Why the breed exists
One of Switzerland's four Sennenhund breeds, the Bernese was the small farmer's entire workforce: pulling carts of milk and cheese to the dairy, moving cows between pastures, announcing strangers, and living in the middle of the family that owned it. The heavy coat is for Alpine winters worked outdoors; the broad, steady build is draft power; the soft, companionable temperament comes from generations of living close to children in small farmhouses. It is a working dog whose work included being good company.
The official written standard belongs to the breed's parent club.Read the official Bernese Mountain Dog standard →
Choosing a Bernese Mountain Dog on purpose
Every breed has its own list of required health screenings, kept by its parent club and published through OFA. A preservation breeder working in this breed tests to that list and shows you the results — including the ones that didn't go their way.
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