Pets admin  

Your growing Great Dane puppy

If you already have your Great Dane puppy, you may have noticed how extremely fast he is growing. When your puppy is around eight weeks old, you could pick him up and cuddle him. At ten weeks the dog can hardly be lifted. This growth period is the most stressful time in a Danish puppy’s life, as many things can go wrong during this critical time when the skeleton is rapidly reaching adult height.

There are many problems that can occur while the Great Dane is growing. One of the most common is panosteitis. Typically, panosteitis develops while the puppy is four to nine months old. Also known as “wandering lameness,” it causes inflammation in the long bone in one of the legs 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 causes your dog to cry and not want to get up. You will notice that you are limping on one leg this week and on the other next week. When the puppy turns one year old, this condition usually disappears. Panosteitis is an example of one of the many problems that can affect a Great Dane puppy. If you suspect that your puppy might have a medical problem, speak with your vet. Early diagnosis of these problems is of the utmost importance.

Although a Great Dane puppy is large, don’t be fooled into mistaking it for strength. A growing Danish puppy is actually very fragile. Don’t force your dog to exercise until he is at least one year old. The skeletal structure is growing at such an alarming rate that it takes time to settle properly so that it can support the future weight of the dog. Of course, take your pup for a walk and allow him to play off-leash in a safe environment, but don’t overdo it. If he likes to jog, don’t take your puppy with him, as the shaking of bones, cavities, and joints can cause further damage. Supervise the activity with other dogs. Large dogs can play rough games and bump into the puppy so hard that your dog will fly off. This can seriously damage your dog’s bone structure.

Knowing how to play with a Great Dane puppy is also important. Some people like to hit, push, and pull a large puppy while they play. This is definitely a bad idea, as is shaking your pup’s neck while playing tug of war and pulling on its tail and paws during play. 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, encourage your puppy to chase and search for a ball. They can play tug of war together, but gently. Let the puppy do all the pulling while you passively hold the other end.

You will surely notice some oddities with the conformation of your growing Danish puppy. Growth shoots often occur. Suddenly, the rear of the puppy will be much higher than the front. Perhaps the front is higher than the rear. A cow hock (toes that turn outward) 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 appear very wide from behind. Sometimes they also appear wider across the entire length of the body. It is quite scary to see a Danish puppy go through what are known as “ganglia”. Rest assured this is normal.

It is not uncommon for a puppy to “hunch” on the front pasterns (ankle joints). When the dog is sitting, it will be particularly noticeable, as the front legs will appear as if they are bent at the pasterns. Often this is a phase and if your puppy is eating a premium quality large or giant breed puppy food then the dog will grow up. If not, perhaps you are preparing the food yourself (or it is 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 their intake of vitamin C to correct this condition. Without proper experience, never try this alone!

Great Dane puppies are clumsy. Sometimes they fall off because they are not well coordinated. However, a Danish puppy should not constantly fall. If you feel that your puppy is falling excessively, is too clumsy or very uncoordinated in the legs, then you should visit your veterinarian.

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 also the case for the metacarpals, but it is not as pronounced. If you are a new Danish owner, this will seem abnormal to you. Before going to your vet, 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 in well with the leg 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 adolescents also suffer from this. You can buy a medicated acne ointment, use it as you would yourself, and keep your puppy’s chin dry after drinking water or eating. Acne generally clears up in Danes when they pass 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 and older, bloat is a condition you need to understand. Prevention is better than cure. As your puppy grows, you can begin to place the food and water dishes on the ground at the puppy’s shoulder level. It is commonly believed that by raising these dishes, the volume of air consumed by diners and fast drinkers is much less, if any. There is no scientific evidence for this, but most Danish homeowners believe it works. Since bloat is a Danish killer, it makes perfect sense and it certainly cannot harm your pup in any way.

Once your Great Dane reaches the age of half to two, the puppy’s rare growth spurts will disappear and your dog will not be as fragile anymore. By the age of two, your dog will be fully grown and he will be able to change his food from a large or giant breed puppy to an adult large or giant breed. Keep your Dane on puppy food until he is two years old. Your dog will continue to mature until he is three years old.

A Danish puppy needs many friends to become a well socialized dog. There are three your dog can’t do without: you, the vet, and a responsible and caring Great Dane breeder. It is a good idea to contact the breeder if you have any questions. A Danish breeder is familiar with puppies of this breed and has experienced its growth phases many times. A good breeder will be able to tell you if something that worries you is normal or not.

Leave A Comment