Hello, pet parents! Welcome to my comprehensive guide to feeding Bernese Mountain Dogs.
In this guide, I will cover how much to feed a Bernese Mountain, how often to feed your Bernese Mountain, when to feed your French bulldog, what foods to feed your Bernese Mountain, what foods to avoid feeding your Bernese Mountain, and other questions you may have about your Bernese Mountain’s 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.
- Bernese Mountain Nutritional Requirements
- Factors Affecting the Feeding of a Bernese Mountain
- Bernese Mountain Feeding Amount
- Bernese Mountain Feeding Frequency
- Bernese Mountain Feeding Schedule
- The Kind of Food Should To Feed Your Bernese Mountain
- The Kind of Food to Avoid Feeding Your Bernese Mountain
- When To Transition My Bernese Mountain Dogs From Puppy Food To Adult Food
- Why Your Bernese Mountain Is Not Eating
- Why Your Bernese Mountain Is Always Hungry
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts on Bernese Mountain Feeding Guide
Bernese Mountain Dogs are known as good-natured and alert dogs. They are strong, muscular dogs bred for farm work such as herding and draft work. They are very intelligent and social dogs that thrive around their human family.
I wrote this ultimate guide to feeding your Bernese Mountain Dogs to help curious and new pet parents solve their dog’s nutrition problem. I will go into detail on every feeding question you may have based on my experience working for a veterinarian.
Let’s jump into the article.
Bernese Mountain Nutritional Requirements
Bernese Mountain Dogs are large dogs that require specific amounts of nutrients 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.
When your Bernese Mountain Dog is growing, their diet should include 22% protein for puppies, 18% protein for adults, 8% fat for puppies, and 5% fat for adults, as well as fiber, carbohydrates, multivitamins, and minerals.
Your Bernese Mountain Dog has a large muscular and skeletal frame, which can be maintained with nutrition. Protein sources must be animal proteins like chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef. Their fat source can be fish oil or vegetable oil, and their source of fiber is from wholesome, healthy vegetables like cabbage, carrots, sprouts, and broccoli. Your Bernese Mountain Dog’s meals should include some vitamins and minerals to support a healthy immune system and bones.
Nutritional Requirement for a Bernese Mountain Puppy
The diet of a Bernese Mountain Dog’s puppy and adolescent should consist of 22% protein, 8% fat, and 6% fiber. Bernese Mountain pups are in their growing stage and thus have a high metabolism. Quality, nutrient-dense food will go a long way toward determining how healthy they grow. They require protein for building healthy muscles and minerals for strong bones, carbohydrates for energy, and fats for maintaining healthy
Nutritional Requirements for an Adult Bernese Mountain
The meal plan for mature and adult Bernese Mountain Dogs should consist of 18% protein, carbohydrate, 5% fat, and fiber. At this stage, Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs are prone to obesity and will develop health complications.
Nutritional Requirement For Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs
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 Bernese Mountain Dogs will need minerals and vitamins added to their food to keep their immune system and bones healthy.
Factors Affecting the Feeding of a Bernese Mountain
The diet of your Bernese Mountain Dogs will be influenced by several factors, including the breed’s size, age, activity level, and 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 Bernese Mountain male is 70–64 cm, and for a female is 58–66 cm, from the sole of its feet to its shoulder. Male Bernese Mountain Dogs weigh 38-50 kg, while females weigh 36-48 kg.
Males are larger than females. Therefore, they will consume more calories than females as a result of their sheer size differences.
Age consideration
Bernese Mountain Dog puppies are fed more because they are growing and their metabolism is high, which means puppies are always hungry. Adults do not need to be fed more than two or three times per day. If they are fed more as a result of their slower metabolism, it can lead to stomach bloating and indigestion. As seniors, your pup is less active and will require fewer calories than at the adult stage, or else they might become overweight and develop serious health problems.
Activity Level
Bernese Mountain Dogs are working dogs with sturdy and muscular frames that require being fed a strict and quality diet to maintain this physical status. Your adult Bernese Mountain Dogs should not be fed adult food as puppies because their nutritional needs are different from those of adults. They are very active in this stage, so they will require more energy-giving food. Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs are less active and so will require minimal calories.
Health Consideration
Some health issues that affect your dog breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, cataracts, retinal atrophy, subaortic stenosis, hypomyelination, von Willebrand’s disease, hepatocellular degeneration, allergies, and hypothyroidism.
Some of these health issues can be prevented or controlled by feeding your dog the right food and following strict guidelines when feeding them.
Your Bernese Mountain Dog should not be fed low-quality food that does not contain near or adequate amounts of these nutrients. This type of feed can trigger the early onset of some of these health problems, and you will need to visit the vet, which would lead to you spending more money than you originally intended.
Bernese Mountain Feeding Amount
Your Bernese Mountain Dogs, like any other dog breed, will require different amounts of food depending on their developmental stage. The amount of food a puppy will need will be different than the amount of food an adult will need according to their nutritional requirements.
On average, feed your puppy Bernese Mountain Dogs 1.5 to 6 cups of food that has 405 to 2250 Kcal per day; feed your adult Bernese Mountain Dogs 5 to 6 cups per day that has 1912.5 to 2365.5 Kcal per day, and feed your senior Bernese Mountain Dogs 3-4 cups per day, that has 981-1308 Kcal per day according to their activity level;
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 Your Puppy Bernese Mountain
For your Bernese Mountain dog puppy to grow into a healthy adult, the meal should be high in protein and low in fat, which can be obtained from animal meat.
A puppy Bernese Mountain dog should be given 1.5 to 6 cups of food per day that contains 405-2250 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 months | 1.5 – 1.75 | 405 – 450 | 22% | 8% |
| 3 months | 1.75 – 3 | 675 – 787.5 | 22% | 8% |
| 4 – 5 months | 3 – 4 | 990 – 1,417.5 | 22% | 8% |
| 6 – 8 months | 4 – 5 | 1,417.5 – 2,025 | 22% | 8% |
| 9 – 12 months | 5 – 6 | 1,800 – 2,250 | 22% | 8% |
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 Your Adult Bernese Mountain?
The nutritional requirements of an adult Bernese Mountain Dog differ from those of a puppy. The diet of mature Bernese Mountain Dogs should have a lower percentage of proteins and fats to prevent obesity. This is done by reducing the feeding frequency to two times per day.
An adult Bernese Mountain Dog should be given 5 to 6 cups of food per day that contain 1912.5 to 2365.5 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs and help you with their meal plan.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 1 – 6 years | 5 – 6 | 1,912.5 – 2,362.5 | 18% | 5%: |
How Much to Feed Your Senior Bernese Mountain?
Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs should be given 3–4 cups of food per day that contain 981–1308 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs.
However, you must still ensure they get the essential nutrients.
| Age | Daily Food Quantity(Cups) | Kilocalories(Per day) | Protein | Fats |
| 7 years and above | 3 – 4 | 981 – 1,308 | 28 – 32% | >5% |
You can continue giving your senior dog the same food you gave them as an adult, 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.
Bernese Mountain Feeding Frequency
Your Bernese Mountain’s meal frequency will vary the same as the feeding amounts, which are majorly dependent on its age. The following is a schedule for feeding your Bernese Mountain Dogs:
How Often Should You Feed Your Puppy Bernese Mountain Dog?
• 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs?
Adult Bernese Mountain Dogs should be fed twice a day, with a 12-hour gap between meals. One in the morning and one in the evening is ideal.
How Often Should You Feed Your Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs?
You should feed your senior Bernese Mountain Dogs two times a day except given a specific schedule by a vet.
Bernese Mountain Feeding Schedule
• Bernese Mountain dog 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs should be fed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help them transition properly into an adult.
• Adult and Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs should also be fed in the morning and the evening unless stated differently by your vet or pet nutritionist.
As a general rule, you should feed your Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 Bernese Mountain Dog.
| 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 Should To Feed Your Bernese Mountain
The food you feed your Bernese Mountain Dogs should be designed specifically for large breeds and contain the nutrients required for a strong and healthy dog.
The kind of food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog includes dry dog food, wet dog food, a home-cooked diet, and biologically appropriate raw food 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 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 contains more carbs, less fat, less water, and sometimes less protein, and is often recommended by vets due to its lower cost, dental health benefits, convenience, weight loss support, and playtime perks.
Wet 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 providing the best care for your dog.
The 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 Kind of Food to Avoid Feeding Your Bernese Mountain
We should take caution before giving whatever food we’re eating to our Bernese Mountain Dogs. 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 Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 Bernese Mountain dog includes chocolates, coffee, gums, peanut butter, candies, cooked bones, etc.
The fruits and vegetables to avoid feeding your Bernese Mountain Dogs 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 My Bernese Mountain Dogs From Puppy Food To Adult Food
You should transition your puppy Bernese Mountain Dog from puppy food to adult food when he’s around 10–12 months old.
The transition of your adolescent Bernese Mountain Dogs from puppy to adult food is a critical stage in their 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 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 Bernese Mountain Is Not Eating
Your Bernese Mountain Dog 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
Bernese Mountain Dogs are not picky eaters, so if they are not eating, it could be a sign of an underlying illness that needs to be treated by a veterinarian. Sometimes it can be something as mild as stress, which can resolve itself after some time, but if your dog is not drinking water or eating, then you need to see the vet immediately.
Why Your Bernese Mountain Is Always Hungry
Bernese Mountain Dogs, like other large dog breeds, are big feeders, but acting hungry all the time could stem from issues that are not physical, like stress, learned behaviors, and a lack of training. Some medical issues can cause this scenario. Cushing’s disease, as well as a lack of adequate amounts of appropriate nutrition in your dog’s feed, could be the cause.
Excessive exercise will make your dog’s body burn calories faster and thus make them hungry after such exercises. Worms could be another reason your dog is always hungry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Bernese Mountain Dogs Eat a Lot?
Can Bernese Mountain Dogs Become Vegetarians?
If you are taking your dog on a vegan diet, then ensure that meals contain micronutrients that may not be present in a vegan diet.
You should consult your vet or pet nutritionist while planning your vegan meals to ensure your Bernese Mountain Dogs do not encounter any health complications.
Bernese Mountain Dogs Can Eat Bones?
However, you ensure that bones fed to your dog are disposed of after two to three days to prevent infection. Some guidelines concerning this have been stipulated by the American Kennel Club.
What Human Food Can I Feed My Bernese Mountain Dog?
What Fruits and Vegetables Can I Feed My Bernese Mountain Dog?
Should You Give Your Bernese Mountain Dog Supplements?
Final Thoughts on Bernese Mountain Feeding Guide
Bernese Mountain Dogs are hardworking family dogs that require a loving family because, because they are big dogs, they are prone to some health issues that must not be ignored.
Ensure that you do not overfeed your Bernese Mountain Dog, as that can lead to obesity and, with it, health problems. Exercise and work must be balanced so as not to tire out your pup. are gentle and affectionate dogs that will make excellent dog companions.
Options such as dry, wet, raw, and homemade diets are all great for them. As puppies, you can free-feed your Bernese Mountain Dogs, but you must follow a strict feeding schedule. It is also essential to know what foods are healthy and should be avoided, as some are toxic.
If you want more information on how to care for your Bernese Mountain Dogs, contact your local vet for essential nutrient information, and you can also see a pet nutritionist for a regimen schedule for your pet.
