Any thoughts on a Bernese Mountain Dog or cross

[flyingmum]

Hi

I used to have a bearded collie years ago so have always been a beardie kind of a person - anything furry like Tibetans and Polish Lowland Sheepdogs make me go mushy. Husband and youngest son have been conducting 'serious dog offensive' ie, they would like one but I have been saying no because of the usual mummyish reasons. However, I saw a Bernese the other day - a very young one outside our Waitrose and had to say hello to it. It was utterly lovely and I have fallen in love with the breed. I've read up quite a bit about them and their personality would fit in with us but if there is anyone out there who has one or one which is crossed with something then I would love to hear the true picture. I read that they don't live very long which is bit . Is this true?

i think the burnese is the furry long haired relative of horse woofa

a great swiss mountian dog

There are 2 in our village & they are just gorgeous. Can't offer you any experience except one loves a stroke & the other doesn't because have own dog on lead usually.

My mate's got one.

She was told when she got him that BMD life expectancy isn't much more than 8. However he's 10 now so he's doing well. I think over the last few years, with good breeding, the life expectancy of some lines has improved/lengthened.

Lovely temperament. Beautiful looking. Thick as shit - that might just be him though, as BMD's are actually supposed to be quite bright.

yep, just googled,woofa is def a relative

hes a dappy sod, very loving. no brains (nor balls as got chopped ) but is 100% faithful and very loving and very good with children and very loving

did i mention he was very loving?

tbh a bit too loving

'pushes 10.5stone off her foot'

our horse aka woofa

There is three of them round here and all are lovely big dogs. A man walks one fine, but his wife is tiny and gets dragged round the park lol There other two are together, one young and one old, really calm, friendly dogs. Also met another two at a doggy day out and they were so so good with my mental puppy.

They are lovely but very big, big food bills and enormous poos!

Main downside (apart from the poos) seems to be the life expectancy which is much shorter for giant breeds than for say a JRT.

battery

big woofa = big poos :)

Thank you

The big poos are a bit put offing. I think normal brain thinking is beginning to function! I might go to a show or two and meet some of the breed and talk to breeders. I am rather hoping I will meet up with the wonderdog outside Waitrose again so I can ask its owners where they got him/her from. Oh lordy I see great danger in me becoming a dog stalker

Thanks to one and all for replying.

We had one, she was just lovely, a huge bundle of cuddles. But big for a lapdog, which was what she thought she should be (9 stone of love!) Downsides, huge poos, furballs blowing across the floors, they bring in a huge amount of dirt and then shed it as a very fine dust, everywhere! They often die young though, ours was just 6, cancer.

only 9 stone - ours is 10.5 stone

I met the most adorable Pyrenean Mountain Dog puppy the other day, absolutely lovely! however like Berneses they do get very big (he was only 5 months according to the owner but already nearly as big as my Rott ). You could tell from the enormous feet that he had a lot of growing still to do...

Newfoundlands are really nice dogs as well in my experience, but again very big!

We also had a Bernese. He was lovely. But, sadly, like coolas ours die of cancer aged 6.

my parents neighbours have recently brought a puppy - he is so cute and fluffy but massive feet, i told them he would grow ........