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Bernese Mountain Dogs are a beloved large-to-giant dog breed known for their beautiful tri-color coats and playful spirits. Though most of these cheerful pups aren’t picky eaters, there’s good reason to give some extra thought to the right diet for a Berner.
That’s because while all dog breeds require more or less the same nutrients, Bernese Mountain Dogs in particular benefit from carefully calibrated ratios of calcium and phosphorus, especially during the growth period. Large-breed-specific puppy formulas, followed by recipes that support joint health in later life, can help your pup avoid musculoskeletal issues.
Berners also have a tendency toward sensitive stomachs, and the breed’s gentler, sleepier members can have issues maintaining the right weight. Highly digestible formulas with lots of fiber can help on both fronts.
To help you find a good fit, we’ve rounded up recipes that meet the AAFCO feeding guidelines for content and nutrients, with special consideration for Berner digestion and health. We’ve converted all nutritional analysis to a dry-matter basis so you can compare across food types with different moisture contents.
Not sure where to start? Before switching your dogs’s diet, give your vet a call to discuss the health needs of your particular pup.
Best for Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies: Nutro Ultra Large Breed Puppy High Protein
The Nutro Ultra Large Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food recipe is formulated to meet a large-breed puppy’s nutritional needs. It includes chicken as the first ingredient, as well as lamb and salmon to provide plenty of protein to build healthy muscles. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids offer critical nutrients for brain and eye development.
Note that it’s important to choose a large-breed-specific puppy (or “growth”) formula, which will have carefully calibrated levels of calcium. Too much calcium can cause a Bernese Mountain Dog to grow too fast, risking joint issues in later life. This recipe does extra work to prevent future joint issues by including glucosamine and chondroitin.
Key Nutrients:
- 407 kcal/cup
- 29% protein
- 16% fat
- 4% fiber
Best for Young Bernese Mountain Dogs: Royal Canin Giant Junior Dry Dog Food
Intermediate recipes for dogs between puppyhood and adulthood make a lot of sense for slow-growing big breeds like Bernese Mountain Dogs. This “junior” dry dog food is formulated for giant-breed puppies aged 8-24 months who are expected to reach over 100 pounds by adulthood. It’s designed especially to support a puppy’s muscle development in their final stage of growth.
It also does a nice job of balancing intestinal bacteria with a healthy combination of prebiotics and highly digestible proteins. And it offers immune support with a blend of antioxidants, while glucosamine (371 mg/kg) and chondroitin (8 mg/kg) are good for hardworking joints. 32% protein (by dry weight content) comfortably meets growth-stage needs according to AAFCO feeding guidelines.
When should you stop feeding a junior recipe? Depending on your dog’s growth, you should graduate your puppy to an adult food between 18 and 24 months.
Key Nutrients:
- 311 kcal per cup
- 32% protein
- 15% fat
- 3.8% fiber
Best for Adult Bernese Mountain Dogs: Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed Dry Dog Food
Once a dog reaches adulthood, it’s a good idea to switch to a diet suitable for the “maintenance” phase of their life. Holistic Select Large and Giant Breed dry dog food offers a nice blend of supplements designed for big dogs, including omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and glucosamine. These ingredients can support your adult Berner’s overall digestive, skin, and joint health.
This formula uses large-sized kibble—important in slowing down speed eaters and preventing bloat or indigestion. Probiotics, fiber, and digestive enzymes keep a big-dog stomach running smoothly. At 26% protein (by dry weight content), this dry food meets AAFCO standards for a full-grown adult dog.
Key Nutrients:
- 453 kcal per cup
- 26% protein
- 14% fat
- 4% fiber
Best for Digestion: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Dry Adult Dog Food
Not all Berners have sensitive stomachs—but for those who do, potty breaks can be rough on both the pup and the pup parent scooping the poop. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Gastrointestinal High Fiber adult dog food is formulated with highly digestible proteins, enhanced omega-3 fatty acids, and an elevated fiber blend to help support digestive health and normalize an adult dog’s stool frequency and quality for a predictable potty schedule.
It provides adequate energy levels for large- and giant-breed dogs to help maintain a healthy body weight with 23% protein and 15% fat (both comfortably within the AAFCO feeding guidelines for the maintenance stage).
Key Nutrients:
- 290 kcal per cup
- 23% protein
- 15% fat
- 8% fiber
Best for Weight Loss: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large Breed Healthy Weight Formula
It’s especially important to keep a big dog like a Berner at a healthy weight, since carrying extra pounds can strain their vulnerable joints (a lot of Berners experience arthritis in later life).
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula helps your dog maintain a healthy weight by using a recipe with L-Carnitine for lean muscle development, reduced calories from fat, and plenty of fiber to keep a dog feeling full. Like many large- or giant-breed foods, this formula includes glucosamine and chondroitin for sustained joint health and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
The recipe also features ingredients like calcium and phosphorus to promote strong bones and teeth, and antioxidants for immune system health. 24% protein and 10% fat (by dry weight content) meet AAFCO feeding standards for adult dogs. Before selecting a weight-loss food, be sure to consult your veterinarian.
Key Nutrients:
- 318 kcal per cup
- 24% protein
- 10% fat
- 11% fiber
Best for Food Sensitivities and Allergies: Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein Formula
If you and your vet suspect your Bernese Mountain Dog has a food allergy that’s causing their upset stomach but you’re not sure what the culprit is, you may want to switch to a diet with hydrolyzed proteins. Hydrolyzed proteins contain low molecular weight peptides that can be absorbed in the digestive tract with a reduced risk of triggering an immune reaction.
This prescription formula is designed for adult dogs with food allergies and sensitivities. It uses hydrolyzed soy proteins that are highly digestible and EPA and DHA fatty acids to support both gastrointestinal and dermatological health. This recipe also includes a blend of fibers to support healthy digestion in dogs prone to digestive upsets and diarrhea.
This food is safe for long-term feeding to adult dogs, though some vets might clear you to return to a more standard diet once you’ve identified your dog’s allergen.
Key Nutrients:
- 324 kcal per cup
- 21% protein
- 19% fat
- 3% fiber
Best for Senior Bernese Mountain Dogs: Hills Science Diet Adult 6+ Dry Food
In general, a dog’s core nutritional needs don’t change just because they’re getting older—but that doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from the additional supplements or slightly lower caloric content that most senior dog foods include.
This Hill’s Science Diet Adult 6+ dry dog food is formulated for large breed dogs weighing between 55 and 110 pounds in their senior years. As a large breed dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog can reach their twilight years around age six while still keeping up an active lifestyle. To help your Berner stay active, this recipe includes extra glucosamine and chondroitin to support joint and cartilage health, as well as omega-6 fatty acids to nourish your dog’s skin and help maintain a healthy Berner coat. We like that this recipe doesn’t include any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.
Key Nutrients:
- 353 kcal per cup
- 17% protein
- 12% fat
- 4% fiber
Best for Skin and Coat Health: Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat Formula
Berners are famous for their beautiful, full, and shiny coats—but they can be prone to dry and sensitive skin. High in omega fatty acids and with salmon as the first ingredient, this adult dog food promotes skin and coat health. It doesn’t include corn or wheat, and it’s also chicken-free—which is a good place to start if you suspect a food allergy might be the cause of your pup’s skin issues.
Key Nutrients:
- 408 kcal per cup
- 28% protein
- 15% fat
- 5.5% fiber
Best Raw Food for Bernese Mountain Dogs: Instinct Raw Frozen Bites
Raw food definitely isn’t for every pup, but it has gained some anecdotal support in recent years from pet parents reporting improved digestive health in their big dogs post-switch. One nice quality of raw food is that it tends to be especially high in protein, which can make it a good fit for active and working dogs.
Instinct Raw Beef Recipe is a popular minimally-processed, never-cooked formula made from beef, organs, vegetables, and fruits. It’s designed to promote lean muscles, healthy teeth and gums, and smooth digestion.
Key Nutrients:
- 183 kcal per cup
- 40% protein
- 46% fat
- 18% fiber
How We Chose
We selected the food products featured here based on a combination of our own hands-on testing and a comprehensive look at customer reviews. We selected products that meet AAFCO feeding standards and offer nutrients especially useful for Bernese Mountain Dogs and other large breeds, including large kibble sizes, carefully calculated ratios of calcium and phosphorus for the growth stage, joint support, and strong fiber content for digestive health.
We’re also guided by the experience of living alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.