Do

• Elevate food and water. It makes it more comfortable for them and helps prevent bloat.
• Remember unlike smaller breeds Danes are puppies until 18 months of age.
• Basic obedience is important – An untrained Dane can be more than a nuisance once fully grown.
• Vaccinate puppies.
• Consult your vet about worming and heart worming treatments.
• Do feed a good quality biscuit.
• Always have fresh water available.
• Vitamin C should be started around 8 – 10 weeks – 250mg at first increasing to 1000/1500mg by 3 – 4 months up until maturity. This is an excellent help with teething and hips and any that the body doesn’t use gets flushed out in the urine so don’t worry about overdosing.
• Provide soft thick well padded bedding to support your puppies elbows and joints.
• Remember puppies chew. Supply enough safe toys so they are not eating your furniture.

Don't

• No forced exercise – No jogging or road work until 2 years and bones are set.
• Do not feed standard puppy or performance food as they are high in calories and promote accelerated growth. It is important these dogs grow slow and even, so that the bone develops at the same rate as the muscle. High protein/fat/calories food does not mean a bigger dog.
• Do not encourage jumping on your shoulders as it is damaging.
• Do not exercise for 1 –2 hours after meals.
• Do not feed chicken mince for the first 12 months because it is too high in protein. The occasional wing or neck is acceptable.
• Do not play tug of war games, no chasing games or wrestling on the floor games with your puppy, their bones are more delicate than you would think.
• Don’t put you Great Dane in the backyard and forget about him/her. THEY NEED HUMAN COMPANIONSHIP.
• Do not let young puppies climb up and down stairs as it is very hard on their shoulders and can cause serious injury.
• Do not overfeed. Dane puppies need to be on the lean side.