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Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is one of four Swiss Sennenhund breeds, developed as a draft and drover's dog in the Bern canton.

Calculate Bernese Mountain Dog age
Lifespan10.1 yrrange 9–11
SizeGiantWorking Group
Weight70–115 lb31.8–52.2 kg
Senior at5 yrgeriatric at 8

Gallery (3)

About

About the Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is one of four Swiss Sennenhund breeds, developed as a draft and drover's dog in the Bern canton. The tri-color coat pattern is breed-defining; all three Sennenhund colors must be present on a qualifying show dog.

Aging

How Bernese Mountain Dogs age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 10.1 years (n=1,565) — shortest-lived Swiss mountain breed. Histiocytic sarcoma causes ~25% of deaths and is the defining late-life concern; elbow dysplasia (OFA moderate) leads orthopedic findings.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 10.1 yr · range 9–11Senior careSenior at 5 · geriatric at 8Common health issues9 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
70–115 lb(31.8–52.2 kg)
Height
23–27.5 in(58.4–69.8 cm)
Coat type
Long
Colors
Black Rust & WhiteBlack Tan & WhiteBlack & RustBlack & WhiteRust & White
Temperament

Temperament

How Bernese Mountain Dogs tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

good-naturedcalmstrongaffectionate
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Bernese Mountain Dog physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.