How Much Do Great Danes Eat?

Great Danes are a striking breed; enormous, expressive, regal in their stance and posture. However, like many giant breeds, they are actually quite delicate creatures which must be looked after in a precise way. This is especially important when the dogs are growing, as incorrect feeding can result in developmental disorders.

  1. Normal Adult Intake

    • An average adult Great Dane needs between 5 cups and 8 cups of food per day, divided between two daily meals. The exact volume depends on the amount of exercise the dog is getting, the size of the individual dog and the quality of the food. Higher quality foods contain a greater concentration of the nutrients that Danes need. As a result, a Great Dane can get by on a smaller quantity of better quality food.

    Fluctuations

    • Changes in the amount of exercise which the dog is getting or changes in temperature due to weather and hormonal changes can lead to the Dane losing their appetite temporarily. Leaving behind food, if the Dane shows no other signs of sickness, is not a problem, the dog is simply self regulating her diet. Canine nutritional consultant Linda Arndt recommends giving Great Danes smaller meals one day a week. Cut 1/2 cup from each meal and this should help the dog to keep to a regular feeding pattern.

    Puppies and Growth: The First Six Months

    • Great Danes need to be fed very carefully while they are puppies, as excess food will cause unsuitable growth and can result in developmental disorders. In the first two months they will eat three times a day; after this, a twice daily meal plan is recommended. As a rule, a female will eat a number of cups of food per day equal to their age in months; a four-month-old eats four cups a day. A male eats another cup on top of this. As the month goes on, the food intake should be gradually increased, not switched suddenly when the new month starts. This rule holds for the first six months.

    Seven Months to 18 Months

    • From seven months onward, females eat a gradually increasing quantity, going from 6 cups to 8 cups or 9 cups over the next year. Males on the other hand can keep on adding 1 cup a month, topping out at 10 cups at the ninth month and holding there until it is one-year-old. For the following six months, the intake can be gradually raised up to as much as 14 cups before bringing it down to an adult intake.