Origin
The Bernese Mountain Dog hails from Switzerland where they are highly prized as working dogs. They are true gentle giants and make wonderful family pets and companions as long as owners have enough time to spend with them. Always eager to please, the BMD is known to be good around children, they are loyal and affectionate characters by nature and boast being among the most intelligent dogs on the planet.
They are a great choice for first time dog owners, but they do need to be given lots of daily exercise as well as mental stimulation to be truly happy, well-balanced characters. Then there's the cost of keeping a Bernese Mountain Dog which works out more expensive than other breeds all thanks to their large size.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is thought to have an ancestry that dates back to Roman times when this type of dog was used to herd cattle through the Alps. They belong to a group of dogs called “Sennenhund”. There are three others in the group with the BMD being the second largest of their kind. As these dogs became popular in different regions of their native Switzerland, each community developed a specific type of dog to suit their needs. As such the four types of Sunnenhund were created which are the Entlebucher, the smallest dog of this type, the Appenzeller which is slightly bigger, the Bernese and lastly the Great Swiss Mountain Dog.
Early in the 20th century, Professor Heim a huge fan of the breed worked hard to establish the dogs we see today stating that "the Bernese Mountain Dog is the loveliest dog to be found anywhere" all thanks to their loyalty, alertness and affectionate natures whether in a working or home environment.
