Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Facts and Information

Bernese Mountain Dogs’ coats are long and dense, and seem to shed with ease. Shedding is common to the breed, so your grooming regime is a key part of maintaining a healthy dog and a tidy home. One of the keys to successful grooming is to start the grooming process early in life when they are still puppies. If you can get your Bernese Mountain Dog used to being handled, brushed and bathed, it makes your life much easier as they get older, bigger, and more set in their ways.

Coat length: Long

Grooming: Frequent

Shedding: Your Bernese Mountain Dog is a prolific shedder, so it pays to be prepared for the endless tidal wave of dog hair coming at you. Invest in good tools and products to help you contain the mess. A high quality vacuum is your friend. Specialty dog grooming tools like brushes and grooming gloves do wonders to contain and collect the fur before it ends up on your carpet or couch.

Your Bernese Mountain Dog is one smart animal, so it’s important that you utilize their intelligence to help them develop good habits. Early socialization and exposure to a variety of people, places and things are both key to promoting good habits and a calm, confident companion. Invest in puppy socialization classes and obedience classes if you are a novice trainer or you need some extra help from the professionals. Overall, the Bernese Mountain Dog is easy to train and very intelligent, but they can easily develop bad habits without proper instruction.

Barking: The Bernese Mountain Dog is well-known as a barking dog when left alone. Long days cooped up indoors are not advisable and your dog will quickly develop anxious habits if you plan to keep them locked up for the workday. Utilizing the services of dog walkers can be beneficial for keeping your dog engaged during the workday. These dogs are working dogs, used to excitement and exercise in farmers’ fields. It’s up to you to keep them engaged and make sure they get at least 30 minutes of solid exercise every day.

Temperament & Behavior: Bernese Mountain Dogs have a superior temperament for life with a family. They are gentle and affectionate with their immediate family. Some dogs are a bit aloof with strangers, but give it some time and they will warm up eventually. Early socialization and positive reinforcement are crucial to success. Despite their size, Bernese Mountain Dogs have incredible speed over ground. Combine that speed with a high prey drive, and you will quickly realize that a sturdy leash is a must for walks in public. 

Bernese Mountain Dogs can suffer from abandonment-driven anxiety issues when left alone for long periods of time, and they often act out with barking, chewing, and digging when alone. With the right mix of love and attention, your Bernese Mountain Dog will give you many years of happiness and companionship.

Behavior with kids: These dogs are great for families with children. The Bernese Mountain Dog is very tolerant and playful when it comes to kids. Watch out for very small children playing rough around a Bernese Mountain Dog – they tend to get knocked over in all the excitement. As with any dog, be sure to supervise your Bernese Mountain Dog around kids and unfamiliar adults.

Protection: The Bernese Mountain Dog is a stalwart guardian when it comes to the family home. These dogs were indispensable on Swiss farms for protecting crops and livestock from vermin and predators. They are not overly aggressive, but a Bernese Mountain Dog will regard strangers with suspicion.

Life Span: On average, Bernese Mountain Dogs live to be around 7-8 years old.

Inherited health issues: There have been a variety of health conditions associated with Bernese Mountain Dogs through inheritance or occurring at an increased rate in this breed. They include the following: elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, Von Willebrand disease, cutaneous histiocytosis, systemic histiocytosis, hypomyelinogenesis, meningitis, Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis, cataracts, entropion, progressive retinal atrophy, pyometra, degenerative myelopathy and osteochondrosis of the shoulder.

Preventive care: Many of the health conditions associated with Bernese Mountain Dogs are related to joint issues, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and shoulder osteochondrosis. Responsible breeders commonly perform screening tests for these issues prior to breeding in an attempt to decrease the incidence of these conditions in future generations of puppies. While there is no definitive way to prevent these conditions in your dog, keeping your Bernese Mountain Dog at a healthy body weight will reduce the stress placed on the joints by obesity. Fish oil supplements can be beneficial to reducing the inflammation in the joints associated with arthritis that can develop secondarily to joint conditions. 

Female Bernese Mountain Dogs are more prone to developing a pyometra (a severe uterine infection) than other breeds. If you do not plan on breeding your female dog, it is important to have her spayed to prevent this condition. 

Regular veterinary care is crucial for Bernese Mountain Dogs, even when they appear healthy at home. Your veterinarian has been extensively trained to pick up on subtle changes that can indicate bigger problems. This allows potential issues to be addressed earlier, which is beneficial both for your dog and often for your wallet.

Due to the frequency of joint problems in Bernese Mountain Dogs, keeping your dog at a lean, healthy body weight is critical to reduce placing additional stress on these joints. Be sure to feed your dog carefully portion-controlled meals of a well-balanced diet. Avoid feeding excessive quantities of treats or table scraps, regardless of how pleadingly those big brown eyes look at you! Weight maintenance diets can be helpful for some obesity-prone Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Daily Consumption: Average daily consumption for an adult Bernese is 3-6 cups

Energy Level: Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Exercise: Daily exercise is a must when it comes to owning a Bernese Mountain Dog. At least 30 minutes of vigorous activity each day is important to maintain a healthy and happy dog. If you don’t give them enough opportunities to get out and run, your Bernese Mountain Dog will find a way to amuse himself at home. This usually manifests itself as chewing shoes, digging holes in the backyard, and barking all day until you come home. Avoid these problems (and fed-up neighbors) and get help from a local dog walker if your career or lifestyle demands long periods away from home.

Climate: Long cold days up in the mountains are a picnic for a Bernese Mountain Dog. Their long, dense coats protect them from extreme cold. Unfortunately, it becomes a liability in warm climates. They don’t do well in extreme heat or long exposure to the hot summer sun. If you have your dog outside during a hot day, it’s crucial to monitor them for signs of distress. Always make sure they have water and a cool place to relax in the shade.

Living space: Since the Bernese Mountain Dog is a large dog with abundant energy, it’s best to offer them a bigger living space. It’s not a good choice for apartment living, since they need daily exercise and space to move around. Bernese Mountain Dogs are best suited to life in a larger home with a backyard.