The Bernese Mountain Dog, also known as “Berners,” hails from the cold, harsh mountains of the Swiss Alps, where they were valuable assets to farmers due to their extraordinary capabilities as herding dogs and protecting livestock. These calm, affectionate, and good-natured dogs proved worthy of both a working dog and a family companion, and they are still a popular breed to own to this day.

Given their exceptional characteristics and traits, we decided to put together 12 facts about the breed worth knowing. Read on to learn more about these amazing dogs, as some facts may surprise you.

The 12 Facts About the Bernese Mountain Dog

1. They Are Cold-Weather Dogs

If you live in a cold climate, the Bernese Mountain Dog is perfect for you. These dogs thrive on cold-weather activities and will gladly join you on a hike, backpacking, camping, and any other cold-weather outdoor activity.

If snow is on the ground, they’ll enjoy a good romp in the white stuff. Of course, once the fun is done, the Bernese Mountain Dog will be happy hanging out with the family indoors. With this in mind, they do better living in colder climates rather than warm ones.

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2. They Have Short Life Expectancies

Unfortunately, the Bernese Mountain Dog has a short life expectancy of only 6 to 10 years. The reason is they have an increased risk of cancer and other medical conditions that can shorten their lives. They are considered a giant breed, and dogs in this class tend to live shorter lives.

They are also prone to hip dysplasia, arthritis, and other debilitating conditions, leading to poor quality of life that may end with euthanasia. It’s vital to keep their weight at an ideal number to help with these potential health issues.

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3. The Coat Is Always Tricolored

If you’ve ever seen a Berner, you know that the coat is thick and tricolored with white, black, and brown colors, with black being the predominant color on the body. They tend to have white chests with white on the face, and brown can be seen around the legs and above the eyes, nose, and mouth. The thickness of the tricolored coat also enables them to withstand harsh, cold climates, much like the climate in their native Switzerland.

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4. They Excel in Drafting and Carting

Part of the American Kennel Club (AKC) working group, these dogs excel in dog sports, with one being drafting and carting. These dogs are large and fully equipped for the task, which comes in handy on farms for transporting multiple items simultaneously. They also hold their own in herding, obedience, and agility courses.

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5. They Were Used as “Cheese Dogs”

In the 1850s, the Bernese Mountain Dog was used to pull carts of cheese and milk to customers. In fact, they could pull carts weighing a whopping 1,000 pounds, or 10 times their body weight. Even though these dogs are no longer used for this purpose, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America holds cart-pulling competitions each year to allow these versatile working dogs the chance to show off their skills and strength.

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6. They Are Slow to Mature

Berners do not reach full-grown maturity until 2 to 3 years of age, meaning these calm and affectionate dogs tend to stay in the goofy puppy stage longer than other dog breeds. They are also slow to mature mentally, meaning it takes time for them to adequately work as working dogs and understand the tasks that are expected of them. They also tend to carry on puppy traits in their adult years, which can lead to mischief if not properly trained.

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7. They Are Calm and Affectionate Family Dogs

Berners are good-natured, affectionate, and calm dogs who are eager to please their humans with a desire to be a part of the family. They do exceptionally well with children and other pets, and they make wonderful family companions.

If you desire to cuddle up with a large, fluffy, tricolored dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a perfect match, as they love to cuddle with their humans.

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8. These Dogs Have Large Litters

A healthy female Berner can give birth to up to 15 puppies at a time. It’s likely that younger, healthy females will have more puppies—even on average, a female Berner can have at least 6 to 8 puppies at a time.

However, certain factors play a role in the number of puppies per litter. For example, a 5-year-old female giving birth for the first time will have fewer puppies compared to a 5-year-old who is giving birth to her second or third litter. And it’s not just the females who play a role in the litter amount—unhealthy or older males will produce fewer pups than younger, healthy males.

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9. The Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Is a Hero

Undoubtedly, dogs have played vital roles in search and rescue missions, and the Bernese Mountain Dog is one of them, even if not trained for the task. For instance, a female Berner named Bella rescued her owner from a house fire in Canada in 2013. A male named Nico rescued two people being pulled out to sea by rip currents in California in 2015. In 2017, a Berner named Izzy survived a deadly inferno from wildfires in the same state. Needless to say, these dogs are pretty incredible and are capable of extraordinary feats.

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10. Shedding Is Plentiful

A not-so-pleasant fact about the Bernese Mountain Dog is that they shed—a lot—and the shedding is year-round. This breed has thick, long, and wavy or straight double coats that protect them from the extremely cold climate in their native Swiss Alps, and they shed even more during shedding season in the spring and fall.

Berner owners know vacuuming is likely a daily chore while living with the breed, along with brushing that thick, double coat at least twice a week, if not more.

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11. They Are a “Dry Mouth” Breed

What the heck is a “dry mouth” breed? This term simply means that the breed typically doesn’t drool; however, this isn’t entirely true with all Berners. A Berner who doesn’t drool will have tight, fitting lips, whereas a Berner who does drool will have loose or hanging lips.

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12. The St. Bernard Almost Wiped Them Out

The St. Bernard is similar in terms of character and traits, and they almost caused the Bernese Mountain Dog to become extinct. In Switzerland in the 1800s, the St. Bernard grew in popularity, and farmers were obtaining dogs for more companion animals rather than working dogs due to the Industrial Revolution; there simply was not a large demand for working dogs at the time.

Thankfully, a Swiss man named Frank Schertenleib took the time to breed these amazing dogs and kept the breed alive.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Bernese Mountain Dog is a pretty incredible breed. With a rich history as working dogs with strong work ethics, they also make wonderful family pets who thrive under human companionship. They do well with children and other pets and have extraordinary patience with a calm demeanor, making them an all-around fabulous dog breed to own.

If you’re contemplating adding one to your family, we hope these facts help you understand the breed even more.

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Featured Image Credit: Eve Photography, Shutterstock