It's Dog or Nothing - Living Large. Living Fluffy
Feeding a Great Pyrenees is Expensive
“Feeding a Great Pyrenees is expensive.”
This is a comment I hear all the time from people who are not familiar with the breed. I’m often greeted with comments like,
“Did you get a second job to feed those two?”
“I can’t imagine your food bill.”
“Must be like feeding a horse!”
These comments couldn’t be further from the truth.
Feeding a Great Pyrenees is not nearly as expensive as you would imagine.
Slow Metabolism
The biggest reason that Great Pyrenees do not eat as much as expected is because they have a slow metabolism for their size. In fact, they will typically eat the same amount as your average medium-large sized dog.
The effect of their slow metabolism is exacerbated by their innate laziness. Pyrs will find a spot where they can easily keep watch and nap the day away, moving only when necessary. While they do require daily exercise, they are typically couch potatoes for the other 23 hours of the day 
Skipping Meals
It is very common, especially in the summertime, for a Great Pyrenees to skip meals. Mauja and Atka both have stretches during the summer where they just aren’t interested in eating, even when they’re feeling well. Last summer, Mauja didn’t eat for two days. Ultimately, I had to super entice her because I was worried she would go too long without eating.
Obviously, do not force your dog to skip meals. However, do not be alarmed if your Great Pyrenees loses interest in eating during the hot, summer months. It’s completely normal and his appetite will be back once the weather begins to cool!
Natural Weight Regulation
While there are definitely some food-crazed Great Pyrenees who inhale their food, the majority of pyrs will regulate their weight on their own. They can safely “free feed” because they typically will not overeat. We try and stick with mealtimes for consistency, but we often free fed in the summer when their appetites are lacking – they never clean their food bowls.
Great Pyrenees also tend to be finicky about their food. Mauja and Atka won’t eat just any food and can be very particular. Sometimes, I’ve thought I was making their meal more enticing and they looked at me like I was crazy. Try not to be too offended if your pyr snubs his meals on occasion 
High-Quality Food
The most important thing when feeding a Great Pyrenees is to feed a high-quality food. A high-quality food will be free of fillers and full of completely digestible natural ingredients. It’s also important that the food contains both prebiotics and probiotics to ensure your pyr is absorbing the nutrients and digesting the food properly. When you feed a protein-rich diet without fillers, you don’t need to feed as much!
Mauja and Atka have really been enjoying the Wellness® Complete Health™ grain-free line. It has settled Mauja’s tummy and relieved Atka’s itchies. We’re all happy about that! During the stress of the move, I’ve been supplementing their regular dry food with the Wellness® CORE® Air-Dried formula. The fluffies go absolutely NUTS for this stuff! The Air-Dried food is soft and chewy, so it’s a nice change from kibble. They think it’s a super special treat and Atka does his little happy dance when I grab the bag. I’ll just keep the fact that it’s wholesome to myself 
A silly, candid photo of Mauja and Atka. I walked away to get something and found them both waiting by the bag!
Shop PetSmart Deals
The final reason our food bill isn’t ridiculous is because we shop for deals on Wellness dog food. With our recent move, PetSmart is easily accessible and I can always count on them having a great price. Even better, June and July have great deals on Wellness CORE and Complete Health products!
During the month of June, Core® dry dog food recipes are $2.00 off at PetSmart®.
Starting July 6th through the end of the month, Complete Health™ Grain Free recipes are $2.00 off at PetSmart®.
Take advantage of the deals above and be sure to follow Wellness on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wellness® Natural Pet Food. The opinions and text are all mine.
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