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Animal register · DogIn the app

Bernese Mountain Dog

Berner, Berner Sennenhund

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large Swiss farm dog, originally used as a guard, draught and cattle dog in the Canton of Bern. Its standard describes a strong, agile, longhaired working dog with sturdy limbs and a long, shining, straight or slightly wavy coat. The only colour the standard allows is tricolour: jet black with rich tan on the cheeks, above the eyes, on the legs and chest, and white markings on the head and chest.

Its standard calls it self-confident, good-natured and friendly, and "a kind and devoted family dog" that is slow to mature. UK sources say it needs up to an hour of exercise a day, belongs in a large house with a large garden, sheds a lot and needs brushing more than once a week; it should not be left alone for long. It usually lives less than ten years, and UK sources list hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat and certain cancers among its health concerns.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Bernese Mountain Dog — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S152
Adult weight
males 48–63 kg, females 42–53 kg — PDSA S154
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S152
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S152
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S152
Lifespan
less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S152

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S152

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S152
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S152
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S152

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S152

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 18–24 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S152
  • Height at the withers: males 64–70 cm, females 58–66 cm — FCI S150
  • Adult weight: males 48–63 kg, females 42–53 kg — PDSA S154

Training

  • No. 22 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 45, group 2 (pinscher and schnauzer types, molossoid breeds and Swiss mountain and cattle dogs); origin: Switzerland. — FCI S151

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Bernese Mountain Dog need?

According to our sources, the Bernese Mountain Dog needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S152.

How long does a Bernese Mountain Dog live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Bernese Mountain Dog is: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S152.

How big does a Bernese Mountain Dog get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Bernese Mountain Dog, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S152; Adult weight: males 48–63 kg, females 42–53 kg — PDSA S154.

How much grooming does a Bernese Mountain Dog need?

Coat and grooming of the Bernese Mountain Dog, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S152; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S152; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S152.

Who is the Bernese Mountain Dog a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Bernese Mountain Dog as a good fit for: family life — FCI, The Royal Kennel Club S150S153; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S152. Keep in mind: shorter lifespan — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA, Woodgreen Pets Charity S152S154S155; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S152S154; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S152S154.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 76 (6.3 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 76 (6.3 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing twice a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, BMC Veterinary Research 12:153 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S152S156

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Sources describe a higher risk of cancer in this breed. — PDSA S154
  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — The Royal Kennel Club S152
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S154

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S152
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S152

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S150FCI — FCI-Standard N° 45 — Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund), EN (PDF)https://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/045g02-en.pdf
  11. S151FCI — Breeds nomenclature — Berner Sennenhund (45)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/BOUVIER-BERNOIS-45.html
  12. S152The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breeds A–Z: Bernese Mountain Doghttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/bernese-mountain-dog/
  13. S153The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed standard: Bernese Mountain Dog (last updated 1 April 2025)https://www.royalkennelclub.com/breed-standards/working/bernese-mountain-dog/
  14. S154PDSA (UK veterinary charity) — Bernese Mountain Dog breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/bernese-mountain-dog
  15. S155Woodgreen Pets Charity (UK) — Pet Explorer: Bernese Mountain Doghttps://ask.woodgreen.org.uk/pet-explorer/results/bernese-mountain-dog
  16. S156BMC Veterinary Research 12:153 (2016) — Klopfenstein M., Howard J., Rossetti M., Geissbühler U. Life expectancy and causes of death in Bernese mountain dogs in Switzerland. doi:10.1186/s12917-016-0782-9https://boris.unibe.ch/88496
  17. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  18. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  19. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  20. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  21. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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