The Great Dane will gain weight steadily when they are puppies. It can be tough to keep up with them, but they must gain weight at a reasonable rate to stay healthy.
So how do you put weight on a Great Dane?
A good diet is essential to putting on weight for a Great Dane. A diet high in protein and fat is perfect. You can also use specific dietary tricks, like feeding your Great Dane more times a day or using pumpkin and sweet potato to supplement their fat and fiber.
When considering a Great Dane’s weight, there are many things to look out for. First, we’ll discuss signs of underweight and overweight Great Danes and what to do about it.
Is my Great Dane puppy underweight?
To check whether a Great Dane is underweight, you’ll need to know their age.
As they grow, they won’t reach their full physical size until about two years old, although they’ll reach full height within one year.
During the first year especially, they will grow rapidly.
One way to tell if they are underweight at any age is to check if you can easily see all their ribs. Some visible ribs are standard for Great Danes, but being fully visible means your Great Dane may be underweight.
Sometimes they can lose weight when they are sick. Even if your Great Dane eats a lot while sick, they might not be able to hold onto their weight.
This is a cause of concern if it continues.
Great Danes are also a very muscular breed, so it can be hard to tell if they are just lean. Thus, here are two other factors you can look for that could mean your Great Dane needs to gain more weight.
- Weight is based on age. By six months old, they should weigh 65 to 100 pounds. You can check a growth chart to see more specific measurements.
- Lethargy. Great Danes are usually a very active breed. If they seem to be just lazing around and not very energetic, that could indicate something is preventing them from being active. For example, they might be in pain or ill or have another issue. If they aren’t very active for a long time, it is time to see a vet.
How do I fatten up my Great Dane?
If you have found that your Great Dane is underweight, it is time to look into how to help them gain more weight.
The most important thing is feeding them high-quality, high protein and high-fat foods. These are essential to a growing puppy.
A diet right in both fat and protein will give your Great Dane a ton of critical nutrients to help them gain weight steadily over time.
When you change your dog’s diet, you also want to avoid upsetting their stomach. That means beginning with 90% old food and 10% of their new food when switching their diet.
Then, increase the proportion of new food for 10 to 14 days until it is all their new food. A certain amount of upset stomach is expected during this period, but they should be eating their food happily during the transition.
Has fast do great Danes gain weight?
As a puppy, you can follow a growth chart to see estimates of how much your Great Dane should weigh at different ages. Of course, these are just estimates, and it also matters which gender your puppy is.
Great Dane Puppy Growth and Weight Chart
| Age (months) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 |
| Weight (lbs) | 5-8 | 15-30 | 25-45 | 45-65 | 60-85 | 65-100 | 70-110 | 80-120 | 85-125 | 95-140 |
| Height (inches) | N/A | 13-18 | 17-23 | 20-25 | 24-30 | 26-33 | 27-34 | 28-34 | 28-35 | 29-36 |
Adult Great Dane Growth and Weight Chart
| Adult Weight | Adult Height | |
| Male | 140-175 lbs | 30-32 inches |
| Female | 110-140 lbs | 28-30 inches |
When Great Danes are fully grown in height at one year old, they fill out muscle and fat over the next one to two years.
At what age is a Great Dane fully grown?
Great Danes are considered fully grown between 18 and 24 months of age. They may still fill out in muscle and fat over the third year of their life, but by the end of their 2nd, they are considered to have fully grown into their height.
How much weight should a Great Dane puppy gain per week?
About two to three pounds per week on average. They are going from five to ten pounds when they are first born to 100-140 pounds when one year old. Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell if they are growing well on average, as their growth tends to happen in spurts.
They should have at least one big growth spurt by six months, but don’t worry if you are not seeing two-pound growth per week on average. They will likely make up for it during their growth spurts.
What food should I feed my Great Dane puppy?
High-quality dry food with good protein and fat derived from animal products is best. Look for one specifically made for puppies of large breeds.
These will be carefully balanced to provide the right amount of nutrients your growing Great Dane needs.
When starting a feeding schedule, if you want your Great Dane to gain some needed fat, eating right before bed can help them store their nutrients as fat. Also, consider giving them a smaller portion of food in the morning and a larger one in the evening.
Another popular method to help with weight gain is to feed your puppy small meals frequently. Spreading their meals out to three or four a day can help them eat more overall.
However, it’s important to remember not to exercise them too much right after eating, as this can cause bloat.
Finally, you can try adding pumpkin or sweet potato to their food. This can boost their diet and digestion with fat and fiber, helping them gain weight. You can buy both of these canned at the grocery store.
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What human foods can great Danes eat?
There are lots of human foods Great Danes can eat:
● Apples
● Potatoes
● Zucchini
● Bananas
● Carrots
● Broccoli
● Pears
● Oranges
● Squash
● Berries
● Peaches
● Cauliflower
Just be sure to double-check if it’s something dangerous whenever you think of feeding them something new.
Here are some important foods a Great Dane can’t eat:
● Alcohol or Caffeine
● Garlic
● Chocolate
● Avocados
● Onions
● Macadamia nuts
Should you be able to see a Great Dane’s spine?
Sometimes even a healthy Great Dane will have some of their spine protruding. This is just a part of their overall build, which can vary from dog to dog. However, if the ribs look fully prominent and the spine is protruding, that signifies an underweight Great Dane.
To test if their spine is protruding, gently run your hands over their spine. You should be able to feel the bones, but they shouldn’t be protruding too much.
If you can’t feel the bones can all, then your Great Dane is overweight. On the other hand, if there is very little flesh on top of the spine, they are underweight.
Can Great Danes get fat?
Great Danes, like any other breed, can certainly get fat. When they overeat consistently or don’t get enough activity, they’ll put on weight. You can tell when they have gained too much weight by a few means.
1. No Definition to their Body Shape
The Great Dane has a very recognizable body shape. They should have a deep barrel chest, rib cage, and narrow waist. If there is a smooth line from their chest to their tail, they can shed a few pounds.
2. Can’t feel their Ribs
At a good weight, a Great Dane usually has visible ribs. However, if the ribs are not visible and can’t be felt by the hands, they are sure to be overweight.
3. Heavy Panting
Panting can come from being too stressed or too warm, but if you see your Great Dane panting a lot without either of those reasons, they may be panting from being overweight.
This is especially true if they start to pant excessively when beginning a walk. Start an exercise routine to get them back in shape.
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How much should a 12-week-old Great Dane weigh?
It does depend on their gender and other factors, so don’t hold it as a strict standard, but you should expect a Great Dane to weigh 25 to 45 pounds at 12 weeks.
How much should a two-year-old Great Dane weigh?
Your Great Dane should have put on their adult weight at two years. Males should weigh 140-175 pounds while females should weigh 110-140 pounds at two years old.
Final thoughts
The Great Dane is a massive dog, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a healthy weight range they should fall within. Being too underweight or overweight can both be a problem for them.
Look for the signs and follow our advice, and you should be able to get them back on track in no time.
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