Great Danes are a sight to behold. Their sheer size helps them stand out from any crowd they’re in. Well, they’re hard to miss!
Not only are these dogs huge in stature but they are renowned for being very strong. To maintain this strength, Great Danes need a specific amount of food. And due to their considerable stature, quite a lot of food is required.
No two dogs are the same but Great Danes are exceptionally unique. Many owners struggle to find out what the right amount of food is when feeding their Great Dane. To find out how much you should be feeding your Great Dane, be it daily, weekly, or monthly, we decided to get to the bottom of it.
We asked the people who know best, Great Dane owners and veterinarians. We found that, as a general rule of thumb, adult Great Danes eat around 6 to 10 cups of food a day while Great Dane puppies eat 3 to 8 cups of food a day. However, these amounts can change depending on your dog’s gender and the stage of their development.
Continue reading to find out the right amounts for male and female Great Danes.
How much food does a Great Dane eat every day?
Great Danes can reach heights in excess of 6-feet when on their hind legs. This automatically makes us think these dogs will need a mountain of food to keep them going. And the more food, the higher the food bill will be. Well, let’s see if that is true.
Generally, you should be looking to give 6 to 10 cups or 1.4L to 2.3L of dog food daily. This depends on weight, exercise, and other factors which we will go into further down.
Monthly, you will be looking at approximately 200 cups (47.3L) of food. Yep, that’s a lot! Because Great Danes are so big, they burn calories much quicker than other dogs so they need to be fed a lot just to maintain their body’s strength and health.
While this is a lot of food, it isn’t as much as some people may think. Although a large breed, in terms of size to food portions (calories per pound of body weight), they don’t eat that much. But you will need to make sure you are financially ready to supply this food and understand the proper times to feed your dog throughout the day. Think of these gentle giants as teenagers.
They are constantly hungry and will always be looking for food. This is why it’s important that you do not feed them every time they are looking for food. More on the schedules further down.
How much do male Great Danes eat per day and month?
Generally, male Great Danes eat more than females. It is recommended to feed male Great Danes 8 to 10 cups each day. That is approximately 220 to 280 cups per month.
This is just a general recommendation as the amount you feed your dog depends on their age, activity level, and the quality of the dog food. When it comes to spending money on dog food, you should opt for the best. It may be more expensive but it will give your dog everything they need from a balanced diet.
Cheaper dog food means you will probably need to feed your Great Dane more often just to get the necessary caloric intake and nutrients. Over time, cheaper, poorer-quality food can be harmful to your dog’s health.
How much do female Great Danes eat per day and month?
As we mentioned, females usually eat a little less than their male counterparts. On average, a female will eat 6 to 8 cups of food per day adding up to around 160 to 225 cups a month.
By the age of three, most Great Danes will reach physical maturity. This includes their height and weight. Once they reach this stage, these wonderful canines are quite a relaxed breed with a moderate level of energy.
The same cannot be said of puppies, however. As with most breeds, Great Dane puppies are full of energy and require specific amounts of food to keep this energy up.
How much should a Great Dane puppy eat?
The amount of food a Great Dane puppy should be fed depends on their age and the stage of their development. However, here are some guidelines to help you see the recommended daily intakes of food:
- A male puppy aged 3 to 6 months – 4 to 8 cups of food daily
- A female puppy aged 3 to 6 months – 3 to 6 cups of food daily
- A male puppy aged 8 to 12 months – 6 to 10 cups of food daily
- A female puppy aged 8 to 12 months – 5 to 8 cups of food daily
- A male Great Dane aged 1 to 2 years – 9 to 15 cups of food daily
- A female Great Dane aged 1 to 2 years – 8 to 12 cups of food daily
These cups of food should be split into 3 servings throughout the day until they become adults.
As you can see, a Great Dane requires more food during their developmental stages than when they are fully grown. During this young phase, especially 1 to 2 years old, Great Danes will sleep a lot but be very active when they are awake. Some would say they are completely bonkers!
Some Great Danes will need more than 15 cups of dry kibble per day but again, this depends on whether they are a male or female and their size. Don’t worry, though! This is the most food they will eat in their lifetime.
If you’re unsure what food to give your puppy, your Great Dane breeder should be able to recommend some for you. It’s important to find the right food for these gentle giants as they are known for having sensitive, weak stomachs. They are prone to diarrhea so you should not change the food that the breeder fed them too quickly.
Great Danes grow at a phenomenal rate. During their first 18 months of life, they will need to put on an extensive amount of weight, hence the gigantic sums of food needed for these gigantic dogs.
Because of these growing sizes, they need appropriate puppy food. A veterinarian can recommend food that will be formulated for giant breeds. These will have the correct amount of protein, vitamins, nutrients, fats, and carbohydrates that are needed for a rapidly growing dog.
As Great Danes are also prone to muscular, skeletal, and joint problems, these can only get worse if they are fed the wrong type of food.
Feeding an older Great Dane
Just as the nutritional needs change as a Great Dane reaches adulthood, their diet will need to adjust when they become older.
Once they reach their twilight years, their metabolism will slow down and they will become slower and far less active or energetic. Because of this, you will find that the amount of food they need decreases. However, the amount can significantly vary from one dog to another so you should talk this over with your vet.
Some Great Danes will require less food once they reach the age of just 7. Others carry on with their normal adult intake of food until they are 9 or 10. These amounts vary due to a dog’s health, genetics, and way of life.
How often should my Great Dane be fed?
Puppies should be fed around 3 meals a day while adults should get 2 meals daily. This is the standard advice for Great Danes but the feeding times are your choice. Fully grown Great Dane adults can be fed twice a day and feel perfectly full for the remainder of it.
On the other hand, you can consider splitting their meals into 3 different times if you prefer. Some dog owners have found that smaller portions of food fed 3 times a day makes it easier for their dogs to digest and suits their diets better. It also means your pooch has an extra meal to look forward to every day! It’s down to whatever feels best for your Great Dane.
It’s important to note, whatever approach you decide to take, you must be consistent in the feeding amount and feeding time, every day.
Great Dane feeding chart
Take a look at this feeding chart to help you better understand the right amounts to feed your Great Dane every day.
- Great Dane weighing 50kg – 634 grams per day / 7 cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 55kg – 681 grams per day / 7.5 cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 60kg – 727 grams per day / 8 cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 65kg – 772 grams per day / 8.5 cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 70kg – 816 grams per day / 9 cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 75kg – 859 grams per day / 9 and ⅜ cups per day
- Great Dane weighing 80kg – 902 grams per day and 9 and ⅞ cups per day
These can vary depending on your dog’s physical lifestyle (how active they are). If you are still unsure of what to feed your dog, we recommend checking with your vet. They will know your dog and will be able to give you the best advice for your particular Great Dane. Your veterinarian will also be able to keep a close eye on your dog to ensure everything is as it should be health-wise.
In Summary
We hope this guide has helped you find out how much you should feed your Great Dane every day. As with most breeds, finding a balanced diet can be a fine balancing act!
However, the standard guidelines set out above are generally about right but can differ depending on your dog’s gender, age, lifestyle, and size.
Just remember that Great Danes are bigger than other dogs. Therefore, they will find it easier to jump up and quickly snatch some food put aside so be on alert! Always keep food out of their very long reach.
