Facts
Hypoallergenic: No
Lifespan: 6 – 8 years
Origin: Switzerland
Temperament: Affectionate, Loyal, Intelligent, Faithful
Weight: Male: 38–50 kg, Female: 36–48 kg
Height: Male: 64–70 cm, Female: 58–66 cm
Nature and character
Berner Sennenhunde are good-natured dogs with a balanced temperament, which prove to be very affectionate especially to familiar persons. They are considered vigilant, alert and fearless, but they are not slaps. Bernese Mountain Dogs behave peacefully and confidently towards strangers; In general, they are characterized by a good leadership. They can be well educated, especially in males should be consistent.
Like their Swiss ancestors, Bernese Mountain Dogs still enjoy working and enjoy the sportive activity as well as training as a companion dog or track dog. Also, the wagon pulling and sports competitions like many Bernese mountain dogs very much. In addition to daily exercise, you also need the playful activity; moreover, they need close family ties and a lot of affection, so that they are not eligible for sole kennel husbandry.
Activities with the Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese mountain dog is now valued above all as a family dog, thanks to his good-natured temperament and his attachment to children. In addition, the watchful and very adaptive animals are also used as a companion dog. His enjoyment of physical work also makes the Bernese Mountain Dog an ideal pull dog and tracker, providing valuable service above all as a rescue and disaster dog. In addition, animals of this breed also enjoy popular sports, but are due to their strong physique but less suitable for sports such as agility, which demand a high agility and maneuverability.
Origin & History
The Bernese Mountain Dog is originally from Switzerland, where he was mainly used as a watchdog and draft animal. His stocky physique and good-natured nature made him the ideal working dog, who rendered valuable services in the rural Alpine foothills and in the Swiss Mittelland. The Swiss Dürrbach Club was founded in 1907 and for the first time set up race characteristics for the Bernese Mountain Dog. The club owes its name to the original name for the breed, which was initially known as a Dürrbächler after a place in the canton of Bern. The Swiss Dürrbach Club began with the pure breeding of the Bernese Mountain Dog, which became increasingly popular in neighboring Germany.
Bernese Mountain Dog breed characteristics
He is tricolor and medium sized with an average height at the withers of 64-70 cm and an ideal size of 66-68 cm in males. In bitches the average reach height is 58-66 cm and the ideal size is 60-63 cm. On average, the Bernese Mountain Dog reaches the age of 10-12 years.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is characterized by its sturdy limbs and a harmonious and balanced appearance. He has a rather compact than elongated appearance; the ratio of withers height and total body length is about 9:10. The body length here is the length measured from the bow joint to the ischial tuberosity. The ideal ratio of withers height and chest depth is 2: 1.
The Bernese Mountain Dog has a strong, but not too powerful head whose size harmonises with the overall appearance. The skull appears from the front and in the profile little arched with a low trained middle furrow. The stop is clear but not overly pronounced. In terms of color, the head is characterized by a black nose sponge and black lips.
The catch is medium long and strong. The Bernese Mountain Dog has dark brown almond-shaped eyes with attached eyelids. The high-set ears are medium in size, slightly rounded and lie flat when at rest. The straightening takes place at the back of the ear, while the front edge continues to rest.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are long-haired with simple or slightly wavy hair. The deep black ground color is broken by a reddish brown fire in the area of cheeks, runs, chest and over the eyes. In addition, the breed shows white badges in the head area with double-sided Fangzeichnung, a continuous white chest and throat drawing and ideally white paws and a white rod tip.
In the body, the Bernese Mountain Dog is characterized by a strong bone structure with a firm and straight back. Chest and loin are wide with a slightly rising profile line from the chest area to the hindquarters. The croup is slightly rounded, the forelegs in the front view parallel with rather broad position. Bernese Mountain Dogs have a bushy tail with a minimum length to the hock, which hangs in peace and is in motion at about back height.