Great Dane Puppy Feeding

Question
Hi there, I want to start off by giving you some background about myself, so you can possibly understand WHY I am so conflicted... I work in a natural pet food store, I have a 6 y/o Chihuahua who has been eating raw since I got her... and she's the epitome of good health. After reading and researching for months about pet foods at work, I've come to find that large breed puppies are said to do better developmentally on a lower protein diet, and minimal calcium intake.

I'm going to be adopting a 4 month old male great Dane puppy at the end of the month, and I am highly confused as which brand of food to feed him. The best results I can come up with are Innova Large breed puppy, and Solid Gold Wolf Cub. Both of these have lower protein than other puppy food brands available at my store, (eg: Wellness Puppy, or Orijen)

I really was set on feeding my puppy Orijen, because it is a Large Breed Puppy food, and I have heard good things from customers using this brand... but the minimum protein count is 42.

My question is, are the articles I've read on high-protein puppy food true? Will my dog develop Wobblers and other terrible things if I don't keep him on a very low protein diet until he is fully mature?

Thank you SO much in advance for your opinion,
Lyndsay.

Answer
It is recommended that dry food for large breeds should not exceed 20% protein and there is enough calcium without adding any more.  Animals are funny, deer can live on acid soils where there is no calcium and yet they produce large sets of antlers each year.

Send me an email to

bengraftondanes@aol.com

and i will send you a copy of our diet sheet.

Ken