9 Best Dog Foods for Bernese Mountain Dogs + An In-Depth Feeding Guide
Contents of Article
- What is the Best Dog Food for a Bernese Mountain Dog?
- Bernese Mountain Dog Diet and Nutrition
- Best Foods to Feed an Adult Bernese Mountain Dog
- American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry
- Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food
- UnKibble by Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Recipe
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Large Breed Recipe
- First Mate Large-Breed Pacific Ocean Fish Formula
- Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large-Breed Formula
- Top 3 Best Foods to Feed a Puppy Bernese Mountain Dog
- How Much Should You Feed Your Bernese Mountain Dog?
- How Many Calories Does My Bernese Mountain Dog Need?
- What to Look for in a Good Bernese Mountain Dog Food
- Conclusion
Easily identified by his black coat with white and tan markings, the Bernese Mountain dog is a beloved family companion. Although this breed originated as a farm dog, his gentle nature and mild-mannered temperament makes him a great choice for both individuals and families. These dogs also excel in various dog sports including agility, drafting, herding, obedience, and even tracking.
If you aren’t quite sure what to look for when shopping for dog food, this guide is the perfect place to start! Keep reading learn what foods to feed a Bernese Mountain Dog.
What is the Best Dog Food for a Bernese Mountain Dog?
- American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food
- UnKibble Beef and Barley Recipe by Spot and Tango
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry
- Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Large Breed Recipe
- First Mate Large-Breed Pacific Ocean Fish Formula
- Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large-Breed Formula
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Fromm Family Gold Large Breed Puppy Recipe
Bernese Mountain Dog Diet and Nutrition
The basics of canine nutrition are the same across all breeds – that’s the first thing you need to know.
Dogs are like any living thing in that they require a balance of certain nutrients in their diet to provide energy and nutrients to keep their bodies running at their optimal level. What you may not realize, however, is that your dog requires a difference balance of nutrients than you do.
Although dogs are not quite so strictly carnivorous as cats are, protein is the most important element in a balanced canine diet. More importantly, that protein should come primarily from animal sources to ensure the best bioavailability. Animal proteins are also complete proteins while plant proteins are not – this simply means that animal products like meat, poultry, and seafood contain all of the essential amino acids your Bernese Mountain Dog needs for growth and maintenance.
After protein, fat is the next most important nutrient in your dog’s diet. In addition to insulating and protecting your dog’s internal organs, fats play a role in cell structure, hormone production, and nutrient absorption. It is also the most highly concentrated source of energy available to your dog.
Most commercial dog foods contain carbohydrates, but you should know that your dog doesn’t have any specific requirements for this particular nutrient. Carbohydrates provide energy as well as dietary fiber for healthy digestion, but your dog can survive with little to no carbohydrate in his diet. In fact, there is a large contingent of animal health experts who advocate for carb-free diets for dogs.
Unless you want to make your Bernese Mountain Dog’s food at home, you’ll probably end up buying a dog food that contains carbohydrates. Just be sure that they are digestible and that the fiber content isn’t too high. When shopping for dog food you should look for other beneficial ingredients as well – things like probiotics, chelated minerals, and the like.
Best Foods to Feed an Adult Bernese Mountain Dog
By now you should have a pretty good idea what a good dog food for Bernese Mountain Dogs look like. When you actually walk into a pet store, however, you may still be surprised (and perhaps overwhelmed) by the number of options.
If you want some help getting started, here are our top three picks:
American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry
Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Salmon, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Sweet Potatoes
Key Features :
- Grain free
- Digestible
- Great for pets with food sensitivities
- DHA and omega fatty acids
American Journey Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a popular choice amongst dog owners. It features sweet potatoes as a digestible carb and salmon as the main protein source. It’s great for dogs with food sensitivities.
Your dog is sure to enjoy the deboned salmon in this recipe as the first ingredient and a single source of protein. The carbohydrates included in this recipe, such as peas and sweet potatoes, are easy for your pup to digest, and this food is grain-free which makes it safe for pets with food sensitivities. American Journey foods contain no preservatives or artificial flavoring and no fillers so you know your dog is filling up on things that are going to keep them healthy and happy.
Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food
Healthy Ingredients : Turkey breast, turkey liver, kale, carrots
Key Features :
- Human-Grade
- Only fresh ingredients, slow cooked
- Portioned Individually for your dog
- Auto-ships direct to your door
Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food
Ollie Healthy Turkey Feast Fresh Dog Food is a human-grade option that is made with all fresh ingredients and slow cooked to preserve its nutritional integrity. Ollie contains superfoods like blueberries and chia seeds to support your dog’s active, healthy life.
A fresh food option is a great place to start when searching for a high-quality food for your dog. Ollie dog food is human-grade and is conveniently delivered fresh to your doorstep based on a customizable delivery schedule. Although it can be a bit pricey compared to regular dog food, it has a lot of great benefits for keeping your dog healthy and active. They have a few different recipes to choose from. The particular recipe shown in the table above includes carrots (which are full of phytonutrients for eye health), blueberries (which are high in antioxidants), and chia seeds which are a source of copper, zinc, and manganese. The foods are cooked slowly to preserve nutrients and they don’t use any preservatives or fillers. They also include super foods such as chia to help support your pet’s active lifestyle. You can rest-assured, when feeding your dog Ollie, that you are choosing a premium food.
UnKibble by Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Recipe
Healthy Ingredients : Beef, Barley, Flax, Carrots, Green Beans, Beef Liver
Key Features :
- Slowly dried at low temps
- Human grade ingredients
- Comes with custom portion scoop
- Convenient delivery service
UnKibble by Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Recipe
UnKibble by Spot and Tango Beef and Barley Recipe is a human-grade dog food made with 100% whole ingredients and no preservatives. It has never been recalled. UnKibble is a fresh food even though it is dry. It is dried slowly at a low temperature and comes with a scoop that is personalized for your dog’s needs.
UnKibble by Spot and Tango is a fresh, dry dog food made with human-grade ingredients. It has no artificial flavors or preservatives and all 3 UnKibble recipes are developed by veterinarians. The three recipes include the beef and barley featured here, chicken and brown rice, and duck and salmon. If you like the idea of fresh food, but would like a lower price point, or your dog prefers dry food, this might be for you. When you sign up, you create a unique profile that will include the correct portion size, just for your dog. You won’t have to guess or measure, just follow your pet’s personalized plan, and use the scoop sized just for your dog. Spot and Tango has never been recalled, either.
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Healthy Ingredients : Buffalo, Bison, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Potatoes
Key Features :
- Novel proteins
- Supports digestion
- Ideal for pets with food allergies
- Prebiotic support
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Food
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain Free Dog Food contains both bison and buffalo and has many nutritious ingredients to support healthy digestion.
If you’re looking for dry dog food for your Berner, Taste of the Wild is a tasty and healthy option. It contains bison and buffalo, two novel proteins that aren’t found in many other dry foods, making this formula ideal if your dog suffers from food allergies. Additionally, it has many ingredients to promote healthy digestion. A blend of fruits, veggies, and dried chicory root provides prebiotic support. Additionally, a mixture of amino acids and essential minerals aid nutrient absorption. Keep in mind this is a grain-free food. While most animal experts agree that grain-free formulas aren’t necessary for healthy adult dogs, many pet parents prefer them. Instead of grains, the food has both peas and sweet potatoes. Overall, the Taste of the Wild’s formula is a tasty and healthy option that most dogs will eat without issue. It provides a full range of essential amino acids and necessary nutrients to help promote healthy immune system function and all-day energy.
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Large Breed Recipe
Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Potatoes
Key Features :
- Naturally grain free
- Designed for large breed dogs
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- High in protein
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Large Breed Recipe
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Large Breed Recipe includes raw-infused kibbles and is designed for large-breed dogs. It is high in protein and is naturally grain-free.
The Merrick Pet Care Company offers several different product lines including the Backcountry line of raw-infused kibbles. This particular recipe is designed with large-breed dogs in mind and it is made with three sources of high-quality animal protein as the top three ingredients – deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal. In fact, it contains a whopping 38% protein which is much higher than the average kibble. In addition to being loaded with protein, this formula is naturally grain-free with peas, potatoes, and sweet potatoes as the main carbohydrates. Concentrated energy comes from nutritious chicken fat and there are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for nutritional balance.
First Mate Large-Breed Pacific Ocean Fish Formula
Healthy Ingredients : Potato, Pacific Ocean Fish Meal, Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat, Fish Oil
Key Features :
- Single source of protein
- Uses wild-caught fish
- larger kibble for larger dogs
- Good source of fiber
First Mate Large-Breed Dog Food
First Mate Large-Breed Pacific Ocean Fish Formula is made in Canada and uses high-quality ingredients like wild-caught fish. It has a single source of protein and it designed for large breed dogs.
The First Mate brand of pet food is produced in Canada but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of consideration than the top U.S.-made brands. This company uses only the most high-quality ingredients in their products, including the wild-caught Pacific Ocean fish used in this recipe. In addition to being made with a single source of high-quality protein, this formula is specifically designed for large-breed dogs and it comes in a larger kibble size as well. For carbohydrate energy and dietary fiber, this formula uses two different types of potato and the fat comes from chicken fat. You may notice that this recipe has a relatively short list of ingredients compared to many products and that means fewer artificial additives that don’t actually provide any nutritional benefit.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large-Breed Formula
Healthy Ingredients : Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Peas
Key Features :
- Healthy fat
- Great source of energy
- Joint support
- Probiotics for digestion
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large-Breed Dog Food
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Large-Breed Formula supports joint health and is protein-rich and calorie-limited. It provides a good source of energy and nutritional balance along with plenty of healthy fat.
The Wellness pet food company offers several different product lines and the CORE lineup is their grain-free line. This particular recipe is designed for large-breed dogs which means that it is protein rich, calorie-limited, and supplemented with glucosamine and chondroitin. The main source of protein used in this recipe is fresh, deboned chicken but there are several supplementary sources as well – chicken meal and turkey meal. For carbohydrate energy and nutritional balance, this recipe contains potatoes and peas with plenty healthy fat from chicken fat and ground flaxseed. You’ll also be glad to know that this recipe is supplemented with dried fermentation products for probiotic support as well as chelated minerals for optimal absorption.
Top 3 Best Foods to Feed a Puppy Bernese Mountain Dog
When it comes to the proper diet for a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, you shouldn’t just pick out any old puppy formula. It’s important to choose a recipe formulated for large-breed puppies to ensure that your puppy gets enough protein to fuel his growth without going overboard on calories, putting him at a higher risk for musculoskeletal issues as an adult.
If you want some suggestions for quality brands of puppy food, here are our top three picks:
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Healthy Ingredients : Buffalo, Lamb Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Egg Product, Pea Protein
Key Features :
- Natural antioxidants
- Roasted venison and bison
- Promotes healthy digestive system
- Highly digestible energy
Taste of the Wild Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food has digestible energy and is high in protein. It also has fruits and vegetables that provide natural antioxidants.
This grain-free recipe is the perfect blend of nutrition and digestible energy for your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. Its main protein sources are roasted venison and bison. Additionally, it contains vegetables and fruits that provide natural antioxidants for healthy growth. As with other Taste of the Wild formulas you’ll find amino acids, omega 3 and 6 acids and probiotics that promote a healthy digestive system. It’s also highly praised for its taste which is reflected in the hundreds of online comments.
Fromm Family Gold Large Breed Puppy Recipe
Healthy Ingredients : Duck, Chicken Meal, Chicken,Oatmeal, Pearled Barley
Key Features :
- Probiotics for digestive support
- Glucosamine and chondroitin for joints
- Protein-rich
- Digestible carbs
Fromm Family Gold Large Breed Puppy Dog Food
Fromm Family Gold Large Breed Puppy Recipe is made with fresh duck and digestible carbs such as oatmeal and brown rice. It has extra glucosamine and chondroitin and probiotics for digestive support.
The Fromm pet food brand is a family-run business dedicated to producing healthy, high-quality products for pets. They offer three different lines of dry food options including the Gold line of life stage and lifestyle products. The Fromm Family Gold Large Breed Puppy Recipe is part of this lineup and it features fresh duck, chicken meal, and fresh chicken as the top three ingredients. These protein-rich ingredients are followed by digestible carbohydrates in the form of oatmeal, barley, and brown rice. There is chicken cartilage as well for extra glucosamine and chondroitin, plus probiotics for digestive support. All in all, a healthy option for your puppy.
How Much Should You Feed Your Bernese Mountain Dog?
Now that you have a better understanding of your Bernese Mountain Dog’s nutritional needs, you may be wondering exactly how much to feed him.
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.
The amount you need to feed your dog will vary according to numerous factors such as age, sex, and activity level. For example, puppies need more calories to fuel their growth and development while adults need enough energy to sustain their metabolism without too much extra that they become overweight or obese. If you choose to use your Bernese Mountain Dog in his intended role as a farm dog, or if you train him for dog sports, his daily energy expenditure may necessitate extra calories.
Another thing you need to consider:
Large-breed dogs like the Bernese Mountain Dog are already prone to musculoskeletal issues so you need to make sure that your puppy doesn’t grow too fast. This means you’ll have to be extra careful when choosing what to feed your puppy and you’ll need to make sure he gets enough to eat without eating too much.
One more thing you need to be aware of:
The Bernese Mountain Dog, like most larger breeds, is prone to a condition called gastric dilation volvulus, also known as gastric torsion or bloat. Basically, this is a condition in which the dog’s stomach fills with air and twists on its axis, cutting off blood flow. As you can imagine, this condition is extremely dangerous and can quickly become life-threatening. Preventing your dog from eating too much at once or from eating too quickly can help you prevent this deadly condition. You can use a slow-feed dog bowl to achieve this if you need to!
So, how do you determine how much to feed your dog?
You have two options. The first is to buy a large-breed puppy or adult dog food and follow the feeding recommendations. The second option is to actually calculate your dog’s energy needs. Keep reading to learn how to do it.
How Many Calories Does My Bernese Mountain Dog Need?
If you want to calculate your dog’s exact energy requirements, you can certain do that. If you just want to get a general idea how many calories he needs, however, that’s a bit easier. For the most part, dogs need an average of 30 calories per pound of bodyweight on a daily basis. Larger breeds like the Bernese Mountain Dog, however, have slightly slower metabolisms so they may only need 20 or 25 calories per pound of bodyweight. That would give you a range between 1,300 and 3,000 calories a day.
That’s a pretty big range! It all depends on your dog’s bodyweight, however.
Want to get a little more specific? Here is the formula for calculating your Bernese Mountain Dog’s specific calorie needs based on his bodyweight:
Resting Energy Requirement (RER) = 70 x (bodyweight in kg)¾
After calculating your dog’s RER, the energy requirement for a healthy, altered adult dog, you can multiply it by one of the following factors depending on his age, sex, and alteration status:
| Description | Factor |
| Puppy 0 to 4 months | RER x 3.0 |
| Puppy 4 to 12 months | RER x 2.0 |
| Intact Adult Dog | RER x 1.8 |
| Altered Adult Dog | RER x 1.6 |
| Active, Working Dog | RER x 2.0 – 5.0 |
| Weight Loss | RER x 1.0 |
| Weight Gain | RER x 1.2 – 1.8 |
| Obese or Inactive Dogs | RER x 1.2 – 1.4 |
Once you have your Bernese Mountain Dog’s RER, simply multiply it by the correct factor according to this chart. Once you have your dog’s daily calorie requirements, you can use the nutrition information on the pet food package to determine how much to feed him each day.
What to Look for in a Good Bernese Mountain Dog Food
As you start shopping for a good Bernese Mountain Dog food, there are a number of things you need to keep in mind. First and foremost, remember that this is a large-breed dog – some might even consider it a giant breed for dogs that grow to over 100 pounds. The best place to start, then, is probably with a high-quality product formulated specifically for large-breed dogs.
Large-breed dog food formulas are rich in protein to help the dog maintain his lean muscle mass. What makes these recipes different from other dog food formulas is that they tend to be lower in fat – this is the best way to control the calorie content of the recipe. Large-breed recipes often contain supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin as well to support the dog’s bones and joints. This is particularly important for Bernese Mountain Dogs because this breed is prone to a number of musculoskeletal issues such as hip dysplasia, arthritis, and cruciate ligament rupture.
In addition to looking for a large-breed formula for your Bernese Mountain Dog, you should also keep an eye out for a recipe that is made with high-quality animal proteins for optimal bioavailability. You might even consider a grain-free formula if you are concerned about the potential for food allergies.
| Best Bernese Mountain Dog Food Comparison Table | |||
| Rank | Product | Price | Rating |
| Best Value |
 American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food |
$1.47/lb |
A+
|
| Human Grade |
 |
Varies |
A+
|
| Best Dry |
|
Varies |
A+
|
| Most Popular |
 |
$1.55/lb |
A+
|
| #1 |
|
$3.01/lb |
A+
|
| #2 |
|
$2.45/lb |
A
|
| #3 |
|
$2.50/lb |
A
|
| #2 |
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food |
$1.67/lb |
A
|
| #3 |
|
$1.33/lb |
A
|
Conclusion
We know that your Bernese Mountain Dog is a special part of your family. That is why we have carefully chosen dog food recommendations that we know your dog will love. Just like any other product you buy for your dog, it takes careful research and consideration to make a choice. We are confident that if you try one of these choices, your Bernese Mountain Dog will be healthy, happy, and active from puppyhood and on.
