Best Puppy Food for Bernese Mountain Dogs: Rosie’s Journey

Meet Rosie, my adorable 10-month-old, 70-pound Bernese Mountain Dog puppy! 

Rosie used to be so excited to eat, but as she grew her tastes changed and finding the perfect food for her has been a bit of a journey. But after trial and error we’ve finally figured out what works best for her diet.

When Rosie was younger, she loved Purina Pro Plan Lamb & Rice for puppies. It seemed like the perfect fit until she hit 7 months, and suddenly, she lost interest in it. After that we tried Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice, but Rosie made it clear that chicken kibble wasn’t her thing. Even when we mixed it with her favorite lamb kibble, she would pick out and spit the chicken kibble. So picky!

What We Tried Along the Way

We experimented with a few other options before settling on Rosie’s current diet:

Dry Food:

• Purina Pro Plan Lamb & Rice: Loved at first, but lost interest after 7 months
• Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice: Big no from Rosie!

Wet Food:

• Purina Pro Plan Sport High Protein Puppy Food, Beef & Rice Wet Formula
• BIXBI Liberty Grain-Free Canned Wet Dog Food, Lamb Recipe
• BIXBI Liberty Grain-Free Canned Wet Dog Food, Beef Recipe

While she enjoyed the wet foods more than the kibble, they were much more expensive and she didn’t even seem to enjoy it that much.

Rosie’s Current Diet

After trying several options, we finally found something that Rosie enjoys and thrives on!

Main Food:

• ORIJEN Puppy Large Grain-Free Dry Puppy Food: Rosie loves this high-quality, grain-free food. 
• Homemade Chicken & Rice (see recipe below!)

Chicken & Rice Homemade Puppy Food Recipe:

I prepare this homemade meal by cooking two chicken breasts, 1 cup of long-grain rice, chopped broccoli, chopped carrots, and 2 cups of water in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. Once it’s cooked, I shred the chicken and mix it with her kibble. 

She absolutely loves it!

Toppings to Keep Her Interested:

• Stewart Beef Liver Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Treats: I grind these treats into small pieces and sprinkle them over her food.
• Fresh blueberries
• Canned tuna

Probiotics for a Happy Tummy

Rosie has occasional digestive issues, so we’ve started giving her a daily probiotic with her meals.

Proviable Digestive Health Supplement Multi-Strain Probiotics

This has helped keep her tummy happy and ensures she stays active and playful!

Conclusion

Finding the right food for your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy may take some trial and error, but once you do, you’ll notice a big difference in their energy and happiness. For Rosie, ORIJEN and a homemade mix have been the winning combo. 

The most important thing is to watch your puppy’s reaction and excitement levels while eating and if they have trouble, give them a new option to try.