FREEZE-DRIED RAW FEEDING GUIDE
How to feed a Bergamasco
The Bergamasco is a sturdy alpine herding dog under that famous felted coat — a working build that needs real, animal-based fuel and a portion plan that keeps a slow-moving giant from quietly gaining weight.
Here is exactly how to feed a Bergamasco on freeze-dried raw: by weight and life stage, with the nutrition that protects their joints, skin and steady working energy.
- Adult weight57–84 lb
- SizeLarge
- EnergyModerate
- Lifespan13–15 years
- CoatTriple coat of felted mats — very low shedding
What a Bergamasco's body needs
Every Bergamasco trait comes back to one thing: how you feed them. Here's what matters most.
Large, muscular herding build
Needs: High-quality animal protein
83% meat, organs and ground bone fuels lean muscle and the steady, all-day stamina a mountain herder is built for — without carb fillers that spike and crash.
Big-breed frame & joints
Needs: Joint support + lean weight
Real meat, cartilage and ground bone supply natural glucosamine and chondroitin, while omega-3s calm joint inflammation and a lean body keeps load off the hips and elbows.
Dense triple coat of felted mats
Needs: Omega-3 fatty acids
Whole-food animal and fish fats feed the skin barrier hidden beneath those mats from the inside, keeping the skin healthy where you cannot easily reach it.
Skin sealed under heavy mats
Needs: Low-inflammation whole-food diet
Minimally processed raw skips the starchy fillers that can feed skin irritation — important for a coat that traps warmth and moisture against the skin.
Calm, deliberate worker
Needs: Precise portions, lean protein
This is not a high-burn breed, so calories add up fast. Measured freeze-dried raw fed by weight keeps a Bergamasco lean, the single biggest lever for a longer, healthier life.
How much to feed a Bergamasco
Quick answer: a healthy adult Bergamasco (57–84 lb) needs about 8.5–12.6 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry — so it's much less by volume than kibble. Feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.
| Ideal adult weight | Freeze-dried per day | Per meal (×2) |
|---|---|---|
| 57 lb | 8.5 oz | 4.3 oz |
| 64 lb | 9.6 oz | 4.8 oz |
| 71 lbtypical Bergamasco | 10.7 oz | 5.3 oz |
| 78 lb | 11.7 oz | 5.9 oz |
| 84 lb | 12.6 oz | 6.3 oz |
Starting points for a moderately active adult (~0.15 oz of freeze-dried per lb of ideal weight). Active pets need a little more, couch companions a little less — always adjust to body condition, not the bag.
What to feed a Bergamasco
For a Bergamasco we recommend complete freeze-dried raw as the daily base — real meat, organs and ground bone with no heat-processed filler — or as a topper while you transition from kibble.
Lean single-protein recipes like Chicken or Wild-Caught Cod suit weight-watchers and sensitive dogs, while richer Beef suits hard-working or underweight dogs. Salmon adds extra omega-3 for skin under the coat. Just add water and serve.
Recipes for Bergamascos
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Feeding a Bergamasco by life stage
- Puppy: Bergamasco puppies are a large, slow-maturing breed, so grow them slowly to protect developing joints. Feed roughly 5–8% of current body weight across 3–4 meals and avoid overfeeding — fast growth raises the risk of hip and elbow problems later.
- Adult: Feed to a lean body condition you can feel beneath the coat, split across two meals. Use the chart below as a starting point and adjust to the dog in front of you, not to the bag.
- Senior: Bergamascos are long-lived, so senior nutrition matters. Activity drops while appetite holds, so trim portions, keep protein high to preserve lean muscle, and lean into joint-supporting nutrition.
Common Bergamasco concerns — and the diet connection
- Weight gainA calm, food-efficient large breed gains weight quietly under that coat. Measured raw feeding and a lean body condition support nearly every other aspect of long-term health.
- Joint comfort (large-breed frame)As with any big dog, lean weight plus joint nutrients — natural glucosamine from bone and cartilage, plus omega-3 — supports day-to-day comfort and mobility into the senior years.
- Skin beneath the coatSkin sealed under dense felted mats benefits from a whole-food, omega-rich, low-filler diet that supports the skin barrier from the inside, where topical care cannot easily reach.
- Working energy & lean muscleA herding dog runs best on clean animal protein and fat for sustained energy and muscle maintenance, not on carbohydrate fillers.
Diet supports health but doesn't replace veterinary care — ask your vet about any specific condition.
Feeding a Bergamasco: what to know
The Bergamasco is calm and economical with its energy, so it is easy to overfeed one without noticing. Feed to body condition, not to the bowl: you should be able to feel the ribs through the coat and see a waist when you part the mats from above.
Because that heavy coat hides weight gain, weigh portions instead of eyeballing them, run a hands-on check every few weeks, and trim the amount after any drop in activity or a long winter indoors.
Bergamasco feeding questions
How much should I feed my Bergamasco?
Does the Bergamasco's coat affect how I feed it?
How do I switch my Bergamasco to raw?
Is the Bergamasco prone to weight gain?
Does a Bergamasco need joint support?
THE CLEAN BOWL GUARANTEE
If your dog won't eat it, it's on us
Try Bergamasco's first plan risk-free. If they turn up their nose, we'll make it right — money-back, and skip, pause or cancel anytime.
- Vet-formulated
- AAFCO complete & balanced
- Pathogen-tested every batch
“Knowing exactly how much to feed took all the guesswork out. He’s leaner, with more energy on our walks.”
— Jenna & Cooper“My picky rescue finally runs to the bowl — and cleanup in the yard is a fraction of what it was.”
— Priya & Luna
Portions are starting points for freeze-dried raw and AAFCO complete-and-balanced recipes. Always feed to your individual dog's body condition and ask your vet about specific health needs.