Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Bernese Mountain Dog Food Calculator
- Bernese Mountain Dog Feeding Chart
- Best Food for Bernese Mountain Dog. Bernese Mountain Dog Feeding Guide
- How Much Food to Feed the Bernese Mountain Dog
- How Many Times to Feed the Bernese Mountain Dog a Day
- Conclusion
Introduction to Feeding the Bernese Mountain Dog
Most dog owners do not know how to properly feed their dogs.
Also, most dog owners overfeed their dogs.
That explains why 59 percent of dogs and cats are overweight, according to research.
Overfeeding your Bernese Mountain Dog will make your Bernese Mountain Dog overweight and obese. Obesity leads to worse health problems for your Bernese Mountain Dog.
Unfortunately, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a dog breed that can become overweight very easily.
Therefore, you need to pay careful attention to what you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog and how much food you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
Furthermore, when you overfeed your Bernese Mountain Dog, you waste dog food. Wasting dog food is the same as wasting money. Dog food is a recurring expenditure that adds up to a lot of money over the lifespan of your Bernese Mountain Dog.
The average lifespan of the Bernese Mountain Dog is 8.0 years.
When you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog the right type of food and the right amount of food, your Bernese Mountain Dog will be of the right body weight and the right body condition (not overweight or underweight).
Similarly, underfeeding your Bernese Mountain Dog is as bad of a problem as overfeeding your Bernese Mountain Dog.
When you underfeed your Bernese Mountain Dog or feed your Bernese Mountain Dog an incomplete or unbalanced diet, you reduce your Bernese Mountain Dog`s quality of life.
The right amount of food that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs depends on six important factors.
You need to take all these factors into account when developing a meal plan for your Bernese Mountain Dog. These six factors are:- The life stage of your Bernese Mountain Dog (puppy, adult, or senior)
- The current weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog
- The body condition of your Bernese Mountain Dog (normal weight, overweight, underweight)
- How active your Bernese Mountain Dog is (inactive/obese prone, or active/athletic)
- If your Bernese Mountain Dog has been spayed/neutered
- The type of dog food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog
This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to properly feed your Bernese Mountain Dog based on the above factors as recommended by veterinarians.
This article also includes the Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator that you can use to estimate how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog based on the six factors we have just mentioned.
Our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator uses the dog food formula and feeding guidelines developed by the veterinarians from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center and by veterinarians from the Mark Morris Institute.
Moreover, our calculator knows the calorie content per cup in over 800 popular dog foods (data from the Frankin Animal Clinic). Thus, the calculator can automatically calculate the right amount of each popular dog food that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs daily.
Importantly, since the nutrient requirements of the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy are different from the nutrient requirements of the adult Bernese Mountain Dog, this article contains recommendations on the best food to feed the Bernese Mountain Dog at different ages.
Bernese Mountain Dog Food Calculator
The Bernese Mountain Dog Food Calculator above lets you estimate how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
Similarly, to calculate how much water your Bernese Mountain Dog needs, check out our Bernese Mountain Dog water calculator
.Our dog water calculator lets you estimate how much water your Bernese Mountain Dog needs to drink in a day.
How to Use our Bernese Mountain Dog Food Calculator
To use the dog food calculator:✔ Select the name of the dog food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog from the list.
✔ If the name of the dog food that your feed your Bernese Mountain Dog is not on the list, then find the bag or can of your dog food, the bag should have written on it how many kcals per cup is in the dog food. Enter this value in the calculator in the place of the dog food name.
✔ Enter the current weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog.
✔ Select your Bernese Mountain Dog`s age range, activity level, and neuter status.
✔ If your Bernese Mountain Dog is overweight or underweight, and you want your Bernese Mountain Dog to lose or gain weight, enter the ideal weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog for its current age in the `How much you wish your dog currently weighs` box. Leave this box blank if your Bernese Mountain Dog is of normal weight.
To know how much Bernese Mountain Dogs typically weigh at different ages, check out our article and calculators on Bernese Mountain Dog weight and growth.
CONSULT A LICENSED VETERINARIAN FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR DOG ON A WEIGHT LOSS OR WEIGHT GAIN DIET.
How the Bernese Mountain Dog Food Calculator Works
First, the calculator estimates what is known as the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) of your Bernese Mountain Dog.
The RER is the amount of energy that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs when it is `resting`, that is when doing nothing. The calculator uses the current weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog to calculate your Bernese Mountain Dog`s resting energy.
Next, the calculator scales up the resting energy by a factor that corresponds to your Bernese Mountain Dog`s life stage (puppy or adult) and lifestyle (activity level, spayed/neutered, etc). This scaled up energy value (called the maintenance energy) is the energy that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs to maintain its life when not resting.
Finally, the Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator divides the maintenance energy by the amount of energy in one cup of dog food to calculate how many cups of dog food your Bernese Mountain Dog needs.
Monitoring Your Bernese Mountain Dog`s Growth
The answer from the Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator is a starting point number on how much food you need to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
Start by feeding your Bernese Mountain Dog the amount of food recommended by the Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator every day.
While feeding your Bernese Mountain Dog this daily amount of food, weigh your Bernese Mountain Dog at least once a week to ensure that your Bernese Mountain Dog is not on its way to becoming overweight or underweight.
If your Bernese Mountain Dog is becoming overweight, reduce the amount of food your feed it by 10 to 15 percent, if underweight increase its food by 10 to 15 percent.
You can use our dog weight tracking tool to keep records of your Bernese Mountain Dog`s weight. This tool will let you know if the feeding plan is making your Bernese Mountain Dog grow normally or abnormally.
You can also check your Bernese Mountain Dog body condition score to find out if it is overweight or underweight. Learn how to check your Bernese Mountain Dog body condition score here.
Bernese Mountain Dog Feeding Chart
Below is the typical feed chart for the Bernese Mountain Dog. This chart provides you a rough guide on how much dry dog food (kibble) to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
If you want a more accurate estimate of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog, use this Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator.
| Age | Typical Weight | How Much Food |
|---|---|---|
| 14 weeks | 38.9 lbs (17.7 kg) | 4.7 cups per day |
| 15 weeks | 41.7 lbs (18.9 kg) | 4.9 cups per day |
| 17 weeks | 47.0 lbs (21.3 kg) | 3.6 cups per day |
| 18 weeks | 49.5 lbs (22.4 kg) | 3.7 cups per day |
| 5 months | 54.2 lbs (24.6 kg) | 4.0 cups per day |
| 6 months | 62.5 lbs (28.4 kg) | 4.4 cups per day |
| 7 months | 69.6 lbs (31.6 kg) | 4.8 cups per day |
| 8 months | 75.5 lbs (34.2 kg) | 5.1 cups per day |
| 9 months | 80.3 lbs (36.4 kg) | 5.3 cups per day |
| 10 months | 84.3 lbs (38.2 kg) | 5.5 cups per day |
| 11 months | 87.3 lbs (39.6 kg) | 5.7 cups per day |
| 12 months | 89.7 lbs (40.7 kg) | 5.8 cups per day |
| 1 years | 91.5 lbs (41.5 kg) | 5.9 cups per day |
| 3 years | 96.5 lbs (43.8 kg) | 4.9 cups per day |
| 5 years | 96.5 lbs (43.8 kg) | 4.9 cups per day |
How to Measure the Right Amount of Dog Food for Your Bernese Mountain Dog
Research has shown that most owners over-measure a cup of dog food. As a result, most dogs owners overfeed their dogs. This is because dog owners do not level off the cup when measuring out the food they give to their dogs.
See how and how not to measure ONE cup of dry dog food in the picture below:
Note that one cup of dog food equals 8 oz of dog food or ~237 milliliters of dog food.
You can buy standard dog food measuring cups here on Amazon.
Best Food for Bernese Mountain Dog. Bernese Mountain Dog Feeding Guide
The Bernese Mountain Dog has different nutrient needs at different life stages. Therefore, the dog food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog at different ages should be the type that is appropriate for its age.
For example, during its puppy stage, your Bernese Mountain Dog needs the type of dog food that has been designed to help boost a puppy`s weak immune system.
On the other hand, the adult Bernese Mountain Dog should have already developed a good immune system. So, during the adult stage, you should feed your Bernese Mountain Dog the type of dog food that has been designed to prolong the life of a dog.
Nevertheless, some dogs still do well eating the same food at every stage of their lives.
However, feeding your Bernese Mountain Dog dog food that has been optimized for its age will ensure that your Bernese Mountain Dog grows well, lives well, and lives long.
Feeding Guide for the Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy: 12 weeks to one year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Also, a good puppy food should have the nutrients that support brain development and good vision.
Finally, a good dog food for the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should be the type that will not make your Bernese Mountain Dog fat. The puppy food should also help increase the health of your puppy`s bones.
See our list of the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food for the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy below.
These dog foods have all the right amount of nutrients that the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy needs to grow well during its puppy years.
Best Dry Food For Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Puppy, Chicken Meal & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy: Purina Pro Plan High Protein Wet Puppy Food
Feeding Guide for the Young Adult Bernese Mountain Dog: Ages 1 year to 6 years
The dog food that you feed a young adult Bernese Mountain Dog should have the nutrients that will make a dog live longer.
A good dog food for the young adult Bernese Mountain Dog should also have the nutrients that will minimize the chances of your Bernese Mountain Dog getting infected with common dog diseases.
Also, a good dry dog food for the young adult Bernese Mountain Dog should help clean your dog`s teeth as your dog chews on the food.
Below is our best dog food recommendations for the young adult Bernese Mountain Dog
Best Dry Food For Young Adult Bernese Mountain Dog: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult Oral Care for Dental Health Dog Food, Chicken Rice & Barley Recipe
Best Wet Food For Young Adult Bernese Mountain Dog: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Chicken & Barley
Feeding Guide for Mature Adult Bernese Mountain Dogs: 6 years and older
You should feed the mature adult Bernese Mountain Dog food that has been formulated to improve their quality of life, increase their life expectancy, and increase their overall health.
Older dogs are prone to age-related health problems. A good diet is essential to minimize the possibility of becoming frail with age.
See our recommendation on the best food for the mature adult Bernese Mountain Dog below:
Best Dry Food For Mature Adult Bernese Mountain Dog: Hill`s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe
Best Wet Food For Mature Adult Bernese Mountain Dog: Hill`s Science Diet Wet Dog Food, Adult 7+ for Senior Dogs, Beef & Barley Recipe
Feeding Guide for Senior Dogs
One way to slow down the effects of aging in dogs is to reduce the amount of food you feed old dogs by 20 to 30% of normal while meeting essential nutrient needs.
Reducing a senior Bernese Mountain Dog`s food slows the aging process and reduces the risk for cancer, kidney diseases, arthritis, and immune-related diseases.
AAFCO-Certified Dog Food for the Bernese Mountain Dog
No matter which commercial food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog, make sure that the food is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
AAFCO is an expert body that rigorously tests dog food to make sure that the dog food is safe.
Also, AAFCO ensures that a dog food has all the nutrients (not just calories) that a dog needs to grow well before AAFCO approves the dog food.
Unlike homemade dog food, most commercial dog foods are AAFCO-approved. Double-check the label of your dog food to make sure it has been certified by AAFCO before feeding it to your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed the Bernese Mountain Dog
How Much Food to Feed a 14-Week-Old Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy
You should feed your 14-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy 4.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 14-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 14-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 38.9 lbs (17.7 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog, and other factors, use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 20-Week-Old Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy
You should feed your 20-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy 4.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
You may divide this food into two or three separate meals and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food should feed your 20-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 20-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 54.2 lbs (24.6 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog a dog food with a calorie content of 389 kcal per cup.
If you want a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy based on its exact weight, the exact type of dog food that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog, and other factors, use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator.
How Much Food to Feed a 5-Month-Old Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy
You should feed your 5-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy 4.0 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 5-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 5-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 54.2 lbs (24.6 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed a 10-Month-Old Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy
You should feed your 10-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy 5.5 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 10-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 10-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 84.3 lbs (38.2 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog dog food that has an average calorie density (389 kcal per cup).
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed a 5-Year-Old Bernese Mountain Dog
You should feed your 5-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog 4.9 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 5-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 5-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 96.5 lbs (43.8 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed a 9-Year-Old Bernese Mountain Dog
You should feed your 9-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog 4.9 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you need to feed your 9-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog assumes that the weight of your Bernese Mountain Dog is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 9-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is 96.5 lbs (43.8 kg).
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog dog food of that contains 389 kilocalories of energy per cup.
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed a 46-Pound Bernese Mountain Dog
You should feed your 46-Pound Bernese Mountain Dog 3.2 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Bernese Mountain Dog is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Bernese Mountain Dog is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Much Food to Feed a 57-Pound Bernese Mountain Dog
You should feed your 57-Pound Bernese Mountain Dog 3.7 cups of dry dog food (kibble) every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate potions and give it to your Bernese Mountain Dog over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog also assumes that you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog a dog food that has an energy content of 389 kilocalories per cup, and that your Bernese Mountain Dog is reproductively intact.
Also, we assume that your Bernese Mountain Dog is not overweight or underweight.
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator for a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.
How Many Times to Feed the Bernese Mountain Dog a Day
When it comes to how many times to feed a dog, there are three different ways to feed the Bernese Mountain Dog
One way is to make food available to the Bernese Mountain Dog at all times (free-choice feeding).
Another way is to feed the Bernese Mountain Dog two or three times a day (food-restricted feeding). This is the feeding method that works the best for most Bernese Mountain Dogs.
The third way is to make food available to your Bernese Mountain Dog for a short time (about 10 minutes) once or twice a day (time-restricted feeding).
Each of these feeding methods has its advantages and disadvantages, which will be discussed next.
Free-Choice Feeding
This is a feeding method when you make food available to your Bernese Mountain Dog all the time.
Note that free-choice feeding is not recommended for large- and giant-breed puppies like the Bernese Mountain Dog puppies until these puppies have reached 12 months of age.
Food-Restricted Meal Feeding
Food-limited feeding requires feeding a measured amount of food based on the Bernese Mountain Dog’s daily energy requirements divided into two or three meals per day.
This is the method of choice for feeding puppies that are at risk of developing bone diseases due to rapid growth. Restricting the food of a rapidly growing dog will ensure that the dog grows normally.
Time-Limited Feeding
This is a dog feeding method in which dogs are allowed access to food for a short period, usually 10 to 15 minutes, once or twice daily (three times per day for the first month after weaning, then twice per day).
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Free-choice feeding |
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| Food-restricted feeding |
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| Time-restricted feeding |
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Effect of Neutering/Spaying on How Much Food your Bernese Mountain Dog eats
Neutered/spayed dogs tend to get fat twice as easily as intact dogs.
Studies have shown that neutering/spaying may increase your Bernese Mountain Dog`s appetite for more food. Also, your Bernese Mountain Dog`s physical activity decreases after neutering/spaying. These factors lead to weight gain.
Neutering may lead to more weight gain in male Bernese Mountain Dogs because neutered dogs roam less (which means less exercise).
Therefore, the amount of food that you give to a neutered Bernese Mountain Dog should be reduced after you neuter your Bernese Mountain Dog to prevent weight gain.
Use our Bernese Mountain Dog food calculator to calculate how much food to feed a neutered/spayed Bernese Mountain Dog.
Effect of Weather on How Much Food Your Bernese Mountain Dog Needs
Bernese Mountain Dogs that live in cold environments need more food (especially, food high in fat) than Bernese Mountain Dogs that live in hot environments.
Hot weather, on the other hand, does not increase the amount of food your Bernese Mountain Dog needs. Hot weather only makes your Bernese Mountain Dog need more water.
Since most Bernese Mountain Dogs live in a temperature-controlled environment as their owners. Therefore, owners do not need to increase or decrease the amount of food they give to their Bernese Mountain Dogs based on the outside weather.
Important Note on Treats and Table Food
Because meeting a dog`s nutrient requirements is not the primary goal of dog treats, most commercial dog treats do not contain the essential nutrients that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs.
However, a few treats are complete and balanced and are approved by AAFCO, or some other credible dog food regulatory agency. Check the label on your dog treat to know if the dog treat has a complete and balanced nutrient profile.
Nevertheless, dog treats, either balanced or unbalanced in nutrients, are valid sources of calories for your dog. Therefore, if you give your dog lots of treats, you should reduce the amount of the regular dog food that you give your dog accordingly to account for the treats. That way, you will not overfeed your dog.
Also, human table foods do not contain the important nutrients that your Bernese Mountain Dog needs for healthy growth.
Also, human table foods may contain very high levels of fat or sodium and other minerals that are harmful to your Bernese Mountain Dog.
Moreover, know that when you feed your Bernese Mountain Dog table food, you fill your Bernese Mountain Dog`s stomach with dog `junk food`. This will suppress your Bernese Mountain Dog`s appetite and thereby make your Bernese Mountain Dog unable to eat its normal dog food that contains the essential nutrients for your Bernese Mountain Dog`s growth.
We do not recommend giving your Bernese Mountain Dog table food.
Conclusion
Most commercial dog food labels contain recommendations on how much of the food to feed a dog. However, their recommendations are very general.
Therefore, in this article, we have provided your specific advice on how to properly feed your Bernese Mountain Dog.