The Great Pyrenees, also known as Pyrenean mountain dogs, are a breed of very calm, affectionate, and well-mannered dogs with beautiful white coats.
If you’ve recently got yourself a Great Pyrenees puppy, you must be thinking about setting up a feeding plan that will help him/her to grow up healthily.
How much should a Great Pyrenees eat?
A Great Pyrenees should eat 4-6 cups of dried food a day divided into at least 2 meals. An 8-9 week old puppy should eat 1-2 cups of food split into 4 meals a day. A 10-12 week old can eat 2-3 cups of food split into 3 meals a day. After 4 months, you can feed a puppy 4-6 cups of dried food per day.
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Dog owners are always concerned about their dog’s overall well-being. In order to ensure the healthy growth of a dog, it is important to know about the right amount of food to provide at the right age.
Great Pyrenees is a big breed so it’s only natural that they will require more food compared to other dogs.
That being said, you should not go overboard with the feeding of your puppy or an adult dog. Overfeeding can lead to many health problems in dogs. You need to know what food and how much of it you should allow your dog to eat per day.
However, the required amount of food changes with your puppy’s age. A growing puppy may need to eat more frequently than an adult dog.
As your dog reaches adulthood, you should start monitoring his health, and exercise, and also lower the number of meals per day so he can live a healthy and active life.
2 to 3 week old Great Pyrenees:
A 2 to 3 weeks old Great Pyrenees puppy is very young to introduce to any type of food. He is supposed to rely on his mother’s milk only.
At this age, puppies drink their mother’s milk as per their own needs often competing with other litter mates.
Mother’s milk provides all the nutrition a puppy at this age requires. If the puppy doesn’t have a mother, you should talk to a veterinarian to get a puppy formula that you will need to feed him following very specific instructions.
4 to 5 week old Great Pyrenees:
A Great Pyrenees puppy starts to grow during the age of 4 to 5 weeks old. Even though puppies at this age still stay with their mother and drink their mother’s milk, some puppies start showing interest in other food sources at this age.
You can start introducing new food to your puppy by giving only a quarter cup of food at a time to see his response. But don’t feed him too much as he’s still very young. He might show no interest in the food you offered as he’s still not weaned.
6 to 7 week old Great Pyrenees:
During the age of 6 to 7 weeks old, a Great Pyrenees puppy is either already weaned or starting to wean. He’ll start showing more interest in other foods and you can offer him 1 to 2 cups of food dividing them into five to six meals a day.
You shouldn’t allow the puppy to be free fed. You should offer a very little amount of food each time you feed him instead.
8 to 9 week old Great Pyrenees:
8 to 9 weeks old is the perfect growing age for a Great Pyrenees puppy. If you’re planning to adopt one, this is the perfect age to do that.
A puppy is ready to be rehomed at this age. He can easily eat 1 to 2 cups of food divided into four times per day.
10 to 11 week old Great Pyrenees:
A 10 to 11 weeks old Great Pyrenees puppy is ready to take a leap in the amount of food he requires daily.
You can now feed your puppy 2 to 3 cups of food per day. Split the food into four equal meals throughout the day. Your puppy will start growing a lot by this time.
3 month old Great Pyrenees:
A 3 month old Great Pyrenees puppy is ready to slightly increase its food intake. You can check if your puppy is skinny or plump and adjust the food accordingly.
However, meal time should be four times a day. You can feed him 3 cups or slightly more than that depending on his need.
4 month old Great Pyrenees:
From 4 months old, you can start giving your Great Pyrenees puppy 4 to 5 cups of food per day.
Your puppy will start having a big appetite during this time. You should not get overwhelmed and overfeed him. Just split the required amount of food into three meals per day.
5 month old Great Pyrenees:
A 5 month old Great Pyrenees puppy will continue to grow. You too can continue to give him 4 to 5 cups of dried food dividing them into three meals a day. A 5 month old puppy can weigh between 60-85 lbs.
6 month old Great Pyrenees:
By the time a Great Pyrenees puppy reaches 6 months of age, he will grow quite big. You can finally see how big they can get. You can give him 4 to 6 cups of food divided into three meals per day.
7 month old Great Pyrenees:
A 7 month old Great Pyrenees can weigh between 70-110 lbs. Puppies tend to grow a lot during this age. The puppy should be given 4 to 6 cups of food split into three meals a day.
8 month old Great Pyrenees:
An 8 month old Great Pyrenees puppy can weigh between 80-120 lbs. You should start giving him 4 to 6 cups of dried food. You can divide the food into two to three meals a day.
9 month old Great Pyrenees:
You should give a 9 month old Great Pyrenees puppy two to three meals a day. You need to split 4 to 6 cups of dried food into two or three equal parts to give them throughout the day.
A 9 month old Great Pyrenees puppy can weigh between 85-125 lbs.
10 month old Great Pyrenees:
Your puppy should grow a lot by the age of 10 months old. He can weigh anywhere between 85-130 lbs. He will have a great appetite. You can give him 4 to 6 cups of dried by divided into two to three meals a day.
Great Pyrenees feeding chart:
| Age | Expected dog Weight (pounds) | Recommended amount of food per day (cups) | Daily calorie intake | Feeding frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 week | 3-5 lbs | (should be dependent on mother’s milk) | 150-260 kcal | _ |
| 3 week | 4-7 lbs | (should be dependent on mother’s milk) | 200-350 kcal | _ |
| 4 week | 5-8 lbs | 1/4 cup (might still prefer mother’s milk only) | 260-380 kcal | Try a few times |
| 5 week | 6-10 lbs | 1/4-1/2 cup | 250-400 kcal | 5-6 times a day |
| 6 week | 10-20 lbs | around 1 cup | 400-700 kcal | 5-6 times a day |
| 7 week | 15-25 lbs | 1-2 cups | 550-800 kcal | 5-6 times a day |
| 8 week or 2 month | 15-30 lbs | 1-2 cups | 550-1000 kcal | 4 times a day |
| 9 week | 20-30 lbs | 1-2 cups | 700-1000 kcal | 4 times a day |
| 10 week | 25-35 | 2-3 cups | 800-1150 kcal | 4 times a day |
| 11 week | 25-40 lbs | 2-3 cups | 800-1250 kcal | 4 times a day |
| 12 week or 3 month | 25-45 lbs | 3 cups or slightly more | 800-1300 kcal | 4 times a day |
| 4 month | 45-65 lbs | 4 cups | 1300-1700 kcal | 3 times a day |
| 5 month | 60-85 lbs | 4-5 cups | 1650-2150 kcal | 3 times a day |
| 6 month | 65-100 lbs | 4-5 cups | 1700-2450 kcal | 3 times a day |
| 7 month | 70-110 lbs | 4-6 cups | 1800-2600 kcal | 3 times a day |
| 8 month | 80-120 lbs | 4-6 cups | 2000-2800 kcal | 3 times a day |
| 9 month | 85-125 | 4-6 cups | 2100-2900 kcal | 2-3 times a day |
| 10 month | 90-130 lbs | 4-6 cups | 2200-2980 kcal | 2-3 times a day |
Are you overfeeding your Great Pyrenees or not feeding enough?
Though it’s true that Great Pyrenees is a big breed with a big appetite, you should be careful not to overfeed the dog.
With some easily addressable symptoms, you will be able to determine if your dog is overfed or not fed enough. If you can see your dog’s bones, ribs, and spine from a distance and if they’re too prominent, your dog may be too skinny.
Some other signs of a skinny dog are weakness, low energy level, scruffy coat, and susceptibility to illness. Some signs of overfeeding in Great Pyrenees is weight gain, change in bowel movement, and lethargy.
You will find the puppy heavier than before and his waist will broaden. It is very important for dogs and puppies to maintain an optimal weight for a healthier life.
How frequently to feed your Great Pyrenees?
The frequency of feeding varies with your puppy’s age. During the age of 2-4 weeks old, a Great Pyrenees puppy is completely dependent on its mother. Starting from the age of five weeks, you should start giving him food 5 to 6 times a day.
You need to lower the number of meals when your puppy reaches 2 months old. A 2-3 month old puppy should have four meals a day.
From 4 months, you can even lower it to three meals a day and do the same till he gets 8 months old. From then on, you can feed him 2-3 meals a day depending on his appetite and energy level.
A puppy is considered an adult when he reaches 1 year old. An adult Great Pyrenees dog needs to eat two meals a day.
Recommended feeding time:
The recommended feeding time for a puppy that needs to be fed four times a day is 7 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, and 6 pm.
You can adjust the feeding time depending on your puppy’s age and appetite. However, you shouldn’t give your puppy too many treats after 6 pm.
It is wise to make a feeding routine according to your puppy’s age. This way, you can squeeze in some healthy exercises to keep your puppy active.
Great Pyrenees dogs are not suitable for high-energy activities. Therefore, don’t go overboard with the exercise plan.
Final thoughts
An adult Great Pyrenees dog should eat 4-6 cups of dried food divided into 2 meals per day. An 8-9 week old puppy should eat 1-2 cups of food split into 4 meals a day. A 10-12 week old can eat 2-3 cups of food divided into 3 meals a day. You can increase it to 4-6 cups from the age of 4 months.