Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Dog Breed

Bernese Mountain Dog Size Variations: All are large to quite large.
Bernese Mountain Dog Colors: Tricoloured: Black with tan markings and white flashings.
Bernese Mountain Dog Height: 25 - 27.5 inches (male)
23 - 26 inches (female)
Bernese Mountain Dog Weight: 90- 120 pounds (male)
70 - 100 pounds (female)
Bernese Mountain Dog Exercise Needs: Moderate
Bernese Mountain Dog Grooming Needs: Moderate
Bernese Mountain Dog Life Expectancy (Lifespan): 6 - 9 years
Are Bernese Mountain Dogs Child-Friendly? Yes, with supervision.
Bernese Mountain Dog Training:  Moderate
Breed Group:  Working

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog History

The Bernese Mountain Dog dog breed originated in United States of America. The early history of the Bernese Mountain dog is unclear but it is known that the breed is a member of the Sennehunde group, meaning Swiss mountain dogs. The Bernese Mountain Dog is believed to have originated when Julius Caesar and his Roman army invaded Switzerland in about 55 BC. The Roman army brought Roman Mastiffs as warrior dogs and it is widely speculated that some of these dogs bred with native Swiss guard dogs of unknown lineage. The result was the yet unnamed Bernese Mountain Dog.

The Bernese Mountain Dog was well suited to his name as he could easily withstand brutal alpine conditions. This quality made the Bernese Mountain Dog a suitable draft dog, herder and general purpose farm dog, but he remained unappreciated. The Bernese Mountain Dog’s early breed history is more a story of chance and neglect than selective breeding and few people were interested in establishing the breed. By the 1800’s fewer Bernese Mountain Dogs were needed for their utility and the breed was nearly lost. But, by the late 1800’s a benefactor had emerged.

Professor Albert Heim was a Swiss geologist whose work studied the physical features of the Alps. He was bemused by the rugged Bernese Mountain Dog and initiated a study on their suitability and adaptability for living in the Alps. Soon, the Bernese Mountain Dog was named and identified as a native Swiss breed and efforts were made to stabilize their numbers. Dr. Heim’s study promoted the Bernese Mountain Dog throughout Europe and an interest in this breed began to grow. Soon, the Bernese Mountain Dog could be found throughout Western Europe and in 1926, the breed was brought to America. The America Kennel Club recognized the Bernese Mountain Dog in 1937.

Bernese Mountain Dog Appearance

The Bernese Mountain Dog sports a gentle and winsome expression. White flashings color the chest and muzzle extend between the eyes to the crown. His ears are triangular and frame his handsome face.

Logically, the Bernese Mountain Dog has a thick double coat. The coat’s texture is silky and the fur is moderately long and wavy. This thick coat provides excellent insulation during the winter and is blown in spring.

Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament

The Bernese Mountain Dog is an affectionate breed who will long for attention. As a puppy, the Bernese Mountain Dog is devilish and will stop at nothing in the name of fun. The new Bernese Mountain Dog owner is well advised to keep a close eye on his puppy as this pup will chew and tug without regard for designer labels.

Once grown, the Bernese Mountain Dog’s owner can take a more relaxed position on supervision, but this breed will seek and find entertainment. The Bernese Mountain Dog loves to play outside in cool and even cold weather. He is cheerful and boisterous in yard games but will be calm and is usually reasonable indoors. With children, the Bernese Mountain dog is a trusted companion, although small children should be taught to not provoke this or any dog.

Because of the Bernese Mountain Dog’s Alpine heritage, one might be tempted to characterize this breed as an outside dog. This would be an incorrect assertion as the Bernese Mountain Dog cannot be isolated from his family. He must have plenty of indoor attention and affection from his family to thrive.

Bernese Mountain Dog Exercise Needs

The Bernese Mountain Dog will need a daily 5 kilometer walk on a leash. He will enjoy these walks, but the Bernese Mountain Dog seems to think the object of these outings is to pull the walker along the pavement. Training your Bernese Mountain Dog to heed the heel command is essential for you to both enjoy these jaunts.

By nature, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a worker dog so he will need to make good use of his time. Some owners will allow the Bernese Mountain Dog to pull a stone filled cart hither and fro. And, despite its chain-gang quality, this exercise does seem to satisfy the Bernese Mountain Dog’s commitment to enterprise.

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Grooming Requirements

The Bernese Mountain Dog will need daily brushing with special attention to this duty in early spring. The Bernese Mountain Dog’s coat is thick and he will shed (or blow) his undercoat in seemingly unreasonable quantities. You will find alarming tufts littering the yard and sticking to any surface, especially expensive black trousers. Daily (perhaps twice daily) brushing in spring will ease this. The Bernese Mountain Dog will allow a bath, but drying him thoroughly is essential to avoid serious skin irritations. His white chest may harbor bits of food and spillage, so spot-cleaning may be necessary here. On the whole, the Bernese Mountain Dog is not a prissy dog of leisure so there is little fuss in keeping him in tip-top shape.

Bernese Mountain Dog Training

The Bernese Mountain Dog is typically eager, but the Berner is slow to mature, so he may be slow to learn. Additionally, his eagerness can melt into boredom if the training sessions drag on too long. So, be sure to keep training sessions short - 10 minutes should suffice, and be patient. Your Bernese Mountain Dog may look fully mature at one year of age, but he is still intellectually a puppy.

Most trainers have found much success with crate training Bernese Mountain Dogs. Just bring your Berner outside immediately following naps and meals and soon, an acceptable bathroom routine will be established. Other household manners need to also be taught. Just remember that your Berner is keen to please and mistakes happen. Ignore the inappropriate behavior and amply praise the positive with a tasty treat and a pleasant tone.

Reserve a firm but controlled voice for misbehavior and only use it immediately following the inappropriate deed. Your Bernese Mountain Dog will not make the connection between a punishment now and a chewed pillow from three hours ago.

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Health Information

Some common health concerns for your Bernese Mountain Dog included; CHD, elbow dysphasia, mast cell tumour, gastric torsion, cataracts, entopion, ectropion, SAS, hypomyelination, allergies, hepatocerebellar degeneration, hypothyroidism, PRA.

Note: The Bernese Mountain Dog is intolerant to heat and is very susceptible to heat stroke.

The Bernese Mountain Dog has a short life expectancy. There is a Swiss expression explains the Bernese Mountain Dog most succinctly, Three years a young dog and three years an old dog, All else is a gift from God.

Is the Bernese Mountain Dog Dog Breed Right For You?

The Bernese Mountain is one of the most loving breeds. So, if your family’s hectic schedule will mean hours of isolation for your dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog may not be the breed for you. However, those families who tend to stay close to home and are keen to devote much time to a pet will find a splendid companion in the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Families with children will find the Bernese Mountain Dog to be gentle and patient, (so long as it is reciprocated), and potential owners looking for an affectionate buddy need look no further. Ideally, adoptive families should have a love of the outdoors, or at least be prepared to develop one as the Bernese Mountain Dog will make an explorer out of anyone!

When purchasing your Bernese Mountain Dog, resist the urge to purchase a dog inexpensively from a pet store or from an advertisement in a newspaper. You may unwittingly buy a mal-adjusted, sick, puppy mill dog. This is to be avoided at all costs.

Finding A Responsible Bernese Mountain Dog Breeder

Now that you have decided that the Bernese Mountain Dog is the right breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Bernese Mountain Dog breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Bernese Mountain Dog puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a responsible Bernese Mountain Dog breeder, you may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring Bernese Mountain Dog breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Bernese Mountain Dog breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.

Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...

Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Bernese Mountain Dog puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the breeders whom they allow to advertise.

We Highly Recommend:

• Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies For Sale
• Bernese Mountain Dog Breeders Showcase
• Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy Finder on Pet Net
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Names

Choosing a name for your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy can be a daunting task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot of thought and research to find just the right name for your Bernese Mountain Dog. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Bernese Mountain Dog puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this popular subject.

We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name for your new Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for their new baby!

Bernese Mountain Dog Dog Names

• Dog Names
• Choosing A Name For Your Dog Or Puppy
• Unique Pet Names
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Pictures

Bernese Mountain Dogs are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Bernese Mountain Dog pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide if you really want to become an Bernese Mountain Dog owner. The following sites below offer pictures of Bernese Mountain Dog dogs, Bernese Mountain Dog puppy photos, funny Bernese Mountain Dog photos and more. Enjoy!

• Bernese Mountain Dog Dog Pictures
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Additional Bernese Mountain Dog Information Resources

There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn more about the Bernese Mountain Dog dog breed. We've compiled a list of Bernese Mountain Dog information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality information about the Bernese Mountain Dog dog breed, while avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know of an Bernese Mountain Dog information site that offers unique, quality information and photos of the Bernese Mountain Dog breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.

• Wikipedia - Bernese Mountain Dogs

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog Clubs and Rescues

Bernese Mountain Dog clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even more about the Bernese Mountain Dog dog breed, help you locate a responsible Bernese Mountain Dog breeder, or help you find an Bernese Mountain Dog dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list of Bernese Mountain Dog clubs and Bernese Mountain Dog rescues web sites for your convenience:

Bernese Mountain Dog Clubs - Bernese Mountain Dog Rescues