Bernese mountain dog Facts for Kids

A Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large, friendly dog breed from Switzerland. These dogs are known for their beautiful tricolour coats, which means they have three colors: black, white, and a rust or tan color. They are gentle, loyal, and often very good with children. Adult Bernese Mountain Dogs are quite big, usually weighing between 70 and 120 pounds (32 to 54 kilograms). Long ago, they were used on farms to pull carts and help with many different tasks.

What They Look Like
Their Personality
Where They Come From
Keeping Them Healthy
- Life Expectancy
Care
- Activities
- Grooming
Famous Bernese Mountain Dogs
Images for kids
See also

What They Look Like

Bernese Mountain Dogs are big, strong dogs. They have a special three-colored coat. It's mostly black with a white chest and rust-colored marks. You can see these rust marks above their eyes, on the sides of their mouth, and on the front of their legs. Sometimes, they have a white mark on their chest that looks like a "Swiss cross" or a white horseshoe shape around their nose.

Size and Weight

Male Bernese Mountain Dogs are usually about 24 to 28 inches (61 to 71 cm) tall at the shoulder. Females are a bit smaller, standing about 22 to 26 inches (56 to 66 cm) tall. Males typically weigh between 80 and 120 pounds (36 to 54 kilograms), while females weigh from 70 to 110 pounds (32 to 50 kilograms).

Body Shape

These dogs are a bit longer than they are tall. They have strong muscles, which makes them look powerful.

Other Features

A Bernese Mountain Dog's head is flat on top. Their ears are medium-sized and shaped like triangles, set high on their head. Their teeth meet in a "scissors bite," which means the top teeth slightly overlap the bottom ones. Their legs are straight and strong, and their paws have round, arched toes. They have a bushy tail that they usually carry low.

Their Personality

Bernese Mountain Dogs are generally known for being "good-natured" and "self-assured." This means they are calm and confident. They are usually friendly towards strangers and easy to train. However, every dog is different, and some might not be exactly like this. It's important for all large dogs to meet many different people and animals when they are puppies. This helps them grow into well-behaved adults. They also need regular training and activities throughout their lives.

Bernese are outdoor dogs at heart, even though they can be well-behaved inside. They need to be active and get exercise. They can move surprisingly fast for their size when they want to! If their joints are healthy, they love going on hikes and usually stay close to their owners. If they don't get enough exercise, they might bark a lot or cause trouble.

These dogs are often very good with children because they are so loving. They are patient and don't mind if kids climb on them. Even though they have a lot of energy, a Bernese will also be happy to have a calm evening at home. They usually get along well with other pets and are good around new people. They can be excellent guardians for their families.

Where They Come From

Benno Adam, Bernese Mountain Dog and Her Pups, 1862

The Bernese Mountain Dog comes from Switzerland. In the past, they were sometimes called Dürrbachhunds. These dogs are related to ancient Roman dogs called Molossers.

For a long time, Bernese Mountain Dogs were used as all-around farm dogs. They guarded property and helped move dairy cows from farms to mountain pastures. The breed was first called the Dürrbächler after a small town named Dürrbach, where these big dogs were very common.

In the early 1900s, people who loved dogs started showing these large dogs at dog shows in Berne, Switzerland. In 1907, some breeders formed the first breed club, called the Schweizerische Dürrbach-Klub. They wrote down the first rules for the breed, making it an official separate breed. By 1910, there were already 107 registered Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Today, Bernese Mountain Dogs are very popular family dogs, especially in countries where German is spoken. They are also becoming more popular in the United States.

Keeping Them Healthy

A Bernese Mountain Dog puppy

A Bernese Mountain Dog standing

Life Expectancy

Compared to other dog breeds of a similar size, Bernese Mountain Dogs tend to live shorter lives. On average, a Bernese Mountain Dog lives for about 7 to 8 years. Many other large breeds live for 10 to 11 years. However, some Bernese Mountain Dogs can live much longer. One dog in a survey lived to be over 15 years old!

Care

Activities

The calm nature of Bernese Mountain Dogs makes them great for pulling small carts or wagons. This is what they originally did in Switzerland. With good training, they enjoy giving children rides in a cart or joining in parades. Many Bernese dog clubs offer workshops to teach dogs how to pull carts. There are even competitions for this activity!

Bernese Mountain Dogs can also learn to herd animals. They can be trained to compete in herding trials, showing off their natural instincts to guide livestock.

Grooming

Bernese Mountain Dogs shed their fur all year round. They shed the most when the seasons change, like in spring and fall. Usually, you only need to brush a Bernese once a week. During heavy shedding times, you might need to brush them more often. This helps keep their coat neat and reduces fur around the house. They only need a bath every couple of months, or more often if they get very dirty.

It's important to pay special attention to a Bernese Mountain Dog's ears. Dirt, bacteria, and liquid can get trapped in them, which can lead to ear infections. Cleaning their ears once a week with a special cleanser recommended by a vet can help prevent this.

Famous Bernese Mountain Dogs

A Bernese Mountain Dog portrait

Hercules is the dog of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Ben brought Hercules home from Switzerland in 2006.
Sasha was a Bernese Mountain Dog who survived a fall off a cliff and three days on an ice shelf before being rescued.
A Bernese Mountain Dog character named Shep was in the 2003 movie Good Boy!.
In the 2012 TV series The New Normal, the characters Bryan and David own two Bernese Mountain Dogs named "Smelly" and "Harvey Milkbone."
Hola is the main dog in Martin Kihn's book Bad Dog: A Love Story.
Ohly became famous in Canada after getting lost and then being found and rescued on Mount Seymour by a mountain rescue team.
Quincey von Wiesmadern has appeared in videos with Austrian singer Hansi Hinterseer.
Hannah is a real-life dog who inspired children's books like A Beach Day for Hannah and A Snow Day for Hannah.
Nico became a hero in 2015 when he saved two people from a dangerous rip current in the ocean.
Bella saved her owner, Chris Larocque, from a burning house by pulling him to safety. Chris had injuries and said he would not have survived without Bella's help.