Bernese Mountain Dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog does well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially made or home-prepared with your veterinarian's supervision and approval. Match the diet to your dog's life stage, whether puppy, adult, or senior. Some Berners gain weight easily, so watch calorie intake and body condition, and reduce portions if your dog puts on weight. Keep clean, fresh water available at all times.

Feeding amounts vary by individual, depending on size, metabolism, neuter or spay status, and activity level, and calorie content differs from one food to the next. Use these general guidelines and ask your vet to calculate your dog's needs:

• Adults: twice a day, about every 12 hours.
• Puppies: more often, up to four times a day.
• The feeding-guide labels on the food offer useful portion information too.

Avoid elevated bowls, which may raise the risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat. A slow feeder bowl slows your Berner down and helps reduce that risk. Treats help with training, but too many lead to obesity, so learn which human foods are safe for dogs and which are not.

Bernese Mountain Dogs may benefit from omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, on your veterinarian's recommendation. Omega-3s appear in skin and joint supplements, fish oil, and some specially formulated dog foods, and they support the skin, coat, kidneys, joints, and heart. Never give any supplement without speaking to your vet first.

The Bernese Mountain Dog has a double coat, with a longer outer coat over a wooly undercoat. Berners shed a fair amount year-round and more heavily during the two shedding seasons each year. Living with a Berner means living with extra fur on the couch, floor, and clothing, so a good vacuum and plenty of lint rollers are sound investments.

Brush several times a week, and daily during shedding season, to remove loose hair and prevent matting. Work out tangles with a slicker brush or metal comb, and use a deshedding tool to pull the undercoat and keep shedding more manageable.

Bathe with dog shampoo every two to four weeks. Clean your Berner's ears after any time in water, such as bath time or a swim, using a veterinary-approved ear cleaner. Trim the nails regularly, since overly long nails cause pain and structural problems.

All dogs need regular dental care, including at-home tooth brushing and professional cleanings, and the Bernese Mountain Dog is no exception. If you notice skin changes such as redness or flakiness, or any eye changes, have them evaluated by your veterinarian.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are moderately active and need at least a half-hour of moderate exercise a day. They are meant to live indoors with their family, but they enjoy outdoor activity and make good companions on long walks or hikes, and outdoorsy owners often take them camping and backpacking.

This is a versatile breed with a working heritage. Berners enjoy pulling young children in a cart, and some compete in carting and drafting. They also do well at agility, herding, obedience, rally, and tracking.

The thick double coat suits cold-weather climates but makes the Berner prone to overheating in the heat. Keep them inside during hot weather, since the heavy coat leaves them sensitive to high temperatures.

Early socialization and obedience training matter for every dog, and even more so for a breed this large. Socialize your Berner to dogs, cats, and people as a puppy, and it grows up more adaptable and less likely to develop anxiety. The Bernese Mountain Dog adapts well to change and minor stress, though it can be shy in new settings and around people it does not know.

Berners are good-natured, intelligent, and eager to please, so they are usually easy to train. Berners are sensitive and respond better to positive reinforcement and food rewards than to harsh corrections. Given their size and strength, teaching a Berner to walk nicely on a leash and not jump on people is essential.

A Berner wants to be with its people, and it favors its own family. Left alone too long, it may grow unhappy and get into trouble no matter how much training it has had, and some dogs develop separation anxiety. Most are patient with children and other pets, though interactions between kids and dogs of any breed should always be supervised.