The scores
Royal Canin Great Dane: D (46/100) — Below average. Chicken fat leads, followed by chicken by-product meal, tapioca, brewers rice, and corn. A fat-first formula with starchy fillers.
Taste of the Wild: B (78/100) — Above average. Buffalo as #1, lamb meal and chicken meal as concentrated proteins, with sweet potatoes and peas for grain-free carbs. Probiotics included.
A 32-point gap spanning two grade tiers. For Great Dane owners, the ingredient quality difference has direct implications for bloat prevention and cardiac health.
How the ingredients compare
Royal Canin Great Dane: Chicken Fat, Chicken By-Product Meal, Tapioca, Brewers Rice, Corn
Taste of the Wild: Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Chicken Meal
Royal Canin Great Dane is the only breed-specific formula we’ve reviewed where fat is the #1 ingredient. Chicken fat provides concentrated energy but zero protein. Chicken by-product meal at #2 is the first protein source, followed by tapioca (a pure starch with minimal nutritional value beyond calories), brewers rice, and corn. The top five delivers mostly fat, starch, and by-products.
Taste of the Wild leads with buffalo — a lean, whole meat protein — then lamb meal and chicken meal for concentrated protein from multiple animal sources. Sweet potatoes and peas provide complex carbohydrates with natural fiber. The formula also includes roasted bison, venison, and probiotics further down the list.
Where Taste of the Wild pulls ahead
Real meat first, protein diversity: Buffalo as #1, lamb meal as #2, and chicken meal as #5 deliver three distinct animal protein sources. Novel proteins like buffalo may be better tolerated by Great Danes with food sensitivities. Royal Canin’s sole protein source is chicken by-product meal, sitting behind chicken fat.
Probiotics for bloat-prone breed: TOTW includes Lactobacillus and Bacillus fermentation products for digestive health. Great Danes have the highest bloat/GDV risk of any breed, and a healthy gut microbiome supports the kind of stable digestion that reduces bloat triggers. Royal Canin’s formula contains no probiotics.
Whole food antioxidants: Blueberries, raspberries, and tomatoes provide natural antioxidants that support cellular health. Great Danes are prone to osteosarcoma and cardiomyopathy, both conditions where oxidative stress plays a role. Royal Canin’s formula provides no whole food antioxidant sources. Shop on Amazon →
Where Royal Canin Great Dane holds its own
The Great Dane formula includes L-tryptophan — unique among RC breed formulas — which may help reduce stress and anxiety. Stress is a known bloat trigger, making this a genuinely thoughtful breed-specific addition. Taurine supports heart health in a breed highly prone to dilated cardiomyopathy, and L-arginine supports circulation.
The large-format kibble is designed for a Great Dane’s massive jaw, and glucosamine and chondroitin support joints in a breed that puts enormous stress on its skeletal system. These targeted additions address the three biggest Great Dane health risks: bloat, heart disease, and joint problems.
The fat-first formula also provides high energy density, which Great Danes need to maintain their massive frames without eating excessive volumes of food — another bloat consideration, since large meal volumes can trigger GDV. Shop on Amazon →
The bottom line
Taste of the Wild provides significantly better ingredient quality at B/78 vs D/46 — real meat first, multiple protein sources, probiotics, and whole food antioxidants. For Great Dane owners, the probiotic support and protein quality are especially relevant given the breed’s extreme bloat vulnerability and cancer risk.
Royal Canin Great Dane’s L-tryptophan and taurine are valuable breed-specific additions, but they sit on a formula where fat is the #1 ingredient and tapioca starch is #3. These supplements can be added separately to a higher-quality base diet. Read our full reviews of Royal Canin Great Dane and Taste of the Wild for the complete ingredient breakdown.