Hello, pet parents! Welcome to my ultimate guide on feeding Great Pyrenees.
In this guide, I will cover how much to feed a Great Pyrenees, how often to feed your Great Pyrenees; when to feed your Great Pyrenees, what foods to feed your Great Pyrenees, what foods to avoid feeding your Great Pyrenees; and other questions you may have about your Great Pyrenees’ nutrition.
You can read the article to the end, or go through the table of contents below and jump to the section that answers the questions you have on your mind.
- Great Pyrenees Nutritional Requirements
- Factors Affecting The Feeding of Your Great Pyrenees
- Great Pyrenees Feeding Amount
- Great Pyrenees Feeding Frequency
- Great Pyrenees Feeding Schedule
- The Kind of Food To Feed Your Great Pyrenees
- The Food To Avoid Feeding a Great Pyrenees
- When To Transition Your Great Dane From Puppy Food To Adult Food
- Why Your Great Pyrenees Is Not Eating
- Why Your Great Pyrenees Is Always Hungry
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts
Great Pyrenees are known to be affectionate, calm, and playful dogs. They are very agile and energetic with good muscular frames. They are intelligent dogs capable of learning new things and can be easily socialized.
Great Pyrenees are working dogs that were originally bred for protecting and herding sheep. Their large frame requires the right nutrition in order to keep their health level at optimum. They are energetic dogs that require exercise for some minutes per day.
I have created this ultimate guide to feeding your Great Pyrenees to curious and new pet parents to solve your dog’s nutrition problem. I will go into details from my personal knowledge working for a vet on every feed question you might have.
Let’s jump into the article.
Great Pyrenees Nutritional Requirements
Great Pyrenees are large-sized dogs that require the proper nutrients in their specific amount to grow healthy. Like other dog breeds, if some of these nutrients are present in excess amounts or less, it would end up endangering the overall health of your dog.
Your Great Dane’s meal should majorly consist of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins to meet their nutritional requirements for a healthy lifestyle.
Your Great Pyrenees has a large muscular and skeletal frame, which can be maintained with the proper nutrition. Protein sources must be from animal protein like chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef.
Their fat source can be from fish oil or vegetable, source of fiber is from wholesome healthy vegetables like cabbages, carrots, sprouts, and broccoli. Your Great Pyrenees meals should contain some amount of vitamins and minerals for a healthy immune system and bones.
Nutritional Requirement for a Great Pyrenees Puppy
The diet of a Great Pyrenees puppy and adolescent should consist of 25-27% protein, 12-15% fat, and 6% fiber. Great Pyrenees as puppies are in their growing stage and thus have a high metabolism, quality nutrient-dense food will go a long way in determining that they grow most healthily.
They require protein for building healthy muscles and minerals for strong bones, carbohydrates for energy, and fats for maintaining a healthy fur.
Nutritional Requirement for an Adult Great Pyrenees
The meal plan for mature and adult Great Pyrenees should consist of 21-25% protein, and carbohydrate, 8-10% fat, and fiber. At this stage, Great Pyrenees are most active and will need protein and carbohydrates to keep their weight and energy level optimal.
However, you should avoid overfeeding your pet at this stage as Great Danes are prone to obesity and will develop health complications.
Nutritional Requirement For a Senior Great Pyrenees
At this stage of your dog’s life, it is less active than at other stages. Your pet’s food at this stage of life should ideally consist of 28-32% protein, 5% fat, and fiber. Senior Great Pyrenees will need more minerals and vitamins in their food to keep their immune system and bones healthy.
Factors Affecting The Feeding of Your Great Pyrenees
Some factors will affect the diet of your Great Pyrenees, such as the size of the breed, its age, its activity level, and its underlying health conditions.
Let’s take a quick look at those factors before we jump into the quantity of food to feed your dog.
Size consideration
The average length of a Great Pyrenees for Males is 70-82 cm and for females is 65-74cm from the sole of its feet to its shoulder. The weight of male Great Pyrenees is 45-75 kg and Females 39-52 kg.
Male Cocker Spaniels are generally bigger than female Great Pyrenees, which means that the male will require a larger intake of calories than the female to stay healthy and strong.
Age consideration
Great Pyrenees puppies will require more calories during their growing stage due to their high metabolic rate. They need to be fed a lot if you want them to grow into strong, healthy dogs.
Adult Great Pyrenees should not be fed more frequently than puppies. The adults have a slow metabolism that can lead to stomach bloating and indigestion if they’re fed excessively.
Your senior Great Pyrenees will be less active and require fewer calories than when they were younger. Doing otherwise might lead to obesity and other serious health problems.
Activity Level
Athletes are required to maintain a strict diet compared to non-athletes, so you should also keep your Great Pyrenees away from certain foods if you want to maintain its athletic abilities.
You wouldn’t want to feed your Great Pyrenees a meal high in fat and sodium, like cheap fast food, which would make him sluggish and lethargic.
These fast foods don’t contain the nutrients that would make your dog perform to the best of their abilities and make them slow to learn new tricks or obey your commands.
Health Consideration
Some health issues that affect your Great Pyrenees include hip and elbow dysplasia, cataracts, canine multifocal retinopathy, entropion, neuron degeneration, patellar luxation, gastric dilatation, and volvulus.
These health problems could be avoided or mitigated by eating or avoiding certain foods from the start, rather than treating them as they arise.
It might be tempting to cut corners and go for the cheapest food. But engaging in such an act in the long run could lead to pain, seeing your Great Pyrenees sick, frequent visits to the vet, and thousands of dollars in expenses.
Great Pyrenees Feeding Amount
Your Great Pyrenees, just like any other dog breed, will require different amounts of food according to their stage of development. The amount of food a puppy will need will be different than the amount of food an adult will need to meet their nutritional requirements.
Feed your puppy Great Pyrenees 1 to 4 cups of food per day with 532 to 2529 kcal; feed your adult Great Pyrenees 4 to 7 cups per day with 2206 to 2529 kcal; and feed your senior Great Pyrenees 4-6 cups per day with 1308 to 1962 kcal.
I will provide you with charts below to help you plan your dog’s meals from its puppy years to its senior years. However, this meal plan is not one-size-fits-all. It’s just a general guideline that should be followed based on your dog’s needs and recommendations from your vet or dog nutritionist.
How Much To Feed a Great Pyrenees Puppy
For your children to grow into healthy adults, the meal should be high in protein and low in fat, which can be obtained from animal meat.
A Great Pyrenees puppy should be given 4 to 7 cups of food per day that contains 2206–2529 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The feeding requirement of your puppy is given in detail in the charts below:
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 2 – 4 months | 1 – 3 | 532 – 1,312 | 25 – 27% | 12 – 15% |
| 5 – 6 months | 2 – 3 | 1,389 – 1,866 | 25 – 27% | 12 – 15% |
| 7 – 12 months | 3 – 4 | 1,724 – 2,529 | 25 – 27% | 12 – 15% |
Following the above guidelines will aid in bone development and muscle growth, as well as strengthen their immune system to combat common bacteria and viruses that can cause health complications.
How Much To Feed an Adult Great Pyrenees
The nutritional requirements of an adult Great Pyrenees differ from those of a puppy. To prevent obesity, the food of mature Great Pyrenees should contain a lower percentage of proteins and fats. This is done by reducing the feeding frequency to two times per day.
A mature and adult Great Pyrenees puppy should be given 4 to 7 cups of food per day that contain 2206 to 2529 kcal of nutrients based on its age, weight, size, gender, and physical activity.
The chart below will give you an understanding of the daily consumption needs of adult Great Pyrenees and help you with their meal plan.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 1 – 5 years | 4 – 7 | 2,206 – 2,529 | 21 – 25% | 8 – 10% |
How Much To Feed Your Senior Great Pyrenees
Senior Great Pyrenees are generally less active than their younger counterparts due to fragile bones and joints. This means their meals will contain fewer calories, protein, and fat.
Geriatric The Great Pyrenees are often plagued with health issues. Some of these issues can be alleviated by supplementing your senior dog’s diet with vitamins and minerals to help revive his or her weakened immune system and fragile bones.
Senior and geriatric Great Pyrenees puppies should be given 4-6 cups of food per day that contain 1308 to 1962 kcal of nutrients based on their age, weight, size, gender, and health issues.
The table below gives you some details about the meal plan for older Great Pyrenees.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity (Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 7 years and above | 4 – 6 | 1308 – 1962 | 28 – 32% | >5% |
You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you give your adult Great Dane, only in a smaller quantity as they don’t need as many calories as adult dogs. However, you should still consult your vet or pet nutritionist to be on the safe side.
Great Pyrenees Feeding Frequency
Your Great Pyrenees’ meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which are majorly dependent on its age. Below is a list of how often to feed your Great Pyrenees:
How Often Should You Feed Your Great Pyrenees Puppy?
• During the weaning process or at 8 weeks old and below, feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 8 weeks to 3 months old: feed them four times a day at equally spaced intervals.
• 4 months to 12 months old: gradually transition to feeding them three times a day with equally spaced time intervals.
| Age | Optimal Feeding Times |
| 2 – 5 months | 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. |
| 6 – 12 months | 8:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. |
| 1 year and above | 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. |
How Often Should You Feed Your Adult Great Pyrenees?
You should feed your adult Great Pyrenees two times a day, with 12 hours of spacing between meals. One in the morning and one in the evening is ideal.
How Often Should You Feed Your Senior Great Pyrenees?
You should feed your senior Great Pyrenees two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.
Great Pyrenees Feeding Schedule
• Great Pyrenees puppies should be free-fed or fed in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night due to a faster metabolism in comparison to their adult colleagues
• Adolescent Great Pyrenees should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into adults.
• Adult and senior Great Pyrenees should also be fed in the morning and evening unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.
As a general rule, you should feed your Great Pyrenees a few hours before going to bed in the evening, so they have enough time to digest the food before going to sleep.
In total, we shouldn’t spoil our companions with treats as they may grow too attached to them. Treats should be primarily used as a reward when training your Great Pyrenees.
| Age | Optimal Feeding Times |
| 2 – 5 months old | 6:00 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm, and 9:00 pm |
| 6 – 12 months | 7:00 am, 12:00 pm, 5:00 pm |
| 1 – 6 years | 7:00 am, 7:00 pm |
| 7 years and above | 7:00 am or 7:00 pm if fed once a day; 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. if fed twice a day. |
The Kind of Food To Feed Your Great Pyrenees
The food you feed your Great Dane should specifically cater to large breeds and contain the required nutrients necessary for a strong and healthy dog.
The kind of food to feed your Great Dane includes dry dog food, wet dog food, home-cooked food, and Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) to ensure your dog eats a balanced diet.
Let me touch on these few points to help you understand what to feed your dog:
Dry Dog Food: Dry dog food, or kibble, is a portion of commercial pet food made by grinding and mixing up ingredients like meats, grains, and nutritional additives, which are then shaped into little kernels and cooked at high temperatures to remove the water content. Dry dog food contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein. Dry dog food is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.
Wet Dog Food: Wet dog food, or canned food, is made by mixing up and cooking the ingredients before adding or extracting varying amounts of water. Unlike dry dog food, wet dog food contains more water, fewer carbs, more fat, and often more protein. They are recommended by veterinarians due to their high water content, taste, ease of eating, and high nutritional profile.
Home-Cooked Diet: Home-cooked diets are a great option for pet parents who are not into commercial dog food and want to go the extra length to prepare a meal for their furry companion. Feeding your dog a home-cooked meal gives you control over its nutrition and can put your mind at ease knowing that you are always giving your dog the best care.
BARF Diet:Biologically Appropriate Raw Food is a diet that includes raw meat, raw eggs, crushed animal bones, fruits, vegetables, probiotics, and other natural ingredients. BARF diets are used as a substitute for processed foods with preservatives. However, consult your vet before feeding your pet a raw diet to avoid health complications from harmful substances.
The Food To Avoid Feeding a Great Pyrenees
We should take caution before giving whatever food we’re eating to our Great Pyrenees. They have large appetites, which makes it tempting to hand them whatever we find ourselves eating.
There are certain human foods, fruits, and vegetables to avoid feeding your Great Pyrenees because these foods contain toxins that are harmful to your pet that could lead you to frequent trips to the vet.
Human food to avoid feeding your Great Pyrenees includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.
The fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your Great Pyrenees include grapes, avocado, garlic, onions, etc.
You should always check the ingredients on the food label to see if these ingredients are present in the food. Or you can simply consult a vet or pet nutritionist to check the ingredients with them.
When To Transition Your Great Dane From Puppy Food To Adult Food
You should transition your Great Pyrenees puppy from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 10–12 months old.
Transitioning your adolescent Great Pyrenees from puppy food to adult food is an important stage in your dog’s development. Puppy food contains more calories and nutrients than adult food to meet the nutritional requirements at that stage of life.
Transitioning needs to be gradual by introducing adult feed bit by bit until you get to 100% adult feed.
However, feeding your adult Great Pyrenees puppy food will fill them with more protein and fat than their body requires and will lead to obesity due to the high fat content the body doesn’t need for optimum growth.
| Day | Puppy Food | Adult Food |
| Day 1 – 2 | 75% | 25% |
| Day 3 – 4 | 50% | 50% |
| Day 5 – 6 | 25% | 75% |
| Day 7 – 8 | 0% | 100% |
Why Your Great Pyrenees Is Not Eating
Your Great Pyrenees will not eat if it has one or a combination of the factors listed below:
Illness, dental problems, teething, medication, constipation, time of day, spoiled food, dehydration, and stress
The Great Pyrenees can be picky eaters; one way to combat this is to make their food a mixture, like kibble mixed with some quantity of B.A.R.F. However, you should see the vet as soon as possible if your Great Dane consistently refuses to eat and drink.
Why Your Great Pyrenees Is Always Hungry
The Great Pyrenees, like other large dog breeds, are big eaters. Other reasons may be a deficiency in some nutrients, learned behaviors, too much stress, or a lack of food training.
Excessive exercise will make your dog’s body burn faster, thus making them hungry after such exercises. Worms could be another reason your dog is always hungry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Great Pyrenees eat a lot?
Can Great Pyrenees become vegetarians?
As a whole, Great Pyrenees can live on a vegetarian diet as long as their diet consists of enough nutrients, proteins, fats, and calories to meet their nutritional requirements.
However, you should consult a pet nutritionist or veterinarian to plan a vegan diet for your dog breed to prevent health complications that can arise from an uncertain practice.
Can Great Pyrenees eat bones?
However, you should follow some guidelines laid down by the American Kennel Club before giving bones to your Cocker spaniel. One of the guidelines is to throw away the raw meat bones given to your furry friend after three to four days.
What human food can I feed my Great Pyrenees?
What fruits and vegetables can I feed my Great Pyrenees?
Should You Give Your Great Pyrenees Supplements?
Final Thoughts
Great Pyrenees are awesome family dogs. They are calm and affectionate dogs that will make any pet parent happy. They are prone to a lot of health issues that can be remedied with balanced and correct nutrition. Anything short of this is sure to result in health issues.
Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. You can free-feed your Great Danes as puppies, but you have to draw up a strict plan as they go on. It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided, as some are toxic.
However, if you desire more information on how to take care of your Great Pyrenees, you should contact the nearest vet for information on essential nutrients, and you can also see a pet nutritionist for a regimen schedule for your pet.
