A-Z-Animals

Great Dane Progression: Growth Chart, Milestones, and Training Tips

By Amber LaRock,

2024-08-25

If you are looking for a gentle giant to welcome into your home, then checkout the Great Dane! This canine companion may be large and a bit daunting, but they are one of the kindest pups around. Dogs that resemble the Great Dane date back hundreds of years, proving just how long this breed has existed in our hearts. With their regal appearance and loving personality, it’s no wonder so many people want a Great Dane of their own.

We want you to be as prepared as possible for being a Great Dane parent. For this reason, we discuss everything you need to know about Great Dane progression. In this article, we will discuss their expected growth each month, diet tips, potential health issues, and more!

Let’s get started!

Brief Great Dane Summary

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3zsXmn_0v9SQTgT00 — Today’s Great Dane is known for being docile, loving, and a bit nervous when faced with anything new.
©iStock.com/GlobalP

When you think of majestic canine friends, the Great Dane often comes to mind. This massive pup was originally bred to hunt wild boar . However, most Great Danes would fail in this mission today. Today’s breed is known for being docile, loving, and even a bit nervous when faced with anything new. This breed is truly a gentle soul in a daunting body.

Another great quality of the Great Dane is that they are not often very rambunctious or energetic. They can be goofy from time to time and enjoy playing with their owners, but they are often couch potatoes. While this doesn’t mean you can forego daily exercise, most Great Danes are happy to lounge around with their owners.

If you can accommodate their large size, then the Great Dane can be a wonderful addition to your family. Just be cautious around any small pets or children, as their size could lead to unintentional injuries.

Great Dane Growth and Weight Chart by Age

You likely know that you are welcoming a large pup into your home when adopting a Great Dane . Even still, you may not be aware of just how much they grow each month. We want you to be prepared for the growth spirts your dog will experience. Let’s break down their growth chart in detail.

Age	Male Weight	Female Weight
Birth	1-3 pounds	1-3 pounds
1 Month	5-8 pounds	4-7 pounds
6 Weeks	6-13 pounds	5-10 pounds
2 Months	15-30 pounds	12-25 pounds
3 Months	25-45 pounds	20-35 pounds
4 Months	45-65 pounds	40-55 pounds
5 Months	60-85 pounds	55-70 pounds
6 Months	65-100 pounds	60-85 pounds
7 Months	70-110 pounds	65-90 pounds
8 Months	80-120 pounds	70-100 pounds
9 Months	85-125 pounds	75-105 pounds
10 Months	90-130 pounds	80-110 pounds
11 Months	90-135 pounds	80-115 pounds
12 Months	95-140 pounds	85-120 pounds
2 Years	135-165 pounds	110-140 pounds

After looking over the Great Dane’s growth chart, it becomes clear why this pup is considered a giant breed dog. If you plan to adopt a Great Dane, be ready for massive growth throughout the first 18 months of life!

When Will My Great Dane Finally Stop Growing?

As you watch your Great Dane grow throughout their first year, you may wonder if the growing will ever stop. While their growth period is much longer than their small to medium sized canine friends, they will stop growing eventually!

On average, most Great Danes will stop growing once they reach two years of age. After 18 months of age, their growth will not be as extreme. You should be able to determine your dog’s mature size once he is two years old.

How Big Will My Great Dane Be When They Are Fully Grown?

Now that you know how long Great Danes grow, you might wonder how much they will weigh as adults. Though this can vary slightly between males and females, you can typically expect your Great Dane to weigh anywhere from 110-165 pounds.

The best way to gage adult weight is to see their parents in person. This is the most accurate way to understand your pup’s potential adult size.

Seeing your dog’s parents in person is also a wonderful way to rule out any obvious health complications or any breed characteristics you are not okay with.

When Should My Great Dane Stop Eating Puppy Food?

Puppy food is an essential tool in offering optimal growth and health into adulthood. This is especially true for giant breed dogs like the Great Dane. They need all the support possible when completing their massive growth spurts. Puppy food for giant breed dogs is packed with added calcium for bone support, higher levels of protein to encourage optimal growth, and an increased number of calories that fulfil energy requirements.

Due to the support puppy food offers, we suggest feeding your Great Dane a puppy diet for 18 months. Once she reaches 18 months, you can switch her over to an adult diet made for giant breed dogs .

The Biggest Great Dane Ever Recorded

The average Great Dane is impressive when it comes to size. However, one in particular is well-known for being the tallest in the world. Most Great Danes stand up to 34 inches at the shoulder, but a Great Dane named Zeus stands at roughly 42 inches. When he stands on his hind legs, he is over 7 feet tall! Now that is truly incredible.

When Will My Great Dane Start Losing Puppy Teeth?

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Iidqt_0v9SQTgT00 — Most Great Danes will begin to lose their puppy teeth around three months of age.
©iStock.com/Credit:BiancaGrueneberg

As your Great Dane puppy grows into adulthood, a change in size is not the only thing you will notice. You will likely see him lose his sharp puppy teeth, too.

When your Great Dane is around three months of age, her puppy teeth will begin to grow in. You will see tiny teeth erupting from her gums. These teeth will continue to grow over the next three weeks. By the six-week mark, your puppy should have all of her baby teeth.

Just like me and you, Great Danes will lose their baby teeth to make way for their permanent, adult teeth. This process typically begins at the three-month mark. You may find lose puppy teeth around your home during this period. In most cases, your puppy should lose her teeth from the ages of three to six months. She should have all of her adult teeth by six to seven months of age.

When Should I Start Training My Great Dane?

The Great Dane is kind-natured and docile. However, this does not mean you can pass on offering them basic obedience training. With a dog as big as the Great Dane, it’s important to make sure your pup is safe around family and in public.

While most Great Danes are gentle, they are known for being a bit nervous in unfamiliar settings. If you do not address this with basic training and socialization early on, this can easily turn into fear aggression.

So, now that you know how important training your Great Dane is, you may wonder when the best time is to dive into their training program. The answer to this question is typically when your Great Dane enters your home. Most Great Danes can catch on to basic commands when they are eight weeks old, so you can begin training at this point.

What Commands Should I Teach My Great Dane First?

If you have never trained a Great Dane before, you may not know which commands to start with. While every family will have a list of basic commands, we always recommend starting with these tricks first:

Sit
Stay
Lay down
Come
Drop it

In addition to the basic commands listed above, socialization is very important as well. Socialization should always be offered alongside a basic training routine, as the two together will help your Great Dane become a well-rounded companion.

Socializing your Great Dane should always involve introducing them to new animals, bringing new people around them, taking them to new places, and introducing them to new sounds. If you do this early on, your Great Dane will be the happiest and most well-behaved version of himself.

Socializing your growing Great Dane is important, but it’s essential to make sure he is well protected against infectious diseases while going to new places and meeting new canine friends. Until fully vaccinated, Great Dane puppies are at risk of catching parvovirus and canine distemper . Vaccination requires three sets of puppy vaccines and a booster each year. Because of this, we do not suggest bringing your Great Dane puppy around any unfamiliar dogs until he is fully vaccinated.

When Should I Potty Train My Great Dane?

Potty training is one of the most dreaded tasks new owners of Great Dane puppies face. It takes a lot of patience and consistency, but thankfully, many dogs catch on to the idea of housebreaking fairly quickly. Your Great Dane will likely be fully housebroken within three to five months of training implementation.

When Should My Great Dane Be Spayed or Neutered?

If you do not plan to breed your beloved Great Dane, then you may be looking for information on the best time to spay or neuter. Spaying or neutering your Great Dane can offer her a variety of health and behavioral benefits, ranging from preventing reproductive cancer to taming any unwanted behaviors driven by hormones.

Though we do suggest referring to your vet for any questions about your dog’s care, most experts agree that spaying or neutering between the ages of eight months to 12 months is best. We also suggest speaking with your vet about stomach tacking surgery. Your vet can perform this surgery while the puppy is already under anesthesia.

This tacking prevents the stomach from slipping on itself, which is a common complication in Great Danes due to their large and deep chest. Many vets can do this easily while your Great Dane is already sedated for her sterilization, preventing her from having to go under anesthesia again down the line.

Common Health Conditions Seen in the Great Dane

Most Great Danes will live a long and happy life of anywhere from seven to nine years, but there are a handful of health complications they are more prone to developing. We want you to be prepared for any health complications, so let’s list a few of their common health issues below.

GDV or Bloat

As we mentioned above, the Great Dane is at risk of developing GDV or bloat due to their deep chests. This condition occurs when the dog’s stomach flips on itself, which ultimately traps the contents of the stomach and prevents blood from flowing. This health complication is fatal, and dogs require immediate vet care. Some of the signs of bloat include sudden weakness, failed attempts at vomiting, abdominal swelling, lethargy, pale gums, weak pulses, and collapse.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia in Great Danes occurs when they are born with an abnormal formation of the hip joints. This causes the hip joints to be looser than they should be, ultimately causing the joint to rub and grind each time the dog walks. This can cause serious damage to the hip joint over time, and it can be incredibly painful. Common symptoms of hip dysplasia include joint stiffness, limping, difficulty getting up and down, muscle wasting around the hind end, change in gate, and leg sensitivity.

Cardiac Disease

Cardiac disease is common in this breed due to the prevalence of heart abnormalities in the breed. Many pet parents are unaware of these issues until their dog starts to experience coughing, exercise intolerance, lethargy, changes in appetite, and difficulty breathing. You can manage some of these issues with the help of your vet. We suggest booking an appointment as soon as she develops symptoms.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are common in Great Danes due to their droopy ears. Some of the common signs of an ear infection include ear redness, ear swelling, ear odor, pawing at the ears, rubbing their face on the ground, and pain when the ears are touched.