Bernedoodle nutrition: puppy growth, bloat and allergies

A Standard Bernedoodle is a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Standard Poodle, and it inherits risks from both sides. The Bernese half matters most for health planning. In a Swiss study of club-registered Bernese Mountain Dogs, median life expectancy was 8.4 years, and cancer was common. A cross may do better than the purebred parent, but no published study has measured Bernedoodle lifespan or disease rates, so the safer plan is to feed with the parent breeds' problems in mind: joint disease in a large, growing dog, bloat, allergies and cancer.

Growing a large puppy slowly

Adult size in Standard Bernedoodles varies more than in a purebred, because it depends on the size of both parents. Ask the breeder for the parents' weights; that is the best guide to what the puppy will become. Anything likely to finish large should be fed as a large-breed puppy.

In large breeds, fast growth and excess calcium both work against a developing skeleton. The Merck Veterinary Manual reports that young, rapidly growing large-breed dogs fed very high calcium (over 3% of dry matter) developed more severe osteochondrosis, a cartilage and bone disorder, and poorer bone remodeling than dogs fed 1% to 3%. In practice:

• Feed a food labeled complete and balanced for growth of large-size dogs.
• Do not add calcium or bone supplements to a complete puppy food.
• Keep the puppy lean. Ribs should be easy to feel, with a visible waist from above.
• Weigh every two to four weeks and adjust portions to the body, not to the chart on the bag.

Ask for official hip and elbow screening results for both the Bernese and the Poodle parent before choosing a puppy. Diet cannot undo a poor genetic start, but it can avoid adding to it.

Move to adult food when the dog is close to adult size. For a large Bernedoodle that is usually somewhere in the second year; the vet can judge from growth and body condition.

Calories for an adult

Merck's starting formula for resting energy requirement (RER) is 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75, in kcal per day. Adults are fed 1.8 times RER if intact, 1.6 times if neutered and 1.4 times if they gain weight easily. Puppies over four months are fed about twice RER for their current weight. Rounded:

These are estimates, and dogs of the same weight differ. Weigh portions on a kitchen scale rather than using a scoop, and count treats and chews in the daily total. A common rule is to keep treats under about a tenth of the day's calories; for a 30 kg neutered adult that is roughly 140 kcal.

Lean weight and joint supplements

Staying lean has strong evidence behind it as joint protection. In a lifelong study of Labrador Retriever littermates, dogs fed 25% less than their pair mates lived a median of 1.8 years longer, and late-life diseases, osteoarthritis in particular, started later. The restricted dogs grew normally. They were simply kept lean from puppyhood.

Supplements are a weaker bet, and they differ from each other. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of dogs and cats with osteoarthritis found clear pain-relieving benefit from omega-3-enriched diets and omega-3 supplements. Glucosamine and chondroitin showed a marked lack of effect, and the authors recommended they no longer be used for osteoarthritis pain. That evidence is about dogs that already have arthritis. For a young, sound Bernedoodle, keeping the weight right is the better-supported step. If joint signs appear, such as stiffness after rest, reluctance on stairs or a shortened stride, the vet can confirm the cause and advise on an omega-3 product and dose.

Bloat risk and how to feed

Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) happens when the stomach fills with gas and twists. It is a surgical emergency. Large, deep-chested dogs are at greater risk, and the Standard Poodle was one of the eleven large and giant breeds followed in a US study of GDV risk. In that cohort, risk rose with age, a close relative with GDV, fast eating and a raised food bowl.

A second analysis of diet in the same group of breeds found that dogs fed a larger volume of food per meal were at higher risk, however many meals they had. Risk was highest for dogs given a large volume once a day. For a Standard Bernedoodle:

• Split the day's food into at least two meals.
• Feed from a bowl on the floor rather than a raised stand.
• Slow a fast eater with a slow-feeder bowl or puzzle feeder.
• Keep hard exercise away from mealtimes. This is standard advice, although it has not been tested as directly as the points above.

Signs of GDV include retching without bringing anything up, a swollen or tight belly, restlessness, heavy drooling and fast breathing. The dog needs an emergency vet immediately. Do not wait to see whether it settles. Preventive gastropexy, stitching the stomach to the body wall, can be discussed with the vet, often at the time of neutering.

Cancer and what diet can and cannot do

Cancer is the main reason Bernese Mountain Dogs die young. A Dutch study found that at least 55% of Bernese deaths were associated with malignant tumors, and more than one in seven Bernese died of histiocytic sarcoma, an aggressive cancer of immune cells. How much of that risk passes to a Bernedoodle is unknown.

We found no evidence that any diet or antioxidant supplement prevents histiocytic sarcoma or other cancers in dogs. A complete diet and a lean body are worthwhile for general health, but claims that particular vegetables, preservatives or antioxidant doses reduce cancer risk go beyond the evidence. Early detection is more useful. See a vet about lameness that does not settle, new lumps, weight loss, reduced appetite, lethargy, pale gums or breathing changes, particularly in a dog from middle age onward.

Itchy skin and food allergies

Chronic itching, paw licking and recurrent ear infections have several causes, including environmental allergies, fleas and food allergy. Food allergy is diagnosed with an elimination diet: a vet-chosen diet with a protein the dog has not eaten before, or a hydrolyzed diet, fed strictly for several weeks, followed by reintroducing the old food to see if signs return.

When food is the cause, the usual culprits are the proteins dogs are most often fed. A review of the published cases concluded that beef, dairy products, chicken and wheat were the most likely allergens in dogs. Switching between commercial foods that share the same main proteins rarely settles the question, which is why a proper trial matters.

A Bernedoodle's coat also needs grooming more than it needs supplements. A complete diet supplies the protein, fatty acids and zinc a healthy coat needs. A dull or thinning coat in a dog already on a complete diet can be a sign of illness, so mention it at the next vet visit before adding supplements.

Sources

1. Life expectancy and causes of death in Bernese mountain dogs in Switzerland. BMC Veterinary Research, 2016.
2. Causes of death and the impact of histiocytic sarcoma on the life expectancy of the Dutch population of Bernese mountain dogs and Flat-coated retrievers. The Veterinary Journal, 2013.
3. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.
4. Diet restriction and ageing in the dog: major observations over two decades. British Journal of Nutrition, 2008.
5. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of enriched therapeutic diets and nutraceuticals in canine and feline osteoarthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022.
6. Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2000.
7. Diet-related risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs of high-risk breeds. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association, 2004.
8. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research, 2016.