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Great Dane Weight: Need to Know All About It for Perfect Caring
A Great Dane is one of the greatest dog breeds and also a very noble one. It is very commonly known as the “Apollo of dogs” as well. This breed of dog has been there for many years now and is visible in many ancient drawings and murals as well. The Great Dane is a pure breed, and if you have decided on getting one for yourself, then it is best to adopt from a dog rescue or shelter rather than buy one from the pet store.
However, if you are already a proud owner of a Great Dane and looking to make sure that it stays healthy and strong, then this article is for you where we discuss how to put weight on a Great Dane in a healthy way.
More About Great Dane
Great Danes have a popularity ranking of 16 out of 197 dog breeds according to the American Kennel Club; this shows the popularity of Great Danes in the US. These dogs grow very tall compared to other dog breeds. Its humongous size is one reason that makes people think that it is a very aggressive dog. However, Great Danes have been known to be highly gentle and family-friendly. It could be a very affectionate pet for you if you take good care of it. When needed, it also doubles up as a great protector for its owners as well.
Great Danes can grow up to 30–32 inches for males and 28–30 inches for females and have a life expectancy of 7–10 years. Great Danes were bred as hunter dogs to hunt wild boars. But recently, the ferociousness of the Great Danes has been bred out, and they are just gentle souls who are friendly with all creatures. Great Danes’ size makes them an ideal guard dog, as their bark is loud as well; both factors can easily scare off an incoming robber.
The dog’s size can come out as an issue as well because your friends might get intimidated by a dog that probably weighs almost the same as them. It is best to take Great Danes for obedience classes as well to teach them manners. You don’t want a dog of this size to be running around your house and knocking off your expensive stuff.
Physical Characteristics of a Great Dane: Weight, Weight Chart, Puppy Weight, Height
Here are some physical characteristics of this giant dog breed.
The Average Weight of a Great Dane:
They have a weight of 145–170 pounds for males and 110–140 pounds for females. This is just the average weight range for Great Danes, and there are some dogs that can be less or more than the weight mentioned here. In kilos, the weight would be around 54-91 KGs for males and 45-59 KGs for adult females. This shows that they can weigh very similar to humans, and that is why it is also very important to make sure that extra care is taken to maintain this weight.
The weight of a Great Dane puppy:
Great Danes face growth usually spurs after they are more than three months old. The growth can either keep increasing or stop, but that is when they start growing. That tells us that Great Dane puppies tend to be very small, like other puppies. For example, an eight-week-old puppy weighs around 18–24 pounds. Female puppies are normally in the lower part of this range, while male puppies would be in the higher one. Great Dane puppies can grow very rapidly, and within months you will see your dog all grown up.
The height of a Great Dane:
Great Danes have a standing height of around 44 inches, or 112 centimeters. Great male Great Danes have a shoulder height of 30–32 inches or 76–81 centimeters; as for great female Great Danes, the shoulder height is 28 to 30 inches or 71 to 76 centimeters. Other than that, Great Danes can stand more than 6 feet tall when they are standing on their two feet. This makes them even taller than average humans.
Average Weight and Height Charts for Great Danes:
Below you will find the weight and height charts corresponding to each age group of Great Danes and also the average measure for both males and females.
| Age | Weight (Lbs) | Height (Inches) | Weight (Kg) | Height (CM) |
| At Birth | 1-2 | N/A | 0.45-0.90 | N/A |
| 1 Week | 2-3 | N/A | 0.90-1.36 | N/A |
| 2 Weeks | 3-5 | N/A | 1.3-2.3 | N/A |
| 3 Weeks | 4-7 | N/A | 1.8-3.2 | N/A |
| 4 Weeks | 5-8 | N/A | 2.3-3.6 | N/A |
| 6 Weeks | 10-20 | N/A | 4.5-9.0 | N/A |
| 2 Months | 18-26 | 13-18 | 8.2-11.8 | 33.0-45.7 |
| 3 Months | 30-45 | 17-23 | 13.6–20.41 | 43.2–58.4 |
| 4 Months | 45-65 | 21–26 | 20.4–29.5 | 53.3–66.0 |
| 5 Months | 60-85 | 23–30 | 27.2–38.5 | 58.4–76.2 |
| 6 Months | 70-105 | 26–33 | 31.7–47.6 | 66.0–83.8 |
| 7 Months | 75-110 | 27–34 | 34.0–49.9 | 68.6–86.36 |
| 8 Months | 80-120 | 27–35 | 36.3–54.3 | 66.6–88.9 |
| 9 Months | 85-125 | 28–35 | 38.5–56.7 | 71.1–88.9 |
| 1 Year | 90-140 | 29–36 | 40.8–63.50 | 73.6–91.4 |
| Adults | Weight (Lbs) | Height (Inches) | Weight (Kg) | Height (CM) |
| Males | 135–170 | 33–36 | 61.2–77.1 | 83.8-91.4 |
| Female | 110-145 | 30-34 | 49.9-65.7 | 76.2-86.4 |
How Should You Take Care of a Great Dane and Put on Weight in a Healthy Way?
If your Great Dane is below the average weight mentioned above, then it might be something you should worry about. If your dog is underweight, it isn’t a good thing at all as it can cause some serious health issues for it. We have outlined some tips below for you so that you can help your Great Dane put on some weight in a healthy way without harming it in any way.
Reasons for Great Danes to Look Underweight
Great Danes have lean and muscular bodies, which might make them look underweight even if they aren’t. However, there are some factors that do influence the reason why they look very skinny. Great Danes will reach their full form only by the time they are three years old. If you have a Great Dane who is only one year old and looks skinny, then you need to wait because they haven’t grown completely yet. There might be illnesses that are causing your Great Dane to be underweight. It is good practice to take your pets for regular checkups to make sure that they are healthy.
If your Great Dane is underweight, there are a few ways you can know. One of them is that the dog would have a heavier weight than the one mentioned in the chart above in accordance with their age. Other than that, a Great Dane that is extremely skinny will have its ribs visible as well. This is just another great way to identify the problem. If only the last rib of the dog is visible when they are standing, it means that they have a healthy weight as this is completely normal.
How to Put Weight On Your Great Dane?
There are a few effective ways of helping your Great Dane put on weight:
- You have to change their meal if you have not done so yet. Give them food that is high in rich protein and rich calories.
- You can add beef or chicken ingredients as it would help provide them with the nutrients.
- Another good way to get them to gain weight is to offer them treats every now and then when you are playing with them.
- Treats are a good way to help them gain weight as they are extra calories from their regular meals.
- Treats are a very easy way of making sure that your dog is getting enough food.
If your dog still doesn’t gain weight, then it is likely because it is sick, and the best thing to do is to take them to the vet to get them checked up.
How to Make Sure Your Great Danes Maintain Their Weight
Once your Great Dane has gained the required amount of weight, you also need to know how to help your dog maintain it. An easy approach is to prepare a feeding chart and make it a habit to continue giving your dog the required amount of food they need. If you do not make this habit, your dog might go back to not eating its food properly and will go back to its former self.
One other factor to make sure that your dog does not lose weight even after following the meal chart is to make sure they are not overactive, as then they would lose all the calories they have been taking in. The calculation is easy, take in more and give out less.
FAQ
Why shouldn’t you get a Great Dane?
There is a score of problems that come with keeping a Great Dane as a pet. As you already know how big it is, it gets hard to manage a dog of such a size. You may scare off visitors or kids who come to your house just due to the huge appearance of a Great Dane. Other than that, keeping a Great Dane wouldn’t be a great idea if you live in a small house.
Great Danes also have a lot of serious health issues relating to bones, joints, and heart. They also get allergies pretty often, so you might need to visit the vet a lot.
What is the heaviest Great Dane?
Giant George may be called the heaviest Great Dane ever. He was also recognized as the world’s tallest living dog, with a height of 43 inches or 109.2 centimeters. Giant George had a weight of a staggering 245 pounds, which is 111 Kilograms.
He also had a lot of records to his name due to his big size, weight, and height. Sadly, Giant George is no more with us as he passed away in 2013, having survived seven years.
How big is a full-grown Great Dane?
A full-grown Great Dane can reach a height of 33 – 36 inches or 84 – 91 centimeters and weigh around 135 – 170 pounds or 61 – 77 kilograms for males. As for females, a full-grown Great Dane can have a height of 30 – 34 inches or 76 – 86 centimeters and weigh around 110 – 145 pounds or 50 – 66 kilograms.
These ranges are just an average, and there have been many cases where the dogs were smaller or larger than this average.
What is the heaviest dog?
English Mastiffs normally hold the record for being the heaviest dogs in the world. The biggest weight ever recorded for a dog belonged to a dog called Zorba. Zorba was an English Mastiff who lived from 1981 – 1992. Zorba had a huge weight of around 314 pounds or 142 kilograms initially when he was weighed for the first time.
Later on, he went on to have a weight of 330 pounds or 149.7 kilograms. Zorba had a length of 8.3 feet from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail.
Final Words
Great Danes are very friendly creatures, and it is important that you take good care of them if you decide to bring one to your house. Feeding them enough and following diet and meal charts should be enough to help you make sure that they have a healthy weight on them. We hope this article has been informative for you.