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Danes are a giant breed. The amount of growing they have to do to reach adult size in comparison to say, a Golden Retriever, is enormous. In only a year, almost full skeletal size is reached. Compare that to the very slow growth of a human who essentially reaches the same size and weight at adulthood. With bones forming and reforming so quickly, it isn't surprising that much can go wrong in a short time.
Vets and breeders used to think that it was necessary for giant breeds to consume huge quantities of protein, calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D in order to reach their adult full potential. Several extensive research projects have proven that over-nutrition and, worse, over supplementation with calcium, can be the causative agents in the many growth problems in the giant breeds. Now, informed breeders strive to keep growth steady but slow! Great Dane menus are properly balanced and protein is kept to around 24% or lower, especially during the fast growth stages of puppyhood.
I wanted to write an article to help people learn how to read a dog food label in order to select the best quality food. As my research progressed, I became convinced that NO manufactured dog food is really the best way to feed dogs. Some of the ingredients in some of the lower quality foods are frightening. Animals with cancers, animals that have been euthanized (perhaps including pets) with lethal injection (and the chemicals are still in their bodies) animals that are unclean, ad nauseum, literally!
Because most dog foods are completely balanced for all stages of growth, you'll upset the delicate balances if you start adding calcium and other unnecessary items. If the kibble you use does not add vitamin C, this is one supplement you might want to use. 500 mg AM and PM is good. Although dogs can manufacture their own vitamin C, it can't hurt to give them a little extra.
Its helpful to learn a bit about how to read and interpret the labels on dog foods. Poultry meal and poultry by-products are most definately not the same ingredient. Any ingredient which is designated as "by-products" is most likely stuff like beaks, feathers and feet, basically unusable protein sources for dogs. Poultry meal means that the whole chicken has been utilized. Also protein levels can be misleading depending on the source of the protein. A dog food label can list 28% protein but if it's derived from leather dust, the dog will never be able to utilize it. The first ingredient listed on the label must be the highest percentage of the food. Therefore if you see poultry meal as the first ingredient, the chances are that it's a higher quality food. If grains make up the bulk of the first ingredients, beware. This is not to say that just because grain is the first listed ingredient, that the food is no good.
It is also helpful to educate yourself about preservatives. I always avoid foods that use any kind of chemical as a preservative, especially those containing ethoxyquin or BHT. I also avoid any food that uses tomato pomace. This is the left over parts of tomatoes after they've had anything good taken out of them for human use. Now, this in itself isn't particularly bad, but what is left over contains the highest concentration of insecticides of almost any by-product you can name, especially the tomato skin! No thank you!
I'm not trying to come across as an expert on canine nutrition here, but these are things that have worked for me over several litters now. Before I stopped feeding the higher protein foods I never had a litter without some major growth problems. Panosteitis, osteochondrosis dessicans, and wobblers syndrome all raised their ugly heads at times. Since I've kept to lower protein for my litters the only problem was one pup with a mild case of panosteitis. Now maybe it's just been coincidence. I'm not saying that some or all of the above are not inherited. However, if there is an inherited predisposition to these problems, it certainly can't hurt to slow the growth and perhaps bypass the problem.
Once my danes are 6 weeks old, they are all on Eagle Kennel Pack or Eagle Natural Pack. They stay on that for the rest of their lives. I always feed twice a day as a bloat prevention measure. Since most of my girls tend to live well past 8, (thank God) perhaps I'm doing something right. I've always added scraps from the table or leftovers to give them some variety in the diet. Occasionally cottage cheese in small amounts (no more than 15% of the total kibble being fed) and sometimes yoghurt. I also occasionally add raw ground beef, or a raw egg (shell & all) or give them raw carrots or apples or any other vegetables or fruits they like. You'll be surprised how much they love this stuff! Recent studies on bloat at Purdue (1997) have indicated that dogs receiving table scraps and varity in their diets are less likely to bloat than dogs receiving the same food day in and day out.
One reason I love Eagle is because they add probiotics to the food. It is no longer necessary to leave the room when my dogs have gas, as they no longer have gas! (Well, not like they used to anyway!) For a breed as prone to bloat as the dane, this can only be a plus. All ingredients are HUMAN GRADE! I mix this with about 1/4 cup of Eagle Pack canned food (beef, chicken, liver or lamb) and a little warm water.
Even though you feed the best diet in the world, you must also control the dogs weight/body condition. Puppies should be on the lean side. You should just be able to feel the ribs. If he's roly poly and has rolls of skin, he's too fat. At seven weeks most pups are consuming around 1 1/2 to 2 cups of kibble 3 times a day. This will increase from week to week as the puppy grows. Most pups top out at around 3 cups, twice daily by the time they're 4-6 months. However, dogs (males) will often eat more than bitches. I have a young bitch who at 6 months old was eating 5 1/2 cups AM & PM and she was almost too lean on that. She's very tall and VERY ACTIVE!!!!
If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at: To locate an Eagle dealer near you call 800/255-K9K9 or check out their website at: http://www.eaglepack.com/
Jill Swedlow, SunStrike Great Danes
Linda Arndts Site - TONS of info on feeding and health issues in Danes
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