Information for Prospective Puppy owners

⚪️ Will your lifestyle and work schedule allow you to spend enough time with your dog?

⚪️ Do you understand that Bernese Mountain Dogs want to be where their people are? Any dog isolated from people and social interaction will eventually become bored and stressed, leading to destructive and neurotic behaviour

due to boredom and lack of exercise. When considering whether a Bernese Mountain Dog is the right choice for you, remember that you’ll need to dedicate time to its training and self-control from puppyhood to ensure it behaves appropriately at home and in public as an adult. You won’t be able to simply pick up your Bernese Mountain Dog to protect it from danger.

⚪️ Do you have a small garden or yard, or plenty of nearby parks, and time for outings?

⚪️ Do you work full-time but can take the puppy or dog to work (in a pet-friendly environment) or have someone to look after it?

⚪️ Do you have a secure, fenced outdoor space or a room where your dog will be safe during your absence?

⚪️ Does your lifestyle allow for the socialisation of your future family member, including opportunities to meet other people and animals?

⚪️ Is your lifestyle “Berner friendly”? Your living environment will influence the types of activities you can provide for your dog. Bernese Mountain Dogs were historically working farm dogs. While you may not live on a farm, maintaining a functional and mutually beneficial relationship with your dog is crucial. Ask yourself if you are willing to commit to this. Many owners find time for fun alongside working with their dogs (obedience, herding, rescue work, therapy).

⚪️ A common question prospective puppy buyers ask is how much exercise a Bernese Mountain Dog needs. The general answer is: it depends on the individual dog. Some adult dogs are content with several short daily walks on a lead, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, and playing in the garden if the space is sufficient. For others, this may be inadequate. Balancing your lifestyle, work schedule, and your dog’s activity needs at various stages of development can be challenging. Bernese Mountain Dogs can be quite active and energetic, while others are happiest resting and may need encouragement to get moving! Active walks, exercise, and play will result in a calmer, happier, and healthier dog.

⚪️ What about exercising and walking with other dogs? Some dogs play well together, others don’t. Joint play can be a great form of relaxation and natural socialisation. Supervision is necessary to prevent overly excited dogs from hurting each other. How does a Bernese Mountain Dog get along with other pets?

⚪️ Will your Bernese Mountain Dog tolerate other pets? Bernese Mountain Dogs generally get along with other animals. Monitor their interactions to ensure your dog knows how to behave with other pets, such as cats, to prevent strained relationships or injuries. Puppies can be very playful—curious and exuberant—while some may later become intolerant of other dogs or cats (some have a strong prey drive). Teaching them proper behaviour is essential to avoid them chasing or potentially harming smaller pets.

⚪️ The health of a Bernese Mountain Dog is crucial, so consider health right from the start. A pedigree puppy doesn’t guarantee 100% health but significantly reduces the likelihood of major health issues early on. Health problems can arise in any dog, whether purebred or mixed. Quality of life is influenced by genetics and environmental factors. Owners can positively impact their dog’s health through daily care, love, presence, quality diet, safe home environments, a rational vaccination programme, preventive veterinary care, grooming, dental care, and appropriate physical activity. Minimising stress, similar to humans, demonstrably increases a dog’s quality of life and longevity. No breeder can guarantee that a puppy won’t face future health issues. Many Bernese Mountain Dogs live long, healthy lives, but awareness of potential health problems is crucial for improving our pets’ quality of life.

⚪️ How long can a Bernese Mountain Dog live? What is the average lifespan of this breed? The Swiss have a saying about the lifespan of Bernese Mountain Dogs: “Three years a young dog, three years a good dog, three years an old dog … everything beyond that is a gift from God.” Currently, the average age for Bernese Mountain Dogs is about 7 years, with some living up to 10 to 14 years.

⚪️ What is a standard and a non-standard Bernese Mountain Dog? A standard Bernese Mountain Dog has a pedigree and meets the recognised FCI standard in terms of appearance. Standard dogs are evaluated for their genetic (breeding) and phenotypic (appearance) value. A dog’s breeding value is estimated based on the traits of its ancestors, siblings, and offspring. (Ing. Jaromír Dostál, DrSc). The phenotypic value is based on show results, examinations, temperament tests, and genetic and X-ray tests for defects and hereditary diseases. Dogs that meet breeding requirements have the highest breeding value. A non-standard Bernese Mountain Dog also has a pedigree but has faults that disqualify it from showing and breeding. These faults include incorrect bite, tail kinks, blue eyes, excessive white markings, etc. These issues aren’t health problems or handicaps, so the dog can become a full and healthy family member.

⚪️ The question “What is the price of a puppy?” should be one of the last considerations, as it is only the initial investment for the new owner. The actual costs for a serious breeder are perhaps invisible to potential buyers, but they are high. This includes daily quality food (in our case, BARF), vaccinations, regular veterinary check-ups, genetic tests (50-100 Euros each), joint X-rays (100 Euros), show fees, travel expenses, stud fees (abroad, including travel and accommodation – approximately 2000 Euros), PCR and other pre-mating tests (mycoplasma, herpes virus, bacteriology, progesterone tests), ultrasound examinations, and later providing for puppies (food, disinfectants, nappies, pads, vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, issuing pet passports, genetic tests, and daily care for two to three months).

⚪️ New dog owners must also consider significant expenses. Quality food and supplements, home adjustments (solving slippery surfaces, securing fences, buying a better vacuum cleaner or dryer for your pet, bowls, safe toys, quality collars and leads), and sometimes even a larger car to accommodate everyone, including the tri-coloured bear, must be provided. Add in veterinary fees for basic vaccinations and preventive check-ups.

⚪️ The price of a puppy depends on its quality, the quality of the parents, pedigree, ancestors, and show successes. The price of a non-standard puppy can range from 700 to 1000 Euros. The price of a standard individual from an average kennel ranges from 800 to 1200 Euros. The price of a standard individual from high-quality bloodlines, whose phenotypic and genotypic value can benefit the breeding of Bernese Mountain Dogs, can range from 1500 to approximately 2500 Euros.

⚪️ When do puppies leave for their new homes? When they go to families in Slovakia, they leave at a minimum age of 8 weeks, after being dewormed three times, microchipped, genetically tested (if necessary), vaccinated, and given basic socialisation. For foreign countries, we follow the rules of the respective country, and puppies often leave much later.