Bernese Mountain Dog

History of the Bernese Mountain Dog

This breed originates in the city of Bern (Switzerland), which gave it its name. There, these dogs were famous for their excellent herding skills and performance.
At the beginning of the 20th century, they began to participate in exhibitions where their exterior and working skills were highly appreciated. As a result, in 1907 an association of lovers of this breed was created, which was aimed at its preservation in its pure form and popularization.

In 1949, the history of the Bernese Mountain Dog, in particular its appearance, learned some transformations. They touched mating with Newfoundland in order to renew the rock, give it a new breath, strengthen its health. But after a few generations in the already beautiful exterior there was no trace of this mating.

Description of the Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog breed is distinguished by more than average parameters. Its height reaches 60-70 cm, and weight - 35-50 kg. These dogs are characterized by coherence, strength and athletic. Their body is squat, moderately elongated, the belly is not tucked up, and the chest is rather deep. Their paws are long and straight, parallel to each other.

The head of these dogs is large and elongated. There are triangular-shaped hanging ears on it. Almond-shaped eyes are generally hazel colored. The black nose is big and wide. The dog has flews, but they are not sagging.

Description of the Bernese Mountain Dog is impossible without mentioning its luxurious wool. It is long, thick and silky, and also possesses undercoat. There is only one color for it - it is a combination of black (primary color), red and white.

Care of the Bernese Mountain Dog

Keep these pets is best in a large country house. This is due primarily to the parameters of the pet. In order that he could pour out all his energy, he needs a lot of space. Of course, the option of living in an apartment is possible, but then the owners will often need to walk it. And these should not be short 15-minute walks, but longer ones.

The wool of these pets requires a lot of attention. This is perhaps the main aspect in the care of Bernese Mountain Dog. This dog sheds all year. The most active period is spring and autumn. In this regard, it should be combed several times a week. Moreover, wool is the cause of frequent overheating in the sun in the summer.

The rest of the care for Bernese Mountain Dog is standard: teeth and ears are cleaned once a week, claws are trimmed when they grow, if they aren’t cleaned naturally, and eyes are wiped.

Feeding Bernese Mountain Dog

The diet of this breed may consist of both dry food and natural products. In view of the fact that they have a number of genetic diseases to which they are predisposed, it is necessary to pay attention to this issue as closely as possible in order to minimize the risk of their development.
Food, of course, should be premium, with a protein content of about 20-25%. Natural food in feeding Bernese Mountain Dog should include raw meat, cereals, eggs, sour milk, vegetables.

Bernese Mountain Dog training

A feature of these dogs is that they remain puppies until
1.5-2 years. And this is despite the fact that apparently they already look like very adult dogs. This nuance must be taken into account when building a training program for Bernese Mountain Dog.
Training for the main teams can be done at the age of 5 months, and full-fledged training should begin no earlier than in its 1.5 years.

The character of these four-legged ones is rather capricious and independent. In this regard, they may not always obey their master. In order for the process to be successful, it is necessary to give preference to its playful form with the use of encouragement.

In general, Bernese Mountain Dogs are insanely intelligent, smart and easily trained.