bernese mountain dog

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a breed of dog whose origin is attributed by the International Cynological Federation to Switzerland. Common health problem Dysplasia: Genetic abnormality often present in large breeds. Affects the joints and particularly the elbows and hips. By examining the laxity of the hips and elbows seen on an x-ray, Europeans will classify the dog from (A) Excellent to (E) severe dysplastic. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animal (OFFA) assessment method is the most widely used in North America. A bit like the European method, it classifies dogs according to the scale: Excellent, Good, Fair, mild dysplastic and severe dysplastic. The reliability of this method was called into question by the University of Pennsylvania which, in 1993, established a very rigorous research protocol in order to identify the cause of the errors in evaluation generated by this screening method. Less known because it is much less subjective, the PENNHIP method measures the degree of laxity, an index of the probability of dysplasia appearing. The results are expressed on a scale from 0 to 100, 100 being severe dysplasia. As of January 1, 2007, the best Bernese Mountain Dog had obtained a score of 23, the worst totaling 116 with an average for all of the 1,185 Bernese Mountain Dogs observed of 52. Cancer: Cancer very often affects the Bernese Mountain Dog, approximately 9.7% of the population according to a study by the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America Otitis and ear mites: like any dog ​​with drooping ears, the Bernese mountain dog is prone to otitis and ear mites, preventive treatment is recommended. Stomach: Although not strictly speaking a disease, stomach upset can still lead to death and is common in large dogs, and also requires urgent surgery. Urinary Problems: Urinary problems are often present in females of this breed since they are large in size. Due to their size and weight, females have a restricted space between their legs to urinate and this can cause fungus, especially in summer due to the heat. Unfortunately, this is not something the dog's handler can easily see, so it commonly turns into a urinary problem. It is very important that female dogs maintain a good healthy weight to prevent this situation from repeating itself year after year.

Belonging to the family of the great Swiss Cattle Dogs, its name comes from the German name Berner Sennenhund, meaning Bernese Alpine Cowherd Dog. In 1907: Creation of the Swiss club of "Dürrbachler" to promote the breeding of Bernese Mountain Dogs (this is why the Bernese Mountain Dogs were called Dürrbach until 1913). In 1899: Creation of the "La Berna association", bringing together purebred dog breeders. This one will present in 1902 the dogs of Dürrbach during an exhibition. In 1907, the “Swiss club of the Dürrbach dog” was founded for the improvement of the breed, and will allow the breed to be registered in the Swiss stud book. Long called "Horse of the poor", a nickname due to its task of carrying milk cans on a cart, some associations have made it a guide dog for the blind, and it is also used in Switzerland as a search dog to find skiers buried under the snow. At present his main role is to be an excellent companion dog. Rumor has it that the Bouvier was crossed in 1949 with a Newfoundland to soften his character.

Tall, calm, affectionate, and loyal to his masters. This breed is indeed in great need of human contact, it is even nicknamed by some "pot of glue", because of its great attachment to its masters. His guardian nature means that he will show suspicion when a newcomer arrives. This distrust will dissipate as soon as he has had time to assess the “predator”. From then on, he will become very pleasant with any newcomer. He's an adorable dog! Quiet and not very sporty, it still requires long walks. Naturally not very flighty, he will never stray out of sight of his masters; he nevertheless remains of a very curious nature. Training should be done using positive reinforcement as using a strangler will cause him to run away under pressure, hence his reputation for being stubborn. A few cases of bites have even been reported in Bernese trying to "save their lives" because the training was so severe. The Bernese will only take action if his life is in danger. Nevertheless his education will be done quickly thanks to his faculties of adaptation and his intelligence. Their brains are real learning sponges. Although he is not a guard dog in the popular sense of the term (attack), his origins as a farm guard resurface in the presence of any suspicious activity. He will be able to warn his masters and dissuade any intruder by his barking. Be careful, the Bernese doesn't bark a lot, but when it does, it's with a lot of conviction.