A dog’s age and lifestyle should influence its diet. Understanding your dog’s nutritional needs is the first step to ensuring that he/she lives a long, healthy life. Like all giant breeds and any large breed that goes through a rapid growth stage, care must be taken in selecting the proper diet when feeding Irish Wolfhounds. A slow-growth diet is vital for your puppy to avoid unnecessary orthopedic problems. The best place to get advice about what to feed your dog is from your breeder and/or your veterinarian.