The Bernese Mountain dog is good-natured, friendly, and alert. These dogs love to learn new things and explore all the challenges. Hence, you might not face difficulties when it comes to training them.
The large size makes them a great companion for indoor and out exploration. Moreover, Bernese Mountain dogs have instincts and can protect your family from dangers. Hence, you can consider having this breed as a watchdog and companion. Bernese enjoys physical activities and can keep you and your family members busy. We will know more about this breed in the following. Keep reading if you want to have this breed.
About the breed
Bernese has some distinct qualities to become the best human companion. They are hardworking, powerful, and friendly. Also, you will love their appearance and affectionate and sweet nature. They love to please their owners and can stand around twenty-seven inches at the shoulder. They have a silky, thick, moderately long, and tricolored coat. The rust, clear white, and jet-black colors compliment their large size and give them a unique recognition.
Besides, Bernese has distinctive markings on the face with dark eyes. This breed is friendly and intelligent and shows majestic nobility. This alert dog breed is multi-tasking and can survive well in cold weather. A Bernese can entertain all your family members, but your kids will love this breed the most. You might find it imposing, but this breed is not threatening, and your kids will be safe with your pet.
Appearance
The size and appearance of Bernese inspire many pet owners. They are large and weigh between 70 and 115 pounds. Their height will be between 23 and 27.5-inch tall at the shoulder. Also, you can connect to their expressive brown eyes and appreciate their presence. They are alert, intelligent, and friendly. These qualities make them perfect family companions. As stated earlier, Bernese has a moderately long and tricolored coat and markings. The coat of this breed is either straight or a bit wavy.
Personality
The Bernese is a large, intelligent, affectionate, and strong dog. You will find this breed calm, tolerant, and gentle as well. Your pet would love to spend time with your family and can express the same level of happiness while participating in family functions. However, you can train your pet to behave well with others. The best part is that they love to learn and you both will enjoy the training. They will grow physically fast, but you need to work for mental maturity.
The Bernese can be a watchdog and protect your family. This breed is not aggressive and will not harm others, but intelligent and sturdy enough to create fear in the mind of strangers. However, the Bernese cannot mix with others and might not like to greet strangers. Hence, you can consider exposing your pet to different environments. Expose Bernese to different people, situations, and animals if you want your pet to be friendly.
The temperament of all Bernese Mountain Dogs will not be the same. It will vary based on hereditary, socializing, and training. However, most puppies will have a good temperament, and you will find them playful and curious. They would love to mix with people when approached.
First, you can develop a bonding before having it in your home. Meet and spend time with the puppy and understand the temperament. You can also take your kids and create a connection if possible. It is better to know the breed first before bringing it to your family environment.
Some dogs might not feel comfortable if you bring them to your family for the first time without any connection. Understand the dog and its temperament before taking this step. It will help both to adjust comfortably and create a favorable environment. Like other breeds, a Bernese will need early socialization to get mental maturity fast. You can expose your pet to different sounds, sights, and experiences in the early years. A puppy will grow into a well-rounded pet if you promote early socialization.
You can enroll your puppy in a kindergarten class to create a proper growing environment. While exploring outside, you can take your puppy with you. Also, consider visiting busy parks with your Bernese and invite your neighbors to make your puppy familiar. You can expect fast improvements by exposing your puppy to different environments.
Grooming requirements
You will love the silky, thick, and beautiful coat of the Bernese. This breed looks exceptional and behaves intelligently. The appearance, size, and intelligence make it a preferred choice for many. However, there will be specific grooming requirements for this breed. The Bernese Mountain Dogs are shedders and might cause a mess. They shed throughout the year moderately but heavily in fall and spring.
You can brush your pet many times a week to prevent the mess in your home. Also, brushing will ensure cleanliness, and the coat will be tangle-free. Besides, you can give it a bath every three months to maintain its freshness and neat appearance. You can brush your pet’s teeth a couple of times a week to prevent tartar buildup and minimize the risk of any infection. You can consider daily brushing and address bad breath and gum diseases. You can do whatever is convenient for you.
Apart from all these, you can trim the nails once a month. While cutting nails, take extra caution since Bernese has blood vessels in toenails and might bleed if you cut too far. Your pet will not allow you to trim nails if it causes pain and discomfort. Hence, make it easy for both of you.
You can also check the ear if you notice an odor or redness. Both these conditions are an indication of infections. Use a cotton ball to wipe your pet ears out once every week. You can clean the outer ear, not the ear canal. You can visit your vet if you suspect any infection, but avoid inserting anything into ear canals.
Every dog breed needs grooming, but you can create a positive experience for your pet. Understand the temperament of your pet and plan accordingly. While grooming, you can check the skin for any infection. There might be redness, inflammation, and tenderness on the nose, ear, mouth, and feet. Check the condition carefully and take the help of your vet whenever needed.
Health issues
Bernese Mountain Dogs are healthy and responsible breeds. But they might experience many health issues, including cancers and blood disorders. Some might also get sudden but life-threatening stomach infections. You can minimize the risk with proper care and grooming. However, here are a few health conditions Bernese can have during their lifetime.
- Cancer: Bernese can have various cancers, and most can cause early death. The signs of cancer are difficulty breathing, abnormal swelling, and bleeding. You can treat cancers at an early stage.
- Hip dysplasia: It is an inherited condition that causes lameness and pain. Your pet might have hip dysplasia in the rear legs. Some dogs might not show any signs, but it can lead to arthritis in old age. X-ray screening can find this condition.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy: PRA is an eye condition that causes retina deterioration gradually. Pets become night-blind at the early stage of this disease. But they might lose their vision once the disease progresses.
- Elbow dysplasia: It is similar to hip dysplasia and affects large breed dogs. Your pet might develop this condition due to an abnormal development that leads to a weakened joint. This disease can cause lameness or arthritis based on the severity.
- Portosystemic Shunt: PSS is a congenital abnormality and can cause a wide range of health issues in your pet.
In addition to these complications, your pet might get Von Willebrand’s Disease, Panosteitis, Gastric Torsion, and a few other conditions. The signs will vary based on the disease, but most diseases will cause inflammation and discomfort in your pet. You can visit your vet whenever you notice any inflammation and abnormalities.
Exercise
Bernese is a large and active dog and needs half an hour of moderate exercise daily for its physical and mental health. They are lively, playful, and friendly and live indoors but can explore outside and enjoy some activities. You can consider having this companion during hikes and long walks. Besides, Bernese would love to pull your kids in the cart. Some enjoy sports activities, and you can have great outdoor fun. Keep your pet busy to stimulate mental growth and prevent many diseases.
Training
You can teach a few commands, including obedience and socialization, and make your pet friendlier. Bernese is a large breed but intelligent to follow all your instructions. These dogs will try to please you with their behaviors, and you can train them fast. However, they are open-hearted and can understand emotions. Hence, you can hurt them unknowingly. You can consider friendly training methods to motivate your pet to learn fast and reward your Bernese for the fast learning.
The Bernese can be an excellent family pet for its affectionate nature. Train your pet, consider early socialization, and teach your kids to follow the right approach. You all will love this new family addition by creating a friendly environment.
