Bernese Mountain Dog

Three years young dog, three years good dog, three years old dog.... That is the way many berner folk describe their dogs.  Also you need to buy from a responsible breeder, check the club website and look for the breeder referral list.  There are many health issues to consider, especially cancer.  Be prepared for sticker shock if you have not purchased from a breeder who is ethical and responsible with a full health guarentee spelled out in a contract.   BTW that will still be cheaper than anything you can purchase at a pet store....

Ah, the Bernese Mountain Dog.
 
This is one of the breeds that was in my "Top 10" list when I was looking for a dog.  They are BEAUTIFUL creatures with wonderful temperaments.  They like to sit on your feet with their back to you, and they lean against your legs and look at you as if to say "I love j00!  Nevar leaf meeeeee!!"  I have as yet to meet a BMD that DOESN'T do this.  It doesn't seem to matter if they know you are not, they just want to be loved
 
The things that turned me off from them was their short life span and the fact that I couldn't do as much with them as I would have wanted to.  However, as with any breed, for the right person they are absolutely wonderful.
 
There is a woman at my kennel club who is new to the breed and just finished her first champion a year or two ago.  She's bred her first litter, and her puppy that she kept back is doing absolutely fantastic.  The temperaments are wonderful, her dogs are gorgeous, and she takes great pride in them.  She always said how sad she is that they die so early, but the bright side of that is that she can have so many more with her
 
I help her show from time to time, and she is just so sweet and so nice.  If you go to shows and talk to BMD people, you'll generally find them to be very welcoming and warm, much like their dogs, and their dogs will do the Berner lean and look at you and say "I dunno who you are, but I luff j00!!! ....PET ME!"

I haven't researched at all about Bernese Mountain Dogs, but I think they are one of the most beautiful breeds! Oh, and one gentleman in the obedience class I attend (with my dog...LOL) has a Bernese pup who is one of the most well-behaved there.

My cousin's family used to own Berners when I was growing up...I remember Logan in particular would pull us around in a cart all over the place (we were quite small at the time).  They are wonderful family dogs, and I definitely need to stress finding a good breeder because of potential health issues.  Definitely a great breed though...

i met a berner years ago at a festival. he was a friendly old chap. to be able to walk around in a grounded area loud music (bagpipes actually) and still wag his tail when new people came up to pet him must say something positive about the breed.
i think they do slobber, and they shed, the tail can probably clear coffee tables in a single sweep. large dogs, so training is a MUST, right up there with good breeder.
i say find a berner forum and speak with them or lurk around and read their experience before setting your heart on one.

like any large breed, health is a huge factor. finding a good breeder is essential. i have also heard they are quite pricey if you get one from a reputable breeder. yes they do slobber quite a bit, and have a high maintanance cpat that needs to be brushed daily. i also agree about the lifespans, they take a long time to grow out of the puppy stage (once groomed one that was 8 months old, and still acted like a newborn, even though it was almost 100 lbs). but for a person who can acceopt it, and get good training, they can be great dogs. very friendly and playful, do not realize that they are so big

I haven't met a berner that I didn't want to steal []  The ones I've met ALL did the lean into the leg routine while just seeming to say "you know you love me", just like Xeph described. 

Downsides to the breed, lifespan.  There are a lot of health concerns associated with the breed, and if anyone wants to give their heart to this breed of dog, I suggest doing a lot of homework into finding a reputable breeder. 

ORIGINAL: DumDog

i think they do slobber

 
No actually, Berner's do not slobber. They and the Swissy are dry mouth breeds so they can't. The only slobbering they can do is with water like my Shepherd mix does.
 
I would love to get a Berner, but the price tag is a little much for me, maybe one day though, or a Swissy since they look exactly like the Berner just without as much hair. Berner's are great family dogs and great dogs period if socialized well. They had them on Breed all About It on Animal Planet and one of the things they can do is bark if something isn't where it's suppossed to be. They showed one barking at a garbage can that had been moved from where it was.
 
The only thing that ticks me off is people calling them Bermese Mountain Dogs, not Bernese. I want to ask them, "what, are they related to the Bermese Python?" But of course that is a pet peeve of mine, calling a dog a wrong name or what it isn't.
 
Shiva 

I have a friend who spent significant money for one, and then went through obedience classes, so one would think the animal well socialized, but truly, I don't trust the dog around my daughter-either the breeder stuck my friend with a dog who has a spooky personality, or the whole gentle loving Berner thing is highly overrated.  This animal is gorgeous in appearance, but much more territorial, aggressive than I would have expected, and takes a very firm hand and tone to keep them from literally overpowering the youngster.  And this dog has not been raised in a household as the only pet, but has always had another dog and also cat to socialize and play with from puppyhood on. 

This animal is gorgeous in appearance, but much more territorial, aggressive than I would have expected, and takes a very firm hand and tone to keep them from literally overpowering the youngster.

The territorial thing doesn't really surprise me much, considering the draft (Drought?  I think they both work in this case) work they did.
 
The aggression...that's not what I would call "a-typical" of a BMD

I haven't met a berner that I didn't want to steal []  The ones I've met ALL did the lean into the leg routine while just seeming to say "you know you love me", just like Xeph described. 

Downsides to the breed, lifespan.  There are a lot of health concerns associated with the breed, and if anyone wants to give their heart to this breed of dog, I suggest doing a lot of homework into finding a reputable breeder. 

 
I was going to say almost the exact same thing.  I have loved Berners since I was a little girl living in Vermont.  Someday I will own one.  They are wonderful dogs but heed the warnings above!