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Best Dog Food for Great Danes 2024
Written by Kevin Hughes
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 02/29/2024, edited: 02/29/2024
The Wag! team conducts independent research and consults pet experts to curate our recommendations. This content is supported by our affiliate pet partners and we may receive a commission on the links provided.
The Great Dane is a big dog. Correction — the Great Dane is a huge dog, considered a giant breed; it can grow to weigh over 100 lbs, up to around 140 lb and sometimes even more.
It stands to reason, then, that a breed of this illustrious size needs a suitable diet to not only satisfy its appetite but to ensure it gets the nutrients it needs throughout its lifetime. This applies through all life stages — puppy, full grown adult and senior.
Feeding a big dog isn’t just about increasing portion size — although of course, a Great Dane will need plenty of calories. There’s a balance to be found between the right size of meals and the type of food that will keep a Great Dane in good physical condition. At its best, a Great Dane should be solid but also lean, with good muscle tone. Because of its size, it’s easy to overfeed this breed, which puts it at risk of being overweight, or even worse, obese.
There are lots of good options available, but to help you choose, we’ve put together some recommendations for the best dog food for Great Danes.
Overview
Raised Right Original Adult Dog Recipe
Vet recommended
Not every recommended dog food for Great Danes has to be specifically branded as ‘large’ or ‘giant’ breed, otherwise you’d be looking at a fairly limited number of options. Raised Right’s Original Adult Dog Recipe range is an excellent choice.
It was awarded five stars in our overall review here, and it’s recommended by Dr. Georgia, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants.
“Raised Right offers a human-grade dog food consisting of only whole foods and no fillers or synthetic additives such as vitamin and mineral powders,” she notes. “Their ingredients can also be traced back to the source, and each batch is tested for safety.”
Unlike the recipes we’ve chosen so far, it’s not a dry food. It’s a wet dog food — read about whether wet or dry food is better for your dog here — which comes frozen and simply needs defrosting thoroughly before being served.
There are four different flavors, which is good to know; an improvement on chicken-only versions. Of course, chicken is one recipe, alongside turkey, beef and pork. Whichever flavor you choose, meat is the first ingredient, supported by other animal ingredients, fruits and vegetables. For example, the Original Beef Adult Recipe features beef, beef heart, carrots, beef liver and cranberries.
Raised Right Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Human grade dog food
- Good choice of recipe flavors
- All recipes meet AAFCO nutrient profiles
- Vet recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- It’s more expensive than some options. The food is available in 1kg bags and you can order 16 of one flavor at a time. At $10.99 per bag, it can get expensive when feeding a large breed like a Great Dane
- The food is delivered frozen, so you need the capacity to store it
What pet parents say about Raised Right Original Adult Dog Recipe
“My dogs love this food. I used to mix it with some very expensive kibble until they started picking out the kibble & dropping it on the floor. Now, by popular demand, it’s all Raised Right.”
“My dog loves how tasty her Raised Right meals are and I love the fact that they are so healthy for her. I appreciate the quality of the ingredients and the (nutritious) recipes made using whole foods. I also applaud the wonderful customer service provided by Raised Right — it is so easy to change orders as needed and if a problem does crop up they are responsive and very quick to make things right.”
“I have tried several cooked human grade (foods) for my two dogs and I have found that Raised Right is the best. My dogs get very excited at meal time because they know that they are going to get food that they love. Raised Right has natural ingredients and doesn't have a bunch of unknown chemicals in their food. My dogs love all the varieties and gobble up all their food in no time. The packaging is easy to open and store. My older dogs have a lot of energy and I (attribute) it to Raised Right food.”
Read more reviews on the Raised Right website.
Image sourced from the Raised Right website. Copyright Raised Right Pets LP.
Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free
Best for Great Dane puppies
In any dog’s early months, diet is crucial in ensuring joints and bones develop correctly. For a fast-growing giant breed like the Great Dane, this is especially important. A Great Dane won’t actually reach full adulthood until at least 18 months, maybe even 24 months, so it should be raised on puppy specific dog food until then. Feeding an adult diet too early can cause issues later on — too much rapid growth can lead to skeletal problems.
This is one of our picks as the best dog food for a Great Dane puppy — we have other recommendations for large breed puppies here. Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free is a high-protein formula that will help your Great Dane pup build muscle mass as it develops towards adulthood. The first five named ingredients are either fresh or raw animal ingredients (making the recipe comprising 85% animal ingredients), with chicken, turkey, salmon, whole herring and chicken liver leading the way.
This is a grain-free recipe, which may not suit all dogs. However, Orijen also produces a grain inclusive version.
You can read our full review of Orijen dog food here.
Orijen Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- High in protein
- Made in the USA
Considerations & Concerns
- A grain-free diet won’t suit all dogs (though there is a grain-inclusive version)
- It’s expensive – the larger 23.5 lb bag costs just under $100 on Chewy at the time of writing
- Some reviews report a strong fish odor, which might deter potential customers
What pet parents say about Orijen Puppy Large Grain-Free
“Great dog food for dogs like Great Danes that need a high protein dog food. (The) only (downside) is the price when buying multiple bags every couple weeks (it can) get a little expensive, other than that (it's) amazing.”
“My Great Dane puppy loves this kibble and he looks amazing compared to his siblings that are on other kibble — in my opinion lower quality kibble. (Some) people say Dane puppies need lower percentages of protein but my puppy had no growth issues or any other issues on this kibble. I think it’s the best nutrition for giant dog breeds.”
“Our new Great Dane one year old rescue dog loves this food. He eats 3 cups dry three times daily. Dry dog food, fresh water, and 5 acres to romp and explore, he needs a high quality dog food to grow big and strong. Origen is excellent quality; however a bit (pricey) compared to other same quality dog food brands.”
Read more reviews on Chewy here.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Mars Petcare US, Inc.
Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Health
If you’re searching for a recipe to suit a giant breed like a Great Dane, Holistic Select’s Large and Giant Breed surely warrants a place on the shortlist — so here it is. This has been specifically targeted for Great Danes — there’s even a photo of a gorgeous-looking dog on the food’s packaging — so it’s definitely worth checking out.
Take a look at the food itself and you’ll first notice the size of the kibble. It’s large (though some pet parents say it could ideally be larger), so it’s well suited as a dry dog food for Great Danes; the large kibble suits large mouths. The inclusion of prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes and dietary fiber can help with digestion, which is often an issue with Great Danes who can struggle with a potentially serious condition called bloat.
The first ingredient is chicken meal rather than real chicken, though, which may be a concern for some pet parents. Chicken meal provides higher levels of protein, and is also a source of glucosamine and chrondoitin, which can help promote joint health. It’s not necessarily a negative but if you prefer a recipe with real meat, you may consider another option.
Holistic Select Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- There’s a version formulated for puppies
- Has larger pieces of kibble — ideal for big breeds
- Both the Large and Giant Breed Adult, and Large and Giant Breed Puppy meet AAFCO nutrient profiles (for Maintenance and Growth)
Considerations & Concerns
- Only one flavor available
- Chicken meal, not real chicken, is the first ingredient
- Some reviewers say the kibble could be larger still
What pet parents say about Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Health
“My Danes have incredibly sensitive tummies, and are very picky about their kibble. I’ve tried so many brands and they just didn’t like anything! I tried this holistic food, and my girls absolutely love it! The kibble is small, but I was looking for smaller kibble because my Danes liked to carry their big pieces of Royal Canin around and leave them all over the house! They did NOT want to eat it at all! I mix the holistic smaller kibble with a small amount of raw OC food, and they eat it all! I’m so happy and relieved. These girls weigh 125 lbs and 135 lbs.”
“My dogs love this food. I only wish the size of the kibble was larger for my Great Danes.”
“My Great Dane, like many others, has a few gastric issues. The only food we could feed him without any issue was Royal Canin Giant formula. For one reason or another, it has been out of stock virtually everywhere for the last few months. Luckily we had some bags in reserve. After some research, I decided this brand could work for him and it has done very well. He’s been on it for nearly a month and has had no issues other than a few soft stools in the beginning. Another plus is that he seems to enjoy it more than Royal Canin. Also, the ingredients look better than most other brands. My only issue with this product is the kibble is quite small for a larger breed food. Would recommend it.”
Read more customer reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright Wellness Pet Company, Inc.
Merrick Grain-Free Large Breed Dry Dog Food
Vet recommended
Merrick is a brand we rate highly. It’s enthusiastically recommended by Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, who comments:
“Merrick products are made with high-quality, whole food ingredients, and that they use no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.” That’s the verdict on the full product range — which is extensive — but we’ve highlighted one particular recipe as being among the best dog food for Great Danes.
Merrick’s Large Breed Dry Dog Food Real Chicken and Sweet Potato is a grain-free recipe which lists real, deboned chicken as its first ingredient and supported by chicken meal, turkey meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas and chicken fat. That delivers a minimum of 30% protein. The ingredients also include taurine, which can promote good heart health.
There’s no corn or wheat in this recipe, but it is grain-free, which may not suit all dogs. You can read more about whether dogs need grains in their diet here. Merrick doesn’t produce a grain inclusive recipe specifically for large breeds.
Read the Wag! review on the overall Merrick dog food range here.
Merrick Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- Uses real, deboned chicken as its first ingredient
- Includes glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints
- Vet recommended
Considerations & Concerns
- Because it’s grain-free, it won’t suit dogs that need grains in their diet
- Some reviewers have said the kibble is smaller than expected
- No alternative to chicken
What pet parents say about Merrick Grain-Free Large Breed Dry Dog Food
“Merrick Chicken and Sweet Potatoes is a miracle worker. I have been trying everything from online and stores to get my dog allergies condition better. I mean (everything)!!!!! Her yeast condition is going away, no more licking the paws out of control. Even her color in her paw pads has (gone) back to black. If your pet has any of these condition(s), (p)lease try Merrick. MAKE BIGGER KIBBLES PLEASE !!!!!”
“Just switched (the) big man over and he loves it. (He’s) eating better (than) ever and we can already see a difference in his energy!”
“My 2 year old Great Dane loves this food, she actually begs for it, keeps her full till feeding time & her dry skin has really improved.”
Read more reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from the Chewy website. Copyright Merrick Pet Care.
Taste of the Wild Wetlands Recipe Adult Dog Food
Vet recommended
Taste of the Wild’s product lines have been developed partly with a nod to the dog's ancestral relative, the wolf. The brand’s stated aim is to provide the kind of ‘natural, balanced diet’ that dogs could find ‘in the wild.’
As such, the range is a selection of dry and wet recipes that are particularly suitable for the large breeds — so it’s included in our choice of the best dog food for Great Danes. Here, we’ve highlighted the Wetlands dry food recipe. The flavor is roasted fowl, with duck as its first ingredient, supported by duck meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, roasted quail and roasted duck.
The inclusion of meal — whether it be chicken, duck or fish — might divide opinion but it delivers high levels of protein. How high? Well, this recipe is 32% protein, enough to keep the largest of large breeds satisfied and powered up.
This is a grain-free recipe, but Taste of the Wild also offers grain inclusive options with its Ancient Grains range.
Taste of the Wild Dog Food
Why Wag! Loves It
- High in protein
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- Recipe crafted in the USA
Considerations & Concerns
- Wetlands recipe is only available in one flavor
- Grain free won’t suit all diets
- Some Chewy reviewers say their dogs didn’t like it
What pet parents say about Taste of the Wild Wetlands Recipe Adult Dog Food
“I've got my dog almost entirely eating just Taste of the Wild. Her poop is much more solid now. Also, the size of each kibble is slightly larger than what she had been eating so it's slowing down her tendency to inhale her food. I tried freeze dried, but she wasn't thrilled with it in water and she wasn't chewing it when dry. Taste of the Wild dry food has essentially the same good nutritional ingredients and she likes it. I'm wondering if trying the different varieties will upset (her) stomach.”
“My dog Frank is a very picky eater when it comes to dog food (human food he'll eat lol). We have tried multiple brands. And then tried Taste of the Wild.He has tried Taste of the Wild different flavors and seemed to like it but kept picking at it. (Switched) to Wetlands and now loves it. Goes to the bowl and eats it all.”
Read more Taste of the Wild reviews on Chewy.
Image sourced from Chewy. Copyright SCHELL & KAMPETER, INC.
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