| A normal human will take 18 to 20 years to reach their adult weight of 130 -150 pounds. Can you imagine going from about one pound at birth, to that same 130 - 150 pounds in just over a year?! Well, that's exactly what your Great Dane puppy will do. Proper nutrition can not be stressed enough. Bone and joint diseases in giant breed dogs have been linked in part to being fed too much protein and fat while they are still growing. For smaller dog breeds a very high protein and fat level in their feed is recommended so they grow quickly, but with Danes and other giant breeds which triple and quadruple that size, the quicker they grow the more problems there will be! Slow steady growth is the goal. A protein level of 21% to 26% is perfect. Have no fear, your puppy will still reach it's genetic potential for height and weight, but without the added risks of so much strain on growing bones. Do NOT feed puppy food, even large breed puppy food. Great Danes are not large, they are giants. Standard Poodles are large and they are half the size of a Dane. High quality food is also extremely important. Meat should be listed as the first ingredient, and the second if possible. |
| Do I really need to continue with a vaccination program for my puppy? I've heard they can be dangerous to Great Danes, and that Veterinarians are just out for the money. |
| Great Danes are certainly more sensitive to vaccinations, medications and heartworm preventative than most other breeds, but with proper consideration the risks are minimal, and well worth it. We have witnessed too many times the heartache of someone losing a puppy to Parvo or some other horrible virus, and were saddened more still to know that it could have been prevented! Should your puppy contract such an illness, the cost can be as much as $1500 to try and save your beloved family member, only to lose it in the end. Our stand, "Vaccinate responsibly." The puppy series of shots should be given no closer than two weeks apart (preferably three weeks) to give the pup time to recover. The rabies is better left until 6 months of age, and never in combination with any other treatment or vaccinations. |
| It is our opinion that ALL pet quality dogs and cats should absolutely be spayed/neutered. We feel that the ONLY reason a dog or cat should be left intact is if they are going to be shown and bred for the betterment of that particular breed. Here are some links to important information for you to consider: |
| NOTE: There are various schools of thought on each of these subjects. What we have written here is based on the opinions we have formed from reading many books, articles in magazines and on the internet, speaking with many breeders and veterinarians, and from our own experiences over the years with Great Danes and dogs of many other breeds. |
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