In this guide we’ve compared the best dog food for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. We’ve compared quality of ingredients, nutritional information, and value for money to give you our top recommendations below.
5 Best Dog Foods For Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies (2022)
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Our Best Dog Food for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies
- Calories
- 386 kcal/cup
- Protein
- 26%
- Fat
- 15%
- Fiber
- 5%
- Our Score
Compare Our Recommended Dog Foods
All of our dog food suggestions are carefully selected by professionals. We extensively research the products to check if they’ve been approved by governing bodies before making recommendations. You can read more about our stringent review standards here. And remember, always consult your veterinarian first, before changing your dog’s food.
- Top 5 Ingredients
- Type
- Lifestage
- Calories
- Protein
- Fat
- Fiber
- Cost
- Our score
-
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Brown Rice
- Oatmeal
- Barley
- Dry food
- Puppy
- 386 kcal/cup
-
26%26%
-
15%15%
-
5%5%
-
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Peas
- Ground Brown Rice
- Salmon Meal
- Dry food
- Puppy
- 367 kcal/cup
-
29%29%
-
13%13%
-
5%5%
-
- Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Peas
- Egg Product
- Tapioca
- Freeze-dried raw and dry food
- Puppy
- 485 kcal/cup
-
33.5%33.5%
-
18.5%18.5%
-
5%5%
-
- Chicken
- Menhaden Fish Meal
- Lentils
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Freeze-dried raw and dry food
- Puppy
- 520 kcal/cup
-
30%30%
-
12%12%
-
4%4%
-
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)
- Turkey Meal
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Dry food
- Puppy
- 374 kcal/cup
-
30%30%
-
12%12%
-
6%6%
Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy Food Reviews
Jason Homan
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food review
At a Glance
- Top 5 Ingredients:
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Brown Rice
- Oatmeal
- Barley
- Type: Dry food
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Calories: 386 kcal/cup
- Protein: 26%
- Fat: 15%
- Fiber: 5%
Jason Homan
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula is the ideal food to meet the needs of the developing Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. A diet formulated to address the requirements of large breed puppies, Blue Buffalo Life Protection is enriched with many vital supplements including DHA, ARA, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to encourage healthy cognitive development and healthy skin and coat.
To ensure the correct rate of growth, Blue Buffalo Life Protection has carefully calibrated the calcium to phosphorus ratio in their food to support this process. The pieces of kibble included in this formulation are large enough to prevent a choking hazard and encourage a healthy rate of eating.
This food contains no corn, wheat, soy, or by-products, making it one of the best dog foods for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies.
Pros
- Owners like that this diet bases its recipe on high quality, easily digestible proteins to support healthy muscles in growing Bernese Mountain Dog puppies.
- Owners are pleased this formula includes whole grains in its formula, believing they play a vital role in their puppies’ digestion.
- Puppies enjoy the taste of this diet, licking their bowls clean at every meal. Even the pickiest pups looked forward to eating this food.
- Puppies regularly fed this diet displayed coats that were healthy, shiny, and soft.
- Owners reported their puppies’ growth rate is excellent when fed Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Puppy.
Cons
- Some puppies struggled with gastrointestinal distress when fed this diet. This may be from too rapid a change from the old diet to the new or may possibly be a sensitivity to one of the food’s ingredients.
- Some owners disliked that this diet includes whole grains in its recipe, preferring to feed a puppy food that is completely grain-free.
- Peas, pea protein, and pea fiber are all included in this formula, ingredients of questionable nutritional quality and that may be connected to lowered fertility rates in adult breeding dogs and rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
- A few owners noted their puppies’ coats took on a strong fishy smell after they were fed a regular diet of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Puppy. This recipe does contain Menhaden fish meal.
- Owners dislike that this food does not come in a resealable bag, making it more difficult for them to keep their puppies’ food fresh.
Jason Homan
Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Brown Rice & Salmon Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food review
At a Glance
- Top 5 Ingredients:
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Peas
- Ground Brown Rice
- Salmon Meal
- Type: Dry food
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Calories: 367 kcal/cup
- Protein: 29%
- Fat: 13%
- Fiber: 5%
Jason Homan
Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Puppy Recipe is a diet of exceptional quality that hits all of the high points a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy needs from its diet. This food formulation, considered to be one of the best dog foods for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies, has been fortified with additional DHA to ensure healthy cognitive development. It also includes the right proportions of both calcium and phosphorus in ratio to each other to ensure a healthy rate of growth.
Pros
- Owners are pleased with their puppies’ rate of growth when regularly fed Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Puppy.
- Puppies that previously showed signs of gastrointestinal distress found relief when transitioned to this diet.
- Puppies love the taste of this food so much that it can be used as a meal and a training treat.
- The coats of puppies fed this diet are soft, lustrous, thick, shiny, and healthy.
- Puppies fed this diet showed excellent levels of energy.
Cons
- A few owners were disappointed to report that their bags of food contained a lot of crumbled kibble pieces.
- In rare cases, some puppies had mild gastrointestinal distress after eating this food. The most common issues were nausea, loose stools, and diarrhea. This could be from too quick a dietary change and may resolve in time.
- This diet contains not only whole grains but also peas. Peas are of questionable nutritional value for puppies and may be linked to several issues including lowered fertility rates in adult dogs and elevated blood sugar levels.
- There are no supplements in this diet to support joint health in the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy.
- Some puppies don’t like this food and will not eat it. This is most often simply a matter of preference.
Jason Homan
Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken & Freeze-Dried Raw Pieces Dry Dog Food review
At a Glance
- Top 5 Ingredients:
- Chicken
- Chicken Meal
- Peas
- Egg Product
- Tapioca
- Type: Freeze-dried raw and dry food
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Calories: 485 kcal/cup
- Protein: 33.5%
- Fat: 18.5%
- Fiber: 5%
Jason Homan
Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy is a nutritious food that Bernese Mountain Dog puppies find difficult to resist. This food contains freeze-dried raw meat pieces and dry kibble to form a diet that is big on high value nutritional content and on taste.
Instinct Raw Boost, among the best foods for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies, is high in protein and lists free range chicken as its first ingredient. This protein is included in its whole form and is easy for the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy to digest well. This protein-rich formulation also includes fish and other meats to contribute the necessary DHA to fuel healthy brain and vision development.
This food is free from grains, potatoes, corn, wheat, soy, by-products, artificial colors, and preservatives.
Pros
- Even the pickiest of puppies enjoy the taste of Instinct Large Breed Puppy, eagerly lapping up each morsel of their meal.
- Owners reported their puppies that previously suffered from dry and itchy skin found complete relief when consistently fed Instinct Large Breed Puppy.
- Owners like that this diet is grain-free, feeling it is a great choice for puppies with allergies or food sensitivities.
- Puppies were easily able to maintain a healthy weight when fed appropriate serving sizes of Instinct Large Breed Puppy.
- Owners were pleased to note that their puppies had fewer bowel movements and excellent stool quality when fed this diet on a regular basis.
Cons
- A few owners expressed they felt the amount of raw meat pieces included in this diet was lacking.
- Some owners felt this diet was costly.
- Several owners preferred to feed a diet that includes some whole grains in its recipe to help prevent DCM in the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. Instinct does offer several puppy formulations that include grains in their recipe.
- Some puppies pick out the raw meat chunks and avoid eating the kibble entirely. This can be resolved by reserving the meat to be fed as a treat after the meal has been consumed.
- In rare cases, some puppies were uninterested in this food and resisted eating it.
Jason Homan
CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Puppy Limited Ingredient Chicken, Lentil & Whole Egg Recipe Dry Dog Food review
At a Glance
- Top 5 Ingredients:
- Chicken
- Menhaden Fish Meal
- Lentils
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Type: Freeze-dried raw and dry food
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Calories: 520 kcal/cup
- Protein: 30%
- Fat: 12%
- Fiber: 4%
Jason Homan
CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Puppy LID is often recommended as one of the best dog foods for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies available for purchase today. A diet that bases its formula on a very limited list of ingredients, this recipe features only 9 items, making it an excellent choice for puppies with food sensitivities or allergies. This diet is free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
A powerful supplement blend enriched with probiotics, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids plays a starring role in this diet to boost overall health and wellness in the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. This food is proudly manufactured in the United States in a dedicated dog food factory in Texas.
Pros
- Owners love that this diet contains only nine ingredients; all of which are of exceptional quality. They have confidence this diet is a great choice for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies with food sensitivities or allergies.
- Puppies with poor stool quality saw great improvements when fed this diet consistently.
- Owners like that this diet contains a probiotic to support good digestion in the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy.
- Puppies regularly fed CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE LID had coats that were shiny, healthy and soft.
- Owners are pleased that their puppies eat this food eagerly and with enthusiasm.
Cons
- A few puppies disliked the taste of this food and would not eat it.
- In a few cases, some puppies experienced mild diarrhea when fed this food. This may be from too quick a dietary change and may resolve given time.
- Owners disliked that this food contains lentils, a controversial ingredient that may be linked to DCM and lowered fertility rates in adult breeding dogs.
- Some owners prefer to feed a diet that includes nutritious whole grains in its recipe.
- Some owners expressed they felt this diet was pricey.
Jason Homan
American Journey Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food review
At a Glance
- Top 5 Ingredients:
- Deboned Chicken
- Chicken Meal (a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate)
- Turkey Meal
- Peas
- Chickpeas
- Type: Dry food
- Lifestage: Puppy
- Calories: 374 kcal/cup
- Protein: 30%
- Fat: 12%
- Fiber: 6%
Jason Homan
A food that offers owners excellent value for their money, American Journey Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy is a diet of very high quality. American Journey contains no grains, providing a foundation of carbohydrates taken from high-fiber fruits and vegetables that are easy for the Bernese Mountain Dog to process and utilize effectively.
The first ingredient in this recipe is whole chicken, a powerhouse protein that is chock full of vital amino acids to propel the Bernese Mountain Dog’s critical developmental periods forward. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is the correct amount to support optimal bone growth. DHA has also been included in this formulation assist with cognitive function.
American Journey contains no grains, wheat, soy, by-products, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, placing it squarely amongst the best dog foods for Bernese Dog puppies.
Pros
- Owners love the price of this food, sharing they feel it offers them top tier nutrition at a reasonable cost.
- Puppies with sensitive stomachs did very well on this diet, finding relief from their symptoms.
- Owners reported improvements in their puppies’ coat and skin when fed this diet regularly.
- Puppies that tended to get bored easily with their food maintained their interest level in American Journey Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy.
- Owners liked that this food is grain-free, ensuring it is a good fit for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies with allergies or food sensitivities.
Cons
- A few owners felt the kibble piece in this diet were not suited to large breed puppies like the Bernese Mountain Dog.
- A few owners shared that this diet was too costly for them to feed their puppies on a regular basis.
- This diet contains peas, pea protein, and chickpeas, all ingredients of questionable nutritional value for growing puppies.
- Several owners expressed their puppies did not like the taste of this food. When a broth, topper, or meat was mixed in, they would then eat it. A switch to another American Journey puppy food with a different protein base may solve this problem.
- Some owners prefer to feed a diet that includes healthy whole grains in its recipe.
Price Comparison
The Cheapest Prices Found Today
How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies
Bernese Mountain Dog puppies are adorable, fluffy balls of fun. Quite distinctive with their soft, tri-colored coat, this breed is affectionate and fun, bonding deeply with its family. A dog considered to be a large breed, the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should be fed a food formulation designed specifically for its size.
Bernese Mountain Dogs do not have any specific nutritional requirements. Their needs can easily be met through a high-quality food that is properly balanced to address the developmental periods of a growing large breed puppy. The breed can be predisposed to a number of serious health problems. To prevent the exacerbation of such conditions as hip or elbow dysplasia or bloat, the pup should be fed the best food for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies which should be carefully measured with all intake monitored.
Though keeping the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy from becoming overweight is important, there is a more important reason for ensuring this dog is fed the correct portion sizes. Though it is not known what causes bloat, experts believe that eating too much or too quickly may be factors that can lead to this condition. A large breed puppy food will contain larger pieces of kibble that will encourage the pup to carefully chew and swallow each piece.
The Bernese Mountain Dog puppy will not reach full maturity until age two. Because this breed enjoys such a long developmental period, the Bernese Mountain Dog pup should be fed a large-breed puppy food until the dog reaches their mature bodyweight. After this milestone, the dog should be transitioned to an appropriate adult food.
A very important component which any high-quality puppy food suited to this breed should address is the correct amount of calcium to phosphorus. If this balance is not right in a food, it can lead to overly rapid bone growth, which can then lead to orthopedic problems in the dog. A diet specially formulated for large breed puppies will ensure this nutritional requirement is met.
Feeding Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies
Bernese Mountain Dog puppies burn a lot of calories in a day and have a lot of growing to do. To support their active lifestyle, this pup needs a large breed puppy food that is calorie-dense and comprised of the highest quality ingredients in the correct balance to each other. Since large breed puppies grow at their own unique rate, the best means to determine how much the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should be fed is by using the suggested serving sizes listed on the bag of food.
Suggested serving sizes are a starting point. The amount of food included in each meal should be adjusted to reflect the puppy’s activity level and appetite. Feed the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy three to four times throughout the day during its first six months. After this, meals can be reduced to two times daily.
Any diet that is best for the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should have a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat. The best foods for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies are nutritionally balanced and fortified with the correct vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to support the pup through each critical developmental phase.
Dietary Requirements for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy Foods
Bernese Mountain Dog puppies require a diet that is rich in animal proteins. Whole meats are the best choice, but meat meals are also acceptable.
Carbohydrates form an important part of the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s diet. These can be included in the form of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Healthy fats provide Bernese Mountain Dog puppies with vital energy as well as support for a healthy coat and skin. These are best sourced from ingredients such as chicken fat or oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy:
-
Whole proteins heading up the ingredients list
Any diet suited to the needs of a growing Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should include meat as one of its first ingredients. Whole meats are best, but meat meals also provide all of the nutrition this pup needs.
-
Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
All foods can benefit from the addition of supplements to help them provide greater nutritional help to dogs. The most valuable ingredients to look for include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
-
Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.
What is the Best Dog Food for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies?
- Top Pick: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Puppy
- Second best: Wellness Large Breed Complete Health Puppy
- Third best: Instinct Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy
- Recommended: CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Puppy LID
- Recommended: American Journey Grain-Free Large Breed Puppy
