Tag: Food Brands

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!

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?

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.

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.

Screen Shot 2023 01 18 at 10.34.43 AM — 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.

Name	Calcium	CA/PH Ratio	AAFCO Large Breed?
Victor Professional (Purple Bag)	1.76%	1.3 to 1	Yes
Victor Multi-Pro (Yellow Bag)	1.71%	1.4 to 1	Yes
Victor High Energy (Red Bag)	1.69%	1.2 to 1	Yes
Victor Hi-Pro Plus (Teal Bag)	2.39%	1.5 to 1	No
Victor Beef & Rice	1.77%	1.4 to 1	Yes
Victor Chicken Meal & Rice	1.37	1.3 to 1	Yes
Victor Grain Free (ANY type)	Varies	Varies	Varies

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.

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!

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

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:

Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist (DACVN/ACVN or aka “Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition)
PhD in Animal Nutrition, ideally companion animal nutrition

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

An abundance of peas, potatoes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, or similar legumes used in the first 10 ingredients.
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.

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.

February 20, 2023

Dog Food Recalls – Should You Be Concerned?
Dog food recalls are a scary business for pet parents. In 2023, Victor Pet Foods issued a massive recall of all formulas in their line because of salmonella contamination. As the details emerged, we learned that they had been selling contaminated food for nearly a year (if not longer). Before that recall, Purina voluntarily recalled a small selection of veterinary food (“Elemental EL” to treat allergies) from the shelf after receiving two reports of dogs who got ill (both dogs are fine now).

How concerning are dog food recalls, anyway?

(You can read more about the Purina Recall Here, and the Victor Recall Here).

Recalls simply mean that a product is being removed from store shelves and distribution channels. Most times, consumers who purchased the product before the recall can request an exchange or refund.

The 2022 Purina Recall is a great example of a recall that was done by the company out of an abundance of caution. They issued this recall even though numerous bloggers, influencers, and pet owners would present the issue as a source of panic and fear.

Are Dog Food Recalls Bad?

Marketing has taught us to believe that recalls are a bad thing, or that recalls indicate that a company is not honest, truthful, or diligent.

Many people reward pet food companies with no recall history, not realizing how nuanced this topic is.

Of course, sometimes recalls are indicative of a much bigger problem. There are times when a company has been negligent or has poor quality control practices. (Victor, we’re looking at you!). If a company is particularly resistant to recalling a product, the FDA can require them to do so.

Recalls can be an indication that a company is doing the right thing, too.

Most of the time, recalls are done for very good reasons. There are numerous reasons for recalls, and many times, it’s actually related to a supplier, not the company that manufactured the product.

Dog Food Companies With No Recalls

Unfortunately, the negative feelings generated about dog food recalls tend to make the idea of “no recalls” appealing.

Having “no recalls” is a major reason that dog owners are drawn to certain brands. All of the largest brands (Purina, Royal Canin, Hill’s) have had recalls. These are mega-billion dollar (yes, billion) companies that feed a lot of dogs.

Having no recalls is a red flag.

Here is a list of reasons why a dog food company with no recalls can be a red flag:

#1 – Small Market Share

A company with a small market share (compared to a large company such as Purina, for example) has millions fewer dogs eating their food. If an issue comes up that could justify a recall, it’s much easier to sweep it under the rug instead.

#2 – Recalls are Bad for Marketing

For companies that actively market their history of “no recalls”, it can be an exceptionally tough pill to swallow if they do run into issues in the future. This can make a smaller company with a small market share more likely to avoid recalling something that it really should.

#3 – Financial Instability & Small Dog Food Companies

A smaller company with no recalls is also less likely to have the financial resources to accept the hit that comes to the bottom line. Not only are recalls bad for their public image but recalls can be devastating to their profits.

When we as consumers applaud companies with no recalls, and avoid companies with recalls, we incentivize companies to keep potentially dangerous products on the shelves.

Dog Food Company Recall Issues

Here are some recall issues that have popped up in the past, from companies who denied doing a recall (because remember, recalls are bad for the public perception of the brand). Notice the blatant disregard for the pet owners, and for the pets they are feeding.

Champion Pet Foods (Orijen & Acana)

This company has had multiple issues that should have warranted a recall out of caution, however, none were issued.

In 2003, some of their products may have been contaminated by cows that had mad cow disease. Champion knew it was a potential problem and indicated that they were willing to offer refunds for concerned pet owners, but no recall was issued.

In 2018, a supplier delivered beef tallow that was contaminated with Phenobarbital (a euthanasia drug). Champion Pet Foods used the contaminated tallow in production and many bags of food were distributed to suppliers. Once the FDA stepped in, the company retrieved unsold products but did not issue a recall for food that had already been sold.

Champion (Acana / Orijen) did not recall food that was potentially contaminated with Phenobarbital.

In 2019, the FDA released statements about a potential link between grain-free pet foods and the development of deadly nutritional DCM. (Since this time, many studies have shown a link between excessive use of peas, lentils, potatoes, and legumes and dogs developing heart conditions; these ingredients are common in grain-free foods).

Champion Pet Foods, despite being implicated many times in early confirmed and ongoing reports, and despite making certain formulas that are loaded with suspect ingredients (lentils and peas) did not recall their grain-free foods. To this day they continue to deny any link.

Victor Pet Foods

Victor Foods prides itself on never having had a recall, and it’s a major reason many people choose the brand.

However, Victor has been implicated many times by pet owners and even veterinarians for dogs becoming sick on their formulas. Nutritional DCM reports have been confirmed (see THIS group for more information) and a lot of reproductive veterinarians will tell you that breeding issues are common for dogs fed Victor.

Of course, they did end up issuing a massive recall in 2023 that prompted many of us to dig deeper into their practices. Turns out that Victor has been selling contaminated food for months; they were not testing their products for salmonella.

Darwin’s Raw Pet Food

In 2019, several kinds of Darwin’s Raw Pet food were found to be contaminated with salmonella. This is an unfortunately common problem with raw dog food in particular, and Darwin’s is not the only one to face pushback from the FDA regarding their practices.

Darwin famously denied a recall and told consumers there was nothing to be concerned about.

Read more HERE.

Pet Food Recalls That Are Alarming

As we see above, some companies don’t recall things that should be recalled. This is a common practice with many stories we will never hear about (because it’s easy to hide small mistakes).

Other companies recall things where the fact that there was an issue in the first place is alarming. Let’s dig into this:

Midwestern Pet Foods (Sportmix, Wholesomes, Earthborn Holistic, Pro Pac)

Midwestern Pet Foods was found to have serious issues with its manufacturing facilities, indicating poor overall quality control and testing practices.

Many formulas were recalled because of salmonella and aflatoxins (both are deadly and yes, many dogs died).

This is a good example of a brand where recalls are an indication of bad practices, and should be a clear red flag to pet owners that it may be best to avoid this brand altogether.

Knowing that Midwestern Pet Foods had seriously nasty production practices in the first place should be alarming to all pet owners.

Hill’s Science Diet Prescription Vitamin D Recall

Like many brands (including Fromm and Purina), Hill’s has had to issue a recall regarding vitamin D levels in certain formulas of their foods.

Purina issued its recall in 2022 after just two dogs turned up sick; the recall was voluntary and initiated by the company out of an abundance of caution.

Fromm issued their recall in 2021 after certain canned foods had elevated levels of vitamin D.

In the case of Hill’s, it was determined that they did NOT test their vitamin pre-mix before using it in the product. For a smaller company, this wouldn’t have likely been a huge deal. For a large company like Hill’s, many dogs were made ill by this oversight.

This is an issue and Hill’s has been held accountable for it. It’s not a mistake that they are likely to make again and while we still recommend Hill’s, if you feel uncomfortable feeding it that’s understandable.

Critical Thinking & Educated Consumerism

This of course brings up the discussion about being an educated consumer and using critical thinking skills to make decisions.

Recalls save lives. In a perfect world, no dog food company would ever need to recall something. But it’s bound to happen, especially for companies producing food at a large scale.

Some recalls are damaging and very alarming.

Some recalls are helpful and done with safety and ethics in mind.

Some recalls are potentially damaging, and the company learns from them.

Some recalls that should happen, never do.

It’s important to be alarmed for the right reasons.

The 2022 Purina Vitamin D recall has generated more social media attention than almost any other in recent history. It’s a small recall related to just one product line, with no deaths or serious damage. In the history of recalls, especially among recalls that have caused death and damage, this should be a blip on the radar.

To put this into perspective, Fromm Foods had a vitamin D recall in 2021…I bet you never even heard of it. There are very recent recalls as we speak from Fresh Pet and Primal Pet Foods as well.

Despite this, bloggers, influencers, and pet owners are out in force with inflammatory headlines:
- “Purina has TOXIC ingredients”
- “Purina recall indicates deadly food!”
- “Dogs Sick from Purina Food”
- “Toxicity in Purina Foods”
These kinds of misleading statements drive distrust for Purina and lead uneducated consumers to believe that all Purina foods have been recalled and that Purina itself is a bad company.

Many of the same people who make these statements give a pass to Champion, Midwestern, Mid-America(Victor), and Darwin, even though their recalls (or lack thereof) are infinitely more dangerous and unethical.

How to Choose a Pet Food Company

It’s no surprise that choosing a pet food company is hard; there are thousands of brands on the market, all with fancy labels vying for your attention.

There are many ways to choose pet food, and some of the most popular ideas are actually among the worst reasons!

Here is a list of things that many people prioritize when choosing a pet food, not realizing that they may be being misled:
- The ingredients list (which is easy to build around consumer tastes, not necessarily quality nutrition)
- The recalls list or lack of recalls (the whole point of this post)
- Unregulated marketing terms such as holistic, super-premium, or biologically appropriate
- Higher price point (which may mean nothing at all in terms of nutrition and quality)
- False claims about the food preventing or treating certain conditions such as cancer
- Pet store employees, influencers, and poorly qualified “canine nutritionists” who promote certain products as healthier or higher quality
Are you falling subject to any of those common practices above? Take a step back and evaluate the credentials and qualifications of the people you source nutrition information from. Most nutritional information fed to us by pet stores, influencers, and food brands is nothing more than marketing.

We recommend the Tufts Veterinary University Petfoodology Blog HERE.

You can also look up legitimate and helpful stats (such as who formulates the food) on your brand at the Pet Nutrition Alliance.

For recall notices and information, the most ethical, up to date, and informational source is the FDA. You can read the FDA list of pet food recalls HERE.
February 10, 2023
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!

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!

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:
- Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy – any flavor!
- Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Large Breed puppy – TOP PICK, salmon-based
- Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy (Great for active and sporting dogs)
- Purina One Large Breed Puppy (Excellent budget option)
- Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
- Royal Canin Giant Puppy Dry Dog food (to age 12 months) – TOP PICK, PREMIUM OPTION
- Royal Canin Giant Junior Dry Dog food (8-24 months)
- Purina Large Breed Puppy Chow
Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

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.

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.

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.
- Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy – any flavor!
- Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Large Breed puppy – TOP PICK, salmon-based
- Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy (Great for active and sporting dogs)
- Purina One Large Breed Puppy (Excellent budget option)
- Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
- Royal Canin Giant Puppy Dry Dog food (to age 12 months) – TOP PICK, PREMIUM OPTION
- Royal Canin Giant Junior Dry Dog food (8-24 months)
- Purina Large Breed Puppy Chow
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/

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!
December 27, 2022
How Moldy Kibble Killed 2 Family Pets
This is a heartbreaking post. I’m sitting here on a Sunday night and my newsfeed is flooded with this story about how moldy kibble killed 2 family pets.

A family chose what they thought was high-quality, nutritious dog food. As a matter of fact, they paid a premium price for it, because they wanted something to support the needs of their working dogs.

Hours later, one dog was dead. After a visit to the ER, the second dog couldn’t be saved, either.

How did this happen? Why did it happen?

I’m going to dig into the how and the why below, because I want you to protect your pet from this fate.

It’s important to note that the food looked completely normal when they fed it to their dogs.

It was only after the dogs were dead that they stirred the dog food and found the mold.

What you see above is horrifying, but the owners should not be blamed. Mold spores can be present in food even if you can’t see them!

To get started, I’m also sharing the original post from the owner of the two beautiful dogs that were lost. If you aren’t aware of this tragic story, you’ll want to start there first.

As long as the social media post on this topic is live, it will show up below:

https://www.facebook.com/alicia.gutierrez.5477/posts/5450875231661866

Editor’s Note it is incredibly important to me that I share this story in honor of the two dogs that were lost. We do not blame the owners. Nobody should.

Their story should help save the lives of other dogs and we are sharing it for that purpose, not to shame the owners (as many of unfairly done).

The images below are from the original public Facebook post.

How Does Mold Get Into Dog Food?

There are three main ways that mold can get into your dog food (and potentially kill your pets, too).

Some of these avenues and the information in them may surprise you.

At this time we do not know what factors led to the deaths of these two beautiful dogs. It was likely a combination of factors, not any one single issue.

Unfortunately, these are risks we take just by owning dogs. Kibble is not inherently dangerous or unsafe! This is a rare situation.

Poor Quality Control & Food Science

There are 4 key things to look for in a dog food manufacturer. These things can help prevent formulation, food science, and control issues that lead to toxic food.

All four boxes must be checked below for a food company to be considered ethical, in my opinion:
- Do they staff at least one board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN), or a veterinarian with a PhD in animal nutrition?
- Do they have an extensive and strict quality-control process, starting with hand-picked ingredient suppliers and strict policies for sourcing, transportation, and production?
- Do they own and operate their facilities, thus having full control over the process from start to finish? Where is the food manufactured?
- Do they participate in feeding trials and peer-reviewed research? Is the nutrient analysis substantiated in trials or just on paper?
Spoiler alert! I did a deep dive. The food brand that these dogs were being fed (Kinetic) could not check off a single one of those boxes, according to the information I was able to find.

“No recalls” may mean that the market share, quality control, and company standards are so low that the company just doesn’t know, or worse, doesn’t care when things go wrong.

The truth of the matter here is that there are 300-400 new dog food companies each year in the U.S. and only a handful of highly-qualified board-certified veterinary nutritionists, food scientists, and quality-control professionals to go around.

You do the math.

These are healthy, beautiful-looking dogs.

Poor Food Handling by Suppliers

Of course, it doesn’t matter how the ingredients and food were handled from manufacturing to shipped if the end supplier mishandles the food.

It could be a simple error; for example, a warehouse employee nicking a bag with a contaminated box cutter and then packing it to ship into a hot, humid area where it sits on a porch for a full day.

Or perhaps the pet food store doesn’t unload food off the back dock for hours and it sits in the heat after shipping from a company with so-so quality control protocols.

Of course, some things can go wrong from point A to point B, even when the food is made by the most diligent of manufacturers.

Choosing reliable and reputable food companies, in addition to sourcing your food from dedicated and professional retailers is key to minimizing these risks.

Poor Food Handling by Pet Owners

Another reason that mold can get into your dog’s food is improper handling at home.

One of the biggest mistakes that pet owners make is to dump their dog’s food directly into plastic or metal bins!

Here is a list of reasons why this common practice is dangerous:
- If you dump new food on top of old food, the old food at the bottom of the bin may never be eaten (and will thus be festering)
- Unless you are cleaning, sanitizing, and drying your bin between food bags, you risk contaminating your fresh bag of food with existing mold spores or parasites
- Dog food companies put a lot of science into the bags, which are designed to keep the food fresh. Why throw that away?
- Exposure to plastic may cause harmful chemicals in some plastic containers to leech into the food (especially when sitting in a warm garage, for example)
- Plastic causes fats and oils to oxidize, which will expedite the process of the food going rancid
- The residual and often then rancid fat and oils left inside of the plastic bin can cause all kinds of problems in new food dumped in later
In short, if you are going to use a plastic bin to store your dog food, do two things! Keep the food INSIDE of the bag it came in, and store the food in a cool, dry place.

What Food Brand Had Mold & Killed 2 Dogs?

It has become widely known that the owners of these two dogs were feeding Kinetic dog food.

Here is what we know about this company:
- They promote Kinetic as a ‘working dog’ brand and spend a lot of time supporting hunting dogs, sport dogs, and police K-9s by attending events to market their food
- The company does not staff a board-certified veterinary nutritionist; as a matter of fact, it’s unclear who formulates the food.
- The owners may be formulating the food. Their self-given job titles include things such as ‘sales, distribution, marketing, and nutrition‘.
- They have given k-9 nutrition talks but, as above, it’s unclear what (if any) legitimate credentials these guys have.
- They claim that the nutrition research and formulations they’ve created are a collab between dog trainers, breeders, kennels, and ‘nutritionists’. Again, where are the credentials? Was this research scientific?
- We cannot verify if Kinetic owns and operates its facilities. Chances are this food is co-packed.
- We can find no peer-reviewed research or feeding trials associated with their food or the claims that they make regarding its benefits.
This company is very, very good at marketing.

We’re talking, health nut wrapped up in a multi-level marketing company kind of marketing.

Tips for Choosing Quality Dog Food

I’m a big fan of food that is backed by legitimate science and research, not marketing claims.

If you can avoid the trap of being sucked into marketing, it becomes VERY easy to pick a nutritious, high-quality, and safe food for your dog!

Marketing vs. Nutrition

Ethical pet food companies will have a full-time veterinary nutritionist or at minimum, a veterinarian with a Masters in nutrition on staff to formulate the food. If you aren’t sure, call and ask.

Keep in mind that small pet food companies don’t often (if at all) have the budget or resources to attract highly desired nutrition professionals, scientists, and quality control experts.

These companies must rely heavily on marketing to sell their food because it’s all they have.

A common practice of small manufacturers is to create a recipe on paper and then pay consultants (often marketed as a “team of nutrition professionals” to check a box indicating that the food, on paper, meets minimum requirements for keeping a dog alive.

In other words, your dog is their feeding trial.

Many common marketing terms are unregulated. These terms have no legal definition and can be used by any dog food company:
- Holistic
- Super-Premium
- Wholesome
- No Fillers
- All-Natural
- High Performance
- Healthy
- Species Appropriate
- Biologically Appropriate
Of course, none of these things are ‘bad’. A holistic, wholesome, high-performance dog food sounds awesome. The problem comes with the fact that lacking a definition, those terms may be intentionally misleading.

Not to mention wild claims of longevity, or indicating that the food is anti-inflammatory or can prevent cancer.

If it’s hard to find out who is formulating your dog food and what their credentials are, where it’s manufactured, or what research has been done, ask more questions.

Look past the marketing and then choose something else.

My dog is not eating. What can I do?

So what is a good, sound alternative to Kinetic ‘performance’ food?

Any 30/20 Sport Formula from Purina, depending on breed size and age, would be ideal.

For example, Purina Pro Plan 30/20 Turkey, Duck and Quail Dog Food

This was created by a team of veterinary nutritionists and was fully researched and developed soundly in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited.

Photo by Shane Aldendorff on Pexels.com

How to Safely Store Dog Food

I recommend storing your dog food in the original bag in a cool, dry place.

That could be inside of a plastic bin, as long as the food stays inside its bag.

Use bags of food up as quickly as possible, without overfeeding your dog, of course. The longer a bag is open, the more likely it is to go rancid or become toxic.

Buy smaller bags if your dog doesn’t eat them fast enough.

Lastly, seal the bag up each time you open it!

Signs of Mold Poisoning in Dogs

If you are concerned that your dog has mold poisoning, we recommend calling the pet poison hotline. You can find more information about this here: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

Signs of mold poisoning in dogs include:
- Coughing
- Lethargy
- Blood coming from the mouth or nose
- Runny nose & discharge
- Disorientation
- Vomiting
- Seizures
August 29, 2022
Royal Canin Giant Breed Dog Food Review
Today we’re going to do our Royal Canin Giant Breed Dog Food Review!

Unlike other dog food review sites, we’re going to deep dive into the science of kibble-based nutrition and give you real information that will help you make a healthy choice for your giant dog.

Giant breed dogs are prone to growth, joint, and heart issues, so it’s important to feed them a diet that will help them grow correctly and keep their joints and heart healthy.

Royal Canin has made a line of dry dog food geared specifically towards extra large dogs, with precise nutrition and balanced energy content to support healthy development during each of the three growth stages:
- Royal Canin Giant Puppy (For the initial growth stage, up to 8 months of age)
- Royal Canin Giant Junior (For the second growth stage from 8-18 or 24 months of age)
- Royal Canin Giant Adult (For giants that are 18-24 months of age or older)
Feed until 8 months of age.

Feed from 8-24 months of age.

Adult formula from 24 months on.

Let’s take a closer look at the Royal Canin size, health, and targeted nutrition food line and see how this dog food rates for giant dogs (especially Great Danes)!

Royal Canin Giant Breed Dog Food Review

My Personal Review of Royal Canin Giant Food

No good dog food review is complete without a personal touch! As you will learn below, it took me a while, as a “boutique dog food snob” to come around to Royal Canin, but I’m so glad I did.

Pro Plan and Royal Canin are my personal top two picks for Great Danes.

RC Giant Adult food SMELLS LIKE MEAT! Most kibbles are dry and smell like cardboard or sour milk.

While we humans may not love the smell of this food for ourselves, we cannot deny that it definitely smells like something a dog should be eating.

I like knowing that I’m giving my dogs meat, not dried-out stale-smelling kibble made primarily of peas, lentils, and rice.

Why is Grain-Free Food Bad for Great Danes?

What is DCM?

Hip Dysplasia, Everything You Need To Know

I’ve never seen a ‘sensitive’ tummy clear up so fast! RC giant formula foods are magic for dogs with chronic loose stools. Don’t believe me?

Read the literal thousands of positive reviews. Many people indicate that they have had this same experience, after battling chronic loose stools and itching for years.

My dog’s stools on Royal Canin foods are small and infrequent, and my super-sensitive male is no longer littering my lawn every other week with soupy poop bombs.

I would compare Royal Canin growth formulas stools to what we see from raw-fed dogs.

Optimal stool quality is one massive benefit of feeding RC foods with targeted nutrition to giant-sized dogs.

By-Product meal likely contains a fair amount of bone: bone is known to help raw-fed dogs firm up loose stools.

Between the by-product meal and the added fiber, it’s no surprise that sensitive tummies are a thing of the past for dogs fed this brand.

Royal Canine Giant Kibble Size

The adult formula from this line is made into huge kibbles. Each one is about 2/3 the size of a charcoal briquet!

This promotes slow eating, healthy digestion, and correct chewing, which is good for digestive health and may reduce bloat risk.

Our Danes absolutely LOVE the giant kibbles in Royal Canin giant formulas.

I’ve read that some dogs are hesitant because the size is unusual; I recommend that you hand feed a few (as if they were treats) to get your dog started.

I also recommend measuring this food on a scale. It will be much more accurate than scooping the large kibbles into a cup. Because this is so nutrient-dense, it is easy to overfeed! Less is more, with Danes.

Tips & Tricks for Feeding Great Danes & Keeping them Lean

Is Royal Canin Giant Actually a Good Dog Food?

Some people who wish to sell you boutique dog food (primarily natural foods pet stores) will say anything to convince you that what they sell is better quality.

You may hear things such as “Royal Canin is full of fillers, trash, and carbs” or “you might as well feed your dog McDonald’s!” from pet owners, commission-driven salespeople, and people with no qualifications in canine nutrition.

The truth is that Royal Canin is extremely high-quality dog food; they just don’t use fancy marketing buzzwords. Royal Canin foods are recommended by veterinarians and veterinary nutritionists worldwide.

Every ingredient in Royal Canin’s foods is there for a good reason, including icky-sounding things such as “by-product meal” and “corn”, which we will dig more into the actual science of this below.

Royal Canin hires Ph.D. veterinary nutritionists to formulate their recipes, which are based heavily on decades of peer-reviewed science and research.

Compare this to many boutique brands, which don’t have veterinary nutritionists on staff at all and perform bare minimum (if any) feeding trials, testing, or peer-reviewed research.

As you read our Royal Canin Giant food review today, we hope this information helps guide you towards a science-backed choice.

We will be digging into those ‘nasty’ ingredients, the science of canine nutrition, what a natural diet for a dog actually looks like, and more. Read on, friends!

Is Large Breed Food Necessary?

Do Great Danes Need Grains?

Should Puppies Eat Puppy Food or Adult Food?

Great Dane on gray background

Is a by-product meal bad in dog food?

Many people mistakenly believe that meat meals and meat by-product meals are bad. Royal Canin uses a lot of them.

By-Products are the parts of the slaughtered animal that dogs need and want in their diets.

This can include bones, necks, cartilage, feet, tendons, and organs. All of these by-products are often included in natural raw diets for dogs.

For example, look at the ingredients list from this Raws Paws Raw Dog Food Beef Blend:

Beef Round, Beef Meat, Green Beef Tripe, Beef Bone, Beef Heart, Beef Tongue, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Spleen, Beef Suet.

These ‘leftovers’ are highly nutritious and contain necessary minerals, vitamins, proteins, amino acids, and even things such as natural Glucosamine for joint health.

Compare that to fresh deboned chicken, which is 70% water.

When processing ‘by-products’, very little of the slaughtered animal goes to waste. This is a win-win for your dog, for the environment, and for the animal who was farmed to be processed into pet food.

The environmental impact of throwing out ‘by-products’ because “natural” food brands want you to believe that organs, cartilage, necks, fat, skin, and the remaining tissues are dirty, gross, and disgusting is, well, tragic.

If a food company is marketing to what you want on your dinner plate (“Fresh deboned chicken, lentils, blueberries”) vs. what your DOG wants (“By-product” liver, cartilage, tissue, skin, and bone), ask questions.

The reality is that by-product meals are highly digestible and nutritious, and they’re an important part of a giant breed dog’s diet.

Dare we say that “by-products” are more biologically appropriate for dogs to eat than just “de-boned chicken” and some blueberries?

If you read your dog food ingredients label and see things such as whole mackerel (which includes the head, eyes, tail, scales, bone, and organs), pork kidney, chicken liver, blood meal, or lamb tripe, you are seeing by-products that were purposefully named to appeal to your human taste.

Fun Fact: foods containing rendered meat products (meals) in the first ingredients were shown to reduce bloat risk by 53%!

You WANT to see meat meal and/or meat by-product meal in your dog food.

How does dog food math work?

By law, dog food companies must list ingredients in order of their weight prior to extrusion.

So let’s do the math. Fresh meat is 70% water. It’s pretty heavy! Once you cook it, not much is left.

If you see ‘deboned chicken’ or ‘fresh salmon’ (for example) at the top of the ingredients list, with no meat meals, chances are that the finished kibble may actually have a higher content of meatless products (such as peas or lentils) than it does real meat.

Even if the bag says ‘meat is the 1st ingredient’!

On the flip side, by-product meals and meat meals are already rendered and dehydrated before extruding, so if they are at the top of the ingredients list when they went in, they likely remain as the bulk of the nutrient profile and composition in the finished product, too.

Meat meals and by-product meals contain a concentrated source of animal-based protein, nutrients, and joint support in other words. You actually WANT to see them in the first ingredients!

Royal Canin relies on by-product meals because they are nutrient-dense and species-appropriate.

By-products are regulated and no, they don’t contain “blood and guts scooped from the floor” or “euthanized animals“.

Have you ever fed your dog a bully stick, pig ear, rawhide, chicken paw, or dehydrated liver training treat? You fed your dog a by-product!

Is my Great Dane Puppy Knuckling?

Gentle Giants Dog Food Review: Good or Bad?

Is chicken fat bad for Great Danes?

I will admit to being very alarmed seeing fat at the top of the ingredients list for both Giant and Great Dane Royal Canin dry dog foods.

One study found that dogs who ate food with fat in the first 4 ingredients were more prone to bloat.

What that study also revealed, however, is that foods with rendered meat meals lowered the risk of bloat.
Tufts University Study

Those studies did not differentiate between foods where fat was listed in the top four ingredients when fresh meats were used, vs. foods where meat meals and meat by-product meals were used, and how that might affect the “avoid fat in the first 4 ingredients” rule.

It also did not discuss ingredient splitting, which can artificially adjust how and where fat shows up in the ingredients list.

When a company uses a large amount of concentrated, high-protein meat meal or meat by-product meal there is nothing (such as water weight from fresh deboned chicken) to push the fat further down on the list.

So in that case, fat may show up in the #2 or #3 spot, simply because they kept the formula meat-focused and didn’t also then utilize ingredient splitting to keep the fat lower on the list.

If they used mostly or all fresh meat (70% water) and the animal fat lands in the top 4 spots, tread cautiously! Tread even more cautiously if you see ingredient splitting.

After speaking with the Royal Canin directly about this, my mind has been put to ease here.

Animal fat, before being cooked and extruded into kibble is a heavy product. It will weigh a fair amount compared to other ingredients but will make up much less of the diet once it’s been extruded. Especially when it’s paired with heavy meat meals.

Fat IS a necessary part of the canine diet. It tastes good to dogs and is a great source of fats and omegas which are essential for skin and coat health, development, and a strong immune system.

What matters the most is the nutrient profile of the food after it has been extruded and cooked. For this reason, it’s incredibly important to ONLY choose foods that were formulated by board-certified Veterinary Nutritionists.

How Ingredient Splitting in Dog Food May be Harming Your Dog

Veterinary Nutritionists understand what nutrition looks like going into the kibble and how each vitamin, mineral, enzyme, acid, or protein works with a dog’s live digestive system and can help or harm them.

Their allegiance to formulating the product correctly is based on decades of science and research. They formulate for health, not what sells well because it “looks good” to the average, uneducated consumer reading a label.

Dogs need 22 different amino acids to live a healthy life, 11 of which they can produce on their own. The other 11 must come from their diet, some of which are synthesized naturally from other nutrients in that diet.

When we see meat by-product meals, meat meals, and chicken fat in the first ingredients, we can be assured that the diet is not only meat-based and high-quality but completely appropriate for canine health.

The Best Foods for Great Dane Puppies 2022

The Best Foods for Great Danes 2022

How Can Royal Canin be Healthy if it’s Full of Junk?

This company chose these ingredients because they are the best for your giant dog’s health–not because they’re cheap or fillers.

The concept of ‘fillers’ is a myth.

“All our products are researched and developed not by trends in human nutrition or preferences of the pet owner, but through innovative nutritional science and the observation of cats and dogs.“
Royal Canin

Read about Royal Canin’s “Nutrition First” philosophy HERE.

As a former ’boutique foods snob’ who was previously completely disgusted by Royal Canin foods, I have to say this:

Royal Canin has chosen actual, science-backed canine health and nutrition over marketing an appealing and humanized ingredients list.

I like that.

Feed until 8 months of age.

Feed from 8-24 months of age.

Adult formula from 24 months on.

Royal Canin Giant Dog Food Line

When choosing this formula for your lovable giant dog, we recommend following the manufacturer’s instructions for transitioning between life stages.

Royal Canin Giant Puppy – Up to 8 Months

This formula is made for giant puppies that are under 8 months of age. It aids in healthy bone development, proper digestion, joint health, and energy levels.

Many people are confused by the higher protein level in Royal Canin giant breed, which goes against common advice to “keep protein levels below 26%”.

The protein myth has been debunked by many experts in the canine nutrition field.

Puppies are growing at an exponential rate and their bodies are using amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to construct new tissue, including muscle, bone, hair, skin, and organs.

Feeding a lower protein ‘adult’ food deprives them of the nutrition they need to thrive. We see this in play with young Great Danes who appear chronically malnourished and skinny or that may be slow and heavy with no muscle tone.

Correct calcium to phosphorus ratios are much, much more important.

Crude Protein 32.0% min

Crude Fat 12.0% min

Crude Fiber 3.4% max

Moisture 10.0% max

Calcium 1.1% min

Phosphorus 0.92% min

Vitamin E350 IU/kg min

Glucosamine 371 mg/kg min

Chondroitin SulFate 3.75 mg/kg min

Caloric Content

3,556 kcal/kg, 341 kcal/cup

Royal Canin Giant Junior 8-24 months

This formula should be fed from 8-18 or even 24 months. Royal Canin giant junior dry dog food was formulated specifically to meet the needs of dogs in the second growth phase.

This is when rapid bone growth slows and the dog begins to develop more robust muscles and a mature stature.

Royal Canine giant junior dry dog food is extremely palatable and correctly balanced for this second growth stage. Many giant junior dogs at this age become ‘picky’ and their appetite slows.

This is normal! Giant junior dogs aren’t actually picky, they just have different nutritional requirements than a puppy does.

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein 29.0% min

Crude Fat 14.0% min

Crude Fiber 3.4% max

Moisture10.0% max

Calcium 1.1% min

Phosphorus 0.92% min

Vitamin E350 IU/kg min

Glucosamine 371 mg/kg min

Chondroitin Sulfate 3.75 mg/kg

Caloric Content

3,649 kcal/kg, 307 kcal/cup

Royal Canin Giant Adult – 18+ Months

This formula should be fed from 18-24 months on.

We recommend keeping Great Danes (among the largest of the giants) on the Royal Canin giant junior dry dog food formula until 24 months of age (or 18 months if neutered/spayed) and then transitioning to the adult formula.

Crude Protein 26.0% min

Crude Fat 18.0% min

Crude Fiber 3.9% max

Moisture 10.0% max

Taurine 0.14% min

Glucosamine446 mg/kg min

Chondroitin Sulfate4 mg/kg min

Caloric Content

3958 kcal/kg, 427 kcal/cup

Nutrition for Giant Dogs

Raising a giant puppy and living with any 70+lb dog is a lifestyle that also requires some research.

Here are our top nutrition tips for giant dogs!

DCM & Nutrition, What You Need to Know

Protein levels in Great Dane Food

You may have heard that Great Danes should not have protein above 22-24%.

This is a huge myth and old wives’ tale that was based on poor research and anecdotal speculation many years ago.

Protein helps with lean muscle mass, and since Great Danes are a working breed, they need all the help they can get!

Peer-reviewed studies have also put this myth to rest. Excess calories, unbalanced meals, and poorly formulated nutrition contribute to bone-growth disorders, NOT protein levels in dog food!

CA/PH ratios, amino acids, and the overall formulation are where it’s at. Dogs NEED protein and starving them of it to “hopefully” prevent growth problems isn’t actually solving anything.

Science, folks.

All about Angular Limb Deformity, Often Misdiagnosed as Knuckling

Do Great Danes Need a Lot of Exercise?

Adult food vs. puppy food for Great Danes

Many people are confused about whether they should feed adult food or puppy food to their giant puppies.

Puppies that are given too much nutrition in the form of calories, especially in kibble foods not correctly balanced by a veterinary nutritionist, may struggle with painful and debilitating growth disorders.

Adult food, which is lower in protein and fat, has often been cited as the solution to this problem; however, giant puppies (including Great Danes) who are only fed adult foods may then be starved of the nutrition they need to support their muscle, skin, and brain development.

Too little nutrition can make them scrawny, bony, and fragile looking.

“Adult only” from puppyhood will make a dog more likely to develop a long and lanky teen body or even look malnourished as a result, especially during the second growth stage when hormones kick in and muscle development needs extra support.

We recommend research-backed large and giant puppy foods that have been substantiated in feeding trials for the growth of 70+lb dogs.

The veterinary community and veterinary nutritionists agree. We’ve done the research for you and feel that science is the way to go when it comes to this decades-old debate.

Should I Feed My Great Dane Puppy or Adult Food?

Growth disorders from improper nutrition

Great Danes and other giant dogs are prone to a number of developmental growth disorders that are made worse by incorrect nutrition.

For this reason, it is essential that you feed your puppy a large or giant puppy diet that has been specifically tailored to meet their growth needs.

Royal Canin Giant Puppy food is designed to support the health of your puppy and giant junior during their crucial first 8-24 months of life when knuckling, HOD, Panosteitis, and Angular Limb Deformities can easily form.

It has the correct balance of nutrients, amino acids, calcium, and phosphorus and when you choose the correct formula for the life stage of your giant junior or puppy dog, the adapted energy intake will promote healthy bones and joints.

My Great Dane is Not Eating, What do I Do?

What are the Best Collars for Great Danes?

Blue Great Danes: Read about this Beautiful Coat Color!

What to look for when choosing food for a Great Dane

You’ll see list after list of the ‘best foods for a Great Dane’, and information about protein levels, fat, meat meals, and calcium.

Much of this information is important and true, however it’s important to keep in mind that countless dog food options are available to you as a consumer, and every single brand is trying to get your business.

Pet stores, sales clerks, “natural pet food shops”, bloggers, influencers and the Dog Food Advisor all want your click and your purchase. They stand to gain from convincing you that they are the best.

“Holistic”, “Human-Grade” and “Super-Premium” are common marketing terms with no legal definition. These are unregulated statements that any food company can apply to their labels.

We recommend choosing only foods that meet the ethical standards outlined by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (below), to ensure that you are getting the best and most balanced nutrition for your dog.

Is Large Breed Food a Gimmick?

Life’s Abundance Dog Food Review

What are the Best Foods for Great Danes?

These basic ethics standards include the following 4 things you should ask every company before purchasing the food they sell:
- Do they employ at least one full-time board-certified veterinary nutritionist, and is that person formulating and testing the food I’m about to purchase? Can I see their name and credentials?
- Do they own and operate their own manufacturing plants, and in doing so, do they have strict quality measures when it comes to product sourcing and the finished product?
- Do they participate in and contribute to peer-reviewed research?
- Do they utilize feeding trials and tests that substantiate their formulas in real life (not just on paper)? Were digestibility tests completed, or only palatability? Can I see the research results of those trials?
See these questions in more detail below:

https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Selecting-a-pet-food-for-your-pet-updated-2021_WSAVA-Global-Nutrition-Toolkit.pdf

As of this writing, only 5 companies can legitimately say they are following WSAVA Guidelines for animal nutrition, without fudging the words to make it look like they are: Purina, Hill’s, Iam’s, Eukanuba, and yes...Royal Canin!

Royal Canin Giant Supplements

This food contains taurine (for heart health), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Biotin, and Chondroitin sulfate among others.

Chondroitin provides joint support, in addition to the fish oil in this dry dog food. Remember, natural joint support like this literally COMES from animal by-products!

Chicken paws and cartilage are naturally rich in joint support, for example.

These added vitamins and supplements help support energy needs, joints, skin health, eye health, and more.

Antioxidants and trace minerals boost immune support.

Our favorite Fish Oil for Great Danes: Health and Shine Salmon and Krill and Omega-3 Fish Oil. Use code HELLODANES10 for 10% off.

Royal Canin Giant Adult Dog Ingredients List

We’ve posted the actual list below. Here is a breakdown of what you’ll see in this food:

Chicken By-Product Meal – as above this is a high-protein and nutrient-dense meal made up of biologically appropriate tissue, cartilage, bone, and organ.

Chicken Fat – provides fats, proteins, and amino acids. Plus, it’s tasty! Dogs love it.

Pea fiber, corn gluten meal, wheat, and dried plain beet pulp aid in digestion and the production of healthy stool. This combination of substances may be one reason so many Great Dane owners claim that this Royal Canin food eliminates chronic loose stools so quickly. These ingredients also provide additional amino acids and nutrients to help balance the food.

Brewer’s rice is chipped or broken rice that was sifted out during regular rice production. It’s a great source of fiber and energy and a smart place for the manufacturer to lower costs, without compromising quality, so they can put more money into the meat meals.

Brown rice provides additional linoleic acid, omega 6, and fiber for healthy digestion.

I LOVE that Royal Canin Giant Adult has so many different forms of fiber: studies have shown that fiber reduces bloat risk. It also creates optimal stool quality; that’s a win-win.

The balanced energy content from different forms of fiber-rich ingredients is just one reason why dogs fed Royal Canin will have great stools, shiny coats, incredible muscle development, and tons of energy.

Fish oil provides additional omegas for skin, coat, and eye health. Natural flavors make this food even more palatable.

The highly digestible proteins in quality, properly sourced, well-researched by-product meals are a key to this formulation.

Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Chicken Fat, Brown Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Wheat, Natural Flavors, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Pea Fiber, Wheat Gluten, Fish Oil, Vegetable Oil, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Vitamins [Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source Of Vitamin E), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Biotin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement], Trace Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteinate], Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Gla Safflower Oil, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Magnesium Oxide, L-Carnitine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Rosemary Extract, Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid.

5 Stars, HIGHLY recommend for giant breed dogs over 100lbs.

Feed until 8 months of age.

Feed from 8-24 months of age.

Adult formula from 24 months on.
August 9, 2022