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The Bernese Mountain dog, nicknamed the “Berner” is highly intelligent and easy to train, but must be trained gently. For a gentle trainer that is consistant and praises, the breed is eager to please. It is unknown exactly where this breed originated from, however it is believed that they were brought to Switzerland by the Romans around 2000 years ago. They are a very large tri-colour (black with rust and white) breed with very distinctive markings. They are friendly towards people and other dogs and can get along well with other pets. In Switzerland the Bernese Mountain Dog was originally used to pull wagons/carts. This breed can take longer then most to mature, and often displays puppy-like behaviour well into 2 years of age. They are prone to many health problems and have a low average life span of about 7 years. The average lifespan has unfortunately dropped dramatically in recent years due to an increase in cancer in the breed. They are built for working and the outdoors, and it is recommended that they get a lot of daily exercise as they tend to be inactive indoors. They prefer to be amongst people, and should not be left in a kennel or separated from their family for long periods of time.
Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Information |
Breed Group |
Working Group |
Coat |
Long, thick and either slightly wavy or straight |
Color(s) |
Tri-colored, black with and rust markings |
Size |
23-28 inches |
Weight |
80-110 lbs |
Exercise: |
Require a lot of exercise |
Temperament |
Intelligent, friendly, sensitive, affectionate, loyal |
Trainability |
Easy to train with a gentle approach |
Average Lifespan |
6-10 years |
Common Health Problems |
Cancer, Eye problems, Hereditary diseases, Hip/elbow dysplasia, Osteoarthritis, Kidney problems |
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