About the Bernese Mountain Dog
Calm, affectionate giant working dogs from the Swiss Alps. A typical adult Bernese Mountain Dog weighs around 35–55 kg (Giant).
How many calories does a Bernese Mountain Dog need?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 70 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×1.6 for a typical dog at the life stage shown. Enter your own animal's details in the calculator for an exact figure.
| Body weight | Daily calories | Dry kibble ~3,500 kcal/kg | Wet ~1,050 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 kg | 1612 kcal | 460 g | 1535 g |
| 37.857 kg | 1709 kcal | 488 g | 1628 g |
| 40.714 kg | 1805 kcal | 516 g | 1719 g |
| 43.571 kg | 1899 kcal | 543 g | 1809 g |
| 46.429 kg | 1992 kcal | 569 g | 1897 g |
| 49.286 kg | 2083 kcal | 595 g | 1984 g |
| 52.143 kg | 2173 kcal | 621 g | 2070 g |
| 55 kg | 2262 kcal | 646 g | 2154 g |
Feeding a Bernese Mountain Dog for a healthy weight
A giant breed with slower metabolism per kilogram and joint vulnerability; lean, controlled growth in puppyhood and lean adult weight protect their hips and shorten no lifespan unnecessarily.
What to feed a Bernese Mountain Dog
Dogs are facultative carnivores: they thrive on meat-forward diets but can use carbohydrate and plant matter. A complete-and-balanced food (dry, wet, fresh, or properly-formulated raw) meeting AAFCO or FEDIAF standards should make up the vast majority of intake, with treats capped at 10% of daily calories.
Most adult dogs do best on two meals a day. Puppies under four months need three to four smaller meals; large-breed puppies should be fed a large-breed-specific formula to slow bone growth and protect their joints.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I feed a Bernese Mountain Dog?
A 45 kg Bernese needs roughly 1,700-2,100 kcal a day at normal activity — proportionally less than a small dog, as giant breeds are metabolically efficient for their size.
How much should I feed my dog per day?
A 10 kg neutered adult dog at a healthy weight needs roughly 500-560 kcal per day — about 150-165 g of standard dry kibble split over two meals. Scale up or down with weight, activity and life stage using the calculator above.
Should I feed my dog once or twice a day?
Twice a day suits most adult dogs and helps regulate appetite and blood sugar. Puppies need three or more meals; some giant breeds prone to bloat also do better with smaller, more frequent meals.