Breed Info
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Breed Information from the AKC website
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Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Standard
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Working Group Information from the AKC website
General Appearance
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a striking, tricolored, large dog. He is sturdy and balanced. He is intelligent, strong, and agile enough to do the draft and driving work for which he was used in the mountainous regions of his origin. Dogs appear masculine, while bitches are distinctly feminine.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Measured at the withers, dogs are 25 to 27½ inches; bitches are 23 to 26 inches. Though they appear square, Bernese Mountain Dogs are slightly longer in body than they are tall. Sturdy bone is of great importance. The body is full.
Expression is intelligent, animated, and gentle. The eyes are dark brown and slightly oval in shape, with close-fitting eyelids. Inverted or everted eyelids are serious faults. Blue eye color is a disqualification. The ears are medium-sized, set high, and triangular in shape. Gently round the tip and hang close to the head when in repose. When the Bernese Mountain Dog is alert, the ears are brought forward and raised at the base; the top of the ear is level with the top of the skull. The skull is flat on top and broad, with a slight furrow and a well-defined, but not exaggerated, stop. The muzzle is strong and straight. The nose is always black. The lips are clean, and, as the Bernese Mountain Dog is a dry-mouthed breed, the flies are only slightly developed. The teeth meet in scissors bite. An overshot or undershot bite is a serious fault. The dentition is complete.
The neck is strong, muscular, and of medium length. The topline is level from the withers to the croup. The chest is deep and capacious, with well-sprung, but not barrel-shaped, ribs and brisket reaching at least to the elbows. The back is broad and firm. The loin is strong. The croup is broad and smoothly rounded to the tail insertion. The tail is bushy. It should be carried low when in repose. An upward swirl is permissible when the dog is alert, but the tail may never curl or be carried over the back. The bones in the tail should feel straight and should reach the hock joint or below. A kink in the tail is a fault.
The shoulders are moderately laid back, flat-lying, well-muscled, and never loose. The legs are straight and strong, and the elbows are well under the shoulder when the dog is standing. The pasterns slope very slightly. But we are never weak. Dewclaws may be removed. The feet are round and compact, with well-arched toes.
The thighs are broad, strong and muscular. The stifles are moderately bent and taper smoothly into the hocks. The hocks are well laid down and straight as viewed from the rear. Dewclaws should be removed. Feet are compact and turn neither in nor out.
The coat is thick, moderately long, and slightly wavy or straight. It has a bright, natural sheen. Extremely curly or extremely dull-looking coats are undesirable. The Bernese Mountain Dog is shown in a natural coat, and undue trimming is to be discouraged.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is tricolored. The ground color is jet black. The markings are rich rust and clear white. Symmetry of the markings is desired. Rust appears over each eye, on the cheeks reaching to at least the corner of the mouth, on each side of the chest, on all four legs, and under the tail. There is a white blaze and a muzzle band. A white marking on the chest typically forms an inverted cross. The tip of the tail is white. White on the feet is desired, but it must not extend higher than the pasterns. Markings other than those described are to be faulted in direct relationship to the extent of the deviation. White legs or a white collar are serious faults. Any ground color other than black is a disqualification.
The temperament is self-confident, alert, and good-natured, never sharp or shy. The Bernese Mountain Dog should stand steady, though he may remain aloof to the attentions of strangers.
Blue eye color. Any ground color other than black.