How Much To Feed A Saint Bernard Puppy? [Answered]

How Much To Feed A Saint Bernard Puppy? Saint Bernards are a wonderful addition to any home because they are such a sweet and joyful dog breed.

However, because they are a huge dog breed, knowing how much to feed a Staint Bernard puppy is critical.

A Saint Bernard feeding chart can be helpful, but there's more to feeding your puppy than that.

You'll need to know what to expect based on your puppy's age, as well as how to calculate his calorie requirements.

We've put together a list of everything you'll need to know about feeding your Saint Bernard puppy.

Related Articles:

How Much To Feed A Dachshund Puppy? [Answered]

How Much To Feed A Borzoi Puppy? [Answered]

How Much Should A Saint Bernard Puppy Eat?

While we wish there was a simple answer to “how much should a Saint Bernard puppy eat?”

The truth is that there are numerous possible responses to this question.

The quantity you should feed your puppy is determined on his age, gender, and level of activity.

You should use a Saint Bernard puppy feeding plan as a guide, but you should also consider your dog's appetite and level of activity.

Saint Bernards require so much more food than other puppies that you must constantly monitor whether he is getting enough to eat.

Saint Bernard Puppy Feeding Chart

Here is what you need to feed your puppy.

How Much To Feed A Saint Bernard Puppy?

Ideal Weight of Dog (At Maturity)	Weaning-12 Weeks	4-5 Months	6-8 Months	9-11 Months	1-2 Years
3-12 lbs	1/2-1 cup	2/3-1 1/3 cups	1/2-1 1/2 cups	Adult portion	Adult portion
13-20 lbs	1/2-1 1/4 cups	1 1/8-2 cups	3/4-1 1/3 cups	1-1 1/2 cups	Adult Portion
21-50 lbs	1/2-1 1/2 cups	1 1/2-2 3/4 cups	1 1/8-2 1/3 cups	2-3 cups	2-4 1/4 cups
51-75 lbs	5/8-2 1/3 cups	1 1/2-4 cups	1 1/2-3 3/4 cups	2 1/2-4 3/4 cups	2 5/8-6 1/4 cups
76-100 lbs	1-2 2/3 cups	2 7/8-3 3/4 cups	2 7/8-6 1/3 cups	3 7/8-7 cups	5 5/8-11 cups
101+ lbs	2 2/3 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10lbs over 100	3/34 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10lbs over 100	6 1/3 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10lbs over 100	7 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10lbs over 100	11 cups + 1/3 cup for every 10lbs over 100

  Here Are The Feeding Suggestions For A Saint Bernard Puppy

When looking at a St. Bernard Feeding Chart, you should obtain a basic notion of how much food a Saint Bernard puppy should eat every day based on his age.

However, feeding charts do not account for a puppy's RER, or resting energy need.

This is a formula that will help you figure out how many calories your puppy requires each day.

To calculate it, multiply your puppy's weight in kilograms by 34 and multiply by 70.

Then double it by three if your puppy is between the ages of eight and sixteen weeks, or by two if your dog is between the ages of five and twelve months.

A 4-month-old dog weighing 22 pounds, for example, requires 1,200 calories per day.

2 Weeks Old St. Bernard Puppy

You will not feed your Saint Bernard puppy puppy chow until he is two weeks old.

Your puppy should be living with his mother and entirely reliant on her milk at the age of two weeks.

He will have opened his eyes and may begin to cautiously examine the world around him at this stage, but he will be uninterested in any nourishment other than what his mother provides.

If you have a puppy who has already been separated at a young age, you should obtain advice from a veterinarian on the type of formula to use.

4 Weeks Old St. Bernard Puppy

Your Saint Bernard puppy will still be with his mother at 4 weeks old.

He'll still be reliant on his mother's milk for the most part, but now is the time to introduce him to puppy food.

To do this, simply give the puppy a quarter of a cup of food and observe if it is interested.

He isn't ready to consume it if he isn't interested in it at all.

If he's still interested, give him a quarter of a cup at a time, gradually increasing the amount.

Even if he consumes a little puppy food, he will continue to sip his mother's milk.

6 Weeks Old St. Bernard Puppy

When a puppy reaches the age of six weeks, he should not be rehomed.

Some puppies will be weaned at 6 weeks, while others may still be drinking mother's milk.

The mother will most likely be assisting the weaning process by avoiding the puppies as much as possible and standing up during feeding to lessen the duration.

You can give a Saint Bernard about a quarter of a cup of puppy chow four times a day, but he might not eat it all.

8 Weeks Old St. Bernard Puppy

Puppies are rehomed into new homes and separated from their moms at the age of eight weeks.

When pups are separated from their mother and littermates, they may experience separation anxiety and struggle to eat during the first few days.

His appetite should resume after the transition time.

Depending on your puppy's appetite and size, you should feed him 1 to 2 cups of food every day, divided into 4 equal meals throughout the day.

Because these are large dogs, the amount of food they require will quickly grow.

10 Week Old St Bernard Puppy

The energy level of a Saint Bernard puppy should be developing along with his appetite by the time he is ten weeks old.

Keep in mind that this breed grows quickly and will require a lot of food to be healthy.

Puppy enthusiasm isn't a good predictor of whether they're getting enough food because they devour everything in front of them.

Because this breed is so fluffy, you'll have to feel for ribs or a waist to make sure he's not underweight.

At this point, you can limit his meals to three times per day, and he should be eating between two and three cups of food each day.

12 Weeks St. Bernard Puppy

A 12-week-old Saint Bernard is full of mischief and excitement, which means he will burn a lot of calories.

Their bodies require so much energy to keep growing strong and healthy that the amount of food consumed will continue to rise.

You should feed your puppy two to three equal meals every day, totaling roughly four cups of food per day.

Remember that this will continue to increase up to roughly 8 cups of food every day, so plan ahead and keep an eye on your puppy to ensure that he is getting the nutrition he requires.

How To Take Care Of Your Saint Bernard?

A litter of puppies has been born.

What a blast!

The arrival of tiny Saints is a joyous occasion, but they, like other big breeds, require special care for the first several weeks.

Saint Bernard puppies are petite at birth, weighing around 112 pounds.

Their colour, which is black and white at birth, will change almost in front of your eyes, with the dark fur becoming lighter with each passing day.

Expect puppy breath, angel-soft kisses, tiny razor-sharp claws, and the cutest puppies you've ever seen for a few months.

Step 1:

Set up camp with mama.

Saint puppies are tiny compared to their mother, who can unintentionally lie on a puppy without realizing it.

Step 2:

If possible, make a comfortable bed for the new litter in an open area of the floor.

Avoid putting the bed in a box since this increases the chances of a puppy becoming stuck between its mother and the box's side.

Step 3:

If you want the dewclaws removed, make an appointment with your veterinarian when the puppies are three days old.

Extra claws inside the forepaws and back paws are known as dewclaws.

Dewclaws aren't present on all Saints, and removing them isn't required.

Step 4:

Let mama handle most of the job, but pet and caress each little wiggler repeatedly to acclimate them to human contact.

If separated from their mother, tiny Saint Bernard puppies have loud voices and howl pitifully.

You are responsible of returning straying puppies to their mother before their eyes open.

Step 5:

Set up the play area. The puppies' eyes will open between 10 and 2 weeks.

They will begin to walk clumsily on their small legs at 3 weeks.

From then on, your rapidly developing puppies will require lots of space to securely roam.

Step 6:

Soak large-breed puppy food in warm water to soften it before giving it to your little Saints around the age of four weeks.

Weaning is a progressive process that occurs over the next few weeks as the mother stops nursing her litter and the puppies begin eating solid food.

Step 7:

Saint puppies should be fed four times a day until they are eight weeks old, then three times a day.

Soften the food until they are 6 weeks old, when they can begin eating dry dog food.

Step 8:

At 6 weeks of age, take your rowdy puppies to the vet for their first round of vaccines, deworming, and well-puppy checks.

Each puppy will be given a health document to take with them to their new home.

Step 9:

Schedule another vet visit for the second set of booster vaccinations at 8 weeks of age, shortly before the puppies depart to their new homes.

Saint puppies must stay with their moms until they are eight weeks old in order to establish the important litter-bonding qualities that will help them adjust to life in their new families.

Dietary Guidelines and Nutrients for Saint Bernard

Saint Bernards are, without a doubt, a huge dog breed, but they are far larger than the ordinary giant puppy.

They grow so big and so fast that they shouldn't be fed too many nutrients, otherwise their bone health will suffer when their bones expand too quickly.

The most common cause is calcium or protein excess.

Avoid giving your puppy dietary supplements that may encourage rapid growth and limit their protein intake to less than 25%.

The puppy's joints and bones will be harmed as a result of this.

For Saint Bernard puppies, kibble vs. wet food

A frequently asked issue is whether a Saint Bernard puppy should be fed wet food or kibble.

The answer is that it depends, as both feeds have advantages and disadvantages, but you should focus on kibble for your dog.

Wet dog food appeals to dogs more, thus they are more inclined to consume it.

It's also high in calories and fats.

Unfortunately, it is prohibitively expensive, especially given the amount of food required by a Saint Bernard.

Kibble, on the other hand, is less expensive and healthier for a dog's dental and physical health.

Saint Bernard Puppies’ Best Dog Food

Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Food

The Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Food is our top recommendation for the best puppy food for a Saint Bernard.

We enjoy that this food is specially created for large breed puppies, giving them everything they need to grow healthy and strong.

Many dogs are allergic to chicken and chicken by-products, so having a meal that is chicken-free and instead uses lamb as the protein source is beneficial.

It's a formula that's free of allergens.

Pros

• Designed for huge breeds.
• There will be no chicken.
• The first ingredient is lamb.

Cons

• Does not include glucosamine and chondroitin

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed

Purina Pro Plan Puppy Large Breed formula is our runner-up for the best puppy food for a Saint Bernard.

This is another diet designed specifically for large puppies, providing them all the nutrients they require to be healthy.

Despite the fact that this food is not allergy-friendly, it does contain active probiotics, which are beneficial to digestion.

Fish oil is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which aid brain and eye development.

Pros

• Designed for huge breeds.
• Live probiotics with a high protein content
• Fish oil high in omega-3 fatty acids

Cons

• Tempting flavor

Puppy Large Breed Hill's Science Diet

Hill's Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Diet is another excellent food for Saint Bernard puppies.

This is another high-protein food designed to aid in the growth of the largest breeds.

The food contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and is created with high-quality ingredients.

It's also nutrient-dense, which is crucial for the bone health of large dogs.

This includes calcium supplementation as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health.

Pros

• Designed for huge breeds.
• Protein-rich
• Glucosamine and chondroitin are included.
• Antioxidants abound
• Calcium is included to help in bone formation.

Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy

Large breed puppy food is also available from Iams.

Iams ProActive Health Smart is created for the largest puppies, giving nutrients similar to those found in their mother's milk.

This comprises DHA, an Omega 3 fatty acid.

This food does contain a lot of grains, including maize and gluten, as well as chicken by-product meal, but that shouldn't be an issue if your puppy doesn't have any allergies.

Pros

• Designed for huge breeds.
• Features 22 essential nutrients
• The first component is farm-raised chicken, which is high in protein and Omega 3 DHA for brain health.

Large Breed Puppy Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula

The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy food is the last diet we recommend for a Saint Bernard puppy.

This food is corn-free, wheat-free, and soy-free, however it does contain chicken.

What we appreciate best about this cuisine is that it contains DHA and ARA, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are important for brain and eye development.

Pros

• Designed for huge breeds.
• Protein-rich
• L-carnitine is included for muscular support.
• For brain and eye development, it contains both DHA and ARA.
• The price tag can be prohibitive.

Weight of a 2-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy

Of fact, because Saint Bernards are huge dogs, they will acquire weight swiftly and appear to expand indefinitely.

A female Saint Bernard puppy should weigh between 12 and 18 kilograms at two months of age, while a male should weigh between 15 and 20 kilograms.

Males and females are currently of similar size, but this will change soon, and the gap between them will widen.

Weight of a 3-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy

At three months old, the weight difference between male and female dogs will be increasingly obvious.

At this age, a female puppy should weigh between 18 and 22 kilos, and a male puppy should weigh between 22 and 25 kilograms.

This disparity will widen as the puppies grow older, but even looking at the puppy weights, it should be obvious that they are enormous dogs.

Weight of a 4-Month-Old Saint Bernard Puppy

Your female Saint Bernard puppy will weigh between 22 and 28 kilos by the time she is four months old, while a male puppy will weigh between 28 and 32 kilograms.

It's also crucial to keep in mind that these are typical weights, and your puppy's weight may differ from the average.

There's nothing to be concerned about as long as he continues to grow at a steady pace.

How Much Do Saint Bernard Puppies Grow Each Week? 

You may be aware that a Saint Bernard puppy will reach a mature weight of at least 110 pounds.

So, how much do they increase in size each week?

It all depends on the puppy's maturation stage, sex, and genetic composition.

As they approach their last heavyweight, your Saint Bernard should gain 2 to 3 pounds per week on average.

Switching From Saint Bernard Puppy Food To Adult Food 

When your Saint Bernard puppy reaches the age of 12 to 18 months, it's time to transition him from puppy to adult food. This isn't something you should rush into.

Instead, it should be done gradually over several days in order to avoid gastrointestinal distress.

Begin by substituting adult food for 25% of the puppy food.

Make it 50 percent adult food and 50 percent puppy food after a few days.

Then cut it back to 25% puppy food and 75% adult food before sticking with the adult diet entirely. It will take around a week to complete.

What If My Saint Bernard Puppy Won’t Eat?

It's always worrying when your Saint Bernard puppy refuses to eat, but don't get too worked up.

Of course, because they are such enormous dogs, something must be wrong if they aren't eating, but the reason could be simple.

You should expect your puppy to be less hungry if you just adopted him or are changing his meals.

It's also common if he's recently come out of a growth spurt and is eating more slowly.

If you can't figure out why your dog isn't eating, it's time to take him to the vet for an examination.

Is It Possible To Free Feed A St. Bernard Puppy?

The idea of free feeding is a wonderful one. It means you'll lay out your puppy's daily food allowance at the start of the day and then let him eat whatever he wants throughout the day.

However, while the concept seems reasonable, it will not work for your puppy.

If you feed your Saint Bernard puppy all of his food in one sitting, he will devour the entire dish in that sitting, leaving him overfed in the morning and hungry later.

It's preferable to feed him several small, evenly spaced meals throughout the day.

Should You Feed A Saint Bernard Puppy Supplements?

If you are properly feeding your Saint Bernard puppy, he should not need any supplements.

It's all too easy to believe that by giving puppies extra nutrients, we're helping them, but regrettably, this is more likely to make them sick than anything else.

If you're concerned that your dog's food is lacking something that will necessitate supplementation, consult your veterinarian first.

How Much Water Should A Saint Bernard Puppy Drink? 

While we do not advocate free feeding your Saint Bernard, this is not the case with water.

Having a bowl of freshwater available for your puppy to drink is helpful in general.

Saint Bernard Background Information

Young puppies require 12 cup of water every 2 hours, according to the American Kennel Club, but a Saint Bernard will require more.

If you allow your dog to overeat after eating, he may develop bloat.

A late-night cold sufferer is depicted on the television screen.

Due to his condition, he tosses and turns at night, each cough excruciating and every sneeze jarring his body.

The invalid is then drawn to his door by a deep-throated bark, where he discovers a large dog wearing a flask around his neck.

At the end of the ad, the Saint Bernard has done his mission, and the cold sufferer is fast asleep.

The Saint Bernard did, in fact, save people from the cold — not from illness, but from the Alps' bitter winds and snows, which are infamously perilous to tourists.

It's no surprise that he's a sweet, friendly, clever, and good-natured dog.

He's also a behemoth, a massive, powerful dog that may reach 30 inches in height and weigh 180 pounds. The Saint is available in both shorthaired and longhaired varieties, with the monks at the Saint Bernard Hospice, where the dogs were born, preferring the shorthaired.

The Saint Bernard, despite his size, is a calm indoor dog who makes a wonderful family friend.

Even though he is content indoors, it is ideal if he has easy access to a yard where he may relax. He can, however, live in tight confines if he gets a good daily walk.

The size of your residence has less bearing on your tolerance for mess.

Saints aren't the best choice for a diligent cleaner.

They drool and shed, leaving filth and sludge on their trails.

In this breed, saintliness isn't always synonymous with cleanliness.

Saints aren't designed to live in a desert with minimal human contact.

They must remain at home with their families.

They aren't aggressive, but if they feel threatened, they will bark, and any harm to their people will trigger their protective instincts.

Their stature normally deters any would-be assailant or burglar.

The easygoing Saint is empathetic and gentle with children, if not always lively.

While he's wonderful to cuddle with while reading or watching TV, he can be a little too much for younger children, knocking them over with a swish of his tail.

The Saint Bernard does not necessitate a lot of exercise.

In warmer weather, he's not a good jogging partner and will wilt.

Saints are prone to heat fatigue in hot weather and require shade as well as plenty of fresh, refreshing water.

No Saint Bernard, on the other hand, is happier than one who is having fun in the snow.

On the downside, the Saint's massive size implies he will have a shorter life than a typical dog.

He could potentially have a variety of genetic diseases and conditions.

The St. Bernard is a popular breed nowadays.

He's versatile, sweet-natured, and a great choice for someone or a family seeking for a large, sociable dog with little activity needs.

Frequently Asked Question Saint Bernard