How Much To Feed A St. Bernard Puppy – St. Bernard Feeding Chart
Saint Bernards are such a sweet and happy dog breed, making them a wonderful addition to any family.
But, they are a very large dog breed, making knowing how much to feed a St. Bernard puppy really important.
You can use a Saint Bernard feeding chart to help guide you, but there is more to feeding your puppy than that.
You will need to know what to expect depending on your puppy’s age and even know how to calculate his needed calorie consumption.
We have compiled everything that you need to know about feeding your Saint Bernard puppy.
How Much Should A St. Bernard Puppy Eat?
While we wish there was a clear answer to the question “how much should a Saint Bernard puppy eat?” the truth is that there are a lot of different answers to the question.
The amount that you should feed your puppy will depend on his age, his sex, and how active he is.
You should use a Saint Bernard puppy feeding chart for guidance, but you will also need to pay attention to your dog’s appetite and his activity level.
Saint Bernards need so much more food than other puppies that you really need to pay attention to whether he is eating enough.
St. Bernard Feeding Chart
When you are looking at a St. Bernard Feeding Chart, you should get a general idea about how much food to feed a Saint Bernard puppy a day, based on his age.
But, feeding charts do not take into account a puppy’s RER, also known as a resting energy requirement.
This is a calculation to help you know how many calories your puppy needs a day. To work it out, you will take your puppy’s weight in kilograms to the ¾ power multiplied by 70.
Then you need to triple it if your puppy is 8 to 16 weeks old or double it if your puppy is 5 to 12 months old.
For example, a 4-month-old puppy who weighs 22 pounds will need 1,200 calories a day.
2 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
When your Saint Bernard puppy is 2 weeks old, you will not be feeding him any puppy food. At 2 weeks old, your puppy should still be living with his mother and be completely reliant upon her milk.
He will have opened his eyes at this point and may begin to gingerly explore the world around him, but he will not be interested in any other food, beyond what he is getting from his mother.
If you have a puppy that has already been separated at his age, you will need to seek a vet’s counsel on what kind of formula you need to give.
4 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
At 4 weeks old, your Saint Bernard puppy will still be with his mother. He will still be relying mostly on mother’s milk, but it is at this time that a puppy should be introduced to the idea of puppy food.
To do this, just offer a quarter of a cup of food and see if the puppy is interested. If he is not interested at all, he is not ready to eat it.
If he is interested, you can continue to give him a quarter of a cup, gradually increasing the amount. He will still be drinking his mother’s milk, even if he also eats a little bit of puppy kibble.
6 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
When a puppy has reached 6 weeks old, he should not be rehomed quite yet.
Some puppies will be weaned at 6 weeks old, but others may still be drinking mother’s milk, though it is likely that the mother will be helping the weaning process along by avoiding the puppies as much as possible and standing up when feeding so that the durations are greatly reduced.
For puppy food, you can offer a Saint Bernard about a quarter of a cup of food, 4 times a day, but he may still not want all of that.
8 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
It is at 8 weeks old that puppies will begin to be rehomed into a new home and away from their mothers.
Some puppies experience separation anxiety as they are removed from their mother and littermates and may struggle to eat for the first couple of days. After that transition period, his appetite should return.
You should be feeding your puppy between 1 and 2 cups of food a day, divided into 4 equal meals throughout the day, depending on your pup’s appetite and size.
These are big dogs so the amount of food that they need will increase quickly.
10 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
At 10 weeks old, a Saint Bernard puppy’s energy level should be increasing alongside his appetite. Remember that this breed grows very quickly so they will need a lot of food to stay healthy.
Since puppies usually eat everything in front of them, their enthusiasm is not a good indicator as to whether they are getting enough food.
This breed is so fluffy that you will have to feel for ribs or a waist to confirm that he is not too thin. You can reduce his meals down to 3 times a day and should be between 2 and 3 cups of food a day at this point.
12 Week Old St. Bernard Puppy
A 12 week old Saint Bernard is full of fun and mischief, which means that he will be burning a lot of calories.
Their bodies require so much fuel to continue growing strong and healthy that the amount of food will be steadily increasing.
You should be giving your puppy 2 to 3 equal meals a day, providing about 4 cups of food a day.
Remember that this will continue to increase up to about 8 cups of food a day, so prepare for that and watch to make sure that your puppy is getting the food that he really needs to be healthy.
Best Puppy Dog Food For St. Bernards
Editor’s Choice
#1. Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Food
Our top pick for the best puppy food for a Saint Bernard is the Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Food.
We like that this food is formulated specifically for large breeds, giving your developing puppy what he needs to grow healthy and strong.
Many dogs have an allergy to chicken and chicken by-products, so it is nice to have a food that is chicken-free, using lamb instead as the protein source. It is an allergen-safe formula.
Pros
- Made for large breeds
- No chicken
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- Lamb is the first ingredient
- Comes with glucosamine and chondroitin
Cons
- We didn’t find anything
Runner-Up
#2. Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed
Our runner-up for the best puppy food for a Saint Bernard is the Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed formula. This is another food that has been made with the big puppies in mind, giving them what they need to be healthy.
While this food is not allergy-friendly, it still has live probiotics, which are excellent for digestion. It also is omega-rich in fish oil, which will help with both brain and eye development.
Pros
- Made for large breeds
- High protein
- Live probiotics
- Omega-rich fish oil
- Tempting flavor
Cons
- Contains chicken and common allergens
#3. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed
Another great food for Saint Bernard puppies is Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Puppy food. This is another high-protein food, made to help the biggest breeds grow well.
The food is made with high-quality ingredients and does not contain any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
It is also nutrient-rich, which is so important for large dogs’ bone health. This includes controlled levels of calcium as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joints.
Pros
- Made for large breeds
- High protein
- Contains glucosamine and chondroitin
- Full of antioxidants
- Calcium included for bone growth
#4. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Large Breed
Iams also makes a large breed puppy food. Iams ProActive Health Smart is formulated for the biggest puppies, providing the same nutrients that puppies get from their mother’s milk. This includes Omega 3 DHA.
This food does contain quite a bit of grains, including corn and gluten, as well as chicken by-product meal, but as long as your puppy doesn’t have allergies, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Pros
- Made for large breeds
- Features 22 key nutrients
- High protein
- Omega 3 DHA for brain health
- Farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient
Cons
- Contains quite a bit of grain
#5. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy
The last food that we will recommend for a Saint Bernard puppy is the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy food. This food is free from corn, wheat, and soy, but does contain chicken.
What we like most about this food is that it has both DHA and ARA for brain and eye development as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Pros
- Made for large breeds
- No corn, wheat, or soy
- High protein
- Contains L-carnitine for muscles
- Contains both DHA and ARA for brain and eye development
Cons
- Cost can be prohibitive
2-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy Weight
Of course, Saint Bernards are large dogs, so they will gain weight quickly and it may seem like they are growing forever.
At 2 months old, you can expect a female Saint Bernard puppy to weigh somewhere between 12 and 18 kilograms and a male to weigh somewhere between 15 to 20 kilograms.
Males and females are close in size at this point, but that will be changing quickly and the spread between them will become greater.
3-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy Weight
The difference in weights between male and female dogs will be more noticeable at 3 months old. A female puppy at this age should weigh between 18 and 22 kilograms while a male puppy will be between 22 and 25 kilograms.
This difference will continue to increase as the puppies get bigger, but even just looking at the puppy weights, it should be clear that these are very large dogs.
4-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy Weight
By the time your puppy has reached 4 months old, your female Saint Bernard puppy will weigh between 22 and 28 kilograms, while a male puppy will weigh between 28 and 32 kilograms.
It is also important to remember that these are average weights and your puppy may not be within the average amount. As long as he is growing at a consistent rate, there is nothing to worry about.
Understanding St. Bernard Puppy Nutritional Needs
Of course, Saint Bernards are a large dog breed, but really, they are generally much larger than the average large puppy is.
They grow so big, so quickly, that they should not be given too much in the way of nutrients, or it could affect their bone health as the bones grow too rapidly.
The biggest cause of this is an overdose of calcium or protein. Try to keep their protein consumption at less than 25% and do not give your puppy dietary supplements that may cause rapid growth. This will harm the developing puppy’s joints and bones.
Kibble vs Wet Food For Saint Bernard Puppies
A common question that we have heard is whether a Saint Bernard puppy should be eating wet food or kibble. The answer is that it really does depend as both foods have pros and cons, but you are going to want to focus on kibble for your puppy.
Wet dog food is more appealing to dogs so they are more likely to gobble it down. It is also rich in fats and calories.
Unfortunately, it is very expensive and with the amount of food that a Saint Bernard needs, it is not practical.
Kibble instead is more cost-effective and better for a dog’s dental and physical health.
How Much Do St. Bernard Puppies Grow Each Week?
You may know that the end result of a Saint Bernard puppy is that he will grow to be at least 110 pounds. So, the question is, how much do they grow each week?
It really depends on the developmental stage of the puppy, the sex of the puppy, and his individual makeup.
In general, you can expect your Saint Bernard to gain 2 to 3 pounds every week as they approach their final heavyweight.
Switching From Puppy Food To Adult Food
When your Saint Bernard puppy is between 12 and 18 months old, it will be time to change him from puppy food to adult food. This is not something that you should do quickly.
Instead, it should happen slowly, over the course of several days in order to prevent stomach upset.
Start by replacing 25% of the puppy food with adult food. After a couple of days, make it 50% adult food and 50% puppy food.
Then reduce it again to 25% puppy food and 75% adult food, before just sticking with the adult food. It should take about a week to pull off.
What If My Saint Bernard Won’t Eat?
It is always concerning if your Saint Bernard puppy won’t eat, but do not panic. Of course, they are such large dogs that if they are not eating, then something must be wrong, but the reason may be easily explained.
If you just adopted your puppy or are changing his foods, you can expect him to not be as hungry. Or if he has just come out of a growth spurt and slows down on his food that is also normal.
If you cannot work out why your pup has stopped eating, it is time to take him to the vet for a check-up.
Can You Free feed A St. Bernard Puppy?
The concept of free feeding is a sweet idea. It means that you would set out your puppy’s daily food allotment at the beginning of the day and allow your puppy to eat what he wants throughout the day.
But, while the idea seems reasonable, the reality is that it will not work for your puppy.
If you give your Saint Bernard puppy all of his food in one meal, he will eat the entire bowl in that one meal, making him overfed at the beginning of the day, and then starving later in the day. It is best to give him multiple, equal meals throughout the day.
Should You Feed A St. Bernard Puppy Supplements?
As long as you are feeding your Saint Bernard puppy well, he should not require any supplements at all.
It is incredibly tempting to think that we are helping out puppies when we give them additional nutrients but unfortunately this is more likely to make them sick than anything else.
If you are worried that your dog is missing something in his diet that will require supplements, ask your vet before you give your dog anything.
How Much Water Should A Saint Bernard Puppy Drink?
While we recommend against free feeding your Saint Bernard, the same is not true of water. In general, it is important to have a bowl of freshwater available for your puppy to drink from.
According to the American Kennel Club, young puppies need ½ cup of water every 2 hours, but this will be more for a Saint Bernard. Be careful to not allow your pup to overindulge after eating or he might wind up with bloat.
