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Bernese mountain dog

The bernese is one of four Swiss sennenhund breeds, a farm dog from the canton of Bern used to drive cattle, guard the yard and pull carts of milk and cheese to market.

It is the only one of the four with a long coat.

Large, heavy-boned and strikingly marked in tricolour black, rust and white, it was rescued from decline in the early 1900s by Swiss fanciers. The temperament is famously good-natured and steady — bernese are gentle with children and slow to take offence — and they remain genuinely happy working, which is why carting is still a popular activity for the breed.

Origin
Bern, Switzerland
Size
35–55 kg, 58–70 cm at the shoulder
Lifespan
7–10 years
Coat
Long, thick and slightly wavy double coat
Temperament
Good-natured, calm, affectionate, sensitive
Exercise
An hour daily, gentle while growing

Related: Bavarian mountain scent hound · Entlebucher mountain dog · Estrela mountain dog · Greater Swiss mountain dog

3 bernese mountain dog photos, newest first

  • Alfie, a bernese mountain dog

    Alfie

    Alfie waits all year for weather like this and then refuses to come back indoors.

    FrostyOtter · 6 days ago

  • Eider II, a bernese mountain dog

    Eider II

    Eider II was promoted to lifeguard supervising a paddling pool for rubber ducks; unfortunately, dozens of ping-pong balls escape at once.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Eider II, a bernese mountain dog

    Eider II

    Eider II heard the treat bag from two rooms away.

    GentleFinch · 2 weeks ago

Living with a bernese mountain dog

The coat is heavy and sheds constantly, with two dramatic moults a year — brush several times a week and keep on top of the mats behind the ears and under the legs.

Built for Alpine winters, they suffer in heat and need shade and cool floors in summer.

The hard truth about the breed is its lifespan. Bernese have one of the highest cancer rates of any dog, histiocytic sarcoma in particular, and often live only seven or eight years. Hip and elbow dysplasia are common and should be scored. Choosing a breeder who tracks longevity in their lines is the most useful thing a buyer can do.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

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