You’re in a safe pair of paws with the Bernese Mountain Dog. These big, strong dogs are built for work. Luckily for the kids, these days this mainly means your Bernese being harnessed to a cart and pulling them around the garden. Although their size is imposing, these are good-natured, calm, sweet dogs who are gentle and patient with people, big and small alike. Their beautiful looks - that distinctive tri-colour double coat and melting brown eyes - match their beautiful temperament. Big fans of outdoor adventures, they’re not massively high energy and will happily cuddle up with their family in the evenings once their work is done.
Bernese Mountain Dog Facts
Bernese Mountain Dogs are extra large dogs, with the males standing as high as 70cm and weighing up to 52kg. Their size isn’t their only distinguishing feature, their thick, silky, tricolour coat of black, brown and white is too.
- Breed Group: Working
- Height: Female: 58-66cm; Male: 63.5-70cm
- Weight: Female: 31-43kg; Male: 36-52kg
- Life Span: 7-10 years
- Coat: Double, medium
- Colour: Tri-colour (black, brown and white)
What Does a Bernese Mountain Dog Look Like?
A Bernese Mountain Dog is a cuddle with 4 paws. Sure, they might be large and powerful but they’re soft, sweet-natured pups who absolutely love their humans. Once you’re over the size of them (extra large), you’ll notice their distinctive coat. This double, medium length coat only comes in one colour: tri-colour. That’s brown, black and white all splashed together.
Thanks to this coat, Bernese thrive in cooler climates. They can handle warmer weather, as long as there’s plenty of shade, AC and fresh water. Completing their coat is a long bushy tail that wags enthusiastically at the sight of their favourite people.
Berneses’ large heads have sparkling brown (and very occasionally blue) oval eyes and long, triangular shaped ears that flop close to their head. But once something catches their attention, expect those ears to prick up!
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament: Sweet Softie
A Bernese Mountain Dog is easy to please. They love adventures with their family during the day, but are then happy to snooze the rest of the night away by your side. Not as high energy and active as other dogs, a sedate family-friendly adventure is more their speed. They do enjoy having a job to do though (they were bred to be working dogs). One of their favourites? Pulling kids in a cart (honestly)! Oh, and take them for a romp in the snow and your Bernese will love you forever.
Bernese are such affectionate dogs that they don’t do well when left at home alone. A bored, lonely Bernese will make their own entertainment - and you don’t want to see what those big paws and jaws can get up to.
Although they’re large, strong dogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs are known for their sweet, affectionate, docile natures. They make wonderful family pets and, thanks to their oodles of patience, are great with children. Even though they’re almost certainly the biggest dog in the room, Bernese can be shy and cautious around strangers and in new situations. Socialising them when they’re a puppy can help with this.
Bernese can sometimes forget how strong they are, especially when they’re enjoying playtime with the kids. It’s worth always keeping an eye on a Bernese Mountain Dog when they’re playing with small children and animals.
Keeping Bernese Mountain Dogs Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
Like all extra large dog breeds, a Bernese Mountain Dog doesn’t have the longest life span - it’s 7 to 10 years. Preventative care, like regular vet check ups, can help spot any potential health problems.
Joint and Orthopaedic Issues
With such a large frame, Bernese face extra weight and strain on their joints. This can lead to orthopaedic issues. Large dogs are also more prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, which is where the joints don’t form correctly, causing mobility issues and pain. Dysplasia can be treated in a range of ways, including weight management, physical therapy and medication. However, it’s an inherited condition so responsible breeders should screen for it.
Cancer
Like most dogs, Bernese can develop cancer. The cancer most commonly found in Bernese Mountain Dogs is malignant histiocytosis. This is an aggressive but rare type of cancer that causes multiple cancerous tumours to develop in your dog’s skin and vital organs. Symptoms to watch out for include loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, fever and lethargy. Sadly, unless caught very early, treatment options are limited.
Degenerative Myelopathy
A neurological condition, degenerative myelopathy affects a Berner’s spinal cord. First it weakens and then paralyses their back legs. Symptoms include lameness, difficulty getting up, wobbling when walking and stumbling. Degenerative myelopathy is progressive and incurable but it can be managed through maintaining a healthy weight, keeping your pup active, and physical therapy.
Blood Clotting Disorder
Bernese Mountain Dogs are prone to a blood clotting disorder called von Willebrand disease. You probably won’t know your dog has it until they sustain an injury, have surgery or give birth. It’s at these times you’re likely to notice uncontrollable bleeding or excessive bruising. There’s no cure and emergency blood transfusions are the most common way to treat it.
Caring for Your Bernese Mountain Dog
Although that medium length double coat doesn’t take care of itself, a Bernese Mountain Dog is fairly low-key in their care needs. A bit of daily exercise and lots of time spent with you, and you’ll have one happy dog.
Grooming:
A Bernese is known to be a high shedder and this is especially true during shedding season (spring and autumn). This is when ‘coat blowing’ happens and the woolly undercoat is shed in big tufts of fur as the weather warms up. As it cools down, their lighter top coat is shed to make room for a thick winter coat.
Normally, you’ll be brushing your Bernese every week to help get rid of any loose hair. Work out any knots with a slicker brush or metal comb. Bump this to daily brushing sessions when they’re shedding and be prepared for lots of hair. Everywhere.
Bernese Mountain Dogs don’t need baths that often, just when your nose tells you it’s time (or they’ve rolled in something disgusting). Every few weeks, give their nails a trim or clip.
Finally, brush their teeth every day. Not only does this keep their breath smelling sweet, but it helps fight off plaque and tartar build up, which can lead to dental disease.
Nutrition:
As a large dog breed, be prepared for your Bernese to eat a lot. They’ll do well on quality commercial dog food that suits their life stage (puppy, adult or senior). You could consider dog food that’s specifically for large dogs. It has larger kibble / biscuits for larger mouths and is nutritionally balanced to meet their higher dietary needs.
Remember that treats count towards their daily calorie intake. As a large dog, it’s important a Bernese Mountain Dog doesn’t become overweight and put even more stress on their joints and vital organs.
Exercise:
Bernese are designed to live indoors with their family, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need exercise. They need at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day to stay healthy and happy. In the great outdoors, Bernese Mountain Dogs love long walks and tramps. They’ll even handle camping and backpacking.
Closer to home, Bernese will enjoy neighbourhood strolls or joining in with whatever you’re doing - Bernese prefer to exercise with their humans. To engage their brain, you could enrol them in dog sports and obedience training or treat them to a puzzle toy.
Training
Early socialisation, obedience training and puppy school is really important for Bernese Mountain Dogs, simply because they grow to be such large, powerful dogs. Thankfully, Bernese aren’t stubborn or wilful - they’re smart and eager to please, which makes them easily trainable.
As long as your methods are calm, patient and loving that is. With their big hearts, a Bernese's feelings can be easily hurt and they don’t respond well to harsh training. Positive reinforcement, where they get a treat (playtime, a favourite toy, something delicious) every time they behave as asked, works best with Bernese.
Because Bernese can be wary of strangers and new animals, puppy school is a great way for them to gain confidence in a wide range of situations and become open and accepting of new people and pets as an adult dog. Having the basics nailed, like sit, stay, come plus walking nicely on a leash, will ensure your Bernese grows up to be a well-mannered pup.