Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is one of four Swiss mountain breeds, bred originally in the canton of Bern to work on farms: pulling carts, driving cattle and keeping watch over the property. Most people recognise it immediately by its tricolour coat of black, white and rust.

For all its size, the breed carries a mild, affectionate nature. Adults typically weigh between 70 and 115 pounds, but indoors they are calm and gentle with family members young and old. They bond closely with their household and are not the sort of dog that settles well on its own for long stretches.

Anyone considering the breed should be prepared for a relatively short lifespan of around 7 to 10 years, and for the grooming, exercise and living space a dog this size needs.

Who it suits

This breed suits a household with room to move about, time for regular grooming and owners who are around most of the day. It gets on well with families with children, and can suit first-time owners who are ready to commit to training and coat care. It is not the best fit for small flats, homes without air conditioning, or households where the dog would be left alone for long working hours.

Farmers in the canton of Bern kept these large tricolour dogs for generations, using them to pull carts, move dairy cattle and guard the farmstead. They were valued for strength and a steady temperament rather than looks, and the type was once commonly called Durrbachler, after the village of Durrbach where many were kept.

By the late nineteenth century, mechanisation had reduced the need for draft dogs and numbers fell. Around the turn of the twentieth century, Swiss fanciers set out to save the breed, with the geologist and dog expert Professor Albert Heim credited with promoting and helping to standardise the Swiss mountain breeds, the Bernese among them.

A Swiss breed club was formed in 1907, fixing the standard and encouraging more consistent breeding. The dog took the name Berner Sennenhund, the alpine herdsman's dog from Bern.

The breed arrived in the United States in the 1920s and gained American Kennel Club recognition in 1937. It is one of four related Swiss mountain breeds, alongside the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Appenzeller and the Entlebucher. In Singapore, purebred Bernese Mountain Dogs are registered with the Singapore Kennel Club, the national body for pedigree dogs here.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is large and solidly built, with a broad chest, a level back and a body slightly longer than it is tall. The head is flat on top with a moderate stop, and the dark brown eyes give it a gentle look. The ears are medium-sized, triangular and set high, hanging close to the head. The tail is bushy and carried low at rest.

Coat and colours

The coat is the breed's most recognisable feature. The base colour is jet black. Rust or tan markings sit above each eye, on the cheeks, along the sides of the chest, down all four legs and under the tail. White appears as a blaze running up the muzzle and forehead, a chest marking often shaped like an inverted cross, and often on the feet and tip of the tail. The double coat sheds steadily through the year, and more heavily during seasonal coat changes.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is good-natured and deeply attached to its family. It likes to stay in the same room as its people, a trait some owners call velcro behaviour. With children it is patient and gentle, though given its size, supervision around very young kids is sensible.

Around strangers, the breed tends to be calm and a little reserved rather than aggressive. Many dogs will alert to visitors but warm up quickly once introduced. Early socialisation helps a naturally cautious puppy grow into a confident, settled adult. With other dogs and household pets, the breed generally gets along well, particularly when raised alongside them from young.

Overall drive is low to moderate, and the temperament is steady. These dogs are not highly strung and cope well with household routines and everyday noise. Because they are sensitive by nature, they respond best to calm, consistent handling, and harsh correction tends to discourage rather than help them.

Grooming

• Brush two to three times a week, and daily during seasonal shedding, to keep loose hair under control and prevent matting
• Pay close attention to the feathering behind the ears, on the legs and under the tail, where tangles form easily
• Bathe every one to two months, or as needed
• Trim nails every few weeks and check ears regularly for dirt or moisture
• Brush teeth several times a week

Exercise

• Aim for about 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day
• Walks, hikes and play in an outdoor space suit the breed well
• Many enjoy draft work such as cart pulling, a nod to the breed's working history
• Avoid strenuous exercise in the heat, and go easy on high-impact activity in puppies while their joints are still developing

Environment

The breed does best in a home with space and reliably cool conditions. Its heavy coat struggles in Singapore's hot, humid weather year round, so air conditioning is close to essential rather than a nice-to-have, along with steady access to shade. Most households here live in HDB flats, and a Bernese can adapt to flat living with enough daily exercise and a cool, air-conditioned space to retreat to, though a landed home with a garden gives it more room to be comfortable. These dogs prefer to live indoors with the family rather than being kept outside alone.

The Bernese Mountain Dog does well on a complete diet formulated for large breeds. During growth, a large-breed puppy food with controlled calcium and energy levels helps the skeleton develop at a measured pace, which matters for a dog that will reach 70 pounds or more as an adult. Adult dogs need a diet that keeps them in lean condition, since extra weight puts more strain on joints this breed is already prone to.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent of daily calories to protect the waistline. Some owners and vets use joint supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, or omega-3 fatty acids, to support the joints, though these are best discussed with a vet first. Fresh water should always be available, especially given Singapore's warm weather.

The Bernese Mountain Dog has an average lifespan of about 7 to 10 years, shorter than many breeds, reflecting a higher rate of certain cancers within the population. Responsible breeding, health screening of the parents and attentive veterinary care can improve quality of life. Buyers should ask to see hip, elbow and other health clearances for both parents.

Preventive care

• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date
• Maintain a lean body weight to reduce strain on the joints
• Schedule annual check-ups, and twice yearly for older dogs
• Ask the breeder for documented hip, elbow and eye clearances
• Watch for new lumps and have them checked promptly

The Bernese Mountain Dog is intelligent and keen to cooperate, which makes it trainable for most owners. It is also sensitive, so calm, consistent methods work far better than firm handling. Start training and socialisation early, while the dog is still small enough to manage, since an untrained adult of this size is difficult to control. Short, positive sessions hold its attention better than long drills.

Basics

1. Begin socialisation in puppyhood with people, places and other animals
2. Teach name recognition and a reliable recall first
3. Add sit, down, stay and loose-lead walking
4. Practise in short daily sessions of 5 to 10 minutes
5. Build up to busier settings gradually
6. Introduce a job such as draft work or hikes once the dog is old enough

Responsible breeding of the Bernese Mountain Dog centres on health screening and temperament, given the breed's known risk of joint disease and certain cancers. Breeders usually wait until a dog is physically and mentally mature, generally around two years old, and confirm hip, elbow and eye clearances before mating. The breed's short average lifespan makes choosing healthy, well-documented parents especially important.

Gestation runs about 63 days. Litters tend to be large for the breed, and the dam needs a quiet, warm whelping area along with increased nutrition through late pregnancy and nursing. Puppies are born blind and deaf and depend entirely on the mother for the first few weeks. Early handling and socialisation from a few weeks of age help puppies grow into confident adults, and they normally go to new homes at around eight weeks old.

Registering a Bernese Mountain Dog in Singapore

The Animal & Veterinary Service requires every dog here to be licensed and microchipped by three months of age, so for a Bernese Mountain Dog the chip is settled law. What stays on you is the record behind it. A free United Pet Club profile holds your contact details against the dog for as long as he is yours, and it keeps working even outside Singapore. Registering your dog takes minutes and never costs a cent.

Your Bernese Mountain Dog's chip went in before his third month, as the rules require; whether the number leads anywhere is a separate question. Give it a live answer with United Pet Club: registration free for life, every brand accepted, every update free. Microchip registration plus a free account, and the whole thing is squared away.