If you already have a Great Dane puppy, you may have noticed how quickly it grows. When your puppy reached around eight weeks of age, you could pick him up and give him a good cuddle. At ten weeks you can barely lift the dog. This growth period is the most stressful in a Dane puppy’s life as many things can go wrong during this critical period when the skeleton rapidly reaches adult height.
There are many problems that can occur while the Great Dane is growing. One of the most common is panosteitis. Panosteitis usually develops when the puppy is four to nine months old. Also known as “wandering limp,” it causes swelling in the long bone of one leg and often moves from one leg to the other. The degree of panosteitis can range from a mild, unnoticeable limp to an excruciatingly painful condition that makes your dog cry and not want to get up. You will notice a limp on one leg this week and another leg next week. By the time the puppy is one year old, this condition has usually disappeared. Panosteitis is an example of one of the many problems that can affect a Great Dane puppy. If you suspect your pup might have a medical problem, talk to your vet. Early diagnosis of these problems is of paramount importance.
Although a Great Dane puppy is large, don’t be fooled into mistaking him for strength. A growing Dane puppy is actually very fragile. Do not force your dog to exercise until he is at least a year old. The skeletal structure is growing at such an alarming rate that it needs time to establish itself properly so that it can support the dog’s future weight. By all means, take your pup for walks and allow him to play off-leash in a safe environment, but don’t overdo it. If you like to jog, don’t take your pup with you, as the jarring of bones, sockets, and joints can cause further damage. Supervise activity with other dogs. Large dogs can play roughhousing and bump into the puppy with such force that your dog will go flying. This can seriously damage your dog’s bone structure.
It is also important to understand how to play with a Great Dane puppy. Some people like to hit, push and pull a large puppy while playing. This is decidedly a bad idea, as is shaking your pup’s neck while he’s playing tug-of-war and pulling on his tail and paws while he’s playing. Pulling hard on a collar can have the same negative effect. These types of games can cause serious injuries that will afflict the dog for life. Rather it encourages your pup to chase and fetch a ball. You can play tug of war together, but gently. Allow the pup to pull the whole thing out while you passively hold the other end.
You will no doubt notice some oddities in the conformation of your growing Dane puppy. Growth spurts often occur. Suddenly, the rear of the puppy will be much higher than the front. Perhaps the front rises higher than the rear. A cow hock (toes that turn out) can occur on the hind legs and sometimes on the front legs as well. The rear of the dog may appear pinched, making the dog look very wide from behind. Sometimes they also appear wider along the entire body. It is quite frightening to see a Dane puppy go through what are known as “ganglies”. Rest assured, this is normal.
It is not common for a puppy to “nude” in the front pasterns (ankle joints). When the dog is sitting, it will be especially noticeable, as the front legs will appear to lean towards the pasterns. Often this is a phase and if your pup is eating a premium quality large or giant breed puppy food then the dog will outgrow it. If not, you may be making the food yourself (or if it’s poor quality dog food), then you should contact your vet, breeder or nutritionist before making any dietary changes. Many experienced breeders reduce protein levels and increase vitamin C intake to correct this condition. Without the right experience, never try this alone!
Great Dane puppies are clumsy. Sometimes they fall because they are not well coordinated. However, a Dane puppy should not constantly fall down. If he feels that your pup is rolling over excessively, he is too clumsy or has too little coordination in his legs, then he should visit his vet.
When a Great Dane puppy is less than a year old, you will notice that the front pasterns (ankles) appear “knobby” and the joints appear enlarged. This is the case for the hind pasterns as well, but it is not as pronounced. If he is a new Dane owner, this will seem abnormal. Before you go to your vet, let him know that this is a completely normal growth phase in the Great Dane. Throughout growth, these joints will be “knobby.” As the dog matures, the pasterns will soften and blend well with the paw and the joints will no longer look large. This is not a disease and should never be treated as such. Some vets have been known to misdiagnose it and prescribe calcium to combat it. This is extremely dangerous as high calcium levels will cause serious bone problems.
Great Dane puppies often have juvenile acne. It is a common staph infection that is easily treated. Human teenagers also suffer from this. You can buy a medicated acne ointment, use it as you would yourself, and keep your pup’s chin dry after drinking water or eating. Acne usually clears up in Danes by the time they’re past their teens, which is around a year and a half.
Bloat is a common and serious problem in Great Danes. It causes air to be trapped inside the stomach and is fatal if not treated quickly. Typically affecting dogs five years of age and older, bloat is a condition you need to understand. Prevention is better than cure. As your puppy gets older, you can begin to place the food and water dishes on the floor at the level of the puppy’s shoulders. It is commonly believed that by elevating these dishes, the volume of air consumed by fast eaters and drinkers is much less, if any. There is no scientific evidence for this, but most Dane owners believe that it works. Since bloat is such a big killer for Danes, it makes a lot of sense and certainly can’t harm your pup in any way.
Once your Great Dane reaches the age of one-half to two years old, the awkward puppy growth spurts will go away and your dog will no longer be as fragile. By the age of two, your dog will be fully grown and you can change his diet from a large or giant breed puppy to an adult large or giant breed. Keep your Dane on puppy food until he has reached the age of two. Your dog will continue to mature until he is three years old.
A Dane puppy needs a lot of friends to become a well-socialized dog. There are three your dog can’t do without: you, the vet, and a caring and responsible Great Dane breeder. It’s a good idea to contact the breeder if he has questions. A Danish breeder is familiar with the puppies of this breed and has experienced their growth phases many times. A good breeder will be able to tell you if something you are concerned about is normal or not.