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Giant Breed Puppy Feeding Tips

2K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  SaintDame 
#1 ·
Brand new to raising a giant breed dog and I'm chock full of questions :)

I have a 9 week old Saint Dane (Saint Bernard/Great Dane) 21lbs. Currently feeding him 1 cup of Fromm Heartland Gold Grain Free Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food 4 times a day. I swear he would eat 4 more cups if I gave it to him!

Does that amount sound right for a giant breed puppy of his age/weight?

And what food do you recommend for a super size puppy?

Looking forward to some guidance from experienced giant breed dog moms and dads.
 
#3 ·
Fromm is excellent kibble, if you can afford it and your puppy does well on it, then definitely continue to feed it.

Giant breed puppies need to be fed kibble that is between 1-1.5% calcium and .08-1% phosphorous.

The kcals per cup in Fromm is definitely on the higher end, so you need to be very cautious about overfeeding. I know people like to see round chubby puppies, but it is important for all puppies (especially giant breed puppies) to remain lean throughout their youth. You should be able to see and/or easily feel the last two ribs. Spine and hips shouldn't be prominent. Excess weight is directly associated with hip and elbow dysplasia.

So when calculating feeding portions, judge by body condition. If you can see the last 3-4 ribs, up his portion by .25 or so cups per meal. Wait a week. If you can still see the last 3-4 ribs, up his portion again. If you can't see the last 2 ribs, keep his portion the same for now until he goes through another growth spurt.

Just for reference, my Great Dane puppy was at one point eating 12 cups a day split into 4 meals. He was 26 lbs at 9.5 weeks of age, so slightly larger than your pup.

If you have any other questions not related to nutrition, please feel free to post or PM me :)
 
#5 ·
I fed Earthborn Meadowfeast when my dogs were puppies. I like it because it is AAFCO certified for All Life Stages, meaning it's appropriate for puppies and adults and I wouldn't have to switch formulas if I didn't want to. I have since switched to feeding Earthborn Primitive, which is not okay for growing giant breed puppies because the calc and phos are on the high end, as are the kcals per cup.

The Fromm you're feeding is AAFCO certified for growth, meaning that eventually you'll want to switch to a formula that is certified for All Life Stages or Maintenance (probably around 14-18 months of age, after growth plate closure).

The calcium in Fromm Large Breed Puppy Gold is 1.05%. The phosphorous is .99%. You can find this information on their website under the "Typical Analysis" link on every kibble formula's page.
 
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