A handsome dog which is usually friendly
and devoted to its owner's family. An alert and reliable watch dog.
Description & History
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a native
of the Berne region of Switzerland. The breed, like all Swiss Mountain
dogs, is descended from local sheepdogs and the Mastiff which accompanied
the Roman legions on their conquest of Europe. There are three other
varieties of Swiss Mountain dogs: the Appenzell, the Entlebuch and
the Great Swiss Mountain Dog. The Appenzell is named after the canton
and the town of Appenzell. They would herd cattle and also pull
carts which transported buckets of milk from the dairies. The Entlebuch,
the smallest of the four breeds, comes from the valley of Entlebuch,
which is in the canton of Berne. The breed also worked in the region
of Lucerne and was used as a farm dog - guarding and herding. The
Entlebuch is born without a tail. The Great Swiss Mountain Dog,
largest of the mountain breeds, was used for general farm work.
When the country was more agricultural than it is today, the breed
was often used for light draught work - instead of horses - as well
as for herding cattle and sheep. They would pull carts and help
move small amounts of timber. The Bernese were originally used for
herding cattle and as guard dogs, but were later developed for draught
work; they were engaged for light haulage duties by the weavers
of Berne and by cheese makers who used them to collect milk from
the mountain farms. Nowadays, Bernese Mountain Dogs are sometimes
harnessed to little wooden carts to enable them to give rides to
small children.