Large breed puppies have very special nutritional requirements because they grow differently from puppies of regular sized breeds. Generally, puppies gain 2-4 grams per kg of adult body weight everyday.  This corresponds to a daily gain of 5-10% of their birth weight.  This weight gain occurs at a faster rate in the first few weeks of a puppy's life than when he approaches adulthood; and so, younger puppies need more nutrition than older ones.

 The time taken by a puppy to reach his adult weight varies considerably among differenct breeds taking longer to reach maturity  (11 to 15 months)  So they need to be kept on a puppy food diet for a longer period.

 Also, large breed puppies have a lower tolerance for excess calcium in their food, and calcium supplements given in addition toa  balanced diet can actually prove harmful for bone development.