Giant10.1 yr avg
Bernese Mountain Dog
AKC · Working
View breedComparison
Bernese Mountain Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier
Side-by-side comparison from peer-reviewed sources. Lifespan and health figures draw on Royal Veterinary College VetCompass and AKC breed data.
At a glance
Side-by-side
The numbers that most change day-to-day care. A citrus border marks a meaningful advantage.
Giant
Bernese Mountain Dog
Lifespan10.1 yrrange 9–11
SizeGiant
Weight70–115 lb31.8–52.2 kg
Height23–27.5 in58.4–69.8 cm
Senior at5 yrgeriatric at 8
AKC groupWorking
Energy4/560 min/day
Trainability4/5
Shedding5/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs5/5
Toy
Yorkshire Terrier
Lifespan13.3 yrrange 13–14
SizeToy
Weight7–7 lb3.2–3.2 kg
Height7–8 in17.8–20.3 cm
Senior at9 yrgeriatric at 13
AKC groupToy
Energy4/560 min/day
Trainability4/5
Shedding1/5
With kids5/5
With other dogs3/5
Health
Common health issues
Top 3 prevalence-ranked conditions for each breed. See each breed's full health profile for screening schedules and source data.
Bernese Mountain Dog
- 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/.
Yorkshire Terrier
- Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr
Patellar Luxation
Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.
- Moderatetypical 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/.
- Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr
Congenital Cardiac Defect
Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Cardiac Defect land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.
Synthesis
Which is right for you?
Lifespan differs substantially — Yorkshire Terriers typically outlive Bernese Mountain Dogs by about 3.2 years (13.3 vs 10.1 years).
Size gap is meaningful: the Bernese Mountain Dog is giant and the Yorkshire Terrier is toy. Expect different considerations for housing, travel, and vet-care costs.
Both breeds have similar energy requirements — roughly 60 minutes of daily activity keeps either satisfied.
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