Bernedoodles will benefit from a balanced and complete diet like any dog.
They’re often described as a designer dog breed given they’ve grown in popularity over the past decade or so.
Bernedoodles are a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle, resulting in a smart dog that will usually have hypoallergenic qualities.
This hybrid dog will need a healthy diet to fuel their active lives, incorporating all the minerals and vitamins required to satisfy their needs.
Some Bernedoodles could be fussy eaters just like any other type of dog, or they could have intolerances to certain protein sources.
Perhaps your Bernedoodle has experienced some health problems that has prompted a rethink with regards to their diet.
In our experience, we believe dog food delivery companies are a great option to provide your Bernedoodle with a balanced and complete diet.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
We’ll take a look at some of the best dog food options for Bernedoodles, such as dog food delivery, tailored dry food for dogs or raw dog food.
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Best Dog Food For Bernedoodles
Bernedoodle (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Bernedoodles are a pretty common Poodle cross breed that can make much-loved family pets thanks to their affectionate, friendly, energetic and playful personalities.
The Bernese Mountain Dog was traditionally used to protect the flock on mountains, while Poodles have a history as water dogs used to hunt ducks, geese and other water fowl.
While Bernese Mountain Dogs and Poodles will need a formulated diet to meet their nutritional needs, the Bernedoodle will also require balanced and complete meals to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle.
I’m a big believer in dog food delivery companies having seen the positive impact that they’ve had on my Alaskan Klee Kai and their overall health.
My mini huskies have sensitive stomachs that has resulted in numerous trips to the emergency vet after long nights of vomiting or diarrhea.
However, I found making the switch to customised meals using whole ingredients formulated by vets have helped my Klee Kai to overcome these issues.
What I like about dog food delivery companies is that they tailor their recipes to meet your dog’s specific needs using fresh and natural ingredients.
These customised and fresh dog meals will be shipped direct to your door to remove the hassle of having to pick up pet food at your local pet store or supermarket.
I’ve reviewed some of the leading dog food delivery options in the USA. My top pick is Nom Nom having seen how their meals improved the overall health of my Klee Kai.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
I moved to the UK in 2019 and I started my search for a dog food delivery company who could take care of my Klee Kai’s nutritional needs. I was really impressed with Butternut Box who are my recommendation where British dog food delivery companies are concerned.
RELATED: The five leading dog food delivery companies in the UK
Dog Food Delivery Companies
Alaskan Klee Kai Skye eyes some Nom Nom during a hike in California (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
You may be accustomed to feeding your Bernedoodle some dry food or wet food bought at your local pet store or supermarket.
However, there’s a good chance you haven’t examined the ingredients listed in these types of dog food. A lot of traditional dog food options contain mystery ingredients fillers or mixers. They can also contain some nasties and junk food.
You may be surprised to learn that a lot of big-name dry food brands that you find at the supermarket don’t use fresh ingredients and contain additives and fillers. After all, these traditional kibble options are manufactured by confectionary brands.
We like dog food delivery companies because they only use fresh and whole ingredients in their customised recipes. Dubbed human grade, they’re completely transparent about what goes into their meals that have been formulated by vets.
They ensure that your Bernedoodle is only eating real food usually combined with minerals and vitamins that your canine companion needs to promote a healthy lifestlye.
You’ll find that dog food delivery companies will require pet parents to fill out a questionnaire so they can tailor their recipes to meet your Bernedoodle’s needs.
They offer a range of recipes to ensure there’s something for even the pickiest of Bernedoodles before packaging the meals and shipping them direct to your door.
You’ll find that a lot of these dog food delivery companies use eco-friendly packaging to allow pet parents to feed their Bernedoodle healthy food but not at the expense of the planet.
I made the switch to dog food delivery companies in 2018 and my Alaskan Klee Kai have seen a range of benefits. Aside from catering to their sensitive stomachs, they’ve got better energy levels, a healthier coat and small stools.
My picky Alaskan Klee Kai always finish their meals and even lick each other’s bowls clean such is their appetite for these custom and fresh dog meals.
Reasons To Try Dog Food Delivery Companies
Alaskan Klee Kai Skye tucks into some Nom Nom during a hike in California (Photo: @lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
If you’re thinking about making the switch to a dog food delivery company but you want to learn more, here are some reasons to make the switch to a dog food delivery company.
• Freshly Prepared – These meals are prepared using fresh and whole ingredients. You can have peace of mind knowing that they use high-grade ingredients that are listed transparently on the packaging. Some dog food delivery companies, like Nom Nom, will even list the cook that prepared your dog’s meals to add a personal touch.
• Customised – One of the perks to signing up to a dog food delivery company is that they’ll tailor your pup’s foods to meet their nutritional requirements. By filling out their questionnaire, your canine’s food will be tailored to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle for your four-legged friend.
• Recipe Variety – If you’ve got picky eaters like me, you’ll understand the benefit of having a variety of different recipes to select. In doing so, you’ll be able to keep these tastebuds happy and hopefully they’ll remain motivated at mealtime.
• Formulated By Vets – You can have complete peace of mind knowing that these dog food delivery companies will use nutritionists and vets to formulate their meals. So you can be confident that your Bernedoodle’s needs are taken care of.
• Portion Control – You may be tempted to overfeed your Bernedoodle once you witness how much they love these customised, fresh meals. Most dog food delivery companies will use pre-portioned pouches or customised scoopers to get the portions right.
• Perfect For Picky Pups – As an owner of two fussy dogs, I can endorse these type of meals having see the impact that they’ve had on my mini huskies. They’re obsessed with this fresh approach to dog nutrition much to my delight.
• Reliable Deliveries – It’s vital that dog food delivery companies prepare and deliver your Bernedoodle’s meals on time. It’s important that they use the proper insulation and packaging to ensure the integrity of these custom meals.
• Flexible – If life gets in the way or you’ve got a holiday planned, you’ll want flexibility to pause your deliveries. Altnertatively, most dog food delivery companies will offer a happy pup guarantee. If your Bernedoodle doesn’t like their meals, you’ll get a full refund.
Best Tailored Dry Food For Dogs
Corgi next to bowl of kibble (Photo: Adobe)
Some Bernedoodle owners will be accustomed to feeding the Poodle cross with a dry food diet. While we prefer going for a dog food delivery company, there are some customised kibble options.
There’s no reason to persist with store-bought kibble that could be full of additives or nasties when you can get tailored dry food from a dog food company.
These tailored kibble companies operate much like dog food delivery companies. They’ll ask you to fill out a questionnaire to get some key details about your Bernedoodle.
Once they know your Bernedoodle’s age, weight, activity level, body type and more, they’ll be able to customise their kibble to meet your Poodle cross’s needs.
They only use natural ingredients that are high grade in their recipes, while vets help to formulate this kibble to ensure your Bernedoodle is getting all the minerals and nutrients required in their diet.
Our favourite dry food companies use a limited number of whole ingredients in their recipes so there’s complete transparency about what goes into your Bernedoodle’s dog food.
They’ll ship your tailored kibble to your door so once again, you won’t have to think about collecting dog food for your Bernedoodle in your weekly shop ever again.
Having reviewed some of the best tailored dry food options in the USA, we consider UnKibble by Spot & Tango and Hungry Bark to be the two leading options.
RELATED: The six best tailored dry food options for dogs
Best Raw Dog Food
Raw dog food (Photo: Adobe)
In the past decade, there’s been a big shift towards feeding dogs a raw diet.
Having said that, it’s a controversial topic. You’ll find that dog owners who have decided to switch to a raw fed diet are big advocates for this type of pet nutrition. However, the naysayers will be quick to list the potential risks.
If you’re thinking about making the switch to a raw dog food diet, you should do a lot of research to ensure you’ve got a full and thorough understanding of the pros and cons of feeding raw.
Feeding your Bernedoodle a raw diet will involve finding a company that can provide raw meat and potentially some fruits, vegetables, minerals and vitamins.
You’ll find that most raw dog food companies will offer a raw diet comprised of organ meat, muscle meat, whole ground bone, dog-safe fruit and vegetables. Some dog food companies will add minerals and vitamins
.
Responsible raw dog food companies should carry out bacteria tests on their food. It’s important to research whether a company does before you decide to go for their food.
We must point out that it’s not advisable to feed your dog a raw dog food diet if you live in a home with an immunocompromised person or young children. You should speak to your local doctor or vet to learn more about the potential risks.
As we mentioned above, raw dog food is a controversial area so it’s a good idea to do lots of research and speak to your vet about the pros and cons of a raw fed diet.
We would suggest that Bernedoodle owners read the FDA’s list of information and tips about raw pet food so you can educate yourself about this controversial area of dog nutrition to make an informed decision about whether it’s a good fit for you and your Bernedoodle.
Our contributor Clare provided her insight into feeding raw dog food to her Samoyed if you’d like to read about her experience here.
We’ve reviewed some of the best raw dog food companies in the USA at the moment. You can check out our guide via the link below.
RELATED: The five best raw dog food companies
Bernedoodles
Bernedoodle (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Bernedoodles are a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle. The result is an active mixed breed that can make great family pets.
The Poodle cross can make excellent companion pets with a playful personality that will enjoy interacting with their pet parents.
Are Bernedoodles Picky Eaters?
Dennis the Bernedoodle (Photo: @dennis.b.doodle / Instagram)
Just like any other dog breed, Bernedoodles can be picky eaters. This behaviour could be caused by a number of different factors.
As I mentioned above, my Alaskan Klee Kai have traditionally been fussy eaters, something which is quite common within the breed. However, a contributing factor was an intolerance to a particular protein source.
By signing up to a dog food delivery company, I was able to list this intolerance in the sign-up questionnaire to allow the company to tailor their meals accordingly.
Dennis (@dennis.b.doodle) isn’t a picky eater, as his mum Jamie explains to us.
Fussy eating is a created behavior. It is very rare that a lean dog that is exercised properly and fed a proper amount of food for the individual dog’s metabolism will be fussy. This applies to ALL breeds. Dogs that are overfed and have a BMI that is too high will self regulate and humans view this as “fussy”. Bernese are known for their unstoppable appetite and many, many Bernese are quite overweight. Their doodles can inherit this appetite. But they also have a Poodle component and they are well known to self regulate and become disinterested in food once their BMI gets too high, so it can go either way. You can control “fussy” eating by maintaining an appropriate BMI for your dog.
Bernedoodle Exercise Requirements
Kenzie the Bernedoodle (Photo: @kenziedood / Instagram)
Bernedoodles can have moderate to high exercise needs. This isn’t a surprise when you consider the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle are active breeds.
They’ll need sufficient mental and physical stimulation to promote a happy and healthy lifestyle.
Kenzie (@kenziedood) gets around three walks a day.
Bernedoodles love long walks and have quick bursts of energy- but also value a good long nap. Like any dog, they appreciate exercise and it helps them behave better throughout the day. We give our dog about 3 walks a day, as well as fetch and training sessions (which exercise her mind) throughout the day.
Bernedoodle Health
While there’s a perception that cross breeds are healthier than pure bred dogs, Bernedoodles can still be susceptible to some health issues.
These could include:
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Sebaceous Adenitis
• Hip Dysplasia
We asked Vicky about whether Eevee (@eeveethebernedoodle) has experienced any health issues.
The only “health” problem that Eevee have is that she’s intolerant to chicken (and most likely to all bird meat). We found out that a lot of Bernedoodles have the same issue (and that also Bernese Mountain Dogs can have really sensitive stomach) but other then that she’s a healthy happy dog! I recommend you really do your research before getting a Bernedoodle to make sure the breeder have all their health certificates for hip issues because Bernese Mountain Dogs and Poodles are big dogs and can often have hip and back issue growing up.
Anything Else To Consider?
Eevee the Bernedoodle (Photo: @eeveethebernedoodle / Instagram)
If you’ve just got a Bernedoodle puppy and you’re wondering about what to feed them, you may find it useful to speak to a current Bernedoodle owner with years of experience.
We find that Bernedoodle owners are more than happy to help fellow pet parents with some advice or guidance based upon their experience with the cross breed.
Just remember to consult with your vet and your dog food delivery company to learn more about making a transition to a new type of food to protect against causing a tummy upset.
This article does not constitute expert advice and we recommend contacting your vet if you have any concerns or issues. You can also reach out to the company you’re thinking about subscribing to as they’ll usually have experts on hand to offer advice.
In Conclusion
Dennis the Bernedoodle (Photo: @dennis.b.doodle / Instagram)
We’ve reached the end of our feature on the best dog food for Bernedoodles.
I’ve seen the benefits that dog food delivery companies can have on my Alaskan Klee Kai so I’m a big believer in the benefits of these balanced, complete and freshly prepared meals.
I love that they only use high-grade ingredients that are usually sourced from local farmers. The fact that the meals are formulated by vets means I’ve got peace of mind knowing that my Klee Kai’s needs are met.
In reviewing the best dog food delivery companies in the USA and the UK, Nom Nom (USA) and Butternut Box (UK) stand out as two of the leading companies in their respective countries.
RELATED: The eight best dog food delivery companies
If you’ve traditionally fed your Bernedoodle dry food and you want to stick with this form of dog nutrition, you may want to consider customised kibble that still use whole ingredients and are free from potential nasties. UnKibble and Hungry Bark are leading the way on this front.
RELATED: The six best tailored dry food options for dogs
Raw dog food can prove controversial and it’s advisable to do plenty of research about this form of pet nutrition. You should speak to your vet about the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.
RELATED: The five best raw dog food companies
Having tried all of the above options, my personal favourite is dog food delivery companies. The fact that they use fresh and whole ingredients in recipes tailored to meet your Berendoodle’s needs are a big bonus.
My dogs loved these type of meals and the pre-portioned packaging made feeding my two canine companions stress free.
