The Bernese Mountain Dog temperament is calm, sociable, loyal, bold and protective. A huge, fit livestock guardian and watchdog they descend from Roman Mastiff breeds. The name originates in the city of Berne, where old dogs drove herding animals and pulled farmers’ carts. Bernese Mountain Dog temperament made them the perfect mountain range draft dog. The Bernese Mountain Dog is giant, clever, energetic, powerful yet relaxed. Despite being chilled out, Bernese Mountain Dogs can excel in activities like agility, herding, obedience, rally, or tracking. The breed are good service dogs because of their mellow, gentle nature. Today we’ll share how Bernese Mountain Dog temperament develops from puppy days to adolescence and into their fully grown adulthood. We will share tips for life with their personality traits, and how to help them to behave well as a family pet in a home environment.
Contents
- Average Bernese Mountain Dog temperament
- Trainability in the Bernese Mountain Dog temperament
- Is the Bernese Mountain Dog temperament friendly?
- Can Bernese Mountain Dog temperament ever be aggressive?
- Natural instincts
- Are Bernese Mountain Dogs good pets?
Bernese Mountain Dogs large size means that although friendly with kids, they can accidentally hurt them. However they are the least aggressive to humans of any dog breed.
Typical Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament
The breed standard for the Bernese Mountain Dog states that these dogs should not be aggressive, anxious, or distinctly shy They should be good-natured, self-assured, welcoming of strangers, and docile. However, temperament will vary from individual to individual. Not all dogs are bred to carefully follow the breed standard.
The Bernese Mountain Dog has a very amiable personality. These dogs enjoy challenges and love to learn new things. Lack of exercise can lead these dogs to bark. The Bernese Mountain Dog has a good amount of energy but will still love to lay around the house with their family.
Guarding Traits in the Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament
Bernese work well with other pets and unfamiliar people. However, they do tend to bark and growl when someone unexpectedly walks up to their house. These large dogs do have protective instincts and will guard their family, making them one of the best guard dogs to own. That being said, if you own a farm, they will be delighted to work, as well. They have a strong desire to please their owners. Bernese Mountain Dogs are sweet, affectionate dogs, who are gentle and caring around small children.
Is Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament Trainable?
The Bernese Mountain Dog requires confident, consistent, and gentle training. Though males can be dominant, overall this breed is docile and should never be treated harshly. Like most dogs, the Bernese Mountain Dog responds well with a lot of positive reinforcement from treats. They can sometimes be slow to learn, so patience is very important when training this breed.
It is highly recommended that you take your Bernese Mountain Dog to obedience training to help with socialization. This dog does not do well living in an apartment. They need lots of room and a yard to run around in. Take them for long walks in the park to get them used to new sights and sounds. Socialize them as early as possible. They can be shy around new people.
Are Bernese Mountain Dogs Friendly?
Bernese Mountain Dogs are true family companions. They are sweet, affectionate, and easy-going. Furthermore, they take well to children and are very patient with active kids. This breed is known to get along quite well with other pets and are typically polite when meeting new people.
At their best, the Bernese Mountain Dog temperament is calm and patient. Their loving and good-natured temperament does require proper socialization and training. They should get along well with other dogs naturally, but you still need to teach them how to act and treat other animals.
Are Bernese Mountain Dogs Aggressive?
The Bernese Mountain Dog temperament is one of peaceful and sociability with other animals. They are one of the least aggressive dogs towards humans. However, some Bernese males can be aggressive towards other male dogs.
Their attitude toward strangers varies from friendly to aloof, but a good Bernese Mountain Dog should remain poised and hold his ground. Their most common temperament fault is excessive shyness. This shyness can sometimes be towards everyone or a group of people, such as people with common traits. When pushed, this timid nature can become fear-based aggression.
Bernese Mountain Dogs require socialization, so their natural caution does not become timidity. Proper socialization training is one of the most important things to do when raising a puppy. This will help make them affectionate, obedient, good-natured pets. Without proper socialization, there is a risk that your puppy will grow up to be antisocial and aggressive towards new people and animals.
Likely, one of the best ways to accomplish a good amount of socialization is by taking your Bernese puppy to a dog kindergarten class. Here, puppies are stimulated not only by one another but also by a new environment, obstacles, and sounds. You can try finding one of these classes by visiting your local vet.
Do Bernese Mountain Dogs Like Other Dogs?
Bernese Mountain Dogs are likely to get along with other pets if they are raised with them. However, some members of this breed have a stronger prey drive, and small pets should beware.
Due to their strong prey drive, they will protect and guard their family. This makes them great watchdogs, but this temperament can make them uncomfortable and aggressive around other dogs. This does not mean that Bernese Mountain Dogs do not get along with other dogs. It just means that you will have to take some time to socialize them properly.
Again, socialization training is one of the most important things to do when owning any animal. This training is essential to prevent them from becoming overly suspicious or fearful of anything new or different. Take proper action to prevent your Bernese Mountain Dog from developing any unwanted behavior.
One way to begin socializing your Bernese Mountain Dog is by exposing them to different social activities. Don’t rush things, but if you can introduce them to new activities weekly, they will learn to become more social at a faster pace.
Natural Instincts in the Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament
These dogs enjoy spending time with people. If they are left alone for long periods of time without proper exercise and activity, they can become destructive and chew up household items.
They are great dogs to have around the home, as they will alert their owners if something out of the ordinary is going on around the home. In addition, they are not overly aggressive so they will not do much more than growl and bark.
Take extra care when taking your Bernese Mountain Dog for a walk because they can develop a strong prey drive. They may chase small animals such as squirrels, rabbits, and cats.
Does Bernese Mountain Dog Temperament Make Them Good Pets?
A well-trained Bernese Mountain Dog makes an excellent companion that will adore their whole family. They love kids and will even greet newcomers to their home, so long as they have been raised with proper socialization training.
Do you have experience with these dogs? Let us know about it in the comments!
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References and Resources
- Bernedoodle
- Jozsef, Topal. “Attachment behavior in dogs (Canis familiaris): A new application of Ainsworth’s (1969) Strange Situation Test.” Journal of Comparative Psychology. 1969.
- Kutsumi, A. “Importance of Puppy Training for Future Behavior of the Dog.” Journal of Veterinary Medical Science. 2013.
- Seksel, Kersti. “Preventing Behavior Problems in Puppies and Kittens.” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2008.
- Duffy, Deborah. “Breed differences in canine aggression.” Applied Animal Behavior Science. 2008.
- Knol, Galac. “Fear-Motivated Aggression in Dogs: Patient Characteristics, Diagnosis and Therapy.” Animal Welfare. 1997.
Angie says
I have a 8mth old male Berner that is petrified of people.He becomes very anxious when anyone comes near him.This is becoming a real problem as he is getting larger and much stronger .I love taking him to the dog park and dog training. He was breed by very good people and came to me at 3 1/2 mths old .I have the best relationship with him and he loves other dogs ,just not people.Any advice?
Allison says
I am having the same problem, my berner is great with other dogs but has grown fearful of every person the past few months. Have you found anything that works?
Yolande Macdonald says
We were blessed to have had a beautiful male Berner for over 9 1/2 years. Brody was the best, love going in the car for drives and walks at the dog park. People would comment about his beautiful smile, always happy to be out and about. I took care of children along with my grandson and he loved them all. He was very protective of us all and so gentle with children. I’ve heard many call him “ the gentle giant” and he truly was❤️❤️! He was easy to train, but always with love, he was the best!! They don’t like hot weather, love winter and playing in the snow. Bernera are so laid back, calm dogs, very loyal and protective with the ones they love, treat them with love and gentleness always. Our boy left us a few years ago and still miss him dearly to this day, he was the best!!❤️
Lisa Fairleigh says
Berners are wonderful dogs! I’ve had 5. One was a rescue, 2 were (and my current one is) show dogs, and one had genetic health issues very young.
The only drawback is that they don’t live long. My 2 oldest have been 9 and almost 10. One died at 6. Find a breeder who works on this.
The boys are wonderful and self-confident and goofy and perfect. My first girl is goofy and a bit less confident maybe, but just as wonderful and perfect and so smart when it suits her.
There is no better breed. With socialization they will love everyone and everything and adore you so much that you’ll never worry about whether you forgot to lock your door.
Don’t leave them outside in hot weather. They need air conditioning or a haircut if it’s over 70 degrees. They love snow. If you live in a hot climate please don’t get one or commit to always having them inside and walking them where there’s water for them to cook off in. It can literally kill them to be outside in the heat. It happened to my mom’s Berner at the vet clinic. I’m still furious.
They’re huge. They blow coat twice a year. And they are the sweetest dogs I’ve ever known.
george Patrick barrett says
I have a 1-1/2 yr. old female Berner who loves us to death but since the quarantine period she hasn’t seen anyone or another dog for months. We took her regularly to the local dog park for socialization, and she had great fun. Now we are just starting back to going and she is acting possesive and getting aggressive with other dogs. She passed puppy class early on and she was with some larger aggressive breeds in the class. I’m getting her back out now and it’s time for “Who’s the boss” training and getting the jealousy, and possessive stuff out of her. She is 1-1/2 yrs old and is being fixed this month and maybe that’ll help calm her down too. I sometimes wonder about the concept of dog parks as some of her behavior isn’t just that she’s gotten a mean streak, but a lot of these big dogs are out of control and pack up around other dogs and my pup gets fearful. A lot of people who go to the dog park don’t follow the rules of the park and I’ve seen some dogfights happen that are uncomfortable to see and be around and draw blood. I’m going to look for another dog park where it’s a little more “chill” and work her with calmer dogs. The best park around is the one that’s the most out of control but they have the nicest facilities but for now it’s back to school time and reintroduction.
toby lee says
i have had two of these dogs, and while they were love pups with the family they both exhibited aggression to folk they did not know. The present one has literally attacked people and we are faced with having him put down
Barbara says
I got attacked and bitten by 2 large adults, on on each side, on buttocks, hip, both sides and behind the knee, after buying eggs on a farm. I didn’t know how it was going to end, until owner came out with a shovel. Now I’m faced with an $8,000+ Medical bill from rabies vac because they were unvaccinated. 🙁
Sam says
My daughters Bermies, which is female and One and a half years old killed her little male senior pom when he was eating his food today!
Leah says
I’ve owned three Berners, and I believe between the three of them there wasn’t enough prey drive to scare a chicken ;in fact one of my males jumped in the air when he was inspecting a flat turtle and it made a hissing noise as it closed its shell. My first was not warm to strangers, but always polite. My next two never met a stranger and I was blessed to have one for fifteen years, and a female rescue for eight. I think she was about ten. I’ve had some great dogs in my life, but nothing to compare to my years with Rudy and Piper.