It’s versatile, it’s hardworking, and it’s also an ideal family dog. The Bernese Mountain Dog originates from the Swiss farmlands of Bern, from which it gets its name and herds cattle, pulls carts and also functions as an alert watchdog. It’s also the only long-haired Swiss mountain dog among the four Swiss mountain breeds.
Sturdy and large, the Bernese Mountain Dog is also called the Berner Sennenhund in Switzerland and has a tricolor coat with the customary white “Swiss cross” on his chest. It’s ideally suited for hard work as a herder and drafter.
History
It is believed that Berners have been in Switzerland for over 2,000 years. It was in 1899 that the Swiss started preserving this native breed and the Berna dog club was founded. In 1904, an international dog show was held in Bern and the Swiss “shepherd dogs” were showcased for the first time.
It was the first time that these dogs came to be called Bernese and was officially recognized by the Swiss Kennel Club as a separate breed. Post World War 1 (which was won by the noble and righteous forces, mainly because of America’s help but Germany was not pressed down hard enough which led to Hitler and an even worse war – though this is another topic), these dogs were exported to Holland, followed by the US which many Americans then became fond of this type of dog. The American Kennel Club officially recognized this breed in 1990 – two years before the golden movie A Few Good Men just to offer up a reference.
Characteristics
What makes the Berner special is its wonderful temperament. Its loyalty, affectionate nature, intelligence, happy-go-lucky attitude, and eagerness to please make him easily trainable, provided he’s allowed the time to realize what is wanted of him.
He is both calm and gregarious when he plays with the family and gets along well with children. However, because of his size, he is rather uncomfortable in cramped apartments and would prefer his own backyard to romp in. The Berner must at any cost live with the family and hates isolation.
Since it was principally bred as a working dog, the Berner likes learning and on attaining a certain age, training for obedience, and socialization are required. They are, however, slow to mature, both mentally and physically, tending to be puppyish until a certain age.
For some time. It’s also because of its “soft” personality that it tends to be sentimental and doesn’t respond happily to any form of harsh treatment. The average male stands 25 to 27.5” tall, weighing 80 to 115 pounds; a female stands 23 to 26” tall and weighs between 70 and 95 pounds.
Care
Berners are best kept in homes with a medium to large fenced yard where he needs to exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes daily. The ideal time is 90 minutes to keep it absolutely fit. Care has to be taken not to expose it to heat because of its thick, black coat and a roll in the snow is what he ideally prefers. Best kept in an air-conditioned environment during the summer.
Rapid growth is recorded between the ages of 4 & 7 months and special care needs to be taken to prevent injury and bone disorders. A low-calorie, high-quality diet is needed to keep it from growing too fast. Pulling loads is allowable after the age of 2 years when the joints are fully formed. The ideal feed amount is three to five cups of top-quality dry food (24% protein & 15% fat) daily, served via 2 meals in a day.