# Feeding the Great Pyrenees



## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

We just got our first Great Pyr pup. He's 13 weeks old. I have a question about the feeding of these guys. I have been some research on the breed and many suggest just feeding them as much as they want to eat as long as they are not spayed/neutered. 

The people we got him from were feeding him ONE CUP of food ONCE per day. This doesn't sound right to me.... although we had St. Bernard pups years ago and the Vet told us not to feed them more than 2 cups of food per day because they had gained too much weight.

I know many of you have Pyrs, so I thought I'd ask before I overfed or starved him!


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I fed Bandit as much as he wanted but not puppy food and I didn't go with the high protein adult foods. What i read when he was little was that you didn't want to encourage fast growth like the puppy foods would. Bandit was always a picky eater though....he would turn his nose up at his dogfood and snitch cornbread at any chance. He also loved pizza whenever my 4yo would feed it to him. One time he stole a whole ham I had just cooked for us. The only safe place in the kitchen that is out of reach is the top of the fridge.


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## jordan (Nov 29, 2006)

If you feed a dog free choice, chances are great that you will end up with an overweight, unhealthy dog. 
Though it's been years since I've fed an average sized breed puppy, the breeders recommendation sounds close to correct to me though I would split it between 2 or 3 feedings for a pup. My Spanish Mastiff puppies require just a little bit more! Alot depends on the quality of the food you're giving too. You don't need to feed as much of a good quality food as you would a cheapy, garbage brand that is comprised of fillers and low grade ingredients.
I monitor the dogs weight by feeling over and behind their rib cages and I adjust their intake as needed (sometimes they burn off more, sometimes less). Is the pup thin or well rounded?
My adult Pyr gets 2 cups per day of a very good quality food as well as about a 1/4 lb of raw. She is in excellent condition.
Hope this helps.
Lois


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## RJMAcres (Sep 9, 2009)

I'm going to suggest you join a group or 2 that specializes in Great Pyreneese
as they are not like other dogs in many ways.

Here's a few groups that I belong to.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PyrTalk/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/workingLGDs/

The folks in both groups are great.

Now, back to your feeding questions.
Pyr pups tend to eat quite a bit until the are around a year old.
We fed ours a good quality adult food and pretty much as much as
they wanted in 1 sitting twice a day. As they get older they will eat
much less.

We fed Diamond naturals large breed. We did feed them Diamond Naturals
puppy food until they were 3 or 4 months old but then switched.

Amounts will very quite a bit from dog to dog and the amount of activity
they get. 

Randy


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks all for your help. I will try out one of those groups as well. We're thrilled with our 'little' guy, he's superb! Right now he's on Pedigree puppy food, but we'll most likely get him a better quality bag and start monitoring his intake. It just makes me feel bad because he wolfs his food down like he's starving. I gave him 1 and 1/2 cups this morning and had planned on another 1 and 1/2 cups this evening. He seemed satisfied with that, and gulped it all down.


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## RJMAcres (Sep 9, 2009)

therunbunch said:


> Thanks all for your help. I will try out one of those groups as well. We're thrilled with our 'little' guy, he's superb! Right now he's on Pedigree puppy food, but we'll most likely get him a better quality bag and start monitoring his intake. It just makes me feel bad because he wolfs his food down like he's starving. I gave him 1 and 1/2 cups this morning and had planned on another 1 and 1/2 cups this evening. He seemed satisfied with that, and gulped it all down.


They will eat and need less of a high quality food.

Randy


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Please do change his food to one that is not mostly grains. The issue with large breed dogs is you do not want them getting overweight during growth as it will stress thier joints. Keep them lean until 3 yrs old when they bulk (put on muscle) naturally. He should be getting breakfast and dinner at least. Start with a daily amount of a high quality kibble (I prefer grain free) that is for a dog twice his weight and adjust as you see how he does...if you feel ribs very easily, then feed more, if you feel any fat on him- reduce..


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Throw out the Pedigree, don't wait to start him on a quality diet. Get a brand whose first ingredient is a whole meat. Yes, you will pay three times what you are now paying. When you get the high quality food, DO NOT FREE FEED. Your puppy is accostomed to eating A LOT. Feed him three times a day at the rate recommended on the food bag. If your free feed he will over eat. If you have him sit for you before giving him his dish of food you will be reinforcing the sit, and teaching him a release word (sit, wait till I put the dish down and say "release"), as well as teaching him that you are dominant in a nonthreatening way. If you have children, they should take turns feeding the dog to help establish their hierarchy over the dog. If you have a toddler, he will enjoy feeding one kibble at a time.


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