Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies: Size, Growth, and Health

Bernese Mountain Dog puppies are small and fluffy for a short time, then grow into large dogs. The Bernese Mountain Dog is a farm dog from the canton of Bern in Switzerland, and the American Kennel Club (AKC) lists adult males at 80 to 115 pounds and adult females at 70 to 95 pounds. This page covers how a Berner puppy grows, what exercise a growing large breed puppy can handle, how long the breed lives, and the health tests the breed club recommends for the parents of a litter.

Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies: What To Know

The Bernese Mountain Dog is one good-looking animal. It’s a large, sturdy working dog with a beautiful tri-colored double coat. The breed club’s standard describes a jet black ground color with rich rust over each eye and on the cheeks, plus a white blaze and muzzle band. The AKC says Berners earned their keep by droving cattle, guarding farmyards from predators, and serving as gentle companions. It scores the breed’s shedding 5 out of 5, and our page on Bernese Mountain Dog shedding covers the coat and brushing.

How Big Do Bernese Mountain Dog Puppies Get?

Although these pups look small at first, they grow into large dogs. The AKC lists adult males at 80 to 115 pounds and adult females at 70 to 95 pounds. The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA) breed standard measures height at the withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades: 25 to 27½ inches for males and 23 to 26 inches for females.

Growth takes a long time in large breeds, and food matters while it happens. Jennifer Larsen, DVM, PhD, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, writes in Veterinary Partner that “large-breed growth diets are typically lower in calories, calcium, and phosphorus.” She says a growth diet “should be fed until the dog reaches approximately 80% of the anticipated adult size,” which “generally occurs by 12 months of age for small and medium-breed dogs, and by 18-24 months for large and giant-breed dogs.” She also writes, “All puppies should be kept lean throughout growth and beyond to promote health and longevity.” The Nutritional Adequacy Statement on the food label shows whether a diet is appropriate for growing puppies. Her first advice is to talk to your veterinarian with any questions about your puppy.

Temperament And Exercise

The BMDCA standard describes the temperament as “self-confident, alert and good-natured, never sharp or shy,” and says the dog “may remain aloof to the attentions of strangers.” The AKC scores the breed 5 out of 5 for affection with family, for being good with young children, and for being good with other dogs.

These puppies are not couch potatoes. The AKC scores the breed’s energy level 4 on a scale where 1 is “Couch Potato” and 5 is “High Energy.” For a puppy, though, more is not better. Larsen writes, “There are no hard and fast rules for exercising growing large-breed puppies,” and she defines forced exercise as “anything beyond what the puppy would do when playing with dogs of the same age.” Running with people and excessive stick-chasing count. She says that in most large breeds “the growth plates close around 12 months,” and that waiting until a dog is 12 to 15 months old for vigorous exercise allows adequate skeletal development. Swimming, in her words, “is not stressful on joints or bones,” and she names scent exploration and training as good ways to entertain a puppy.

The AKC says early socialization and obedience training are important for all dogs, “but especially so for breeds as large as the Bernese Mountain Dog.” It calls Berners “intelligent and eager to please,” and says they “don’t respond well to harsh corrections or training methods.” Our guide to social enrichment covers activities that put a dog in contact with other dogs and with people. The AKC also says undesirable behaviors can result if a Berner is regularly left alone for long periods of time.

Lifespan And Health Screening

The AKC gives a life expectancy of 7 to 10 years. The BMDCA’s health page says “we have many Berners living into their teens, we have far too many that don’t,” and calls a lifespan of 7 to 8 years “too short for a large breed dog.”

The AKC says Berners are generally healthy dogs, and that responsible breeders screen breeding stock for conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, blood disorders, some cancers, and progressive retinal atrophy. It also says all large breeds are susceptible to bloat, “a sudden, life-threatening stomach condition,” and tells Berner families to learn what signs to look for and what to do should they occur.

The BMDCA’s health statement says “we strongly recommend the health screening tests for both sire and dam in breeding programs,” and lists these as the minimum:

• An AKC DNA profile.
• Hip dysplasia: an OFA evaluation (minimum age 24 months) or PennHIP (minimum age 4 months).
• Elbow dysplasia: an OFA evaluation (minimum age 24 months).
• An eye examination by a board-certified ACVO ophthalmologist.
• A cardiac evaluation (minimum age 12 months).
• Degenerative myelopathy DNA tests (SOD1A and SOD1B).

It also lists optional tests and says to choose at least one: von Willebrand disease, autoimmune thyroiditis, or a histiocytic sarcoma risk test. The bmd.org breeder page calls histiocytic sarcoma “an aggressive form of cancer, common in Bernese, that’s generally fatal,” and says there is a DNA test breeders can use to help plan litters with a lower incidence of it. A puppy or adult dog that seems unwell should see a vet.

Where To Get A Litter?

One of the most trusted ways to get a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog is through a reputable breeder. The BMDCA says any breeder you consider “should be willing to review a potential puppy pedigree to explain any health issues in all of the dogs in that pedigree.” Its Berner-Garde health database, which it says holds over 220,000 dogs, lets you review information about the dogs of specific breeders. You can also check a breeder through a breeder referral program, and the page says to look up the dog’s health certifications.

Another option is to adopt from your local shelter or a home specializing in this breed. The BMDCA’s rescue page says dogs younger than two rarely come into its rescue program, and that most Berners needing a new home come from families who can no longer care for them because of changing life circumstances or issues with the dog’s health or behavior.

The National Animal Interest Alliance’s July 2015 shelter survey concluded that “the number of purebreds in US animal shelters is closer to 5% (5.04%) than to the 25% so commonly cited.” That makes purebred dogs in shelters quite rare, but it’s still worth a look or two. So take up your favorite dog rescue shirt and start the search now!

Similar Breeds

Here are three other large working breeds, with figures from the AKC.

Newfoundland

The AKC lists adult Newfoundland males at 130 to 150 pounds and females at 100 to 120 pounds, calls the Newf “a famously good companion,” and says Newfs are born swimmers with partially webbed feet. Our page on Newfoundland dogs and the Italian Coast Guard covers how rescue dogs of this breed work in the water.

Saint Bernard

The AKC lists adult males at 140 to 180 pounds and females at 120 to 140 pounds. It says the hospice monks of the Great St. Bernard Pass developed powerful working dogs able to locate and rescue travelers buried by drifts and avalanches, and that early socialization and puppy training classes are “absolutely required for dogs as big and strong as a St. Bernard.”

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

The AKC describes the Anatolian as a rugged, imposing flock guardian that is “protective and territorial” but also intelligent, patient, and profoundly loyal. It says obedience training is a must with the breed and that training it to respond to commands can be a challenge.

FAQ

When do Bernese Mountain dog puppies lose their teeth?

The AKC’s puppy teething timeline says baby teeth start to shed between weeks 12 and 16, and that by about six months all of a puppy’s baby teeth should have fallen out and the adult teeth grown in. It suggests offering safe chew toys during this stage and asking your vet to check the puppy’s mouth.

When do these puppies open their eyes?

The AKC timeline says that by weeks 2 to 4, a puppy’s eyes will have opened. It covers puppies in general, not only Berners.

How much do Bernese Mountain dog puppies sleep?

These pups may sleep up to eighteen hours a day or more, according to a Bernese Mountain Dog sleep guide from AREW.

How long do Bernese Mountain Dogs live?

The AKC lists 7 to 10 years. The BMDCA calls 7 to 8 years too short for a large breed dog and says many Berners live into their teens.

When can a Bernese puppy go running with me?

Larsen says running with people is forced exercise for a growing puppy, and that waiting until a large-breed dog is 12 to 15 months old allows adequate skeletal development. Ask your vet when your own puppy is ready.

Sources

• American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page: weight, life expectancy, history, health, training, trait scores.
• Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America. Breed standard: height, coat color, temperament.
• Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America. Health Statement, approved March 2024.
• Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America. Health and Rescue pages.
• Breeder Referral Program, bmd.org: health certifications and histiocytic sarcoma.
• Larsen, J. A. Nutrition and Exercise for Growing Puppies. Veterinary Partner (VIN), revised April 26, 2023.
• American Kennel Club. A Timeline of Puppy Teething.
• AREW. How Much Do Bernese Mountain Dogs Sleep?, archived copy of August 8, 2023.
• American Kennel Club breed pages for the Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, and Anatolian Shepherd Dog.
• National Animal Interest Alliance. Survey of Shelter Dog Composition: Mutts vs. Purebreds, July 2015.