lead us to believe it has more meat, the truth is that it may have less meat, which could be devastating for your dog’s health.

    READ HERE for more information on how grain-free food and poorly formulated diets might cause sudden congestive heart failure in dogs.

    When choosing kibble, Great Danes should only be fed a professionally formulated grain-inclusive meat-based diet. Do not feed a grain-free diet to your dog without professional help from a board-certified veterinary canine nutritionist.

    You can find one HERE: https://acvn.org/directory/

    It’s important to note that many common grains used in premium dog food are good for a dog’s digestive system. They provide fiber which is great for reducing bloat risk and firming up stools!

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    Balanced Calcium + Phosphorus Ratios

    This is one of the most important factors to look for on a pet food label for Great Dane adult dogs and puppies, and one that is often overlooked!

    If the Calcium and Phosphorus levels are too high or too far apart from each other, it can cause nutrient imbalances that lead to weakness, tremors, heart palpitations, bone growth disorders (including knuckling, HOD, Pano, or Hip Dysplasia), or bone density issues.

    Studies show that giant breed puppies should NOT be fed excessive calcium. Many veterinary nutritionists (the experts on this topic) recommend keeping calcium at or below 1.2% and at 3.5g or less calcium per 1000kCal, especially for Danes under the age of two.

    This means that VICTOR foods are not safe or healthy to feed, as most formulas (Beef and Rice, Hi Pro, Professional) exceed this recommendation, often dangerously so!

    We recommend finding foods where the calcium and phosphorus are as close to a 1:1 or 1.3:1 ratio as possible, as well.

    Here is a common and acceptable dry matter analysis:

    1.1% calcium

    0.8% phosphorus

    You can also learn more about giant breed nutrition at The Giant Dog Food Project which displays the nutrient levels of over 600 brands and formulas.

    https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutritional-requirements-of-large-and-giant-breed-puppies

    14

    Puppy Food vs. Adult Food for Great Dane Puppies

    Many people believe that Great Dane Puppies should never be fed puppy food, as it may cause them to grow too quickly.

    This is a truly odd practice, given the fact that giant breed dogs experience explosive growth and don’t mature until 2-3 years of age. If any dog should have puppy food, it’s a Great Dane!

    Thankfully, science and research have solved an age-old problem, and now Great Dane puppies should be fed a large or giant breed puppy food until age 2!

    “Adult only” is dated advice based on old, outdated, and poorly researched dog foods. Unfortunately, many teenage Danes are suffering from nutritional deficiencies that result from ‘adult’ foods, making them incredibly lanky.

    They often also have chronic loose stools (from overeating to compensate for the missed nutrition) and low muscle mass.

    Large or giant breed puppy foods are the way to go. Our dogs deserve to have the status quo changed on this one.

    Here are our favorite brands and formulas of food for Great Dane puppies. These have been well researched, properly formulated, and proven in feeding trials for slow, even growth:

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

    13

    How to Read a Dog Food Ingredients Label

    It may be tempting to choose your dog’s food based on the packaging or on appealing marketing claims, but it’s important to understand how to read the label and the ingredients.

    Below we’re sharing information about what you should be looking for on a dog food label!

    AAFCO Statement

    This statement simply indicates that the food meets the nutritional minimums required to be sold as balanced dog food.

    Being ‘AAFCO Approved’ is not a badge of honor, nor is it an indication of quality and health. It’s pretty easy to make a dog food meet minimums for certain nutrients.

    That said, the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement is important, as it will give you valuable insight on the dog food label into what the food is formulated for.

    For example, some dog foods are formulated for growth, puppies, adults, large breeds, small breeds, or seniors. Life stages are important to consider when choosing dog food!

    We like to see statements similar to the one below:

    “Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of food) proves complete and balanced nutrition for (life stage).”

    https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/What-Is-AAFCO-and-What-Does-It-Do

    Guaranteed Analysis

    The guaranteed analysis is where you’ll find the minimum percentage of crude protein and fat, and the maximum percentages of fiber and moisture.

    You’ll notice that it’s slightly different with every single food.

    Contrary to popular belief, Great Danes can actually have food with higher protein levels. Too low protein can actually be detrimental to their muscle development and overall energy levels.

    The low-protein myth was debunked in studies, so you don’t have to worry anymore!

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    The Ingredients List

    Of course, you’ll want to look over the ingredients list too, but it’s not as important as some may have led you to believe. There are a lot of tricks companies use to make the ingredients list appealing and marketable, however, that doesn’t mean that the formulation is correct.

    Here are some things you want to look for:

    A food that contains a meat meal or meat by-product meal will almost always be the more nutritious choice.

    Watch out for ingredient splitting (see more below), which allows brands to tactfully, legally, and potentially dangerously reorganize the ingredients list to appeal to you and your wallet.

    Fancy additions such as spinach, blueberries, apples, or collard greens (for example) are there for marketing purposes and provide very little nutrition. If anything, they may be displacing meat.

    Fresh meat, deboned meat, and ‘raw’ meat in an ingredients list indicate ingredients that are roughly 70% water. Not only that, but once they are extruded (dried) into kibble they are no longer fresh and there isn’t much left, either. Think about this one for a moment.

    There is no such thing as fillers in dry dog food. (READ HERE)

    Logically, a company isn’t going to waste money on such things as it would increase shipping, manufacturing, sourcing, and formulation costs, not to mention kill dogs from malnutrition.

    Corn, for example, has a better nutrient profile than beef. Once it’s ground (for inclusion in kibble), it is 98% digestible and a fantastic source of linoleic acid (Omega 6).

    Of course, you want to choose a kibble with high-quality ingredients. This is where sourcing matters. Meat-based proteins from one company may not be held to the same standard as they are from another.

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    We recommend choosing a well-established dog food brand with solid and reliable quality control and sourcing practices.

    Recalls

    Recalls are actually a positive thing, indicating that a dog food company is willing to stand by their product and take it off the market if they find something wrong with it.

    Recently, Darwin’s pet food has been urged by the FDA to take some of its products off the shelves because of salmonella that was making pets sick. They refused...after all, recalls are bad for the marketing department.

    In another story, Victor pet food issued two recalls in 2023. Both of them were triggered by random 3rd party testing of their products, which is alarming. This is an indication that they weren’t testing for these things themselves. This has marred their “no recalls” record from the past, and caused many to realize that “no recalls” often means that the company is simply not looking for problems.

    I don’t know about you, but that’s not good.

    Just because dog food manufacturers claim “no recalls” doesn’t mean that they have a clean record. Ask more questions.

    https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-cautions-pet-owners-not-feed-certain-lots-darwins-natural-pet-products-due-salmonella

    Not only was Darwin’s caught avoiding recalls, Champion foods (the makers of Acana and Orijen) knowingly left food on the shelves that had been produced with contaminated beef tallow. The tallow tested positive for phenobarbitol (the euthanasia drug), and Champion chose not to recall the foods from that lot.

    “No recalls” is a shady marketing tactic. Don’t fall for it.

    12 2

    Deceptive Dog Food Marketing Tricks

    I’m going to outline some common deceptive marketing tricks that many dog food brands use to encourage you to make a purchase.

    I remember being very surprised by these the first time I’d heard them! After all, isn’t a fresh, holistic diet the better choice?

    Maybe not.

    The best dog food is not what you think. Read on…

    Ingredient Splitting

    With ingredient splitting, brands are able to effectively reorganize the ingredients list to be more appealing to you.

    The ingredient splitting trick makes it so that many foods can say ‘Real Chicken is the 1st Ingredient‘, even though the finished kibble is comprised mostly of peas.

    Yikes!

    I wrote a whole comprehensive blog post on ingredient splitting if you really want to dig in!

    Here are common ingredients that some dog food brands use, and how they might split them up.

    Pea Fiber, for example, on its own is ok. Where you want to be cautious is when you see 2 or more forms of the same ingredient:

    PEAS: Peas, Pea Fiber, Pea Protein, Pea Flour

    LENTILS: Green Lentils, Red Lentils, Yellow Lentils, Whole Lentils, Ground Lentils, Lentil Flour, Lentil Fiber

    POTATOES: Potatoes, Potato Flour, Potato Protein, Potato Fiber

    OATS: Oat, Oatmeal, Whole Oats, Oat Groats, Oat Fiber, Oat Flour

    The most nutritious dog food will be a meat-based diet focused on nutrients and amino acids, not one designed explicitly to sell you dog food at a premium price.

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    Unregulated Marketing Terms

    Many dog food companies are exceptional at marketing but don’t have qualified professionals or research to back up their claims.

    Not only that, it’s important to keep in mind that many common pet food marketing terms are unregulated and have no legal definition.

    This means that anybody can start a dog food company, have a company manufacture it for them, and then promote the food with any of the following terms:

    • Holistic
    • Super-Premium
    • Family-Owned & Operated
    • Biologically Appropriate
    • Species Appropriate
    • Healthy & Nutritious
    • Perfectly Balanced
    • Scientifically Formulated
    • Vet Approved

    Just because a food is labeled as “holistic and super premium” does not mean, in any way, that it’s actually better for your pet.

    As a matter of fact, the opposite may be true! Of course, we want to feed our dogs a high-quality diet. However, educated pet owners know how to sort out facts from marketing.

    False Claims

    Some dog food brands and influencers will use dubious and often false, unverifiable, or inaccurate claims that are designed to be misleading and confusing.

    By misleading and alarming you, they can easily generate profits for whatever brand of food, supplements, or education (books, courses, etc.) they are selling.

    Here are some common examples:

    • “Your pet will live longer on this food”
    • “This food prevents cancer”
    • “This food will eliminate allergies”
    • “Dry dog food has no nutrients”
    • “Kibble causes cancer”
    • “Corn is bad for dogs”
    • “Most dogs are allergic to chicken”
    • “Contains ‘fresh’ or ‘raw’ meat” (not possible after extrusion)
    • “Grains are bad for dogs and cause allergies and cancer”
    • “Purina, Royal Canin, Hill’s, Eukanuba, and Iam’s are junk foods full of fillers and diseased animals. They are not high-quality food”
    • “Recalls are BAD!”
    • “Kibble is full of fillers”
    • “Feeding kibble is like feeding your dog french fries or cereal for every meal”

    No food company should be making claims that their food will increase lifespan or reduce the risk of cancer, however, such statements are common.

    There are 300-400 new dog food brands each year in the United States. It stands to reason that they will say anything they have to in order to get your attention.

    It’s time for the dog community to stand up and learn to separate fact (science) from marketing buzzwords.

    Unfortunately, the veterinary community is weary. They want to help our pets, not harm them.

    4 4

    The Best Dog Foods by Brand

    When choosing food for your dog, I believe the following options are among the best nutrition you can get when choosing a kibble dry food diet.

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

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    How to Feed a Great Dane

    When feeding your dog, we recommend the use of stainless or ceramic bowls which, unlike plastic bowls, will not harbor bacteria that can cause irritation and zits.

    For reference on how much to feed your dog, check out our Ultimate Great Dane Feeding Chart post!

    Small, Frequent Meals

    Studies have shown that feeding your dog smaller, more frequent meals may help reduce the risk of bloat (GDV).

    Large, single meals are not safe for large and giant breed dogs.

    We recommend feeding your dog at least 2, if not 3 meals each day. Encourage slow, stress-free eating!

    Wet Food or Fresh Food Toppers

    Studies have shown that adding fresh foods or canned wet food to dry kibble can help reduce the risk of bloat in large and giant breed dogs.

    I always add canned food to my dog’s diet! Not only do they absolutely love it, but I feel good knowing that they are getting some variety in their diet. Wet dog food tends to be lower in carbohydrates, as well.

    Extruded dry food is not bad, but there is some logic to giving dogs wet food containing moisture.

    Make sure you feed your dog quality canned food that matches your dog’s dry food. It should be a complete and balanced formula, not one created only for supplemental feeding.

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    Supplements for Great Danes

    Don’t over-supplement your Great Dane!

    If you have chosen well-formulated dry food + canned wet food, you don’t need to go nuts with the expensive supplements.

    Here are some that you may need or want, depending on your dog’s needs!

    Esther C is commonly used for Great Dane puppies to help support their growth and reduce the chance of knuckling, HOD, or Panosteitis. While this is not well-researched, many people swear by it. Get Esther C HERE.

    Joint Support is ideal for dogs who are older (age 3+) or that are struggling with orthopedic issues, including poor structure, flat feet, arthritis, missing limbs, or dysplasia. I recommend GLYCOFLEX Stage III, get it HERE.

    Fish Oil can be helpful for dogs that struggle with dry or itchy skin and a dull coat.

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    Tips for Dogs with Allergies

    Some dogs have allergies. Most are environmental, but some are caused by a food allergy.

    The signs and symptoms of allergies and intolerances of any kind include:

    • Itching
    • Redness
    • Sore spots
    • Hair loss
    • Swollen paws
    • Hives

    These things can also be indications of other things, too. Not just allergies. Don’t immediately jump to food being the cause.

    All commercial dog food diets are likely to have been contaminated with grains or chicken, even if the ingredients list contains no grains or chicken. If your dog is truly allergic to those things, you need to feed your dog a hydrolyzed prescription diet from your veterinarian.

    Chances are, however, that your dog is not actually allergic to those things! Whole grains are very nutritious in dry dog food and don’t need to be avoided.

    Read HERE about how your Dane is not actually allergic to chicken.

    Blood and saliva allergy tests are NOT accurate and many times are nothing more than a money-grabbing scam. This is especially true of tests you can purchase and complete yourself.

    (Learn more about that here).

    A food trial elimination diet and careful monitoring of symptoms to identify triggers will be key. If blood or saliva tests are taken, repeat them with a different company for secondary results and use them as part of your treatment plan, not as the sole source of information.

    Many dogs with allergies actually have environmental intolerances. Constant food switching to ‘find something that works’ and bribery to encourage eating (which can unbalance the diet) will make these things worse.

    Instead, try this:

    • Talk to your veterinarian, have an open discussion
    • Choose a well-formulated food and stick with it for 4-6 months, minimum
    • Wipe dirt and dander from the fur and paws nightly using a damp towel
    • Ask about medicated wipes or shampoo
    • Talk about medications

    We recommend seeking veterinary advice for food allergies or anything related to your pet’s health for all dogs and pet owners.

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2017/01/food-allergies/
  • How to Care for a Great Dane puppy

    How to Care for a Great Dane puppy

    If you’re thinking of adding a Great Dane puppy to your family, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for the challenge! Learning how to care for a Great Dane puppy is easy and fun, but you must know this: Great Danes are not like other dog breeds!

    These dogs are big and powerful, and they need plenty of the right kind of nutrition, exercise, and training. Today I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about taking care of a Great Dane puppy.

    What do I Need to Know About Raising A Great Dane?

    Proper Great Dane care requires a little bit of research. The great news here is that you’ve made it to this blog post!

    Great Danes make incredible family pets. They are gentle, loving, and protective of their people. But before you bring one home, it’s important to understand what goes into taking care of a Great Dane.

    Great Danes are large dogs, and they require a lot of space, including a large dog bed, a huge crate, proper nutrition, and a comfy couch to crash on.

    To give you some perspective, I have two Great Danes. I buy multiple $80 bags of food each month, not to mention several $3 cans of wet food, $40 in joint support, and vet care (which this morning is running me upwards of $4500 for routine things such as gastropexy, teeth cleaning, vaccines and preventatives).

    However, this bears repeating: these dogs are WORTH IT!

    Danes were originally bred to hunt wild boar; it’s important to note that Great Danes are a lean, athletic breed that is far from lazy. Too much exercise, or too little, can be detrimental to their health.

    Bored Great Danes can and will eat your house. Enrichment and training are key!

    The Great Dane Breed standard says that these dogs should be friendly and courageous, not timid, shy, or aggressive.

    They are among the largest of the giant breeds, second only to the Irish Wolfhound in size.

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    THE HELLO DANES GREAT DANE PUPPY RESOURCE PAGE

    Everything you need to know! ↗

    What Should I Expect From a Great Dane Puppy?

    Your puppy will require a LOT of sleep.

    A healthy, well-rested pup will need to sleep up to 18 hours a day.

    Puppies also go through growth spurts, during which they may seem ravenous and never stop eating.

    At around 6-8 months of age, they tend to not eat as much as before. Many people mistake this for pickiness! Don’t be fooled.

    Adding toppers and bribery will only serve to unbalance their diet and encourage ‘picky eating’.

    At this time your pup will be moving into the second stage of growth (the time when a well-balanced large or giant formula puppy food will be the most important thing).

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    Should I Feed My Great Dane Puppy or Adult Food?

    Great Dane Puppy Supplies

    The best gear for Danes will be sturdy and built for size. We’ve included our favorite must-have tools below.

    The Best Crates for Great Dane Puppies

    Crate training is one of the easiest and most positive ways to keep your puppy safe!

    Read HERE for more information on how to crate train your Great Dane!

    We recommend the following crates, which come with a divider that can be removed once your puppy is bigger.

    Midwest Homes 52″ Crate >>

    Frisco 52″ Single Door Crate + Mat >>

    Frisco Double Door 52″ Crate >>

    Great Danes of every size (even smaller Danes) require a 52″ kennel. You will not find these at Petsmart or Petco.

    Chewy is one of the only reputable places to buy one and yes, they are HUGE.

    You got a huge dog, what can we say?

    If you don’t love the look of a giant wire crate in your living space, consider a custom wooden kennel from BB Kennels!

    https://bbkustomkennels.com/

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    How to crate train a Great Dane: click here

    Great Dane Puppy Training Gear

    Skip the harness! Harnesses are most Great Danes don’t go together.

    There is nothing more dangerous than a Great Dane throwing its weight around in a harness that allows them to comfortably do just that.

    We recommend a wide, flat martingale collar and a simple leather leash, in addition to beginning your leash training off-leash.

    If you MUST use a harness, stay away from restrictive no-pull versions that can damage movement and orthopedic health. The “Easy-Walk” harness is a common example of a bad harness that should not be used.

    When your pup is ready, we recommend modern e-collar training which is incredibly freeing, positive and fun!

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    What is the difference between a shock collar and an e collar? Read more here.

    The Best Beds for Great Danes

    There are a lot of inexpensive beds on Amazon that often go flat and fall apart quickly. These beds do not support Great Dane joints and will need to be replaced often.

    However, Great Danes are notorious for shredding beds, especially when they are bored or left to their own devices for too long!

    Great Danes require orthopedic mattresses. Our favorites are Big Barker.

    Kuranda Cots are great for destructive dogs.

    Big Barker Dog Beds >>

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    Great Dane Puppy Food

    Nutrition is arguably the most important decision you will have to make when bringing a large or giant sized puppy into your home.

    Great Danes are not like other dogs. They have very specific nutritional requirements because of their fast and explosive growth.

    Good food will support slow, even growth, muscle development, and skin and coat health.

    The wrong food can lead to health problems and growth disorders such as knuckling, panosteitis, HOD, obesity, and even hip dysplasia.

    How to Choose a Dog Food

    When choosing what kibble to feed your Great Dane, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind.

    • The food should be formulated by an on-staff board-certified Veterinary Nutritionist, DACVN (call the company and confirm)
    • It should be backed by intensive feeding trials and peer-reviewed and published scientific research, proving that they are experts in kibble formulation and puppy growth
    • Is manufactured by an established and reputable company, using their own facilities, and are willing to issue recalls to keep your pet safe (“No Recalls” is a red flag!)
    • Is a large or giant breed PUPPY food, formulated specifically for the growth of large breed dogs (it’s 2022, read about why Great Dane puppies should not eat adult food)
    • Meat meal or meat by-product meal should be among the first ingredients
    • Grain inclusive. Never grain-free!
    • Calcium should be at or below 1.4% with phosphorus close behind. An ideal ratio, for example, might be 1.1% Calcium and .09% Phosphorus
    • Minimal ingredient splitting (a dirty trick that may mean the food is heavy in carbs, not meat even if “meat is the 1st ingredient”)

    These guidelines are the most up-to-date recommendations for choosing foods that correctly support the growth of giant dogs.

    The Best Food Brands for Great Danes

    Here is our list of acceptable foods for Great Dane puppies:

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

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    Should I Feed My Great Dane Puppy or Adult Food?

    Supplements and Toppers

    Many enthusiastic pet parents get excited to feed their large breed puppy and start adding all manner of supplements and toppers such as raw egg, rice, sardines, bone broth, freeze-dried toppings or goat’s milk.

    This practice is both largely unnecessary and may be disruptive to the nutritional balance of the food. Goat’s milk, for example, causes gastro-distress. Too many eggs can cause a biotin deficiency. Too much rice can fill the dog up so much that they don’t get the right amino acids and nutrients from other sources.

    Many commercial ‘toppers’ and food items encouraged in ‘build a better bowl’ type marketing campaigns are overpriced revenue-generating nonsense.

    Take it easy on the toppers! They should never be used as a form of bribery to encourage a puppy to eat.

    If you want to use toppers for your Gentle Giant, we recommend:

    How Much to Feed a Great Dane Puppy

    Large and giant puppies need a lot of food to support their explosive growth and prevent health issues.

    Too much nutrition can cause growth disorders, chronic loose stools, and obesity, however, so it’s important that you don’t overfeed your puppy.

    We recommend a loose free-feeding schedule until 12 weeks of age. The trick with this is to not allow your dog to scarf food or overeat; habits that can lead to serious health problems. Offer 3 meals/day but let your pup graze on the food (or use some for training) between meals as well. Monitor intake: overfeeding is dangerous!

    After that, offer 3 schedule meals each day and take the food up after 20 minutes. Don’t offer more than your dog can finish in that time, and closely monitor body condition.

    Topping meals with same-brand canned food can reduce bloat risk and make meals more appetizing, without causing nutritional imbalance.

    At 8-12 months of age, you can transition to 2 meals per day.

    Encourage slow, stress-free eating. I like Royal Canin Giant formula food because the kibble pieces are huge to encourage chewing.

    If your dog is resource-guarding their food, stop sticking your hands in the bowl. This outdated training technique encourages stressed eating and may increase bloat risk.

    Use our guide here to learn how to safely stop resource guarding.

    NEVER feed one large meal each day, as this will increase your dog’s risk of getting BLOAT, a deadly and common life-threatening condition in large dogs. Smaller more frequent meals are best.

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    Great Dane Puppy Food Myths

    Some people are still promoting the idea that Great Dane pups should never be fed puppy food and that the food must be low in protein.

    Neither of these concepts is rooted in science. They are based on anecdotal evidence from a time when well-formulated puppy foods were NOT available to correctly support the growth of giant breed dogs.

    15+ years ago, adult food was the safer choice, and low protein foods generally had better calcium and phosphorus ratios. It had nothing to do with the protein itself, though, at the time nobody knew that.

    These ideas, at one time, justifiably made sense. Giant puppies grow extremely fast and over-nutrition is related to knuckling, HOD, panosteitis, and other orthopedic physical health and growth disorders.

    By limiting the nutrition, breeders were able to effectively limit their run-ins with painful growth problems.

    The choice to feed adult food was heavily promoted despite the fact that adult foods don’t have the complete nutrition that large breeds (including Great Danes) need to support muscle development, skin, and coat health.

    A sacrifice had to be made to ensure that their bones didn’t grow too quickly.

    Many teenager Danes (5-24 months) on ‘adult’ foods will overeat to try and get enough protein, fat, and calories.

    This often results in chronic loose stools and a lanky body condition with very little muscle tone. I believe that most adult foods starve them of the nutrition they need to thrive.

    The great news here is that it’s 2022 (or beyond!) and established dog food manufacturers have used science to graciously solve this problem for us. Dane puppies can now have research-backed puppy food AND still grow slowly so their joints develop properly.

    As a matter of fact, board-certified Veterinary Nutritionists believe that Great Dane dogs should be on puppy food until 18-24 months of age.

    Let’s put these large breed food myths to rest.

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    If you plan on choosing a food that is not formulated by a board-certified Veterinary Nutritionist (common examples include Fromm, Diamond, Victor, Costco, and 4Health), it may be safer to choose the adult formula for your puppy.

    These foods are not backed by dedicated growth and development research or qualified formulation professionals and aren’t ideal, to begin with.

    Fromm – formulated by a chemical engineer

    Victor – formulated by a guy with an online certificate in dairy cattle nutrition

    Diamond / 4Health / Taste of the Wild / Costco / Nutranuggets – co-packed brands under the same parent company with canned recipes that may or may not have been looked over by an off-site consultant who has marginal credentials.

    Purina – multiple board-certified veterinary nutritionists, M.S. and Ph.D. professionals with advanced degrees in animal nutrition, food science, and quality control are on staff to formulate and research the foods.

    Royal Canin – over 400 professionals with top degrees in nutrition, veterinary nutrition, and nutrition science

    Hill’s Science Diet – same as Purina & Royal Canin (see a pattern, yet?)

    If you are interested in modern health and nutrition science and want high-quality food that was formulated by qualified professionals and then proven in feeding trials for the growth of big dogs, we recommend the following brands and formulas from Purina, Hill’s, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, and Iam’s.

    Notice, all of these are large or giant formula puppy foods:

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

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    Great Dane Puppy Health

    Great Danes are not like other dogs. They are big, they grow fast, and they have some special health needs that other puppies don’t.

    That’s why it’s important to find a good breeder who will give you the foundation for a healthy puppy. A good breeder will:

    • Start your puppy on a quality food
    • Have OFA clearances on both parents
    • Study the pedigree and only pair exceptional, well-structured, and beautifully tempered dogs that compliment and enhance each other
    • Use Puppy Culture to socialize the puppies
    • Keep the puppies until at least 8 weeks of age, no matter what
    • Support you as the buyer for life

    A good breeder will not breed aggressive or timid dogs or dogs that carry common genetic linked disorders such as bloat, DCM, wobblers, Addison’s, blood clotting, seizures, megaesophagus, IMGD, or otherwise.

    The biggest step you can take towards ensuring your puppy is healthy for life is to be very choosy about your breeder.

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    Knuckling, HOD, and Panosteitis

    As above, these painful orthopedic growth disorders are often a direct result of unbalanced, poorly formulated nutrition, overfeeding, and incorrect exercise (see ‘how to care for puppy joints’ below).

    Knuckling in Great Dane puppies is when the ankles appear to “knuckle over” the foot. It is easily corrected with proper nutrition. Left untreated, it can lead to deformity and arthritis.

    HOD is short for Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, which is a disease that affects growing Dane puppies between the ages of four and eight months. It is characterized by fever, loss of appetite, stiffness, and pain. X-rays will often show a thickening of the long bones in the legs.

    Panosteitis (AKA “Growing Pains”) is a condition that causes inflammation in the long bones of Dane puppies. It usually affects dogs between five and fourteen months old and manifests as lameness and pain that comes and goes.

    All three of these orthopedic growth disorders are largely preventable with good breeding, feeding, and exercise practices.
    Additionally, they are treatable if caught in time.

    Flat feet, downed pasterns, and cow hocks are other symptoms of growth, genetics, improper nutrition, or a lack of correct exercise. Make sure your pup gets plenty of off-leash play on soft, varied terrain and steer clear of breeders whose adult dogs don’t have exceptional structure.

    The bottom line is that if you are feeding your puppy correctly formulated food, and exercising them properly (see below), they should not be as susceptible to these problems.

    If you notice knuckling, stiffness, pain, or lethargy, talk to your veterinarian!

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    IS YOUR GREAT DANE PUPPY KNUCKLING?

    Check out our science-based and constantly always growing knuckling resource page.

    KNUCKLING RESOURCES

    How to Care for Puppy Joints

    Puppy joints are very soft and susceptible to injury.

    It is very important to avoid hard and slick surfaces whenever possible. Put runners down in your home, and avoid long walks on the hard pavement.

    Better alternatives include free movement on grass, sand, gravel, hills, and other soft varied terrains. These things will strengthen joints, toes, and balance as well as encourage confidence.

    Angular Limb Deformity is a common and painful disorder that happens when the large knobby growth plates are damaged by running, jumping, or injury. For many dogs, amputation or invasive and painful surgeries are the only way to move forward.

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    Protect your puppy with Tractive, a GPS device for your puppy’s collar

    We know you are excited to have your new puppy as a running partner, but hold your horses!

    Proper nutrition and exercise are key for taking care of your puppy’s delicate joints. Patience will pay off in the long run when your big puppy is more mature (around 18-24 months).

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    THE HELLO DANES GREAT DANE PUPPY RESOURCE PAGE

    Everything you need to know! ↗

    Taking Care of Nails, Teeth, Coat, and Ears

    Great Dane grooming including nails and teeth are a few things that pet owners tend to neglect.

    Teeth should be brushed daily

    Nails should be trimmed weekly

    Take advantage of your puppy’s enthusiasm and take the time now to make both of these things a matter of routine in your house.

    Daily hair brushing can also help reduce dander, itching, and shedding in your Great Dane’s coat. We recommend using a SLEEK EZ tool. Do not use a “Furminator” as those tools cut the hair.

    Practice handling your puppy all over, brushing your puppy, picking up each paw, and inspecting your puppy’s teeth. An adult Great Dane that wants to fight these things can and will, so make this a positive experience now while you can.

    If you have a little bitey Great Dane gremlin on your hands, restrain the urge to use your hands to tap, shove, choke, or pinch your puppy’s mouth! These outdated training techniques are the fast track to making sure that your 140 lb adult Great Dane is resistant to handling.

    For your Great Dane’s nails, use a Dremel! Tap each toe and offer a treat. Make this a fun, positive experience now while your puppy is still at a young age.

    Regularly inspect your dog’s ears for signs of irritation or infection, too.

    How to stop puppy biting, read here!

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    How to Stop Puppy Biting

    Puppy Training & Socialization

    Next to nutrition, training and socialization are some of the most important things you can do for your new puppy.

    Puppies need to be socialized early and often to different types of people, animals, places, experiences, and handling.

    This helps ensure that your puppy grows up to be a well-adjusted dog that can go anywhere and do anything without being fearful or anxious.

    You can read more about positive, modern socialization in our popular Puppy socialization guide. We are also including a few tips, below!

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    Need ideas for healthy socialization?

    Great Dane Socialization

    Socialization does not just mean going to the dog park or pet store or letting people squeal, hover, and handle your puppy.

    As a matter of fact, these common ‘socialization’ exercises can be detrimental to their well-being and temperament!

    Good socialization will be the foundation for all of your training exercises for years to come, so this is important. The single best piece of advice I can give you is this:

    Make sure every experience is a good one.

    That means that if you are going to introduce your puppy to new people, make sure those people know how to properly greet a puppy.

    Set your pup up for success by making sure they can’t get into trouble or hurt themselves, but also have plenty of new experiences, smells, noises, and textures to explore.

    Our favorite socialization exercise is the puppy playground! Grab a variety of interesting objects such as cushions, large balls, a kiddie pool, noisy toys, and household items and gather them in a large area.

    Encourage your puppy to explore and play with all of the new things, and make sure to give lots of praise and treats!

    This is a great way to get your pup used to different textures, smells, noises, and objects in a safe and controlled environment.

    We have more tips like that one in our socialization guide HERE.

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    Puppy Training Basics

    Positive reinforcement training is the best way to install new behaviors.

    All puppies should be taught:

    • Acceptance of handling by veterinarians and groomers
    • Sit, down, stand
    • Wait
    • Leave it
    • Come
    • Place
    • Stay
    • Loose-leash walking/heel

    We recommend finding a highly qualified trainer who uses positive + balanced training methods. Start attending classes now and continue through intermediate and advanced obedience!

    The STAR Puppy and AKC Canine Good Citizen programs are fantastic ways to set goals for yourself. Consistent training will pay off in the form of calm, indifferent, friendly, and safe adult dogs in your home.

    Large dogs require obedience training and lots of mental enrichment. Putting the time in beyond puppy class is a hallmark trait of responsible dog owners.

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    Which training methods are cruel, and which are not?

    Obedience & Off-Leash Training

    We believe that all Great Danes should be obedience trained and have exceptional off-leash skills.

    By nature, leashes and collars rely on physical restraint. This restraint can become impossible or dangerous with large adult Great Danes.

    It is much safer and better for their mental and orthopedic health that they have good off-leash obedience.

    Start training your large breed dog to be off-leash now!

    In your living room, reward your puppy for looking at you, engaging with you, and walking next to you around obstacles in the house.

    Outside, we recommend using a long Biothane leash and practicing recall in low-distraction areas such as empty lots and baseball fields.

    Never scold your puppy for not coming when called. This creates superstitious dogs that do not come back.

    Instead, make coming to you the most fun thing in the world!

    Use praise, treats, and play to make coming back a positive experience.

    A positive training program will produce positive results!

    When your puppy can reliably come when called from 20 feet away in moderately distracting areas, it’s time to layer in a modern, positive e-collar so you can ditch the physical restraint.

    Hello Danes E-Collar Shop >>

    george pagan iii tcAB9AAEJ4s unsplash

    Great Dane Puppy Veterinary Care

    Getting regular veterinary care for your puppy is an important part of responsible dog ownership.

    In the first year, your puppy will need to see the veterinarian several times for a well-check, growth-check, vaccinations, and deworming.

    After that, yearly well-visits are all that is needed!

    Puppy Vaccines

    It is extremely important that your puppy is vaccinated against common and often deadly dog illnesses such as Distemper, Parvo, and Rabies.

    Your veterinarian will provide you with a vaccine schedule. Additionally, your breeder should have already begun the vaccination process.

    Keep in mind that Rabies vaccination is legally required in many places.

    Some breeders may encourage you to hold off on Rabies or Leptospirosis vaccinations until your puppy is more mature, especially if your puppy has had problems with orthopedic growth disorders. Only HEALTHY puppies should be vaccinated.

    Talk to your veterinarian!

    https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/puppy-shots-complete-guide/

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    It is also very important that until your puppy is fully vaccinated, they not be exposed to places where diseases tend to be common. Positive socialization is VERY important, so we encourage you to take your puppy with you whenever you can.

    However, it is smart to avoid pet stores, dog parks, and the floor of the veterinarian’s office as much as possible while your puppy is young.

    Parvo, for example, is extremely contagious and deadly.

    However, poor socialization can set a puppy up for a lifetime of stress, frustration, and anxiety. It’s important to find a safe, healthy balance.

    Flea & Tick Prevention

    Flea, tick, parasite, and heartworm prevention are important for all dogs.

    Bugs and parasites bring with them diseases that can cause permanent damage to your dog.

    You may have seen alarming blogs and media about dogs becoming sick and suffering seizures from flea and tick medications. While side effects are possible, it’s important to note that they are rare and often associated with other health problems. This kind of alarmist media is emotional and drives clicks and revenue, skewing our perception of the problem.

    The reported side effects of veterinary flea and tick preventatives are minimal compared to the side effects associated with leaving your dog unprotected.

    Parasites, including fleas and ticks, can cause devastating health problems such as Lyme’s disease, malnutrition, anemia, Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, deadly heartworms, and more. Thousands if not millions of dogs suffer from these things every year, at an astronomically higher rate than the rare dog who has a severe reaction to preventatives.

    There are many products on the market that can help you keep your puppy safe from these pests. Do not be afraid of preventatives, and beware of pseudoscience and clickbait media that teaches you otherwise.

    Talk to your veterinarian about deworming, as well as which flea and tick products are right for your puppy and your area.

    I personally use Bravecto and Sentinal, on the recommendation of our veterinarian. My dogs have had no side effects and I like knowing that I don’t have to shelter them from fun, enriching outdoor activities.

    Great Dane Toys

    Finding a Veterinarian

    It’s important to find a veterinarian whose opinion you value and trust.

    Ideally, they have experience with giant dogs and understand their unique orthopedic, nutritional, and growth needs.

    I like to find veterinarians who:

    • Are up to date on the current research and will support delayed spay and neuter for well-tempered giant breed dogs with responsible owners
    • Are supportive of preventative gastropexy and have lots of experience with the procedure
    • Understand why large and giant breed puppy foods are important and can give you evidence-based recommendations
    • Will be honest and straightforward about your pet’s condition, including its overall body condition score
    • Are willing to sit with you and answer questions
    • Have a well-respected portfolio of ear crops, if cropping is chosen, and are supportive of the procedure

    A Great Dane’s life may be short, but there are things you can do to make it as long and wonderful as possible. Enjoy your puppy!

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    JOIN OUR COMMUNITY

    Do you like modern positive+balanced off-leash dog training, science-based information, life with Danes, educated ownership and chatting with other like-minded people?

    Join our growing Facebook group!

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    READ MORE:

    What is the best leash for Great Dane

  • What Happens to an Overfed Puppy

    What Happens to an Overfed Puppy

    Ensuring the optimal nutrition for a puppy is fundamental for their overall well-being. Puppies are so cute, and it’s easy to want to feed them lots of food and treats! However, an overfed puppy can experience health problems that can devastate their experience in life.

    Feeding too much, over-supplementation, and filling up the food bowl with toppers and treats to entice eating are on the chopping block today! Curious about why? Here is a list of common problems associated with giving puppies too much nutrition:

    • Carpal Laxity (flat feet or “knuckling over”)
    • Growing pains (panosteitis)
    • HOD, OCD, and other bone growth problems
    • Obesity (which shortens lifespans by 2 years, on average)
    • Chronic loose stools (often blamed on “allergies”)

    This article digs into the repercussions of overfeeding, shedding light on growth disorders, the risks of over-supplementation, and the potential pitfalls of excessive toppers and treats.

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    Understanding Growth Disorders in Large and Giant Breeds

    Large and giant breed puppies require specialized nutrition due to their rapid growth and susceptibility to developmental issues. Overfeeding can contribute to growth disorders like hip dysplasia and hypertrophic osteodystrophy. These conditions result from overly swift bone growth, leading to improper joint formation and structural abnormalities.

    Owners of giant breed puppies (such as Great Danes, which we talk a lot about here) are often alarmed if they see a few ribs. However, a lean body condition is desirable!

    The Role of Caloric Intake

    Overfeeding is essentially providing more calories than a puppy’s body needs. Proper portion control is crucial to prevent this. Consult your veterinarian to determine the appropriate food amount based on factors such as age, weight, and breed. Adjustments may be necessary as your puppy grows.

    The Dangers of Over-Supplementation

    Puppies, akin to humans, require specific nutrients for healthy development. However, excessive supplementation can lead to imbalances and potential health issues. For instance, over-supplying calcium to large breed puppies may disrupt the delicate balance needed for proper bone development, contributing to skeletal problems.

    Ensuring Nutritional Balance

    Choose a high-quality puppy food that meets the nutritional standards set by reputable organizations. Before introducing any supplements to your puppy’s diet, consult your vet to ensure they are necessary and safe.

    Toppers, Treats, and the Challenge of Picky Eating

    While treats and toppers play a role in training and bonding, moderation is key. Overindulgence in these extras may lead to picky eating habits and an unbalanced diet. Puppies may prefer the tasty treats over their regular meals, resulting in nutritional deficiencies.

    Maintaining Balance

    To maintain a well-balanced diet, limit treats and toppers to no more than 10% of your puppy’s daily caloric intake. Opt for healthy, puppy-friendly options, and use them sparingly to avoid disrupting the nutritional balance of their main meals.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, overfeeding, especially in large and giant breed puppies, can have serious consequences for their health and development. Emphasize proper portion control, opt for high-quality nutrition, and be cautious with treat and topper intake. By providing a balanced diet and consulting with your veterinarian, you’ll set your puppy on the path to a healthy and happy life.

  • Is a Grain-Free Diet for Dogs Healthier?

    Is a Grain-Free Diet for Dogs Healthier?

    Grain-free options are all the rage at natural pet food stores. Is a grain-free diet for dogs healthier than something with rice, corn, oats, or wheat? Should you feed your dog grain-free? Does grain-free food resolve allergy symptoms such as itching, ear infections, and hot spots?

    Feeding grain-free foods to dogs has gained significant popularity in recent years, driven by human diet trends of eliminating grains from the diet. Many pet owners are drawn to this trend, thinking it aligns with a more natural and ancestral canine diet. However, the decision to go grain-free should be made with careful consideration and an understanding of the potential implications.

    DCM (a form of deadly heart disease) is one such problem associated with feeding grain free kibble to dogs.

    In this article, we will dig into the concept of grain-free diets for dogs, exploring the reasons behind this dietary choice (including going grain-free for allergies), the pros and cons, and the essential factors to keep in mind when deciding if it’s the right choice for your pet.

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    Is Grain Free Dog Food Lower Carb?

    Contrary to common belief, grain-free dog food is not necessarily low in carbohydrates.

    While the term “grain-free” suggests the absence of grains like wheat, corn, or rice, it doesn’t guarantee a reduction in carbohydrate content. In many cases, grain-free dry dog foods replace grains (and often some of the meat, too) with alternative carbohydrate sources such as peas, lentils, or potatoes. These ingredients can be just as, if not more so, carbohydrate-rich.

    What’s more, the carbohydrate replacements seen in grain free dry foods (including lentils, peas, and potatoes) continue to be associated with an alarming trend of nutritional DCM. In other words, grain free diets may be contributing to deadly heart disease!

    (Authors note: we realize the DCM “debate” is a controversial one. We are a science-backed blog and cite resources, not propaganda on this topic).

    This means that a grain-free diet might not be the solution for pet owners seeking to provide a low-carb or “keto” option for their dogs.

    Not only that, but there is this misguided belief out there that grain free dog foods, in removing the grains, have more meat. This is a myth that could not be farther from the truth! Grain free dog foods have the same, or less meat content than kibbles that contain grains.

    Understanding the ingredients and nutritional content of grain-free dog food, as well as how pet food formulation works, is essential to make informed choices that align with science, research, and your dog’s dietary needs.

    Grain-Free Diet for Dogs 101

    Grain-free dog food can come in many forms, and won’t contain common grains such as corn, oats, wheat, or rice:

    • Grain-free kibble
    • Freeze-dried raw
    • Grain-free canned food
    • Raw-coated grain-free kibble
    • Air-dried dog food
    • “Fresh” dog food
    • Home-cooked pet recipes
    • Prey-model raw

    Grain-free kibble dog food diets became popular in the early 2000s. At that time, there was a lot of debate surrounding the benefits and drawbacks of grains for both animals and for people.

    Canine health and dog food trends tend to closely follow human diet trends! For example, in 2022 we are seeing a huge rise in the popularity of “fresh”, “keto”, “paleo”, “vegan”, “cricket-based”, and “whole foods” dog food diets.

    Oftentimes, our scientific understanding of these trends is way behind our actual use of them; which can be dangerous and devastating for a dog’s diet.

    Remember when eggs and avocados were considered ‘unhealthy foods’? That’s a trend we now know was wildly incorrect and damaging. Just take a look at human diet trends and toxic diet culture in general!

    Tread cautiously with trends.

    3

    What are common grains in dog food?

    Common grains in dog food include:

    • Rice, brewers rice, brown rice
    • Corn
    • Wheat
    • Oats
    • Barley
    • Sorghum
    • Quinoa
    • Other “ancient grains” such as amaranth, millet, and rye

    Grain-free foods will not contain those items. All kibbles require a starch of some kind to bind the ingredients together, whether the starch is grain-based (rice), or not (lentils). All dry kibbles contain carbohydrates, in other words.

    It is a myth that ingredients such as corn or rice are “fillers”. This unfortunately misunderstanding is driven by profit driven social influencers, pet stores, and small food brands that make their money by generating fear and anxiety about pet food through misinformation.

    Corn, often a subject of debate in pet food ingredients, is actually be a quality component in many pet food formulations. First and foremost, it is a highly digestible source of carbohydrates, which can provide a steady supply of energy for dogs and cats. It is more digestible than beef (truth!) and is a good source of essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

    To respond to the “grain-free” trend, pet food manufacturers figured out how to replace common grains with grain-free carbohydrates such as lentils, garbanzo beans, peas, and potatoes. Many grain-free kibbles are literally loaded with these ingredients.

    Unfortunately, the carbs included in grain free kibbles have much less data, research, and studies associated with them. On paper they seem to work from a ‘nutritional’ standpoint, but in practice there seems to be problems.

    Biovailability and the complex interplay of nutrients in dog food make a big difference on whether or not a food is truly healthy for your pet.

    Do dogs need grain in their diet?

    There is a lot of conflicting information about whether or not dogs need grains in their diet at all.

    If a dog is offered a whole prey animal to eat, it will rip into the meat, bone, cartilage, and organs (yes, the by-products!) and consume everything, including the contents of the stomach.

    Dogs by nature are scavengers and opportunists: they can and will eat just about anything offered to them. Modern pets are FAR removed from their wild ancestors; their digestive system has actually evolved and changed to process foods more commonly seen in the human diet (grains, for example).

    Grains provide energy in the form of carbohydrates, not to mention they fulfill important dietary needs such as omegas, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

    Because kibble MUST contain some kind of starch or carbohydrate for binding, grains are a solid and nutritious choice.

    https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2021/07/the-role-of-carbohydrate-in-pet-foods/

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    Grains and dog food allergies

    Some people believe that their dog has grain or chicken allergies, however, this is rarely true.

    Most of the time there are other factors at play and veterinary advice is recommend. In reality, true grain allergies in dogs are quite rare. Allergies in dogs are more commonly associated with proteins, such as those found in meat or poultry (though, chicken allergies are also a bit of a wild social media driven myth).

    It’s essential to differentiate between true allergies and food sensitivities, where certain ingredients may cause gastrointestinal discomfort but are not true allergies involving the immune system. If you suspect your dog has a food allergy, it’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian to accurately diagnose the issue. While some grain-free diets may have their place for specific dogs with dietary sensitivities, it’s important to base feeding choices on individual dietary needs rather than assuming that grains are the primary culprit behind canine allergies.

    It’s important to note that only a veterinarian-monitored food elimination diet can definitively diagnose food allergies in dogs. Scientific study shows that blood and saliva allergy tests are wildly inconsistent and inaccurate. Save your money.

    For pets that have been scientifically diagnosed with a legitimate grain allergy, choosing a well-researched food or working with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist will be key.

    FACT: Less than 1% of dogs have a true sensitivity to grains, according to scientists.

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    Is grain an inflammatory ingredient in pet food?

    I did a google search with two different search terms. Each one gave me WILDLY different results.

    The first one was “Is grain-free dog food bad for dogs”. This phrase produced a slew of scientific articles and information from reliable sources, including articles and studies written by highly educated people in veterinary medicine.

    Every single one stated that “grain-free kibbles can be dangerous for dogs to eat” and that dogs can digest grains without any problems at all.

    Read THIS excellent article from TUFTS University

    So, because I like to look at science and evaluate both sides of the coin, I searched again.

    The second term I tried was “Is grain an inflammatory ingredient in dog food”. This produced a bunch of inflammatory (catch my drift here?) and alarmist blog posts written by bloggers with no credentials, including ‘nutritionists’ who obtained their “certification” from online correspondence courses.

    They all said grains are bad, of course. But does their unscientific opinion have merit?

    I think not.

    As above, grain allergies are exceptionally rare. It’s been scientifically proven that dogs are easily able to digest and obtain nutrients from grains.

    The idea that “grains are inflammatory” comes largely from toxic diet culture in humans. Toxic diet culture is elitist, classist, and often racist too! Read here for more history about this problematic trend.

    My Great Dane is not eating, now what?

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    Is grain-free food carb free?

    This is one that confuses a LOT of dog owners! I’ve even seen self-proclaimed nutrition experts have absolutely no understanding regarding this topic.

    So here it is: just because a food is labeled as ‘grain-free’ does NOT mean that it is low in carbohydrates.

    Grain-free dog foods are, in theory gluten free, but they are not carb free! Gluten contamination is possible unless you choose a veterinary prescription diet.

    Fact: many dog foods manufactured without grains are high in legumes, peas, beans, and potatoes; all of these things are high in carbs!

    Dog food manufacturers want you to believe that grains are bad, because it allows them to produce cheap, pea-filled food and sell it at a premium ‘health food nut’ price.

    If a “nutritionist” or other “expert” is telling you that “dogs don’t need carbs, choose a holistic grain-free dog food”, RUN far away.

    I said what I said.

    How Grain-Free Dog Food is Made

    As you may have noticed above, I mentioned how kibbles must be manufactured with some kind of carbohydrate. This is how the the final kibbles are held together. Without it, the food would just turn to dust.

    Certain diets such as air-dried and ‘fresh’ foods can be made without grain or carbohydrate sources, but these diets aren’t well-researched and may lack the full spectrum of nutrients and amino acids that pets need.

    Ingredients in grain-free dog food

    In grain-free kibble foods, rice, oats, wheat, or corn is replaced by peas, potatoes, garbanzo beans, lentils, and other similar plant-based proteins and carbohydrates.

    Legumes, peas, and potatoes have very different amino acid and digestibility profiles than other more researched carbohydrates such as rice, corn, and oats. It’s not a cup-for-cup replacement.

    Here are some examples of common inclusions in ‘fancy’, ’boutique’, grain-free or grain-inclusive dog foods:

    Deboned meat. This can include things such as ‘fresh deboned chicken’, ‘roasted deboned lamb’, or ‘deboned fish’, which appeal to American dietary tastes. While these ingredients are not harmful and sound healthy, it’s important to keep in mind that dogs need bone, organ and cartilage in their diet.

    Not just muscle meat, which contains only a small percentage of the actual nutrition dogs get from other parts of the animal (the ‘by-products’).

    But wait, there is more!

    Deboned fresh meats are 70% water. By law, companies must list ingredients by weight before extrusion.

    So if you see that “fresh chicken is the first ingredient” on the label, you are likely being fooled. Especially when it comes to grain-free diets that use a lot of starchy carbs!

    After extrusion, how much fresh deboned meat is really there? Around 70% less than you think.

    PRO TIP: You want to see meat meals and meat by-product meals in the first ingredients. This dry, rendered product is heavy before and after extrusion, not to mention chock full of protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

    What about veggies?

    Pumpkin, Squash, Blueberries, etc. Ingredients like this are often considered to be nothing more than ‘fairy dust’ by board-certified veterinary nutritionists.

    Like fresh meat, these ingredients are mostly water. By the time they are extruded there isn’t much left. Plus, they may displace room in the composition of the kibble for vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from better sources.

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    Why grain-free dog foods are not healthy

    Because so many grain-free dog diets have replaced a significant amount of meat with peas, potatoes, lentils, and other pulses, the diet may be lacking in the correct balance of trace nutrients and amino acids.

    These starchy ingredients contain protein and as a result can, in some ways, replace meat. The final kibble will still meet AAFCO nutrient profile minimums on paper.

    Unfortunately, the pet food industry is a sketchy place, and not for the reasons that you think.

    What is ingredient splitting?

    Ingredient splitting is a common practice, for example!

    This is when companies will take an ingredient such as peas and split it up on the ingredients list.

    Peas, pea protein, pea fiber, pea flour, and pea starch are things you may notice. Or green lentils, red lentils, yellow peas, green peas.

    This splitting allows manufacturers to trick you into believing the food has more meat in it than it actually does, and is a COMMON practice of boutique and grain-free dog food brands.

    Read more about ingredient splitting HERE.

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    The dirty truth about grain-free dog food

    Some people believe that grain-free dog diets contain more meat than what is seen in grain-inclusive diets.

    They believe this because of marketing, and because of the assumption that the grains taken out of the food are replaced with meat.

    Oops! Grain free diets are actually quite often loaded with pulses and legumes to replace the grains, not meat.

    Dogs need meat, bone, organ, tissue, fat, skin, and cartilage in their diet. Many of these things are considered ‘by-products’. By-products are great in a dog’s diet, but marketing has made them into a dirty word.

    Grain-free dog foods are not, in fact, higher in meat nor are they necessarily healthier for your dog.

    We believe that correctly balanced kibbles will have meat meal and meat by-product meal as a primary protein source, paired with well-researched healthy grains such as rice, corn, and oats for energy and nutrients.

    Here is our list of grain-inclusive foods for large breed dogs:

    Is it good for dogs to have grain-free dog food?

    We believe that many grain-free dry dog foods and marketing-based food brands are harming pets.

    This belief is backed by science coming from board-certified veterinary nutritionists and the top veterinary institutes and organizations in the Country.

    Heart disease is just one proven complication of feeding a poorly formulated diet. You may have heard this from people and veterinarians who tell you to stay away from grain-free foods because of the risk of DCM!

    DCM (or dilated cardiomyopathy DCM in dogs) has a genetic component, but also a nutritional one. The two are unrelated.

    The nutritional relationship to DCM is well documented. Many pet food manufacturers have had to adjust their formulas in the past.

    For example, once veterinary nutritionists learned that cats couldn’t reliably synthesize their own taurine, an essential amino acid, it was added to food and the problem was solved.

    Taurine deficiency causes heart disease in dogs and cats. However, the veterinary community does not currently see taurine deficiency as the primary cause of the current nutrition-DCM speculations.

    Read on!

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    DCM in Dogs Eating Grain Free Dog Food

    Dilated cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle becomes enlarged. DCM is primarily a genetic condition, passed on from parents to puppies.

    Dog breeds genetically prone to canine dilated cardiomyopathy include Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, and Cocker Spaniels.

    Secondary DCM can be caused by unbalanced nutrition, and as above, it is well documented.

    Several board-certified veterinary cardiologists have reported an alarming increase in dogs with no known genetic predisposition to DCM showing up with the disease.

    Many of these dogs diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy dcm presented with very few symptoms!

    Dilated cardiomyopathy is often a silent killer and will take the lives of dogs who had been playing, eating and enjoying life normally just minutes before.

    Adding grains or taurine does not fix this problem; as they say, you cannot supplement your way out of a bad diet!

    It is believed that the consequences of feeding poorly balanced diets are grossly under-represented, and that many more dogs would have been diagnosed with heart disease had they lived long enough or had a post-mortem autopsy completed.

    90% of the dogs reported with DCM, following scientific observation and diagnosis by a board certified veterinary cardiologist, were eating grain-free dog food, indicating a strong potential dietary link.

    It doesn’t matter what you hear and from whom, there absolutely is a problem here. Heart disease is terrifying, and we believe that dog owners should be cautious and base their opinions here on the most up to date science.

    An FDA investigation was launched, and since then the discussion has become hotbed of misinformation.

    The FDA actually released a statement citing that grain-free diets may not specifically be the issue. People misinterpreted this statement as a resolution of what they believed to have been financially biased, corporate-driven data and ran with it.

    This happened despite the fact that 1000’s of reports submitted by veterinarians and dog owners around the Country indicate that BEG diets (boutique, exotic, grain free) foods are causing health problems and heart failure.

    Naysayers often cite that the “original studies were bonk” and that “grain free and BEG diets are safe and healthy” as a result, furthering the divide with statements that are not backed by facts or science.

    That doesn’t mean there is no problem, however.

    The correlation is now believed to be within dog foods where no on-staff board-certified veterinary nutritionists formulate the diet, and/or where a significant nutrient source includes peas, legumes, potatoes, beans, or pulses.

    Both grain-free AND grain-inclusive diets are to blame, in other words!

    Commonly implicated brands include:

    • Fromm
    • Victor
    • Orijen/Acana
    • Diamond (including Costco and Nutra-Nuggets)
    • Earthborn and Unrefined
    • 4 Health
    • Taste of the Wild
    • Solid Gold
    • Rachel Ray
    • Nutrisource
    • Nutro
    • and many others

    FACT: None of those brands have a qualified individual formulating, testing, and researching their diets.

    Fromm, for example, has a chemical engineer creating recipes. Victor uses a guy with an online certification in dairy cattle nutrition. Diamond uses proprietary software to spit out a formula, and has the results checked off by a team of consultants.

    That is where the problem ultimately lies.

    Nutritional DCM is the direct result of ‘health’ food marketing and pet food shaming, which was designed to turn people away from the big-5 science-backed brands and promote the sales of poorly balanced, untested, and grossly under-researched boutique diets.

    Think about this for a moment. We’ve all be scammed by the dog food industry.

    https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy

    woman kissing her dog
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    What food do dog nutritionists recommend?

    Keep in mind that there is a difference between a ‘nutritionist’ and a ‘board certified veterinary nutritionist’.

    The former are generally people who obtained certifications from online nutrition courses and smaller pet food manufacturers.

    The later are veterinarians who obtained several years of additional study and then a board certification in small animal nutrition. Personally, I trust science and people who are highly educated.

    Veterinary nutritionists recommend a grain-inclusive diet from a company that has a full-time veterinary nutritionist on staff to formulate, test, and research the diets, participate in peer-reviewed research, and prove their formulas in feeding trials.

    As of this writing, only five manufacturers meet this standard.

    • Purina
    • Royal Canin
    • Hill’s Science Diet
    • Eukanuba
    • Iam’s

    Here is a great scientific source of information on diets and health issues related to diet, including canine dilated cardiomyopathy.

    https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/253/11/javma.253.11.1390.xml

    woman petting dog
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    What is the best food to prevent DCM in Dogs?

    We believe that the best food to prevent nutritional DCM based congestive heart failure is a grain-inclusive diet from an established, science-backed company. These foods have been proven to reduce and at times eliminate heart disease in dogs that had been diagnosed with nutritional DCM!

    Here is our list of the best foods for giant breeds, including Great Danes.

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

  • Soft Dog Treats: The #1 Best Treat on the Market

    Soft Dog Treats: The #1 Best Treat on the Market

    Dogs are known as “man’s best friend” for a reason. They are loyal, loving, and always happy to see you. What’s not to love? One of the best things about dogs is that they are always excited to eat, no matter what time of day it is. This means that you can get away with feeding them delicious soft dog treats without feeling guilty! In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best soft dog treats on the market. We’ll also give you a few tips on how to choose the right treats for your pup.

    Soft Dog Treats

    WHY DO MANY PET PARENTS PREFER SOFT DOG TREATS?

    Although many dogs prefer crunchy treats, chewy dog treats are the better option for some dogs due to a few reasons.

    First, dog treats can be hard for senior dogs or dogs with dental issues to chew with their crunchy texture. The best treats for senior dogs are soft and easy to chew so they can still enjoy a delicious treat without hurting their teeth.

    Second, some dogs simply prefer the taste of softer treats over crunchy ones. If your dog is picky about his treats, then soft ones may be the way to go in order to get him to eat them.

    Soft Dog Treats

    Third, soft dog treats are often more nutrient-rich than their crunchy counterparts. This is because they generally contain more meat and vegetables as well as moisture, which are packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

    Last, puppies and small dogs do better with dog treats that you can break apart into smaller pieces. This way, they can enjoy the treat without choking on it.

    IS YOUR DOG BORED? CHECK OUT THESE IDEAS!

    Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of soft dog treats, let’s take a look at some of the best ones on the market.

    WHAT ARE THE BEST TREATS TO TRAIN YOUR DOG?

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    The Olly Backcountry treat pouch for Great Danes
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    The Olly smaller treat pouch

    Merrick Power Bites Natural Grain Free Gluten Free Soft & Chewy Chews Soft Dog Treats

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    These ‘power bites’ are some of the best soft dog chews as they are made with real meat and come with both a beef recipe and a chicken recipe. The grain free treats allow you to spoil your pup without worrying about any allergies, and they are also gluten free. Some dogs can get nasty ear infections or chin acne from grain, so having this option is VERY helpful! In addition, they are packed with vitamins and minerals that will keep your pup healthy and happy.

    SHOP HERE: Merrick Power Bites Natural Grain Free Gluten Free Soft & Chewy Chews Soft Dog Treats

    Zuke’s Mini Naturals Chicken Recipe with Wild Rice Soft & Moist Dog Treats

    If you’re looking for a soft dog treat that is free of food dyes, is soft and chewy and has quality ingredients, the Zuke’s Mini Naturals Chicken Recipe with Wild Rice Soft & Moist Dog Treats might be the best dog treats for you.

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    Artificial colors are often used in pet foods and treats to make them more visually appealing, but they offer no nutritional value. Zuke’s Mini Naturals are made with all-natural ingredients like chicken, wild rice, vegetables, and fruits. These treats are also low in calories, making them a great option for dogs who are trying to lose weight or maintain their figure.

    SHOP HERE: Zuke’s Mini Naturals Chicken Recipe with Wild Rice Soft & Moist Dog Treats

    Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats, Beef Liver, Healthy, Natural, Single Ingredient, Grain Free Dog Treat, Liver Treats for Dogs, Resealable Tub Or Pouch

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    Stewart has low calories which makes these treats great for training sessions. These treats are not as soft as some of the other options, however they are dehydrated liver, which break apart excellent for puppies or seniors. (Treats for puppies). If your dog is experiencing dry skin, adding in some organ like this Beef Liver can also be very beneficial!

    DRY SKIN ISSUES IN DOGS

    Soft Dog Treats
    Soft Dog Treats

    If you are looking to transition a puppy from soft chewy foods to dry foods, these low calorie treats would make a great food form. But, be careful not to overdo it, as too many calories at once can cause an upset stomach.

    SHOP HERE: Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats, Beef Liver, Healthy, Natural, Single Ingredient, Grain Free Dog Treat, Liver Treats for Dogs, Resealable Tub Or Pouch

    Benebone Wishbone Durable Chew Toy For Dogs

    Wag Treats, Chicken and Waffle Bites

    Who doesn’t love chicken and waffles? Your puppy will love these high value treats- and it will be sure to improve your dog to some good behavior!

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    These treats are soft for your canine companion. Most dogs can chew these treats up very easily. The flavors are not the best part- the fact that Farm-Raised American Chicken is the #1 ingredient shows that these treats are filled with more than just flavors, but quality ingredients.

    SHOP HERE: Wag Treats, Chicken and Waffle Bites

    Spot Farms Chicken Apple Sausage Healthy All Natural Dog Treats Human Grade Made in USA 12.5 oz

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    If you are wanting a treat with human grade ingredients, packed with flavor, no artificial colors, then your dog might like Spot Farms Chicken Apple Sausage Healthy All Natural Dog Treats.

    These treats are made in the USA with chicken that is raised without antibiotics on family farms. These all-natural dog treats contain no corn, wheat, soy, or animal by-products and are filled with healthy ingredients like apples and sweet potato. This organic option can help sooth your dog if they are having an upset stomach or make for a wonderful training treat for your puppy.

    SHOP HERE: Spot Farms Chicken Apple Sausage Healthy All Natural Dog Treats Human Grade Made in USA 12.50z

    Nootie PROGILITY Daily Soft Chew Supplements for All Size Dogs – Calming Chews, Hip & Joint Chews, Multivitamin Chews, Urinary Chews, Skin and Coat Chews for Dogs – 90 ct

    Not only will these treats help your dog with anxiety, but they will also improve their coat and nails. These chews are for all size dogs and are a great way to give your pup his daily vitamins. The ingredients in these chews are human grade, which is always a bonus when it comes to your furry friend.

    SHOP HERE: Nootie PROGILITY

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    If your dog or puppy has anxiety, has a hard time staying calm or relaxed, or needs a little bit of relaxation help, you may consider adding in this soft and chewy treat for them. Remember that some of the best dog treats are those that pack vitamins and nutrients into our dogs!

    Cloud Star Cloud Star Tricky Trainers Chewy Low Calorie Dog Training Treats, Made in The USA Wheat & Corn Free, Soft Puppy Bites

    Some chewy dog treats are packed with wheat and corn, but the Cloud Star Tricky Trainers are wheat and corn free! These low calorie treats make for a perfect training bite for your puppy or small dog.

    The Cloud Star Tricky Trainers come in a resealable pouch, which is great to keep them fresh and moist. If you have a picky eater, these treats might not be for them as they have a strong smell. But, most dogs will love the taste of these yummy, soft and chewy treats made with real meat!

    SHOP HERE: Cloud Star Tricky Trainers Chewy Low Calorie Dog Training Treats, Made in The USA Wheat & Corn Free, Soft Puppy Bites

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    Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Dog Food, Turkey Mini Nibs 16 oz

    Vital Essentials soft and chewy dog treats are some of the best soft dog treats for small breeds or puppies, dogs who need small bites, or even big dogs who need a grain free option of soft treats to do their training with.

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    Not only do they taste great, but they ‘re packed with nutrients and vitamins that your dog needs to stay healthy. These freeze-dried turkey mini nibs are a great way to give your pup some extra protein in their diet while also getting them used to new flavors and textures.

    SHOP HERE: Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Dog Food, Turkey Mini Nibs 16 oz

    Pedigree Dog Treats Chewy Dental Treats

    Not all dental treats are created equal. But it is equally important to eliminate tartar buildup on all pets, puppies and dogs, no matter what their stage of life is!

    Pedigree’s Dental Treats are clinically proven to reduce tartar buildup by up to 83% and freshen your dog’s breath. These chewy dental treats have a patented X-shaped design that helps clean even hard-to-reach teeth, and they’re also low in fat.

    While most treats used for dental reasons are a bit on the hard side, these tasty treats remains full of flavor AND soft. So if your dog wants to clean their teeth with some chewy treats, opt for this choice!

    SHOP HERE: Pedigree Dog Treats Chewy

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    Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Natural Soft-Moist Training Dog Treats

    Blue Buffalo makes treats with both real chicken and real beef.

    These treats have no by-products, are packed with flavors and the ingredient list is transparent and very clean for your pets.

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    SHOP HERE: Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Natural Soft-Moist Training Dog Treats

    ARE SOFT TREATS THE BEST CHOICE FOR ALL DOGS?

    Although chewy treats are good for some dogs, other dogs need to be using their teeth to chew and chomp on things like bully sticks or hard treats.

    This helps with their mental stimulation, keeps their teeth clean and can help redirect bad chewing habits. (Ways to keep your dog engaged)

    Bored Dog?
    Yes- its true- your dog IS bored.
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    So, it really depends on your dog’s individual needs as to whether soft treats or hard treats are best for them. However, all dogs can benefit from a little variety in their treat selection!

    If you’re looking for the best treat and aren’t sure if your pet should have a hard treat or a soft treat, ask your veterinarian during your next visit. They will be able to help you make the best decision for your pup!

    READ MORE:
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