The Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix is large, gentle, loyal, affectionate and smart. Known as the Golden Mountain Dog, this giant hybrid designer dog weighs up to 100 pounds and live 7 -12 years on average. They make incredibly gentle family pets, as well as working or service companions. They are good with kids, have lots of energy and are very trainable too. Today we’ll look at which homes, families and lifestyles are a good fit for this big cross breed. They won’t make good apartment or lapdogs, but can be very happy in larger homes with big backyards.
Contents
- What is a Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix?
- How big are Golden Mountain Dogs?
- Coats, colors, shedding and grooming
- Are Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mixes friendly?
- Training, exercise and health
- How long do Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mixes live?
- Are Golden Mountain Dogs good pets?
- Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix puppies, breeders and adoption
What is a Golden Mountain Dog?
The Golden Mountain dog is the name given to a Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix. This first generation cross has one Golden Retriever parent and another Bernese Mountain Dog parent. They tend to be large dogs, with long wavy coats.
- Popularity: Growing!
- Purpose: companion, working dog
- Weight: 55 to over 100 pounds
- Temperament: friendly, intelligent, trainable
History of the Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix
As the Bernese Golden Retriever mix is a cross between two purebred breeds, it is known as a “designer dog.” Designer dogs have come under scrutiny in recent years. Not a lot is known about how this mix actually got started. But we do know a great deal about the history of the individual parent breeds, so let’s take them one at a time.
The Bernese Mountain Dog hails from Switzerland, specifically a region known as Bern, hence their name. They worked on farms by driving cattle and protecting stock from predators. The breed reached America in 1926, when a Kansas farmer imported a pair as farm dogs. From there they caught on and quickly became both a popular farm dog and a popular family pet.
The Golden Retriever was first bred in the Scottish highlands. They were an attempt to breed an ideal sporting dog. The breed was first seen at a dog show within Britain in 1908 and quickly became loved by the population for their utility and their friendly, obedient nature.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Size
Both the Berner and the Golden Retriever are rather large breeds.
The Bernese can reach heights of 25–28 inches if male, 23–26 inches if female. On the other hand, the Golden Retriever’s average height is around 23–24 inches if male, 22–23 inches if female.
Due to this, you can count on the cross to be a large dog, at around 22–28 inches tall.
However, the parent breeds do show a significant difference in weight. Berners weigh in at around 80–115 pounds if male, 70–95 pounds if female. The Golden Retriever is a much lighter dog, hitting around 65–75 pounds if male or 55–65 pounds if female.
Due to this difference, depending on which parent the Bernese Golden Retriever takes after, you may end up with a much heavier-set dog.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Colors
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large stocky dog with a long wavy coat. Their coat is tricolored: jet black, white, and rust. They have distinctive markings on the face that show off their dignified nature and floppy ears placed high up on the head. The muzzle is straight, and they sport gentle, intelligent eyes.
The Golden Retriever has a powerful, sporty body. Their distinctive golden coat has two layers: a dense, waterproof overcoat and a soft undercoat. Their coat may be straight or wavy.
An intelligent gaze from dark brown eyes and a powerful, defined muzzle make up the Retriever’s face. They have short, floppy ears.
Bernese Mountain Dog Retriever mix puppies will likely acquire the defined, straight muzzle and intelligent gaze that both breeds are known for. Their ears will be floppy, and they may end up with a coat that is either wavy or straight.
As for the color and markings on the coat, the Bernese Mountain Dog and Golden Retriever mix may take after either parent. They could acquire the Golden coat or the jet black of the Bernese.
It is hard to predict what markings may be present in Golden Bernese puppies, if any at all. They could have the distinct colored patterns of the Bernese, a portion of the pattern, or they may just have a single solid coat.
Golden Mountain Dog Grooming and Shedding
Both parent breeds shed a significant amount, with multiple shedding seasons throughout the year. A Bernese Mountain Dog Retriever Mix puppy will be no different. Therefore, regular brushing will be necessary.
Two or three times a week should be enough, usually, although if it is shedding season, you will need to brush daily to get rid of dead hair.
We also recommend you keep an eye on your dog’s nails, trimming them down if they begin to get too long. Dental health is just as important too, with regular teeth brushing recommended.
Are Golden Mountain Dogs Hypoallergenic?
The Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix is a high shedding dog. They produce and spread lots of dander from their skin and allergens from their saliva. This is not going to be an allergy friendly mix, sadly.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Temperament
The Bernese Mountain Dog has a reputation for being a calm, friendly, and affectionate dog. Incredibly loyal and gentle, they make for good family pets and serve as lovely companions.
However, they tend to be rather aloof and wary of strangers.
As for the Golden Retriever, they are also friendly and loyal dogs that fit very well into a family. Intelligent and outgoing, they are quite a playful and energetic breed.
A Bernese and Golden Retriever mix will likely exhibit these positive traits—if they are raised and trained correctly—due to both parent breeds having a similar personality and temperament.
Training A Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix
Bernese Golden Mountain Dog mixes are likely to be intelligent and easy to train.
They will take well to patient, reward-based training. For some specific guides, check out our articles on potty training and crate training a puppy. We also recommend that your puppy takes part in socialization training from a young age. This can help stop undesirable traits from forming.
Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Golden Retriever are very energetic dogs who require a lot of daily exercise to be happy. Therefore, a Bernese Mountain Dog Retriever mix will most likely also require a high amount of exercise.
A long daily walk peppered with some opportunities to up the tempo, such as joining you on a jog or playing fetch, is perfect.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Health
Sadly, both parent breeds are at risk for various health issues that could possibly be passed down to Golden Retriever Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of health issues present in both breeds within the cross.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is predisposed to developing epilepsy. They are also at risk of von Willebrand’s disease, an inherited bleeding disorder where the blood does not clot correctly, causing serious bleeding from what may be just a minor wound.
Skin disorders such as bacterial folliculitis, furunculosis, and atopy have been shown to be prevalent within Golden Retrievers. It’s possible that a Bernese Mountain Dog Retriever mix puppy may also suffer from these conditions if they take after the Retriever parent.
Golden Retriever and Bernese Mountain Dog Conditions
A condition that is prevalent in both breeds is hip and elbow dysplasia. This is where the joints of either the hip or elbow do not develop correctly as your puppy grows, leading to painful arthritis.
Unfortunately, both parent breeds are also predisposed to developing various forms of cancers.
A study that took place in 2013 found that within the study group, 45.7% of Bernese Mountain Dogs died from cancer-related causes. As for Golden Retrievers, this number was 38.8%. Because these conditions affect both breeds, a Bernese Mountain and Golden Retriever mix is sadly at a higher risk of developing cancer and dysplasia.
Therefore, it is very important to keep this in mind before purchasing Bernese Mountain Golden Retriever puppies. Making sure these conditions have never affected the parent dogs via medical history and evaluations can help lessen the chance that they will appear within a puppy.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Lifespan
The expected lifespan for a Berner is only 7-10 years. It’s typical for larger dogs to have shorter lives. Goldens have a slightly longer life expectancy, at 10-12 years on average. A mix of the two could expect a lifespan somewhere in that range.
Pros And Cons Of Getting A Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix
Cons:
- Will require a lot of grooming
- Is a large dog so will need lots of space
- High exercise needs
- Relatively short lifespan
Pros:
Do Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mixes Make Good Family Pets?
The friendly and eager-to-please temperament of this mix makes for a great family dog, provided that they have been raised well and trained accordingly. They prove to be gentle with children and do well with other pets within the home. Again, they must be socialized correctly.
This mix is very energetic and needs lots of daily exercise. A home with a secure, sizable yard can be a great place for them to run around and play. The cross is rather high maintenance in both exercise and grooming. Potential owners must be sure they can put in the time to care for them correctly.
It’s possible this breed may suffer from separation anxiety, especially if they haven’t been trained out of it when young. Therefore, the Bernese Golden Retriever thrives in a home where there is usually someone around to keep them company.
Golden Mountain Dog Mix Adoption
Are you interested in bringing home a rescue dog?
We always recommend considering this option. Not only does it help to cut down on unscrupulous breeders who are jumping on the “designer dog” bandwagon, it also gives another chance to a dog in need.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Puppies
If you decide to look into purchasing a Bernese Mountain Dog Retriever mix puppy, there are multiple things you must consider. As this cross isn’t very well-known, it may be tough to find a breeder. Looking online and through local avenues such as newspapers can help you to track one down.
When you do find a potential puppy, it’s important to check the health of the parent dogs. If they are happy and well, this is a sign of good health for the puppy too. Ask to meet the parent dogs, and make sure they do not show any signs of pain or distress.
Good Breeders
You should also ask if both parent breeds have recently passed the following medical evaluations:
- hip evaluation
- elbow evaluation
- ophthalmologist evaluation
- cardiac exam
The Bernese Mountain Dog in particular will also require passing a Von Willebrand’s Disease DNA Test. Ask to see proof of these tests. It’s important that you vet the breeder before you agree to adopt a puppy from them. This is because there are lots of irresponsible and sometimes downright unethical breeders out there. Make sure to avoid pet stores and puppy mills.
Mixed breed dogs are growing in popularity, it’s true. But there are a few schools of thought on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Raising Your Puppy
Raising a puppy of any breed can be a challenge, not to mention a big responsibility! It’s definitely time to get him or her all kitted out with the necessary accessories.
Similar Breeds
If you’re not quite set on the Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix, you may want to take a look at these similar mixes.
Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever Mix Rescues
Currently, we have not been able to find any dedicated rescues for this particular mix. However, there are plenty of rescues for each of the parent breeds, so those are a great place to start!
If you do come across any rescues for the Bernese Mountain Dog Golden Retriever mix, please leave us a comment below!
- Sooner Golden Retriever Rescue
- Almost Heaven Rescue
- BFW Rescue
- Bernese Welfare UK
- North Peace Canada
- Bernation Australia
- Southern Golden Retriever Rescue UK
References And Resources
- Gough A, Thomas A, O’Neill D. 2018 Breed Predispositions to Disease In Dogs and Cats. Wiley Blackwell
- Adams VJ, et al. 2010. Results of a Survey of UK Purebred Dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice.
- Schalamon et al. 2006. Analysis of Dog Bites In Children Who Are Younger Than 17 Years. Pediatrics
- Duffy D et al. Breed differences in canine aggression. Applied Animal Behavior Science 2008
- Strain G. Deafness prevalence and pigmentation and gender associations in dog breeds at risk. The Veterinary Journal 2004
- Packer et al. 2015. Impact of Facial Conformation On Canine Health. PlosOne
- Bellumori, TP, et al, Prevalence of inherited disorders among mixed-breed and purebred dogs: 27254 cases (1995-2010) Journal of the American Veterinary Association, 2013
- O’Neill, DG, et al, Longevity and mortality of owned dogs in England The Veterinary Journal, 2013
- Kathmann, I, et al, Clinical and genetic investigations of idiopathic epilepsy in the Bernese mountain dog Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2008
- Podadera, JM, et al, Canine Elbow Dysplasia ANZ Nuclear Medicine, 2010
- Paster, ER, et al, Estimates of prevalence of hip dysplasia in Golden Retrievers and Rottweilers and the influence of bias on published prevalence figures Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2005
- Malm, S, et al, Genetic variation and genetic trends in hip and elbow dysplasia in Swedish Rottweiler and Bernese Mountain Dog Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 2008
- Dobson, JM, Breed-Predispositions to Cancer in Pedigree Dogs ISRN Veterinary Science, 2013
Arnold, S, et al, Von Willebrand factor concentrations in blood plasma of Bernese mountain dogs Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd, 1997
Terry says
Great article. Probably would have talked me out of getting Brody but now I know what to watch for.
Thanks