2 great dane questions

[shihtzulover850]

My cousin just got the most adorable Black great dane you have ever seen!!! ohhhhhhhhh she is so cuuuuuuuuuute. I just love her to death. She is extremely clumsy though :rolleyes: If you are outside and you laydown on the grass she takes that as her cue to "attack" you!! With lots and lots of puppy kisses and plenty of puppy breath!!! :p oh she is adorable!!!! She also loves to play chase. If you get to far ahead of her though she gets a really sad expression on her face. but then if you call her or sit down she comes running like crazy torward you!!!!! :p :rolleyes: so adorable!!!! anyway on to the questions

Number 1: She is about 3-4 months old About how many cups of food should she be getting a day? She is currently getting 3 cups a day.

Number 2: I have an 8 pound shih tzu who is terrified of her. How can I help her not be so scared and freaked out?

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

When Bailey was 4 months old, he was eating 6 cups of food per day. He is now eating 2 pounds of RAW meat per day. Great Danes should be feed 3 times a day, unless if their on a RAW diet. :D

[shihtzulover850]

ok thanks. They grow like weeds. I just saw her yesterday and she is getting big. Do they have to be switched to raw meat and what brand of dog food do you recommend?

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

The best kibble for Great Danes is Eagle Pack Large & Giant Breed Puppy. Just remember that it is the ONLY puppy food suitable for a Dane puppy. You can feed an adult food - a few I would recommend are Fromm, Canidae, Innova and Natural Balance.

Eagle Pack Large & Giant Breed Puppy Formula (http://www.eaglepack.com/pages/ep_large_giant_puppy.html)




Proven to nutritionally control the structural growth for that critical period from weaning to 18 months. (See Pet Health for more)

Ours is the only brand test-fed on eight litters of Great Dane puppies (1990). There were no reported problems. We tested again in 2002; again no problems.

Some brands say 36% protein is a correct level. Other research states 0.8% calcium is correct. That research was performed 30 years ago. Test formula ingredients included bloodmeal and soy, ingredients unlike any used today in Super Premium formulas. Still, 25% of the dogs were determined to be lame.

So, have you been told not to feed a "Puppy" formula? Those references are to traditional puppy formulas with 26-32% protein and 15-20% fat; with that, we agree.

[sparks19]

I agree that a food for "all life stages" may be a good idea. Because puppy food promotes a fast growth it is not always a good choice with danes. Simply because they are so large and growing at a fast rate would be like a boy in highschool sprouting 6 inches in a year. Joint problems could develop.

I have never fed a raw diet and I also do not have a great dane (yet :D) I am interested in raw diets but I don't know how to tell how much of what they should get.

[lute]

OMG!!! WE NEED PICS OF THIS CUTIE!!! :D :D

Eagle Pack is a dern near perfect food for dane pups. i'm thinking of feeding my upcomming dane this food. 3 cups is a good amount. my Jake ate about that much seperated into three meals a day.

your dog may be so scared of this puppy because he's big and hyper. when we first got Beanie he was TERRIFIED of all dogs bigger than him. we just put the lead on him and make him face his fear of the dogs. DON'T EVER CUDDLE A SCARED DOG! it just teaches them that being scared and retreating is ok. Beanie now is in charge of all dogs that walk into my house. including multiple siberian huskies, a great dane, brittanys, etc.

good luck! don't forget...WE NEED PICS OF THIS PUPPY!!! :D

[shihtzulover850]

ok thanks guys. so lute you are saying 1 cup three times a day is good? I will talk to him about switching food. I think she is on purina not sure. as for pictures I don't have a working camera and neither does he but she is black with white down her chest her ears haven't been cut he isn't going to and she has big clunky paws and PLENTY of puppy breath. runon sentence :o :rolleyes: lol

[lute]

3 cups of food is ok now. a couple weeks from now they may need to knock it up to about 1 1/2-2 cups three times a day.

what kind of Purina food are they feeding her? i fed Jake Purina ProPlan Adult Lamb and Rice. Purina foods like Purinaone or Purina Large Breed Puppy isn't good enough for a fast growing dane puppy.

[shihtzulover850]

I don't know he normally visits on the weekends so next time he comes I will ask him! :)