If you already have a Great Dane puppy, you may have noticed how quickly they grow. When your pup got to around eight weeks of age, you could pick him up and cuddle him up nicely. At ten weeks you can barely lift the dog. This growth period is the most stressful in a Danish puppy’s life, as many things can go wrong during this critical period when the skeleton quickly 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 between four and nine months of age. Also known as a “wandering limp,” it causes inflammation in the long bone of one of the legs and often moves from one leg to the other. The degree of panosteitis can range from a mild, imperceptible limp to an excruciatingly painful condition that makes your dog cry and not want to get up. You will notice that you are limping on one leg this week and the other leg next week. By the time the pup is one year old, this condition has usually cleared up. 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 the utmost importance.

Although a Great Dane puppy is big, don’t be fooled into mistaking him 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 needs time to set in properly so that it can support the future weight of the dog. By all means, take your pup for a walk 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 along, as the jarring of bones, sockets, and joints can cause further damage. Supervise activity with other dogs. Large dogs can play rough games and bump into the pup 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 poke, push, and pull a large puppy while they play. This is decidedly a bad idea, as is jerking your pup’s neck while he plays tug of war and pulling his tail and paws while he plays. 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 pup to chase and fetch a ball. You can play tug of war together, but gently. Allow the pup to pull the whole thing while you passively hold the other end.

You will no doubt notice some oddities in your growing Danish puppy’s conformation. Growth shoots often occur. Suddenly, the rear of the pup will be much taller than the front. Perhaps the front rises higher than the rear. A cow hock (toes that turn outward) can occur on the hind legs and sometimes on the front feet as well. The dog’s rear end may appear pinched, making the dog look very wide from behind. They also sometimes appear wider along the entire length of the body. It’s pretty scary to see a Danish puppy go through what are known as “ganglies.” Please be assured that this is normal.

It is not common for a puppy to “knot” at the front pasterns (ankle joints). When the dog is sitting, this will be especially noticeable as the front legs will appear to droop 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 a poor quality dog ​​food), then you should contact your vet, breeder, or nutritionist before making dietary changes. Many experienced breeders reduce protein levels and increase vitamin C intake to correct this condition. Without the proper experience, never try this alone!

Great Dane puppies are clumsy. Sometimes they fall over because they are not well coordinated. However, a Danish puppy should not constantly fall over. If he feels that your pup is tipping over excessively, he is too clumsy or has very poor leg coordination, 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 going to your vet, he knows 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 into 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 are 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 become trapped inside the stomach and is fatal if not treated promptly. Typically affecting dogs five years and older, bloat is a condition you need to understand. Prevention is better than cure. As your pup gets older, you can start to place the food and water bowls on the floor, at the level of the pup’s shoulders. It is commonly believed that by raising these plates, 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 it works. Since bloat is such a huge killer to Danes, it makes perfect sense and it certainly can’t harm your pup in any way.

Once your Great Dane reaches the age of a half to two years, the puppy’s uncomfortable growth spurts will wear off 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 a large or giant breed adult. Keep your Dane on puppy food until he has reached the age of two. Your dog will continue to mature until three years old.

A Danish 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 responsible and loving Great Dane breeder. It’s a good idea to contact the breeder if he has questions. A Danish breeder is familiar with 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 worried about is normal or not.