Overview
The Bernese Mountain Dog is the long-coated member of the Swiss Sennenhund family, bred to pull carts, drive cattle and guard the farm in the canton of Bern. It is a large, heavy, tricolour dog with a sweet expression and a calm, affectionate nature that has made it popular as a family dog far from the Alps.
Berners are good-natured and sociable with people and dogs and are rarely difficult to walk. The challenge is physical: a lot of dog, a lot of coat, a short lifespan on average and joints that need protecting.
Exercise and walking needs
An hour a day in two steady walks is enough for most adults. They enjoy a long ramble at a gentle pace and are not built for running or endless fetch.
Puppies are enormous and should not be over-walked; follow the owner's limits closely. Hot weather is a genuine risk and summer walks should be short, shaded and early.
On the walk
- Recall: Usually reliable. Berners like to stay near their person and rarely chase. They may be slow to respond rather than unwilling.
- Other dogs: Gentle and friendly, sometimes clumsy with small dogs simply through size. Keep an eye on greetings with tiny or elderly dogs.
- Lead manners: Not usually a puller, but fifty kilos leaning towards a smell is still fifty kilos. A harness and a firm stance.
- Heat: Thick black coat, large body. The dog overheats fast and will flag long before you feel warm. Carry water.
- Coat: Long fur collects mud, burrs and water and sheds heavily. Expect to brush and towel before the drop-off.
Tips for professional walkers
- Walk early or late in summer and skip the midday walk entirely on hot days.
- Keep off hard, repetitive exercise and steep steps; the joints are a breed-wide concern.
- Carry a collapsible bowl and water in anything but cold weather.
- Watch for lameness or stiffness, especially after a longer walk, and report it.
What to ask the owner
- Any hip, elbow or cruciate problems, and what limits has the vet set on exercise?
- What temperature does the owner cancel or shorten walks at?
- Is there anything about the dog's health history, including any lumps or recent diagnoses, you should bear in mind?