About the Great Dane
Gentle giants — enormous but relatively calm indoors. A typical adult Great Dane weighs around 50–90 kg (Giant).
How many calories does a Great Dane need?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 70 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×1.6 for a typical dog at the life stage shown. Enter your own animal's details in the calculator for an exact figure.
| Body weight | Daily calories | Dry kibble ~3,500 kcal/kg | Wet ~1,050 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 2106 kcal | 602 g | 2006 g |
| 55.714 kg | 2284 kcal | 653 g | 2175 g |
| 61.429 kg | 2458 kcal | 702 g | 2341 g |
| 67.143 kg | 2627 kcal | 751 g | 2502 g |
| 72.857 kg | 2793 kcal | 798 g | 2660 g |
| 78.571 kg | 2956 kcal | 844 g | 2815 g |
| 84.286 kg | 3116 kcal | 890 g | 2967 g |
| 90 kg | 3273 kcal | 935 g | 3117 g |
Feeding a Great Dane for a healthy weight
Great Danes are at high risk of bloat (GDV); feed measured meals, avoid one huge daily feed, and don't exercise hard right after eating. Slow, lean growth in puppyhood is critical for their joints.
What to feed a Great Dane
Dogs are facultative carnivores: they thrive on meat-forward diets but can use carbohydrate and plant matter. A complete-and-balanced food (dry, wet, fresh, or properly-formulated raw) meeting AAFCO or FEDIAF standards should make up the vast majority of intake, with treats capped at 10% of daily calories.
Most adult dogs do best on two meals a day. Puppies under four months need three to four smaller meals; large-breed puppies should be fed a large-breed-specific formula to slow bone growth and protect their joints.
Frequently asked questions
How do I feed a Great Dane to reduce bloat risk?
Split food into two or three smaller meals rather than one large one, feed from the floor (not raised bowls, which may increase risk), and avoid vigorous exercise for an hour around mealtimes.
How much should I feed a Great Dane?
A 65 kg Great Dane needs roughly 2,000-2,500 kcal a day at normal activity — less per kilogram than a small dog, since giant breeds have slower metabolisms for their size.
How much should I feed my dog per day?
A 10 kg neutered adult dog at a healthy weight needs roughly 500-560 kcal per day — about 150-165 g of standard dry kibble split over two meals. Scale up or down with weight, activity and life stage using the calculator above.
Should I feed my dog once or twice a day?
Twice a day suits most adult dogs and helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. Puppies need three or more meals; some giant breeds prone to bloat also do better with smaller, more frequent meals.