Get

In Your Inbox

Dogster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

7 Best Foods for Great Dane Puppies in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

great dane puppy

great dane puppy

When it comes to taking care of our dogs, we only want to give them the best. This is especially true for those who own a Great Dane puppy as these large breed dogs are fast growers and require specific nutrients and calories to keep them fit and healthy. There is no shortage of high-quality dog food out there, but that makes it even more challenging to decide which brand is right for your puppy.

We have put together this list of reviews to help you decide which food will be the right fit for your Great Dane and help your dog stay healthy as they mature.

dogster paw divider

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2025

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine Fresh Dog Food Subscription Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine Fresh Dog Food Subscription
  • Human-grade ingredients
  • Created by veterinary dieticians
  • Four recipes to choose from
  • budget Buy
    Second place
    Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition
  • Well-balanced
  • Affordable
  • Variety of sizes
  • Third place
    Spot & Tango Fresh Dog Food Beef & Millet Spot & Tango Fresh Dog Food Beef & Millet
  • Adjusted recipes according to age
  • Surpasses AAFCO standards
  • Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
  • Royal Canin Breed Health Royal Canin Breed Health
  • Trusted brand
  • Well-balanced
  • Breed-specific
  • Wellness Complete Health Wellness Complete Health
  • Easy to digest
  • A mix of healthy ingredients
  • High in protein
  • The 7 Best Foods for Great Dane Puppies

    1. Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

    Nom Nom Subscription Dog Food - chicken cuisine

    Crude Protein: 8.5%
    Crude Fat: 6%
    Crude Fiber: 1%

    Nom Nom Chicken Cuisine is the best overall dog food for a Great Dane puppy for several reasons. What customers love most about the Nom Nom dog food brand is that each recipe is made from fresh, human-grade ingredients. That means that even you could eat the food safely if you really wanted to! There are four different recipes to choose from, although their chicken recipe is one of the highest in protein and moisture—everything a growing Great Dane needs.

    Nom Nom food was created by two of only 100 veterinary dieticians in the United States. All food is made in the Nom Nom kitchens and gently cooked so that no nutrients are fried out. All ingredients also come from growers in the United States and are sustainably sourced.

    This option is a little pricey but well worth it if you want to give your Great Dane one of the best dog foods available.

    Pros
    • Human-grade ingredients
    • Created by veterinary dieticians
    • Four recipes to choose from
    • High in protein and moisture
    • Gently cooked
    Cons
    • A little pricey

    2. Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition Chicken Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy

    Gentle Giants Canine Nutrition Chicken Dry Dog Food

    Crude Protein: 22%
    Crude Fat: 9%
    Crude Fiber: 4%

    We can’t all afford expensive dog foods. Thankfully, there are brands like Gentle Giants that create highly nutritious dog food for large breeds. This chicken recipe dry dog food from Gentle Giants is one of the best dog foods for Great Dane puppies for the money. Not only is it affordable, but each serving is packed with high amounts of protein, healthy fat, and fiber.

    It lacks some moisture, but all the same health benefits are still there. There are a variety of sizes to choose from, too.

    Pros
    • Well-balanced
    • Affordable
    • Variety of sizes
    • High in protein, healthy fat, and fiber
    Cons
    • Lacks moisture

    3. Spot & Tango Beef & Millet Fresh Dog Food

    Spot & Tango Dog Kibble

    Crude Protein: 11.85%
    Crude Fat: 5.85%
    Crude Fiber: 1.04%

    If you’re willing to spend some extra cash, then Spot & Tango is a brand that you might consider feeding your Great Dane puppy. This brand supplies both dry and fresh dog foods that are customized for your specific dog. Spot and Tango uses only real ingredients that are cooked fresh before shipping to your home. There are three recipes of fresh foods and three recipes of dry foods. All the recipes are free from artificial additives, fillers, and preservatives and use only 12 simple ingredients.

    Spot & Tango meals are formulated by veterinary nutritionists, and all the nutritional levels meet or surpass AAFCO standards. However, what stands out most about this company is that it’ll take your dog’s age into consideration and then adjust as your dog continues to grow.

    Pros
    • Adjusted recipes according to age
    • Surpasses AAFCO standards
    • Formulated by veterinary nutritionists
    • Made with 12 ingredients
    • Free from artificial ingredients and preservatives
    Cons
    • More expensive than kibble

    4. Royal Canin Breed Health Great Dane Dog Food

    Royal Canin Breed Health Great Dane Dog Food

    Crude Protein: 21%
    Crude Fat: 23%
    Crude Fiber: 4.2%

    Royal Canin is one of the best dry dog food brands on the market and is recommended by veterinarians around the world. It has an outstanding reputation and often formulates the recipes for specific breeds. This dog food is breed-specific for Great Danes, although it is better for adults rather than puppies. It is also on the pricier side, but it is a high-quality product that gives Great Danes a well-balanced diet.

    Pros
    • Trusted brand
    • Well-balanced
    • Breed-specific
    • High-quality ingredients
    Cons
    • Pricey
    • Better suited for adults

    5. Wellness Complete Health Just for Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Wellness Complete Health Just for Puppy Canned Dog Food

    Crude Protein: 9%
    Crude Fat: 6%
    Crude Fiber: 1%

    Wellness Complete canned dog food is created specifically for puppies. It provides dogs with a healthy mix of meats, fruits, and veggies that are both delicious and easy to digest. This is another well-known and trusted brand  that is high in protein. It is expensive and is not specific to Great Danes, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an excellent option for your puppy.

    Pros
    • Easy to digest
    • A mix of healthy ingredients
    • High in protein
    Cons
    • Not breed specific
    • Expensive

    6. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Canned Dog Food

    Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Canned Dog Food

    Crude Protein: 8%
    Crude Fat: 4%
    Crude Fiber: 1%

    We love canned dog food for young dogs because it’s gentle on their teeth, gums, and digestive systems. Taste of the Wild Canned Food is an excellent choice for your Great Dane Puppy because it uses clean ingredients yet is more affordable than many other canned dog food brands. It’s also grain-free for any dogs with food sensitivities or allergies, and each recipe is nutritious and well-balanced.

    Still, some customers are wary of buying food from this brand because it has been recalled in the past.

    Pros
    • Grain-free
    • More affordable
    • Clean ingredients
    Cons
    • Has been recalled in the past

    7. Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

    Crude Protein: 23%
    Crude Fat: 13%
    Crude Fiber: 3.9%

    Eukanuba is another premium dog food brand that creates recipes based on certain breed sizes instead of being breed-specific. The food is packed with protein but unfortunately, is also a little higher in fat than other brands. While it’s comparatively expensive, there are multiple size options available, and the company only uses high-quality ingredients.

    Pros
    • High in protein
    • High-quality ingredients
    Cons
    • High in fat
    • Expensive

    dogster paw divider

    Buyer’s Guide – Picking the Best Food for Great Dane Puppies

    We all want the best for our puppies and hope to watch them flourish into the large, healthy dogs they are supposed to be, and good nutrition is one of the most important aspects of giving your dog a fulfilling life. There’s no shortage of dog food choices out there, and it can be a challenge to find the right choice for your pooch. This buyer’s guide will help you know what to look out for when shopping for dog food.

    Budget

    Budget plays a major role in a pet owner’s decision about the dog food that they buy. Buying the cheapest stuff on the market probably isn’t the best idea, but you also don’t need to go into debt buying the most high-quality stuff. There are plenty of affordable yet healthy dog food brands out there if you know what to look for.

    male great dane dog on grass
    Image By: belu gheorghe, Shutterstock

    Diet

    Unlike pet cats, dogs are not strict carnivores. They do need to eat a very high-protein diet, but they can still eat other foods like fruits, veggies, and grains to help support a healthy lifestyle. When you’re looking at the ingredients for dog food, make sure that they are using a variety of safe foods in their recipes.

    Read the Label

    Why would you want to feed your Great Dane puppy foods that are packed with artificial ingredients and preservatives? Dog food brands are required by law to provide you with an ingredients list and nutritional analysis. This label is your friend when shopping for dog food. Always ensure that the brand is using real ingredients with nutrition that is high in protein and fiber and low in unhealthy fats.

    Quantity

    Another thing to consider when shopping for dog food is how much you’re going to need. Great Danes are giant breeds and need a lot more food than a toy breed does. If you can calculate the cost per ounce, then it helps you decide what your budget should be.


    Our Selection Process For Foods for Great Dane Puppies

    To create this buyer’s guide, our writing team and editorial staff checked customer reviews, brand reputation, and veterinary approval ratings to present the dog foods we think should be highlighted for our readers. In some cases, we conducted hands-on testing along with seeing how much our dogs liked the dog foods. All these factors were considered when selecting these listed dog foods to help you make the best purchase for your furry friends.

    Why Trust Dogster?

    Since 2004, Dogster has been a trusted brand for dog owners online, which means we have a lot of experience with dog foods. We take pride in promoting the well-being of all dogs—from toy breeds to giant canines. Our in-house veterinarians, writers, and editors examine each product on our lists, ensuring its quality and reputation. As pet owners ourselves, we only want the best for our furry companions. At Dogster, we are transparent about the products we promote. The nutritional information, overall brand reputation, and customer reviews are all considered for these lists. We inform you how we want to be informed.

    dogster paw divider

    Conclusion

    With so many dog foods available, we’ve taken all the tedious work out of the shopping process and provided you with our favorite choices of the dog foods for Great Dane puppies sold today. Now that you have a list of potential brands, it is time to choose which food you want to go with.

    To review, our favorite overall comes from Nom Nom, the best dog food for your money is from Gentle Giants, and for a third option, give Spot + Tango recipes a try. That said, all the brands on this list are trusted options that are going to give your Great Dane all the nutrients they need.


    Featured Image Credit: Melissa Askew, Unsplash

    How useful was this post?

    Click on a star to rate (you can leave written feedback after clicking submit)

    Help us improve Dogster for pet parents!

    Your feedback really matters.

    What did you like about this post? Also how can we improve it?

    Join the conversation

    Leave a Reply

    You’re very welcome to leave a comment or question. Please know that all comments must meet our community guidelines, and your email address will NOT be published. Let’s have a positive and constructive conversation.

    Talk With A Vet Online

    Peace of mind,
    anywhere, anytime

    Affordable vet advice

    How Much of ASPCA Donations Go to Animals? Facts & FAQ

    The ASPCA is registered as a non-profit organization, and it is widely known for collecting donations to help prevent cruelty to animals and...

    Dog Registration Papers: Vet-Approved Facts & Why You Need Them

    When purchasing a dog from a breeder, many people wonder if it’s a good idea to get registration papers for their new pet,...

    6 Surprising Facts About Deaf Dogs: Vet-Approved Guide

    Deafness in dogs can refer to a partial or complete loss of hearing, which can be temporary or permanent. Temporary deafness can be...

    Life Lessons My Dogs Taught Me Without Even Trying

    Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two crossbreed dogs, Lava and Hela. Dogs bring all...

    More related

    10 Best Dog Treats Containers in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

    Keeping plenty of dog treats around is a must when you’re a dog owner. It’s a good idea to keep treats handy, especially...

    Do Dogs Have An Appendix? Vet-Verified Anatomy Explained

    Dogs and humans are very different species, although we do share some biological similarities. However, while humans do have an appendix, dogs do...

    My Dog Bit My Child: 7 Vet-Approved Steps to Take

    Dogs and children can make a terrific mix. The two are often the best of friends and constant playmates, making for a happy...

    5 Best Dog Foods for Bernedoodles in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

    If you’re lucky enough to be the pet parent of an adorable Bernedoodle (also known as Bernese Mountain Poo, Bernesepoo, or Bernepoo), it’s...

    Keep reading

    10 Best Rawhide Alternatives for Dogs In 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks 

    While some owners swear by rawhide chews, because they are especially good at keeping power chewers busy for hours at a time, many owners refuse to use them. Some manufacturers use chemicals like bleach and hydrogen peroxide to remove the...

    A dog and it's antler A brown and white dog lying on it's bed chewing on a deer antler

    Can Dogs Eat Nopales? Vet-Verified Facts & FAQ

    Nopals are large cacti with pads (leaves) that are edible when the plant is young. You might know nopales by their nickname, the prickly pear cactus, and if you live in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada, you’ve likely...

    Can Dogs Eat_nopales

    Is Glycerin in Dog Food & Treats Bad for Dogs? Vet-Reviewed Safety Guide

    We all know that one key to a healthy dog’s life is high-quality dog food. You look for ingredients such as whole meats and grains and ensure the diet is complete and balanced. You may not be looking for glycerin,...

    dry dog food in bowl

    Abound Dog Food Review 2025: Pros, Cons & Recalls

    Review Summary Abound is a relatively new dog food brand that was launched in 2014. This company is owned by Kroger and is marketed as their newest store brand of dog food. Their recipes offer natural ingredients with no corn,...

    Dogster_Abound Dog Food Review

    6 Best Foods for German Shepherds to Gain Weight in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

    German Shepherds are strong, highly active dogs that require a quality high-protein diet to stay fit and healthy throughout their lives. Without a proper diet, it can be tough for these dogs to keep a healthy weight on. If your...

    german shepherd eating dog food outdoors

    Nutra-Nuggets Dog Food Review 2025: Pros, Cons & Recalls

    Review Summary Nutra-Nuggets is a pet food company that’s under the umbrella of Diamond Pet Foods. It has two main lines of food—US and Global. The types of dog food available through each line are pretty similar, and the ingredient...

    Dogster_Nutra-Nuggets Dog Food Review

    Can a Human Eat Dog Food? Vet-Approved Facts & FAQ

    If you’re thinking about eating dog food because you’re out of options, we have some bad news for you. Dog food is not meant for human consumption. It’s made with different ingredients and in different proportions than what we need...

    Can a Human Eat Dog Food

    The Farmer’s Dog vs Spot & Tango: Our 2025 In-Depth Comparison

    It’s easy to get lost when venturing through the pet food jungle. With our dogs being part of the family, we want only the best for them when it comes to food. Trying to find the best brands, tasty recipes,...

    Dogster_Dog Food The Farmer_s Dog VS Spot & Tango