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Can anyone help me get a better understanding of what is the proper protein requirement for my female Great Dane pup? She has been spayed because the woman at Petco said that's important information to know; figured I'd put that right on the table. But now after talking to the retail seller for the organic/holistic dog food, I'm now more confused than ever. After reading Victoria's book "It's me or the Dog, How to have the perfect pet", I realized my dog has been eating BAD food made of by- products (I was originally told Purina Pro Plan was the way to go) So I went to Petco to look in to the organic types of food, the woman told me that my 7 month old pup needs high protein because of her rapid growth, etc and should be fed high protein till the age of 15-18 months to prevent bone deficiency problems. I purchased a bag of the holistic type food for puppies large breed called "Blue" from the Buffalo Blue Company; anyone heard of them? When I cam home I began doing research on-line and now I'm so confused; I can't get a definitive answer of the right protein requirement, some say high protein is good and some say keep it to 21-23%. Originally she was suggesting a type of food called "wilderness" and it had like 43% protein in it. I just want my dog to lead a long healthy life; as I'm sure every owner wants the best for their loved pet. Please can someone help steer me in the right direction.. Oh ya, just to add in, I also mix in her dry food 2x day (her breakfast and supper) something different each day- either cooked chicken liver, chicken, beef, rice, suet (as a treat at times), and gizzards. I'd appreciate any words of advice....
When I got Tilly at 20 weeks old I put her on the same food as my other adult dogs which was 20% protein. The ingredients in the food was white rice, English lamb and sugar beet pulp in equal amounts. Tilly is a Greyhound/Malinois, not a small dog but much smaller than a Great Dane.
It is not so much the amount of protein in their food but where the protein comes from and the quality of it that matters. Tilly done well on the adult food and has grown into a strong dog.
When I look at dog foods I go to the ingredients first, if the first ingredient is a cereal I put the food back on the shelf, dogs digestive systems are not designed for cereals, these are used to fill the stomach. Many on here feed their dogs raw, maybe this will be the way to go, at least you will know what your dog is eating.
Hi Erin,
I am the proud owner of 4 Great Danes (3 Harlequin and 1 Mantle), Tess 1-1/2, Holly 8 months, Grace 8 months and Cash 7 months. The breeder told me to feed the pups large breed puppy food until 18 months. Low protein is what she said they need at a young age because they grow so fast. I use Eagle Pack large breed puppy food for the little ones and Eagle Pack large breed adult for Tess. They are doing fabulous. They are growing at a regular rate, no bone or gait issues. The breeder swears by that food and has shown, and still showing, many Great Danes with many points/ribbons. My vet said they are in perfect condition. Hope that helps.
As far as Blue Buffalo is concerned, I believe the "Wilderness" line is meant for adult dogs. They do make a "Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe" that's supposed to be nutritionally balanced for larger breed puppies.
I have a five month old cockapoo and she's thriving on their "Small Breed Puppy Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe" kibble.
Ideally the protein level in a complete should be no higher than 22/23% for a Dane. Any higher could have a negative effect on their growth. They don't need extra protein to aid their growth as they grow at a different rate to smaller sized puppies. Danes grow and develop slower because they're so big, they become teenagers an adults later than smaller breeds, accelerating their growth with too much protein can cause problems. It doesn't sound like the lady in the shop has much experience with giant breed nutrition/requirements . Also remember that Danes are giant breeds, and not large, so make sure you check the nutritional values for large breed foods carefully. I would most definitely avoid anything with a protein level as high as 43%. Look for a food which contains no cereals/fillers, has a high meat content and a lower protein content.
I feed my Dane the raw/barf diet, that was I have total control over what he has and can balance it myself. It isn't for everybody, but my Dane has thrived on it!
So I went to Petco to look in to the organic types of food, the woman told me that my 7 month old pup needs high protein because of her rapid growth, etc and should be fed high protein till the age of 15-18 months to prevent bone deficiency problems. I purchased a bag of the holistic type food for puppies large breed called "Blue" from the Buffalo Blue Company; anyone heard of them? When I cam home I began doing research on-line and now I'm so confused; I can't get a definitive answer of the right protein requirement, some say high protein is good and some say keep it to 21-23%. Originally she was suggesting a type of food called "wilderness" and it had like 43% protein in it. I just want my dog to lead a long healthy life; as I'm sure every owner wants the best for their loved pet. Please can someone help steer me in the right direction.. Oh ya, just to add in, I also mix in her dry food 2x day (her breakfast and supper) something different each day- either cooked chicken liver, chicken, beef, rice, suet (as a treat at times), and gizzards. I'd appreciate any words of advice....
