Feeding your Bernedoodles & Aussie Bernedoodles (Australian Mountain Doodles)

All of the following are products we personally are using or have used for our own adults and puppies.

Your puppy will go home eating Farmina N&D Pumpkin Lamb & Blueberry Puppy kibble (mini size). This is a grain free food. See the link below to order from Amazon or you can order it direct from Farmina.com. Please make sure you are buying this exact formula as any quick changes will cause loose stools. Check out Dog Food Advisor for reviews on Farmina dog food.

We also recommend every puppy or adult dog gets a pro/prebiotic (Proviable is a good one) and Omega 3’s (sardine/anchovy, green lipped mussel oil, salmon, krill or mackerel oil) added to their daily diet. Many commercial dog foods lack essential Omega-3 fatty acids which are important for fighting inflammation, improving gut health, and ensuring optimal absorption of nutrients.

During weaning and the transition to kibble, our puppies will have goats milk, Farmina starter canned formula, Steve’s patties and a variety of lightly cooked and prepared proteins. Research has shown that dams fed a variety of proteins during pregnancy and lactation help boost the puppies gut biome, which helps to minimize future food allergies.

Our Sires and Dams are fed a variety of foods, including Farmina N&D Prime formulas, Ziwi Peak freeze-dried, Steve’s Real Food (prepared and complete raw patties), and/or Carna4. They also get fresh chicken and duck eggs (raised here on our ranch), fresh blueberries, apples, carrots and a small amount of other seasonal veggies. We add a daily probiotic and an Omega 3 oil (salmon, mackerel, krill, olive etc.).

The most important nutrients canines need are protein and fat. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates although they can digest them in limited amounts. Manufacturers of dry kibble include them because starch is needed for the extrusion process and they are an inexpensive ingredient. Carbs do provide energy and may be helpful for very active dogs. However, too many carbohydrates in our pet’s food can raise insulin and cause obesity. But be careful about your grain-free choices as some manufacturers replace low cost grains with low cost legumes which increase the protein percentage but which are obviously not as healthy for your dog as meat or fish based proteins. Unlike quality proteins, legumes don’t naturally contain taurine which is an essential nutrient and may prevent DCM.

Dogs are not designed to eat dry, processed foods their entire lives. Dry foods are ultra-processed, requiring the addition of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to replace nutrition lost in the high heat process. The two main nutrients required by dogs are protein and fat. Yes, dogs can eat some carbs, but in large quantities it can contribute to health issues. Unfortunately, the percentage of carbohydrates in a typical dry dog food is 46-64%. Yikes! Read the label on most dry dog food brands, including the ones sold by the top pet food manufacturers s and specialized veterinarian formulas. Take a look at the inclusion of corn, wheat, barley, rice, potatoes, inexpensive protein meal and legumes (in all their repetitive forms). Although not currently required on labels, starting next year dog food product labels will start showing the carbohydrate percentage and it will be easier for all pet parents to choose the best option.

Try to feed less overly processed dry kibble and more fresher options. Feed kibble with the lowest carb count and the least legumes that your budget allows. Consider freeze-dried, air-dried, canned, gently cooked or pre-made frozen raw. If you can start including just 10% more fresh foods, you significantly reduce the carbohydrates your canine is eating, and drastically improve their health. Personally, we feed our fresh and raw ingredients at breakfast and their evening meal is one of the dry formulas. This is also what our reproductive vet does for their own pets.

And don’t be afraid of the term “raw” in pet food. Companies like Steve’s Raw eliminate the inconvenience and sell pre-made patties that are complete and balanced. Just thaw overnight and serve. They look like a square raw burger patty, no odor, no mess, no fuss.

And if you have ever been told by a well meaning vet or friend that raw or fresh pet food is a safety risk, here are the facts about ultra-processed kibble.

From the FDA records over the last 5 years:

• 60 million lbs of pet food were recalled for toxic mold (100% from kibble)

• 8 million lbs were recalled for bacteria - 97.7% from kibble, 1.4% from cooked refrigerated and 0.7% from raw.