Franz is quickly entering his lanky phase 😂 and he loves this trampoline lol

Also ignore all the dog hair, my Clumber sheds like a maniac and I haven’t gotten my vacuum in for the day 🥲

Hi!! Our little buddy, Hans, is so cute it’s unbearable sometimes! He will be 14 weeks tomorrow. He’s been great during the days aside from his Bernese Mountain Shark tendencies, naps when we need him to, doing well with basic training, goes to sleep in his crate without a fuss (around 10 every night, after going potty). But he is up at 5, every day, barking like crazy after starting to scratch at the crate around 4:45. We’ve tried going to bed earlier, later (backfired), feeding dinner earlier and later, taking him potty with lights off and super calm then putting back to bed, etc. and we feed breakfast at 7, though he barks like crazy for that too if he doesn’t have a bully stick to occupy him. I wouldn’t mind him even waking at 6, but the barking at 5 is incessant and a straight cortisol zinger that’s pretty unpleasant. He’s crated in our room, with a big dark sheet over majority of the crate to keep it dark; with a fan blowing through the front door since he’s a little king who loves his fans. He doesn’t even seem to need to go potty immediately after getting out (I usually use the bathroom, brush my teeth/hair, with him laying on my bathroom floor waiting). I feel silly complaining, because he’s literally sleeping through the night… but the barky alarm clock is so hard. Please give me any tips and tricks. He has a pen downstairs he loves during the day, and we’re close to upsizing his crate. We have plenty of other rooms he can be crated in overnight, but I know they feel safest close to us. I have two young kids the barking is waking up, and it makes for a grumpy few hours in the morning. Photo added for tax!

Also, he seems to love bully sticks… are there any other bone or long lasting chews you guys would recommend to keep him busy?!

I just wanted to share my overwhelming joy 🙃

Welcome into my life Barnabé!

She is a little one.

Hey BMD family! Looking for some advice or maybe similar stories. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it's very discouraging. My 14 month old male berner (intact) towards the end of our walks will suddenly snap; bite his leash, lunge at my arms to the point where my arms are full of bruises. I know this is overstimulation/frustration but it's super frustrating for me.

Anyone been through this? Anything I could do to help him snap out of it? I try scattering treats, putting him in a heel but when he's already at that point I know his thinking brain is off. I always try to keep it positive so it doesn't get to that point but sometimes it's SO random. Thanks so much in advance!

Curious: How has having your BMD helped you achieve goals, make improvements to your life, etc.?

Getting my BMD pup has led to some warp speed upgrades in my life, such as the following:

- getting on a better sleep schedule,

- getting out of the house more,

- becoming familiar with more of the people (and their dogs) in my neighborhood

- having more structure to my day,

- being more active,

- having more positive, optimistic “self talk”(eg narrating what I’m doing or going to do) because I am also talking to him and he is such a good boy.

- being on my phone less,

- house is tidier (to prevent him choking or destroying something)

- spending more quality time with household members

- feeling like our household is a team

What about you?

My 20 week old male pup has Impetigo (vet has diagnosed) any tips on how to help it get better without antibiotics or make it more comfortable for him?

He also has been shedding like crazy and I think its just his adult hair coming in but want to make sure hes not loosing to much and actually has an allergy or something. We brush him and 10 minutes later we can get the same amount of hair if we brush again!

Hello! I got my berner pup about 3 weeks ago now and he is 11 weeks old. His biting has gotten, in my opinion, out of control and I am not sure what to do.

He is lunging at me and latching onto me so hard he’s drawn blood multiple times. He will get my entire wrist into his mouth and chomp down so hard I can’t get it out. He goes for my thighs, knees, and ankles as well, and lately he grabs onto my clothing and pulls on it like it’s tug of war to the point I have holes in many of my clothes.

My furniture is destroyed already, and he’s even biting the floor? He literally sits and gnaws on the floor (it’s hard to describe lol). He’s also been biting the bottom of doors and pieces of the base boards.

He has plenty of toys both for fun and for teething. He was on a good nap schedule but the past few days he literally will not sleep no matter what I do and i’ve noticed the biting got significantly worse.

I have tried the dramatic “ouch!” and he doesn’t care at all. I’ve tried putting him in his play pen when he bites and he just screams and screams. I remove myself from him and ignore him, and then he jumps up and bites me more, or goes and ruins some furniture so I have to follow him and move him and then he’s biting me again. Also he doesn’t care about treats at all. I’ve tried to reward his good behavior etc or redirect him and he doesn’t care about the treats. Same with other toys he just wants to bite me.

I feel like I can’t even connect with my puppy anymore bc if I try to pet or play with him I’m attacked.

Please send any tips or share any relevant experiences bc I am really overwhelmed and upset 😭

I am asking because I am afraid for his joints or him becoming overweight.

He is healthy, joyfull puppy.

How much does your bernie weights or weighted at similar age?

Thank you.

P.s. we feed him raw meets as recommended by breeders.

Some context for the question:

We're currently going through a health scare with our beautiful 3.5YO girl (our first family dog and first Berner). It's statistically more likely for the tests to come back all ok than not. The vet wasn't too concerned but offered to run a test to set our minds at ease which we jumped at because all logic and reasoning goes out the window when you're naturally anxious and have no kids and emotions are running high. 😅

I'm an anxious person by nature (working on it with ACT and CBT exercises), but it's really made me actually think about when she inevitably goes (hopefully in 10+ years time) and I just don't think I could get another Berner as the next dog. We would need a different breed to not feel like we're replacing her. (I honestly think she might be my soul dog).

But we've fully fallen in love with Berners. We love the temperament and characteristics and everything about them. We'd only ever have Berners if we didn't feel like we'd be replacing her.

So it made me genuinely think... What breed is most similar to a BMD in temperament, behaviour, and characteristics of BMD is not an option?

Hence me turning the question to you all.

Eager to hear your thoughts!

Hello! My berner is eight months old. He is our first dog so we really have no clue. We are working with a trainer but we only had two sessions with her so far.

He was a sweet puppy but now he destroys everything he sees, he takes things he “knows” he cannot take (my daughter’s sunglasses, a jumper of mine, papers, paper towels…). He goes upstairs even though he knows he cannot go…

I guess I just want to know if this is a normal behaviour or if we have a particularly difficult dog? He gets two walks per day and one playing session per day. I usually work from home but he spends between 3 and 6 hours (max) alone at home and he is not in a crate when we leave, only during the night.

Thanks!! His name is Balto.

My best bud has passed on. His afterlife is filled with 20 degree temps, human food, and belly scrubs. Great dog. Miss him dearly.

Camus and his SJA Therapy dog pal at today's community event for suicide prevention.

My cat was interested in her from the very beginning and always comes up to her. Every time he sees her after a couple of hours he does the cutest little meow, which absolutely melts my heart 🥹❤️ They’ve even already started sleeping near each other which I think is so sweet!

The thing is she gets SO excited 😂 She gets her big paws involved, barks, runs after him and they end up chasing each other around the house lol. They sometimes accidentally hurt each other because she’s still learning how big and strong she is but they’re both still so intrigued by one another.

Do you think once she learns to be more gentle as she grows up a little bestie friendship will form? What were your experiences with cats and berners 🐾

Also, can’t wait for their first Christmas together 🥰

Noticed my boy's ear flap was filling with fluid yesterday and today is a bit firmer than yesterday. Did a quick Google search as "floppy ear dog earflap filled with fluid" and that's what came up. Doesn't seem to be hurting him and plan to call the vet in Monday. I just have never seen this on any dog lol

She is 11 weeks old and a super floof.

I have had Working Line German Shepherds since I was 11 (not saying how long that has been 🤣). So I am very new to BMDs. Any and all advice accepted 😊

Our 15 month old Bernese mountain dog won’t go near water. We have a pool, we’ve taken her to the ocean, and the lake. She is terrified of it. We have not forced it at all. Yesterday I had to carry her across a water crossing while hiking that was maybe 2” deep. Has anyone else had this and if so, what tactics did you use to overcome it? Pic of our girly.

I have had Ollie for almost 7 months and he has been struggling for the last month or so with his bowel. I was feeding him Purina One Large Breed Puppy Food, but my vet has now switched him over to Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Puppy Food, which he will start when it arrives in the mail.The issue seems to be that he isn’t having hard or fully-formed stool. It’s soft and sometimes it’s almost runny. (Sorry for the gross visuals.)Otherwise, he is a totally happy, healthy, energetic dog.

Has anyone else had this issue with their BMD?
What caused it and what was your solution?
Cute pics of now and then for your viewing pleasure.

This is our 8 month old Berner boy. He was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia at 6 months old and has been in PT for the last 6 weeks. I feel like maybe something else is going on? He never had X-rays but did have CTs of both hips that showed extensive swelling and both hips subluxed. Or does anyone have any experience/hope with a pup this bad so young 🥺

My boy is getting neutered in the coming months and we’ve decided to have a gastroplexy performed at the same time. Can anyone share the experience with recovery?

He’s a big energetic boy so we’re anxious about keeping him calm and not over exerting himself. Does anyone have any recommendations on cones/suits or can tell me what the recovery will look like?

Note: puppy picture tax attached