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Breed profile

Bernese Mountain Dog

A gentle giant with a short lifespan. Wonderful temperament, heartbreaking cancer rates.

Tricolour Bernese Mountain Dog standing on a sunny lawn with its tongue out
A Bernese at full, fluffy size.Photo: FriendlyToaster / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Weight
36–52 kg79–115 lb
Height
58–70 cm23–28 in
Lifespan
7–10 yrs
Group
Working
Origin
Switzerland
Popularity
#20 US#41 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogsCold climatesGood with other dogs

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Gentle, Good-natured, Calm, Loyal.

Health problems to know about

  • Histiocytic sarcoma and other cancers
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Bloat (GDV)
  • Degenerative myelopathy

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Moderate exercise; protect growing joints. Heavy shedding. Prefers cool weather.

A good fit for

Families with space, cool climates.

Probably not ideal for

Hot climates, small homes, anyone unprepared for a shorter life and big vet bills.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Bernese Mountain Dog breed information
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals: Bernese Mountain Dog
  3. Wikipedia: Bernese Mountain Dog

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

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Newfoundland

A big, sweet-natured water dog bred to haul nets and pull swimmers ashore. Expect drool, hair and a lot of affection.

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Saint Bernard

Huge, gentle mountain dog with a calm manner and plenty of drool. Lifespan is short, and size makes training urgent.

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Great Pyrenees

A huge white flock guardian from the Pyrenees. Calm and gentle with family, independent, and likely to bark through the night.

Tricolour Greater Swiss Mountain Dog standing side-on on a lawn in front of a stone wall and shrubs

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

The biggest of the Swiss farm dogs: a calm, devoted tricolour that once pulled carts and still likes a job. Big body, short life, big heart.

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