Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog) is a faithful companion on long expeditions and an excellent guardian. Although it has a calm temper, it can be dangerous for small children due to its size. What does a Bernese Mountain Dog look like? What's her character?
Bernese Mountain Dog( Bernese ) is named after the Swiss city of Bern, which is the formal capital of Switzerland, but these are the roots of the breed go much further.
Bernese Mountain Dogs probably descend from the ancient breed of dogsMolossian , related to the Tibetan Great Danes. These dogs reached the territory of present day Switzerland together with the Roman legions.
However, there are also other versions of the Bernese history - one of them says they come directly from the breed of indigenous Swiss dogs crossed thousands of years agowith the Tibetan Great Dane , another - that their ancestors are the breed of giant terriers is now extinct.
Bernese Dogshave been used as guardians over the years : they guarded country houses and sheep grazing herds. They also served as draft dogs, pulling carts filled with Swiss cheeses.
Currently, these are dogs, perhaps not typically couch dogs (due to their size), but certainly domestic ones, used to human companionship and the warmth of a home.
Bernese Mountain Dogis a good family dog and suitable for people who don't like sitting in front of the TV. Due to the size and the large need for space, one feels bestin a large house with a garden .
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): Appearance
Descriptions of dogs of this breed, which can be found in medieval monastery books, mention giant, well-built animals,most often with black hair . This color mattered: Alpine villagers believed that black warded off evil spirits, which is why most dogs (not only Bernese) had this coat color.
Modern Bernese Mountain Dogs have long, shiny,straight or slightly wavy hair , jet black base coat, withdark brown / red tanw certain places on the body: above the eyes, on the cheeks and on the chest, and also on the limbs. On the head, dewlap and chest they havewhite, symmetrical markings, arranged in a characteristic "collar" on the chest.
Dogs from bitches can be distinguished primarily by their sizes:dogs 'heightat the withers reaches even 70 cm,bitches' heightand - 66 cm .
Bernese's average life expectancy is 8-10 years , and they reach sexual maturity at the age of 2.5 years.
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): temperament and character
Dogs of this breed aresociable and balanced . At puppy age, like all puppies, they are lively and it is difficult for them to sit in one place for longer. However, they become calmer with age.
They easily subordinateto their keepers and do not try to take control of them, but there are dogs that need a more experienced guardian due to their lack of discipline.
They don't like loneliness , so you shouldn't leave them unattended for a long time.
They must have a lot of space around them, sothey must not be kept in a playpen . They require a lot of exercise - even a few hours of walking - because if they don't run, they can mess around at home, trying to use up the excess energy.
They are vigilant, they usually keep their distance towards strangers - unless they sense that they are people willingly welcomed by the owners.
They tolerate other animals .
They get along easily with childrenbecause they are very patient and resistant to excessive tenderness, but it is worth remembering that a child should not go for a walk alone with a Bernese Mountain Dog: dogs of this breed are very strong and can easily knock over a ten-year-old child.
You should also be careful when letting a few-year-olds play with a Bernese Mountain Dog, as the Bernese Mountain Dog may accidentally knock over or crush the child, which can be painful or even dangerous.
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): training
These dogs are usually gentle , and they need such treatment as well. They are very intelligent, willing to follow commands and learn quickly. However, to achieve as much as possible,Bernese Mountaineeringshould be started as early as at puppy age and consistently continued, properly motivating the dog.
Shouting and harsh treatment will make the dog lose confidence in the owner. The prizes will be much better: fun, a treat, a new toy. People who do not have experience in training dogsshould take part in the canine kindergarten .
As often as possible, it is also worth getting the animal used to situations with which it may come into contact: contact with other animals, getting to know busy, noisy places will make the animal it will be easy to socialize . You also need to get your dog used to grooming treatments from the very beginning.
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): Nutrition
Bernese Mountain Dogsneed a lot of food , but they tend to gain weight, so the amount of food should be adjusted to the dog's lifestyle. The he althiest foods are those for large ones with the addition of glucosamine and chondroitin.
If you prepare meals yourself, you should add preparations to support joints and bones prescribed by a veterinarian. The dogshould eattwice a day, and should not be snacked between meals.
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): he alth and disease
The Bernese Mountain Dog is used to bad weather: frost, wind, snow and sudden changes in temperature typical of high mountains. However, dogs of this breed raised in greenhouse conditionsmay not tolerate moisture and heat .
On hot days, they must have constant access to water and be able to rest in the shade.
Bernese Mountain Dogs do not live long: rarely any dog of this breed lives up to a dozen years.
They often suffer from hip dysplasiaas well as cancers and autoimmune diseases - the most common ishistiocytosis , during which immune system cells grow in an uncontrolled manner, and then accumulate in organs and tissues, slowly leading to their failure.
Other diseases typical of Bernese Mountain Dogs include hemangiosarcoma and mastocytoma.
Bernese Mountain Dog (Bernese Mountain Dog): care
Bernese Mountain Dogsdo not need specialist care , but taking care of them may not be easy due to the size of the dog.
If the dog spends most of the timeindoors, sheds all year round , if mostly outdoorssheds hair twice a year: spring and fall. During the molting period, the dog should be combed two or three times a week, thoroughly combing, especially places where it may formtangles : behind the ears, on the tail, on the neck. Each time after a walk, it is worth checking the coat and removing turnips or grass remnants from it.
If necessary,bathe your dog , combing your hair and before bathing it, and drying it thoroughly with a dryer (otherwise it will dry for a long time and become ugly). Shampoos for long-haired dogs are best for this purpose. After rinsing off the shampoo, you can apply a specialized balm to your hair, which will make it easier to detangle.
Bernese Mountain Dogs oftenyou also need to cut the hair between the pads , shorten the claws (if they do not wearsame), as well as checking the condition of the ears and cleaning them, if necessary, with a damp cotton swab.
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