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What's the best food for my Great Dane puppy's healthy growth?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Great Dane | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 23 days old | 26 lbs

I have a 11 mo old male great Dane puppy. I have heard to not feed puppy food (including large breed puppy food) you prevent "knuckling over" and OCD. I have also heard that large breed puppy food has the minerals and nutrients needed to grow properly. Does energy level increase proportionately with protein levels? What should I feed this puppy? Thanks

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2 Answers

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Answered By Dr Stafford, BVetMed, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on October 14th, 2017

What a gorgeous pup! Great Dane puppies have a massive requirement for nutrients so I recommend investing in feeding a really good quality food for giant breed puppies. Royal canin does a really good puppy food which I trust for my own dogs. Don't listen to things like not feeding puppy food, there is no evidence for that. It is actually really important to feed puppy food because a puppy has different needs to an adult. Energy level has more to do with the carbohydrate in the feed rather than protein.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 24th, 2017

    Great question! Sandy should be eating Royal Canin puppy formulated food. As a puppy, she needs higher amounts of protein, calories, and calcium than adult dogs, and a puppy formulated food will provide that for her. You can feed her Royal Canin Labrador Retriever Junior, which is a food specially formulated for Labrador Retriever puppies from 2 to 15 months. Large breed puppy will be fine as well :-)

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