The Bernese Mountain Dog, or Berner as he is sometimes called, like his Greater Swiss Mountain Dog cousin, makes an excellent family dog with few caveats. Well socialized dogs love family and strangers alike. Their gentle nature gives them an exceptional tolerance for children of any age. Happy to take part in family activities, they love to play with youngsters, especially pulling them in a cart or sled, they’ll go for a hike, or curl up at your feet. But Berners are truly are “people” dogs. Deprive them of human contact and they develop bad habits. Males can exert dominance in adolescence but most get along with any other animal from cats to rabbits. Some feel females are more likely to become attached to one person. Berners are fairly easy keepers for a large dog. Inside, they are low key; outside they are as active as an average dog. They need a bit more than an average amount of exercise, but not so much as to make their needs difficult to meet, especially for an active family. They bark a little more than average but that makes them an above average watchdog. They make an average guard dog; just their size alone can discourage a potential intruder.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large dog. Males usually range in height from 25 to 28 inches tall and weigh between 80 and 120 pounds. Females are about 2 inches shorter and 15 or 20 pounds lighter, although some dogs are larger. They have a thick, medium-length, tri-color coat that needs brushing twice a week; more often during their twice yearly heavy seasonal shed. Otherwise, they tend to mat, especially behind the ears and around their neck. Their coat protects them well from cold weather. In fact, they can be kenneled outside year round in temperate to cold climates. But with their heavy mostly black coats, they do poorly in heat and should be protected from it.

Bernese Mountain Dogs require a moderate amount of socialization mainly to reduce their most common personality problem, skittishness, rather than letting it grow into shyness. This can be with strangers, with people in general, or with people in a certain group, men with beards for example. They respond very well to obedience training as long as the trainer remembers that, even though large, he is a sweet dog that needs to be handled with praise, encouragement, and treats. Reasonably bright, they bore with repetitious drills. Break up their routines with mini play sessions. They do well with first-time dog owners.