An adult St Bernard of 65 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1619 kcal a day, which is about 1420 g of our chicken recipe, ideally split into at least two meals. Studies add three things that matter for the bowl: the official standard sets no weight at all; bloat risk rises with the amount of food given in a single meal, while keeping the dog underweight does not make it safer; and in puppyhood overfeeding speeds up growth and can harm the skeleton.
The official breed standard gives no weight at all. FCI standard no. 61 sets only the height at the withers, 70 to 90 cm for males and 65 to 80 cm for females, and adds that dogs taller than the maximum should not be penalised as long as they are balanced and move well. The American Kennel Club, by contrast, gives 140-180 lb for males and 120-140 lb for females, roughly 63-82 kg and 54-64 kg.
Real-world data confirm that this is the heavyweight among giants. In Sweden, more than 114,000 young adult dogs of 72 breeds were weighed at their hip screening between 2007 and 2016. Long-haired St Bernards, screened at 18 to 30 months, averaged 69.2 kg for males and 60.7 kg for females, and the males were the heaviest dogs in the entire study.
For feeding, that means two things. A light female and a big male can be more than 20 kg apart, so there is no such thing as a standard St Bernard portion: it has to be worked out from your own dog's ideal weight. And ideal weight is judged with your hands more than with the scales. On the WSAVA 9-point body condition scale, 4 to 5 is ideal: ribs you can feel under a thin layer of fat and a waist visible from above. Under a long coat your eyes will fool you: use your hands.
Gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat, is the most serious meal-related risk for a St Bernard. In a study of 1,934 cases seen at 12 veterinary hospitals in North America, St Bernards had about four times the risk (odds ratio 4.2); among breeds with enough cases to compare, only the Great Dane and the Weimaraner scored higher. The same study found that the typical size of the breed mattered more than the individual dog's weight. A second study followed 1,914 show dogs of 11 large and giant breeds, St Bernards included, for several years: in the giant breeds there were about 26 cases a year for every 1,000 dogs, and almost 3 in 10 of all affected dogs died.
For the food bowl, the key finding came from the diets of those same dogs: risk rose with the amount of food given at a single meal (measured as volume relative to the dog's weight), regardless of how many meals a day the dog had, and was highest in dogs fed a large amount once a day. The picture is not entirely consistent. A recent analysis within the Dog Aging Project, which follows more than 47,000 American dogs (170 of them with bloat reported by their owners), found no difference by type of food or between one meal and several a day. It did confirm body weight over 40 kg as a risk factor and, perhaps surprisingly, a history of being underweight: those dogs had higher odds of bloat, not lower. The authors add that making a dog put on weight is no protection either, so the target stays the same: ideal body condition, neither thin nor fat.
In the Swedish Kennel Club's official screening programme, 317 long-haired St Bernards were X-rayed between 2007 and 2016: 51.7% had hip dysplasia (grades C to E), moderate or severe in one dog in four, the fourth worst result of 72 breeds. Elbow dysplasia affected 27.7% of the 278 dogs screened for it, fifth of 46 breeds. And in Sweden a St Bernard cannot have its official hip X-ray before 18 months of age, a rule it shares with a handful of other giant breeds, against 12 months for most.
The same dogs were used to check whether heavier dogs have worse hips. In 13 of the 21 breeds analysed one by one, they did. In the St Bernard the estimate pointed the same way but was not statistically significant, and the authors point out that in breeds with fewer than 500 dogs, like the St Bernard (317), the study may simply have had too little data to tell. So this is no proof that weight doesn't matter in the breed: the researchers' conclusion is that overweight is worth avoiding in every breed, whatever its size.
The part that really comes down to the bowl is played out in puppyhood. The European FEDIAF guidelines point out that overfeeding puppies speeds up growth and can lead to skeletal deformities, especially in large and giant breeds: puppies should never be fed ad lib, and calcium has an upper limit in foods for large-breed puppies. So no DIY calcium supplements, and slow, steady growth monitored with your vet (see our puppy feeding guide). In adulthood it still makes sense to keep the dog at a healthy weight: that is 60-70 kg resting on four legs.
In a UK study of more than 584,000 dogs, the St Bernard had a median lifespan of 9.3 years, against 12.5 for all dogs combined, placing it among the breeds at highest risk of early death. Two documented predispositions are worth knowing:
One more point, about age: the FEDIAF guidelines note that the age at which a dog becomes less active varies by breed, and that the usual cut-off of 7 years is not a general rule. In a breed whose median lifespan is just over 9 years, it is worth asking your vet earlier than usual when to review the ration; in our quiz, age and activity level recalculate the portion.
Every Pappa Fresh recipe contains one meat only and lists the percentage of each ingredient on the label:
Turkey is poultry: if your dog has reacted to chicken, ask your vet before trying it.
With a dog this size, quantity and storage space count. The recipes are cooked in the pouch and kept outside the fridge until opened; once opened they go in the fridge and should be used within 2-3 days. On the Complete plan, a 65 kg St Bernard needs about 99 pouches of 400 g every 28 days, none of which needs freezer space, and since you open more than one a day, no pouch sits open for long.
That is why, for dogs over 25 kg, the quiz starts with the Topper: a quarter of the ration added to the bowl, with a quarter less kibble. There is also the Mix, half the ration alongside the food you already use, or the Complete plan. With the Topper or the Mix, the day's total only stays right if you cut the kibble by the same share.
An adult St Bernard of 65 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1619 kcal a day: with our Chicken recipe that is about 1420 g, with the richer Beef recipe 1190 g. An unneutered St Bernard burns more, about 2024 kcal. The feeding chart runs from 55 kg to 80 kg, from the lightest females to the biggest males: for a neutered male of 80 kg it is about 1660 g a day.
Energy needs do not rise in step with the kilos: the method starts from metabolic body weight (weight raised to the power of 0.75), so a giant dog eats less per kilo than a medium-sized one. Next to a kibble feeding guide the grams look like a lot, because kibble is far more concentrated (around 350-400 kcal per 100 g, against 110-136 for our recipes): for the same calories, wet food weighs about three times as much. For the general logic behind portions, see our guide on how much a dog should eat.
| Weight | Energy need (kcal/day) neutered / intact | Grams per day neutered / intact | Complete plan | Mix (½) | Topper (¼) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 1428 / 1785 | 1253 g / 1566 g | €18.76/day | €9.38/day | €4.69/day |
| 65 kg | 1619 / 2024 | 1420 g / 1775 g | — | — | — |
| 80 kg | 1892 / 2365 | 1660 g / 2075 g | — | — | — |
Grams based on the Chicken recipe (114 kcal/100 g); with Beef, which is richer (136 kcal/100 g), you need about 16% less. Prices for a neutered dog.
Above 60 kg the quiz does not show an automatic price: it asks you to write to us for a tailored plan.
Figures calculated with the same method as our quiz (FEM×K: maintenance energy adjusted for breed, activity, neutering and body condition). They are an estimate: take the quiz for your dog's exact plan, and talk to your vet about any health concern.
Two minutes: enter weight, age, activity and body condition and get a portion calculated for your dog.
An adult St Bernard of 65 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1619 kcal a day, which is about 1420 g of chicken wet food; if unneutered, about 1775 g. From the lightest female (55 kg) to the biggest male (80 kg) it ranges from about 1253 g to 1660 g. These are estimates: the right portion also depends on your dog's body condition.
The FCI breed standard gives no weight, only height: 70-90 cm for males and 65-80 cm for females. The American Kennel Club says 140-180 lb for males and 120-140 lb for females, roughly 63-82 kg and 54-64 kg, and in Sweden long-haired St Bernards averaged 69.2 kg (males) and 60.7 kg (females) at 18-30 months. Body condition matters more than the number: ribs you can feel and a visible waist.
Yes. In a North American study of 1,934 cases, St Bernards had about four times the risk, behind only Great Danes and Weimaraners. In large and giant breeds, risk was higher when a lot of food was given at one meal, especially once a day, so split the ration into at least two meals and learn the signs: unproductive retching, drooling and a swollen belly mean an emergency.
In a large UK study the median lifespan of the St Bernard was 9.3 years, against 12.5 for dogs overall. The breed is predisposed to bone tumours, bloat and dilated cardiomyopathy: knowing the signs helps you get to the vet in time.
No study shows that one type of food is better for this breed: what matters is a complete food, the right portion and splitting it into more than one meal. Wet food contains more water, so for the same calories it weighs about three times as much as kibble; with a giant dog you can also use it for part of the ration, with our Mix or Topper plans.
A complete large-breed puppy food, in measured amounts rather than ad lib. According to the FEDIAF guidelines, overfeeding puppies speeds up growth and can cause skeletal deformities in large and giant breeds, and calcium has an upper limit too: no calcium supplements without your vet's advice. The chart on this page is for adult dogs.
Written by the Pappa Fresh editorial team from published veterinary studies (see sources). Not a substitute for your vet's advice.
Other breeds: