Pros & Cons of Owning a Bernese Mountain Dog
When we got Beau a couple years ago, we had a lot to consider! Beau is our 110 pound Bernese Mountain Dog. JC & I got Beau in April of 2017, when Beau was 9 weeks old. He was already 16 pounds, and tripping over his massive paws. We knew that he would get to be over 100 pounds, and stand almost as tall as us! Berners come with a lot of pros and cons, so I wanted to share what we’ve learned, to hopefully help you make the decision about whether you want to welcome a Bernese into your life!
PROS
Sweet, Loving, & Affectionate
Beau is full of love to give, and is very attached to his family. He always wants affection and cuddles.
Friendly
Super friendly with new people and strangers! Never once has he been aggressive towards anyone
Great with Kids
Super great with kids. We don’t have any kids currently, but I have 5 nieces and nephews that Beau spends a good amount of time with, and he absolutely loves them! He is so tolerant and lets them pull on his tail and ears and has never reacted to any of it.
Great with Other Dogs & Animals
He is also great with other dogs and animals. We have a cat, Cali, that he is great with, and he always gets along and plays with other dogs. As he’s gotten older, he’s gotten less interested in playing with other dogs, but he is still very tolerant of them and never has an issue.
Intelligent & Easy to Train
Berners are a very intelligent breed of dog, and generally easy to train. They pick up on what you are trying to teach very quickly, the only issue you may run into is that they are sometimes too smart for their own good!
Big Personalities
Beau has such a big personality! He is super playful, mischievous, and I almost feel like I can see what he is thinking in his eyes! Do I sound like a crazy dog lady yet?!
Protective & Faithful
Berners are very protective and faithful to their families. If JC and I are play fighting, Beau will get in the middle and bark for us to stop! He hasn’t been like overtly aggressive towards JC or I, but I am pretty confident that if someone were truly threatening us, he would be very protective.
Lazy (In the best possible way)
I mean this in the best way possible!! Beau is just lazy enough to not get into things or tear up anything in the house when we are gone, but has plenty of energy when we are home or want to take him on walks or runs.
CONS
They Must be Well Trained
While Berners are typically easy to train, it’s really important that the time is spent to properly train them! With small dogs that jump when guests enter, it’s really no big deal. If a 100 pound dog tries to do the same thing, he could seriously hurt someone! It’s really important to have really good training and make sure they know how to behave themselves with you and with others!
Health Concerns
Most giant breeds are at risk for some kind of joint, heart, or cancer health issue down the road.
Short Life Span
A Bernese Mountain Dog’s average lifespan is only 6-9 years. They can live longer, but that is unfortunately the average. That’s all I can say about that – it’s a sad topic but the reality.
Don’t Do Well in Hot Climates
They are 100% cold weather dogs, and don’t love the heat. Beau’s favorite weather is like 30 degrees with snow on the ground!
Need Lots of Space
We are lucky enough to have a large fenced in backyard, and a big enough house for Beau to roam around in, but I would suggest that you don’t take a Berner home unless you are prepared for how much space they take up!
Heavy Shedders
Because their coat is built for the cold weather, they shed like crazy!! Be prepared for clumps of fur all over everything you own!!
There you have it! A full list of pros and cons on owning a Bernese Mountain Dog. Obviously, we love our Beau so much, and we would definitely get another Bernese Mountain Dog in the future!
