hill science diet large breed puppy nutrition information

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

Contributions sourced from

Special Diet Needs for Large & Giant-Breed Puppies

Large and giant breed dogs Great Danes, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and the like have different nutritional needs than smaller breeds. All puppies are born with their bones still developing, but large breed puppies are more susceptible to developmental bone and joint disease during their rapid growth phase to 1 year of age. In fact, large breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 5 months of age. Smaller breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 4 months of age.

The growth rates of all puppies are dependent on the food that they eat. Puppies should be fed to grow at an average, rather than a maximum, growth rate. Compared to smaller-sized puppies, large breed puppies need restricted levels of fat and calcium to moderate their rate of growth. Theyll still reach their full-grown size, just over a longer period of time, which will result in healthy development of bones and joints for these breeds.

Two key nutrients that should be decreased for large breed puppies are fat (and total calories) and calcium:

Fat: High fat/calorie intake causes rapid weight gain, and bones/muscles arent developed enough to support the excessive body weight. Controlling the fat level and total calories in the food for these puppies may help reduce the risk of developmental bone and joint problems.
Calcium: Excessive calcium intake increases the likelihood of skeletal problems. It is also recommended that calcium supplements not be fed with any commercial pet food for growth.

Hills Large Breed products are designed to help large breed dogs live long, quality lives. We limit the levels of calcium and fat in Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed dog food, but we do add high levels of certain nutrients that have been shown to benefit big dogs like omega-3 fatty acids, L-carnitine and the highest levels of the antioxidant vitamins E+C versus all leading brands. These nutrients help maintain healthy joints and cartilage because large breed dogs are more likely to put stress on their joints due to their size. Mastiffs, Labs ,and all the other large and giant breeds that we love can benefit from precisely balanced nutrition to live their lives to the fullest.

Puppy Large Breed Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe

INGREDIENTS:Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Oats, Chicken Fat, Pea Protein, Whole Grain Wheat, Brewers Rice, Wheat Gluten, Hydrolyzed Chicken Flavor, Soybean Meal, Egg Product, Ground Pecan Shells, Lactic Acid, Pork Liver Flavor, Soybean Oil, Flaxseed, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Citrus Pulp, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Iodized Salt, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Pressed Cranberries, L-Threonine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Taurine, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, DL-Methionine, L-Tryptophan, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene.

Puppy Large Breed Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe

INGREDIENTS:Chicken, Brown Rice, Whole Grain Oats, Chicken Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Chicken Fat, Pea Protein, Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken Liver Flavor, Ground Pecan Shells, Lactic Acid, Pork Liver Flavor, Dicalcium Phosphate, Flaxseed, Dried Beet Pulp, Fish Oil, Iodized Salt, Dried Citrus Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Pressed Cranberries, Calcium Carbonate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), DL-Methionine, L-Threonine, Taurine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Tryptophan, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene.

Puppy Large Breed Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe

Hill's Puppy Food: Quality Ingredients for Health & Nutrition

All Hill's pet foods combine exceptional health benefits with excellent value at just pennies more per day than grocery brands and come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee that your pet will love the taste.

Hill's puppy foods

Hill's puppy foods provide complete and balanced nutrition for growing puppies. Depending on the specific needs of your pet, your veterinarian can recommend which Hill's Science Diet puppy food is best for your new puppy.

All Hill's puppy foods contain:

A powerful combination of antioxidants to promote a healthy immune system*
Natural DHA to promote better brain and vision development*
Fatty acids to support healthy function of the nervous and immune systems, and promote healthy skin and a shiny coat
Highly digestible carbohydrates to supply abundant energy for lively puppies
All the essential vitamins and minerals needed to provide a complete balance for growth
A great taste your puppy will love
Natural preservatives

*Dry formulas only

DHA and why it's important

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is an omega-3 fatty acid found naturally in the breast milk of dogs. As a major building block of the brain, DHA is critical for vision and central nervous system development. Foods enhanced with DHA, like Hill's puppy foods, help puppies reach their potential for body and brain development.

Hill's Science Diet Puppy Healthy Development

Optimal levels of DHA from high quality fish oil for healthy brain and eye development.
Clinically proven antioxidants for a healthier immune system.
Precisely balanced nutrition, proven to ensure ideal body weight.

After feeding your puppy specially formulated Hill's puppy foods for his first year, you can now choose from a wide variety of Science Diet pet foods and Prescription Diet pet foods for a complete line of great-tasting nutrition for your pet based on age, activity level and special needs.

Hill's Science Diet Puppy Large Breed

Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Sorghum, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Dried Beet Pulp, Pork Liver Flavor, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Iodized Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Oat Fiber, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas.