Bernese Mountain Dog
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Bernese Mountain Dog

Last updated: Aug 30 2023

Bernese Mountain Dogs are a classic example of what is called „gentle giants". They are easy-going and get along with other animals and their entire family, especially children, with whom these dogs are extremely patient, and therefore this breed is widely popular among families with children.

This dog is commonly known as a Berner, and some people also call him Berner Sennenhund and Bernese Cattle Dog. Their friendly appearance, rich tricolor coat, and size make them popular wherever they go. These dogs require a lot of attention and love from their humans. If you are not sure if this is the right dog breed for you, make sure to explore this breed before you start searching for Bernese Mountain Dog breeders.

Although they are good and gentle dogs, they still need persistent training and socialization. When these dogs learn something, they will know it for the rest of their lives. They will respond well to positive reinforcement training so you should never treat them rough because you will not get anything done. Berner is a very intelligent and loyal dog and they will love their whole family but especially their owner.

FUN FACT: Bernese Mountain dog is one of the four variants of Swiss mountain dogs. The other three are the Appenzeller mountain dog, the Entlebucher mountain dog, and the Greater Swiss mountain dog.

Dog Breed Video

Bernese Mountain Dog

Height:

23–27,5 in (58–70 cm)

Bernese Mountain Dog

Weight:

70–115 lb (31–52 kg)

Bernese Mountain Dog

Origin:

Switzerland

Bernese Mountain Dog

Life Expectancy:

7–8 years

Dog Breed Characteristics

Energy Level
Grooming Needs
Exercise Needs
Trainability
Intelligence
Kid Friendly
Dog Friendly
General Health

Bernese Mountain Dogs are large, heavy, and powerful dogs built for hard work, but also have gentle and affectionate, non-aggressive nature. They are slightly longer than they are tall and are muscular with a strong and wide back.

bernese mountain dog on the snow

Grooming and care

These dogs have a double coat; the outer coat is longer, while the undercoat is wooly. Their coat is tricolored. The majority of the coat is covered with black hair. They usually have a white marking on the chest that looks similar to the inverted cross.

They can have a white blaze between the eyes and on the tip of the tail. The described coat requires frequent brushing to keep it clean. Bernese Mountain Dog's coat sheds moderately year-round (it sheds heavily during seasonal changes, twice a year). Regular brushing will reduce the amount of hair around the house and reduce the tangles.

Bernese Mountain Dog

With regular brushing, you will keep the coat shiny and healthy. Their thick, silky, and moderately long, tricolored furry coat does well in cold climates. To maintain their appearance, only periodic bathing is required. Bath your dog every two to three months. Their teeth should be cleaned a few times a week to prevent gum diseases and to secure a fresh breath, and their nails should be trimmed as needed.

Check their ears regularly for any signs of infections (redness, wax buildup, bad odor). While you are checking his ears, you can wipe them with a small cotton ball dipped into ear cleaner.

These dogs require a great amount of care, and if you want your dog to cooperate, you will have to make a positive experience for the dog. Start while they are young, and during grooming sessions, always reward them so they will enjoy it when they grow up.

Exercise

Although Bernese Mountain Dogs are perfectly happy resting and napping clenched next to their owners, these dogs need to be provided with enough exercise. They don't need intensive training or running exercise, but they need a decent yard or regular moderate walks around the block or outgoings to the woods (where is colder).

Bernese Mountain Dog

Because of their thick black coat, they are prone to heatstroke. Their favorite activity is romping around and playing in the snow.

You should be very careful when training your puppy. Because their joints and bones are still developing, you shouldn’t over-exercise your dog or allow him to run and play on hard surfaces, jump, or pull heavy loads until they grow up. To prevent joint injuries, you should also feed them with proper food to ensure the building of strong joints and give them protection in life.

These dogs are great participants in canine sports such as obedience, agility, rally, and tracking.

Are Bernese Mountain dogs easy to train?

The Bernese Mountain Dog is highly trainable and responds well to positive encouragement. This dog requires a consistent but gentle hand. Although most of the members of this breed are easy to train, sometimes, males can be stubborn and/or dominant, especially during adolescence. During this age, some males will also be aggressive towards other males.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dogs are extremely loyal and eager to please their humans. This is mostly the reason why these dogs are prone to separation anxiety. They enjoy spending time with their family, and so they tend to be destructive when left alone for too long.

The Bernese Mountain dog is a devoted friend who will enjoy accompanying the family everywhere. They thrive on human companionship. They are very protective of their family and make excellent watchdogs.

Socialization

Proper socialization will help ensure that the Bernese is patient with other dogs and with children. Their temperament is affected by numerous factors but the most important is socialization.

Bernese Mountain Dog

If they are not socialized properly, they can be shy around new people and could be afraid of unusual sights and sounds. Socialization is mandatory to teach the Bernese Mountain Dog how to behave properly in the house and with other people. Start from the puppy age and expose your Bernese dog to many different people, sights, and sounds so he can grow up into a well-rounded dog.

Bernese Mountain dog and kids

These dogs are very gentle and affectionate with children who know how to interact with the dog. The only thing why you should be careful when you let your dog and kids play is their big size because they could unintentionally knock over the child.

Like with any other breed, if you want to be completely sure that your dog and kids will get along it is necessary that you teach your kids what is the correct way to play and interact with the dog and also that you provide your dog with proper socialization. This way you can be sure that your kids and the dog will get along and enjoy each other's company.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Berner and other animals

As we already said, these are good and gentle dogs who can get along well with everybody. This dog will especially love other pets and animals if they are raised together.

Health issues

The biggest drawback of this breed is that members of the Bernese Mountain Dog breed are prone to some serious health problems and a short lifespan.

An average life expectancy of a Bernese Mountain Dog is approximately 7 to 8 years, with cancer being the leading cause of early death for these dogs. Symptoms of cancer include abnormal swelling of a sore or bump, difficulty with breathing, sores that don’t heal…

Bernese Mountain Dog

They are also prone to

  • arthritis,
  • hip dysplasia,
  • elbow dysplasia,
  • Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disorder that affects the clotting process),
  • ligament ruptures, etc.

Because of predispositions for these diseases, veterinary care can be expensive.

To be sure that your dog is healthy, there are a few recommended health tests that you can perform to be sure that your dog is healthy: hip and elbow evaluation, ophthalmologist evaluation, cardiac exam, and Von Willebrand’s Disease DNA test.

FAQ

Bernese Mountain Dog makes an amazing family pet. They are outgoing, active, and friendly. They will love playing with their owners and will be very gentle with kids.

Yes, Bernese Mountain Dogs are heavy shedders. They have a thick, insulating, double coat that keeps them safe even in the coldest weather.

Larger dog breeds like the Bernese Mountain Dog usually have a shorter lifespan than smaller dog breeds, but these dogs have a short lifespan because they are prone to cancer.

Bernese Mountain Dogs can be considered high-maintenance because they want constant attention and will require some grooming. Their other needs are like any others -  bath every 6-8  weeks, teeth brushing, nail clipping.

The average lifespan of the Bernese Mountain Dog is 7 - 8 years. These dogs have one of the shortest lifespans in the canine kingdom.

Yes, Bernese Mountain Dogs are very cuddly with their owners. They thrive on human interaction and company, and they love being close to their owners.

The Bernese Mountain Dog can be considered an enthusiastic barker. They make great watchdogs that will warn you about anyone or anything approaching your home, but that also means they are likely to bark a lot.

Bernese Mountain Dogs don’t do well on their own. They are prone to separation anxiety and need human or canine company. They can tolerate a maximum of 3-4 hours on their own.

Yes, Bernese Mountain Dogs are considered as one of the breeds that are easiest to train in general, and that would include potty training. They are intelligent and willing to please their owners.

They could be, but they will require extensive obedience training. Otherwise, the best way to walk your dog is on a leash. Something can spook them or interest them, and they could easily run away.

Bernese Mountain Dogs love sleeping. If they live inside with the family, they will often nap, which will be one of their favorite activities.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain dog breeders

Because of their popularity, some people have bred dogs of lesser quality and have been selling them to unaware and unsuspecting buyers. These dogs' health history is often a disaster. To reduce the possibility of getting this kind of Bernese, never buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder or pet store.

Find decent Berner breeders that will show you health certificates and health clearances of both puppy’s parents. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition. Because this breed is naturally prone to some serious health conditions, these precautionary measures won’t eliminate the possibility of your dog getting sick but will reduce it. Unfortunately, you usually can't tell whether a puppy has inherited health problems until it grows up.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Here at World Dog Finder, we work exclusively with breeders of the highest standards and require them to send us the necessary documents that show us they are registered with the FCI (AKC) and their countries' cynology association. We also advise you to search for Berner breeders at the national cynological association of your country.

These are great family dogs, and you surely will not make a mistake if you decide to get a Berner dog. They require everyday interaction with their human family for them to be happy. If you put in the work and teach and socialize your puppy from the start, you will end up with the “gentle giant” who will get along with everybody and who will fill your days with love and joy. With these dogs, your life will certainly change – for the better.

FUN FACT: A white marking on the Bernese Mountain Dog’s chest is called “the Swiss cross”.

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World Dog Finder team

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Updated at30.08.2023.

Breed History

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large-sized dog breed that originates from Switzerland. Throughout history, these dogs were used as working dogs, most often for herding cattle and several farm-related tasks.

For more than 2000 years, Bernese Mountain dog has been working on Swiss farms – pulling carts, like a watchdog and a loyal companionship. In 1888, 36% of the Swiss population had been working in agriculture, and they needed a dog who could help them during work. In 1899 many breeders founded a dog club called Berna to preserve native Swiss dog breeds.

The club included members and breeders of a variety of different purebred dog breeds.

bernese mountain dog

That club sponsored a dog show In 1902, and they wanted to draw attention to Swiss mountain breeds. Two years later, the club sponsored a class for Swiss shepherd dogs at the International dog show in Bern. This show included Mountain dogs, and that was the first time that they referred to these dogs as Bernese. Later in that year, the Swiss Kennel Club officially recognized the Bernese Mountain dog.

After World War I, this dog breed was exported to Holland, followed by the US. Bernese mountain dogs were imported in England by two British breeders in 1936, and the Glen Shadow kennel from Louisiana imported two dogs- a male and a female from Switzerland. World War II managed to interrupt the export and progress of this dog breed outside their native land, but after 1945 they resumed export in the US.

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