have medium sized ears, which flop alongside their head, in a triangular shape. Their muzzles are stocky, yet straight, and are not prone to slobbering or drooling. It has a long bushy tail, that is at times carried low, or curled over the back when it's relaxed.

Their coat is of medium length and is straight, or sometimes slightly wavy, with a dense undercoat. Grooming needs are relatively simple, as they have a dirt and weather resistant coat that will be easily kept up with a weekly brushing, unless the undercoat is being shed. These animals lose fur all year round and gobs of fur are commonly found in a Berner's home.

They tend to be good natured, confident, and yet aloof to strangers, as their guardian nature dictates. The breed is patient, loyal and stable, and responds, like most, better to treats and kind words, than harsh treatment. They are an affectionate dog, that seeks the adoration and attention of its master, quite often demonstrated by leaning against their master's legs, while they're standing.

They are excellent with other animals and children, though it should be noted here that no dog should be left with very young children without adequate supervision.

Puppies can be found through the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America or Canada, through a Puppy Buyers Guide, or over the Internet where several listings of reputable breeders and breeder directories have been placed. If one chooses to breed Berners' as they are often called, one can expect anywhere from one to a dozen puppies, sometimes even up to fourteen. Be sure you have adequate space if breeding Berners, as an entire family of them would take up an enormous amount of space.

When choosing a puppy, try to see both parents of the puppies and beware of those breeders who won't allow you to see where the puppies are kept and raised, or how the parent animals are treated.

When a breed gains in popularity, like the Berner has over the years, the breed becomes vulnerable to those who would exploit it for their own gain. Rescue leagues exist in both Canada and the US to protect the breed, and see to its care, when it has been removed from a puppy mill or other such undesirable situation.

Rescue leagues are usually listed with the breed club in the province/state of your country. These courageous groups will see to it that the animals receive medical care, and are found new homes with those familiar or understanding of what Berner ownership entails.

The Bernese Mountain Dog can be trained for Drafting trials, which are essentially a competition that deals with the pulling of specialized carts, through a set course. They can also be trained for agility, tracking, obedience, and herding.

As the breed ages, like so many others, they are prone to a variety of canine cancers, hip and elbow dysplasia, as well as osteoarthritis. Nearly half of all Berners die from cancer, as compared to 27% of all other dog breeds. Making sure your dog has soft bedding to ease its joints will help arthritic pain that settles in on this breed. Should your animal display any difficulty in movement or unusual masses, veterinary opinion should be sought at once. This breed tends to live between 8 and 12 years, though some have been reported to live to 14 or even 15 years of age.

The breed, while best known as the Bernese Mountain Dog, is known by several names, which include, Berner Sennenhund, Bouvier Bernois, Bovaro Bernese and the Drerbechler.

Anyone looking for a loyal guardian who enjoys the outdoors and doesn't mind a large strong breed that takes up a lot of space, will find an excellent companion in the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Clark.
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