Bernese Mountain Dog

Narrated from: Dog Breeds

If you are looking for a large dog with lots of hair, this may be the one for you. He has a very sturdy structure and he is very strong. Their original job was to pull carts to market and they still love to pull. Even with his size and bulkiness he is very agile; he was bred to work and that is what he likes best. He has a weather resistant, moderately long coat that is very thick. His coat can be straight or wavy. This dog is usually tri-color but is mostly black. His markings are well defined and perfectly placed, and his tail is always very bushy and full.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a very intelligent breed and is easy to train in comparison to many other breeds. Of course, he needs to be well socialized from a very young age with people, children and other animals. The better you socialize him the better he will be with children. He is an easy going dog and he loves to distribute his happiness to everyone. He is not a dominant dog but he makes a great watchdog. He is always alert and self-confident. They are slow to mature and will be puppy-like for a longer period of time than most other breeds. He needs a calm trainer with lots of patience. He will not do well if he is left alone in a yard or even inside without his human pack for long periods of time. He is a people dog and will want to be with you and the pack all the time, and thrives on your leadership and your attention.

Start training very early and lay out your rules clearly. Because of their size they need to be well trained in obedience and they must know the rules. You should expect him to obey the rules at all times. They love structure and adhere to daily routines very well. You can expect him to be about 28 inches tall when full grown and he can weigh up to 110 pounds! Unfortunately they do seem to have some medical problems and this can be very costly. Cancer seems to run in the breed as well as many of the large dog ailments like hip dysplasia and bloat. Their lifespan is very short.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are not recommended for apartment life because they need plenty of room to play. Additionally they do not do well in the heat of many climates. Their coat will need to be brushed and then combed daily. Mats will develop very quickly and must be tended to every day to keep them from pain because of the matting. Seasonally he will shed very heavily and will need extra brushing during that time. They originally came from the mountains in Switzerland and they have been around for a very long time. Many of the breeders of this breed are trying to help the dog increase in popularity. Researchers are desperately trying to find a reason for the high risk of cancer.

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