8 Best Dog Foods for Great Pyrenees – 2023 Reviews & Top Picks

Calm and majestic, your Great Pyrenees descends from a long line of mountain dogs that kept watch over herds of sheep. These days, your Great Pyrenees most likely takes being a loving family dog as seriously as being your guard dog. In return, you want to reward your hardworking and affectionate Great Pyrenees with a wholesome meal.

As an owner of a Great Pyrenees, you may be well aware that this dog breed is susceptible to bloat, hip dysplasia, weight gain, and skin problems underneath all that thick white fur. To avoid these common health issues, you need to be extra picky when it comes to choosing a brand of dog food.

We understand your concerns and are here to help. We’ve listed seven of the best dog food selections to support the overall health of your Great Pyrenees. With our in-depth reviews, handy pros and cons lists, and informational buyer’s guide, we hope we can help you find the best dog food for your Great Pyrenees.

A Quick Glance at our Favorites for 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food	Delivered fresh and refrigerated to your door Fresh meat and vegetables combined No preservatives Receive a different recipe for free if your dog doesn’t like it	Click to Save 50% + Get Free Shipping!
Best Value		Purina Pro Plan	Complete nutrition Most dogs prefer the texture and flavor Live probiotics for improved digestion	Check Price
		Holistic Select	All-natural premium ingredients No meat by-products Complete and balanced nutrition	Check Price
Best For Puppies		Royal Canin Giant Junior	Kibble adapted for puppies Supports joint and bone development Encourages digestive health	Check Price
		Blue Buffalo	High in protein with real chicken Nutrient dense Exclusive LifeSource Bits	Check Price

The 8 Best Dog Foods for Great Pyrenees

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription — Best Overall

When selecting food for your Great Pyrenees, you need to take into account not only the size of your dog but also their age and activity level. If you’re looking for high-quality dog food that will keep your dog healthy and strong and that your Pyrenees will love, the best overall dog food is The Farmer’s Dog.

The Farmer’s Dog is a subscription-based dog food service that makes custom-made fresh food for your pup. It is delivered directly to your home and refrigerated to ensure its freshness. You start your order by entering your dog’s information, including their breed, weight, age, activity level, and if they have any known allergies.

There are four recipes to choose from—pork, turkey, chicken, or beef—which are all combined with fresh vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and green beans (to name a few), depending on which recipe you choose. Each recipe has the right nutrition for all breeds and ages. There are no preservatives.

It’s been board certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) and formulated by veterinary specialists. If your dog doesn’t like it, The Farmer’s Dog will provide you with a different recipe at no extra charge. The food is cooked at low temperatures to retain the vitamins and minerals.

The only issues with Farmer’s Dog are that it is quite expensive and that the website doesn’t give you the chance to look through the recipes and ingredients until you’ve signed up.

2. Purina Pro Plan Adult Dry Dog Food — Best Value

If you’re looking for the best dog food for Great Pyrenees for the money, you may want to consider Purina Pro Plan adult dry dog food. This formula is created to provide complete nutrition for large breed dogs over 50 pounds like your Great Pyrenees. With added live probiotics, your Great Pyrenees will benefit from better digestion as well as improved immune health. And, most dogs enjoy the tender meaty texture.

To help maintain your Great Pyrenees’ ideal weight and muscle tone, each serving of this Purina Pro Plan recipe offers a balanced ratio of protein and fat levels. The added EPA and glucosamine supports joint health and mobility.

Made with real chicken as the first ingredient, be aware that this recipe also incorporates lower-quality poultry by-product meals as its protein source. While the grain in this selection provides a complete meal, the addition of corn and wheat may trigger allergic reactions if your Great Pyrenees suffers from skin issues.

3. Holistic Select Dry Dog Food

Holistic Select dry dog food is a great premium dog food choice. This is due to its high-quality all-natural ingredients, nutritious proteins with no meat by-products, and formula that supports the digestive health of your Great Pyrenees. This complete and balanced selection is adapted to meet the dietary needs of large and giant dog breeds, although the kibble size is on the smaller side.

Your Great Pyrenees’ overall health will benefit from Holistic Select’s blend of ingredients. To support better digestion, this recipe is made with both prebiotics and probiotics, natural fiber, digestive botanicals, and digestive enzymes. The wholesome protein blend which features real chicken strengthens muscle tone. Added glucosamine supports healthy hips and joints. A variety of essential vitamins and minerals further enhances the overall wellness of your Great Pyrenees.

Holistic Select does not contain wheat, wheat gluten, corn, artificial colors, flavors, or fillers. While a higher quality, this premium dog food is more expensive.

4. Royal Canin Giant Junior Dry Dog Food — Best for Puppies

Ideal for your Great Pyrenees puppy, Royal Canin Giant Junior dry dog food is specially formulated with essential nutrients for the unique growing needs of your large to giant breed puppy.

The size, shape, texture, aroma, and flavor of the kibble are adapted to appeal especially to puppies. Royal Canin’s special blend of minerals allows for the healthy growth of your puppy’s joints and bones. Your puppy’s developing immune system is supported by added antioxidants and vitamins. And, the incorporation of prebiotics and easily digestible proteins encourages your puppy’s digestive health.

This Royal Canin selection is equally as expensive as our premium choice. However, after assessing the ingredients, it offers much lower quality food choices such as chicken by-product meal and corn which may lead to skin issues. Also, one of the main ingredients, brewer’s rice, has significantly lesser nutritional value. We think it is the best puppy food for Great Pyrenees.

5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Natural Adult Dry Dog Food

We recommend Blue Buffalo Wilderness Natural adult dry dog food as the best overall choice for your Great Pyrenees. This grain-free recipe featuring omega 3 and 6 fatty acids promotes skin and coat health. It’s also helpful for maintaining a healthy weight due to wholesome carbohydrates and its nutrient-dense and protein-rich formula. Best of all, Blue Buffalo Wilderness doesn’t contain meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavors and preservatives.

This premium dog food provides real chicken as the main source of protein to help keep your Great Pyrenees lean with stronger muscle mass. Blue Buffalo also incorporates chicken meal, which is a condensed, high-quality ingredient and not to be mistaken for a by-product.

This Blue Buffalo formula incorporates exclusive LifeSource Bits developed by nutritionists and holistic veterinarians. These kibble pieces contain a blend of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to boost the immune system and enhance the overall health of your Great Pyrenees. Added taurine helps offset potential heart issues with this grain-free formula. However, some dogs don’t seem to like the texture or the flavor of these bits. Despite this, we think this is the best dog food for Great Pyrenees available this year.

6. Diamond Naturals Premium Dry Dog Food

If you’re interested in premium ingredients at an affordable price, we suggest Diamond Naturals for its complete and nutritional recipe. Its specialized formula for large dog breeds supports your Great Pyrenee’s overall health, especially if your pup suffers from skin allergies.

Diamond Naturals encourages strong, lean muscles by using only high-quality protein from sustainable sources and no by-products. While this recipe is lower in animal protein than similar dog foods, the first ingredient is pasture-raised lamb. Next on the list are whole grains rich in nutrients and fiber.

Added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fatty acids further support your Great Pyrenees immune system as well as improve skin and coat health. The incorporation of glucosamine and chondroitin helps with hip and joint health while Diamond Naturals’ proprietary probiotics improve your dog’s digestion. Your Great Pyrenees will benefit from no corn, wheat, filler, or added artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Some dogs, particularly different breeds, reportedly experienced stomach upset with this food.

7. Solid Gold Holistic Dry Adult Dog Food

Made with high-quality protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and a special blend of 20 superfoods, Solid Gold holistic dry dog food is designed to support every aspect of your Great Pyrenees’ wellness.

Sustainably sourced, pasture-raised bison is the first ingredient in this premium dog food followed by ocean fish meal and salmon oil which provide a rich source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids as well as beneficial EPA and DHA. Non-GMO whole grains such as brown rice and pearled barley are among the main ingredients and provide necessary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.

Solid Gold incorporates numerous whole superfoods which provide an ideal balance of antioxidants. The addition of living probiotics supports the immune system, ensures a better digestion system, and improves your dog’s skin and coat.

This specialized recipe for large-breed dogs is ideal for the unique needs of your Great Pyrenees. However, it’s a relatively higher price and some dogs don’t prefer the taste.

8. Nutro Wholesome Adult Dog Food

Made with non-GMO ingredients and high-quality protein, Nutro Wholesome provides your Great Pyrenees with complete nutrition. Nutro crafts its recipes with real ingredients and never adds chicken by-product meals or artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

This selection is specially formulated to meet the needs of large breed dogs. Your Great Pyrenees can build strong muscles with the primary protein source of farm-raised chicken. It also contains glucosamine and chondroitin to support your dog’s hips and joints. And, the essential antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in this formula help to maintain a healthy immune system.

While Nutro doesn’t use corn, wheat, or soy protein in its recipes, this selection does list brewer’s rice which is low in nutrients and may act as a filler. Also, with included ingredients such as sweet potatoes and split peas, your dog may develop a taurine deficiency which an ongoing study by the FDA suggests may lead to heart disease. Unfortunately, this recipe has no added taurine.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Foods for Great Pyrenees

After reading through our reviews, you may not be sure which dog food is best for your Great Pyrenees. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll discuss the nutritional connection between this breed’s common health concerns and certain dog food ingredients.

Your Choice of Dog Food and Common Health Concerns for Great Pyrenees

The great Pyrenees as a breed tends to suffer from health issues related to their large size and their thick coats. Many Great Pyrenees develop hip dysplasia which is exacerbated by weight gain. Other common health issues are bloat, which can be serious, and skin problems such as allergic reactions. Your choice of dog food plays a vital role in the overall health of your Great Pyrenees.

Hip Dysplasia and Weight Gain

As an extra-large dog, Great Pyrenees already place plenty of pressure on their joints. While hip dysplasia may be an unavoidable health issue for your dog, your choice of dog food can either help or hinder your dog’s quality of life. Make sure the dog food you choose is nutrient-dense without empty fillers and calories that put unnecessary weight on your Great Pyrenees.

Great Pyrenees Puppies and Weight Gain

Puppies of large and giant breed dogs such as the Great Pyrenees need to grow at a steady pace. Acquiring too much weight too early can damage your puppy’s growing musculoskeletal structure. Be sure to choose a puppy food that offers higher-quality ingredients. Look for wholesome proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables as well as—a variety of vitamins and minerals to maintain even weight gain and keep your puppy’s energy levels consistent.

Bloat

Great Pyrenees can be susceptible to bloat, also referred to as a condition known as gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), in which the stomach distends and potentially twists. Bloat needs to be taken seriously as it can be fatal.

To prevent bloat or GDV, avoid vigorous exercise before and after mealtimes and make sure you give your Great Pyrenees multiple, small meals per day. Since mealtime consists of smaller portions, make sure you choose a dog food that’s dense with a variety of nutrients. Stay away from fillers, by-products, and otherwise nutritionally deficient ingredients.

Skin Problems

Your Great Pyrenees has a lush, thick coat. But underneath all that fur, your Great Pyrenees may suffer from a skin condition. The choice of dog food you give your pup has a significant impact on skin health. Certain ingredients such as corn and soy may trigger an allergic skin reaction. Also, wheat, wheat gluten, and meat by-products can be to blame for your dog’s skin irritation and itching. Look for dog foods that offer a healthy supply of essential fatty acids that will support skin and coat health.

Avoiding Taurine Deficiency

Grain-free dog foods can help your dog avoid allergens especially if your Great Pyrenees suffers from skin problems. However, be aware that there’s an ongoing study being conducted by the FDA linking grain-free dog foods, particularly with certain ingredients, potatoes, peas, legumes, and lentils, with the development of a type of canine heart disease, Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Initial studies indicate that the highlighted ingredients may contribute to a taurine deficiency in dogs which then leads to heart disease.

While the study is ongoing and in conclusion, be sure that any grain-free dog food, or dog food containing potatoes, peas, legumes, and lentils, has added taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that supports heart function. Its addition to your dog’s food may be enough to offset a deficiency and keep your dog healthy.

Conclusion

Our top pick for the best overall dog food for your Great Pyrenees is The Farmer’s Dog. This subscription-based delivery service offers top-quality, human-grade dog food, personalized for your specific furry friend.

Purina Pro Plan Adult Dry Dog Food provides complete nutrition and is ideal for large-breed dogs. Most dogs prefer the texture and flavor. This recipe features live probiotics for improved digestion, has a balanced ratio of fats and proteins to support joint health as well as ideal weight maintenance, and places real chicken as its first ingredient.

Holistic Select Dry Dog Food contains a wholesome protein blend and no meat by-products, wheat, wheat-gluten, corn, or artificial additives. Adapted for large and giant dog breeds, the complete and balanced nutrition in this recipe supports digestive health. It also contains glucosamine for healthy hips and joints.

Hopefully, our reviews along with our pros and cons lists and our fact-filled buyer’s guide have helped you find the best dog food for your beloved Great Pyrenees. These majestic dogs require specialized nutrition to keep them healthy. With the right dog food, your Great Pyrenees can lead a robust life as a wonderful family dog and an alert guardian.