Hello all…..my 5 month old Berner, Stitch, is all fuzz and floof, except for a small spot in his tail. It’s our first BMD and we were curious about when/if his coat will change?
He’s both the sweetest and most challenging dog ever. Mouthy is an understatement, as he nips and bites constantly. But that’s for another post.

Hello everyone! I posted last week regard new puppy, Armin, has pretty severe diarrhea and a couple of people wanted an update and I finally have one. After removing his chews, going on a bland diet, and adding some Greek yogurt with pumpkin puree, his diarrhea cleared up for a bit. Unfortunately this morning it returned. Thankfully his vet visit was today as well. The vet prescribed a special kibble for 2 weeks. They are going to test for giardia, along with anything else that could cause diarrhea. She doesn’t think it’s a chicken allergy because of his age. He does have a bladder infection. We received antibiotics and probiotics. Other than that he is a very healthy puppy. Had gained 5lbs since we picked him up 2 weeks ago. He let the vet clip his nails. And because he received his bordetella vaccine, can start puppy classes in a couple weeks. Hoping everything settles with the new kibble.

My boy is 9 and has thankfully always been a healthy baby. But I’ve noticed lately he definitely seems to be slowing and would like to get him on a regular joint supplement. Thanks! 💕

I have an Irish Wolfadoodle. At 100 pounds and 31 inches at the shoulder, he's usually the tallest — if not the biggest — at the dog park. He gets along with everyone! People, small dogs, big dogs, cats... Except for Bernese Mountain dogs.

The first instance was a Bernese mix. It had the colors, but with a significantly shorter coat. My dog followed him around for a minute and then lunged at him, instigating a classic dog fight with the two dogs snapping furiously at each other until I pulled my dog off. Neither dog was injured, but it was incredibly unsettling.

The next time we were alone at the park when a full bred Bernese came in. I told the owner that my dog reacted aggressively to a similar dog and asked if he wanted us to leave, but he asked us to stay. It was only a minute or two before my dog grabbed the back of the Berner's neck. This one, though, had the full fur armor and barely reacted, making it easy to break them up. I evacuated my dog, but it didn't look like the Bernese held a grudge.

Now, I just have to leave whenever a dog shows up that looks vaguely like a BMD. I've heard people say small dogs are intimidated by bigger dogs, and a Bernese certainly looks bigger than my dog, but he plays fine with Great Danes.

Is this normal? Are other dogs racist against the breed, too?

Hello everyone! Need some advice on our 9 week puppy. We brought him home last Saturday. On Friday he started to have some diarrhea. By the nighttime it was completely watery and was needing to go out frequently. My husband said probably 6x that night. Saturday during the day, it seemed to get better. Had two normal poops. But last night, the diarrhea started again. And this time it had clear mucus in it. I know this can happen with GI inflammation or even just stress.

He has no other symptoms. Is eating and drinking normally. No blood. No dietary changes. We are feeding him the same food the breeder did. Using kibble as treats for training. Chews are Yak chews or an antler.

He has an appointment with the vet on the 28th. My question is, should I move the appointment up and try to have him seen sooner? Or should I try rice and chicken with some pumpkin for a few meals? TIA!

We unfortunetly (family circumstances) are moving from the PNW to AZ and I am wondering any and all tips you have on still keeping Tinkerbell (my three year old bernie) happy and healthy while converting her to a sun puppy. She was born and raised in Washington so this is going to be a big chnage for her.

Hi all. My fiancée and I brought home this little girl a week and a half ago, she's 75% Bernese Mountain Dog and 25% Black Lab. Early this morning (3 a.m.) she threw up a long white worm, she seemed her normal self and went back to sleep. After 6 hours she got sick again but nothing came out. I took her out to potty and that's when all hell broke loose. There were a couple worms in her stool, and then about 7-10 more worms poured out of her, followed by a few more after that. For about 10 more minutes she was trying to squat and get more out but nothing would come. I immediately called our vet and we have an appointment this afternoon. But I wanted to know if anyone has had any experience with this? Our 2 previous dogs never had worms, and I'd never seen such velocity of them at once come out of a puppy. Unfortunately, her breeder did not vaccinate her litter, but did say they were dewormed (I'm now starting to doubt it), but she is still acting like her normal, playful, bitty self. I'd appreciate any advice or shared experiences to let us know what to expect! We're both very stressed out for our girl.

We just adopted this sweet girl yesterday from a rescue organization. She is estimated to be around 10-11 weeks old and they told us she is a Bernese Mountain Dog mix, likely with Border Collie (bordernese). Since we can’t be absolutely sure with a rescue we just wanted to get some second opinions. Some of her initial vet paperwork said “Aussie mix” and was corrected, as the rescue org explained that it is a teaching vet hospital and that was marked by mistake. We’ve wanted a BMD mix for awhile as we have 3 kids and think that temperament would be ideal, and hopefully the mix would give us a slightly longer life span!

Hello everyone, I have some questions about probiotic supplements.

We give our Jenna (8 months) once a day a sachet of probiotic Purina pro Fortiflora PRO, sold only at our vet for ~$65CAD/box, since 5-6 months.

We bought the famous Bernie’s perfect poop and my girlfriend started giving him a small teaspoon during dinner to see if her poop would be better and possibly pivot to it.

Question 1: is it ok to give both probiotics at the same time?

Question 2: is Bernie’s « better » than fortiflora PRO? Is it the same thing?

Question 3: while searching on Amazon, I came across the non-pro version of the fortiflora, but half the price. Is it the same, better or worst?

What probiotic do you give to your dogs?

Thanks

This has been happening since he was a baby. He’s 3 years old now and every day I have to wipe the goop/ crust from his eyes. I took him to the vet and they saw no signs of infection but it just seems excessive. No other symptoms like pawing at it or redness just constant goop. Is this normal? He’s my first Bernese so idk if it’s just normal for the breed.

I've looked around on this subreddit and already found several similar posts that were very helpful, but only a few users answered with specific dimensions. I found three responses to the question of can a Bernese be comfortable in a small apartment that responded positively with an apartment size of ~700 sq ft. Generally the answers said that it's fine, but I never saw any responses about a ~600 sq ft apartment, which is what I have (a studio apartment). I think my situation is even smaller than what they would consider small.

Here is some other information:

• I live on the 12th floor in a city with lots of other dog owners in the building (honestly feels like only dog owners).
• My working situation allows extended time off for the earliest time of raising the puppy, working from home, and generally accommodations that make raising easy.
• I like to stay home a lot.
• I have some great dog parks and areas for roaming / hiking near me.
• I have a network of people that can look over the dog while I am away.

I'm really interested in adopting a Bernese, but of course I don't want the dog to have to live in an uncomfortable environment.

I've already raised a Bernese in my last living situation with my Mom and stepfather from which I've moved out, so I have familiarity with the breed. Their Bernese grew up in a house with a backyard and two other dogs for company. He's energetic and playful, but I'd still consider him overall lazier than the other dogs I've owned (which are many). Usually short bursts of physical activity (<15 minute walk or play), then snoozing, then mental / indoor stimulation. Repeat this cycle a few times a day. Always some longer, more involved activities during the week such as long times at dog parks, hiking, etc.

Let me know what you think!

Hey everyone,

We were brushing Juniper (our Bernese Mountain Dog puppy) today and noticed a red area right where her shoulder meets her right front leg. The redness is close to the root of her fur, and the hair near the skin looks pinkish. There’s no visible dried blood, but when we cleaned the spot with a bit of water, it looked more orange—so we’re wondering if it could be dried blood.

A few details: • Juniper is up to date on all core vaccines, including lepto and bordetella. • She had her first dose of NextGard Spectra (flea & tick treatment) at the beginning of the month. • This is the only spot like this on her body.

She has been scratching around her leg and neck and has some dandruff, which we think is due to dry skin since we bathed her twice before learning she doesn’t need frequent baths. She’s also shedding a lot. The red spot feels warmer to the touch compared to the other side, but aside from that, she isn’t acting uncomfortable.

Could this be irritation from grooming, a minor scrape, or something related to the flea treatment? Any ideas would be appreciated!

I’ve attached pictures for reference. Thanks in advance!

TL;DR: Noticed a red, warm spot on Juniper’s right shoulder while brushing. Hair near the skin looks pinkish, and when cleaned, it appeared orange (possible dried blood). She’s scratching her leg/neck, has some dandruff (likely from past overbathing), and is shedding a lot. She’s up to date on vaccines and had her first dose of NextGard Spectra this month. Otherwise, she’s acting normal. Could this be irritation, a scrape, or related to flea treatment? Any insights appreciated!

I have an amazing 3 year old 3/4 berner 1/4 golden retriever who is literally the most perfect dog. She’s so well behaved, and loves hikes and walks but is super lazy and hard to get motivated to play. If we miss a walk she’s into playing but quickly gets bored and gives up. She’s toy motivated but only when it’s a new toy and only for a few days. She grew up on a large property as more of a guard dog, following us around doing yard chores, chasing animals, and lounging on the deck. She came with me to school and got used to student life in the city, where we went to the dog park almost every day! She loved it at first but was more in it for the people. She would meet one dog she would really get along with and stay with that dog the whole time, and I loved watching her run and roll around like crazy with other dogs, wrestling and having a blast. Once she turned 2 though, she kind of just lost that oomph. She will still run like crazy when we go hiking and camping, but at the dog park just sniffs around and doesn’t really play. Even on walks sometimes she gets short spurts of energy but for the most part just trots along. I see all the other dogs running and playing and wonder if she’s really happy. She seems to be though, and really just loves love and attention (and napping) more than exercise LOL. I try to get her new toys, try enrichment exercises, training and trying to teach her tricks but she just doesn’t focus for that long, and doesn’t show much interest in it. If we do play with the ball she rarely retrieves it and wants me to chase her but quickly gets bored. She really only likes toys with squeakers (and we all know those last about 3 hours lol- if that). I’m wondering how normal this is for other berners and if any other berner parents see similar behaviour in their pups? I’ve heard once they grow out of the puppy stage they just become calm majestic cuddly bears and don’t want much to do with toys and playing, but does anyone have ideas for how to encourage playing? I swear she’s a happy dog, everyone says she just probably doesn’t get enough walks or exercise but I think she gets quite a bit of exercise! We’re always camping and hiking, snowshoeing and I take her to so many parks and ponds and rivers to swim in, which she loves, she just doesn’t do much else. I’m thinking this is just typical berner behaviour but I just love my girl so much and want her to be the happiest! What else can I do? Anyone with a similar issue, what’s worked for you? Appreciate all the advice 🩵🩵

I lost my boy young this past October and I love to stay in the subreddit because of what the breed meant to me but I have seen 2 posts just today of berners last moments. The other photos in your posts were great and are fantastic to remember but seeing those last moment photos tends to bring back some really unhappy memories.

Keep up with the memorials as these dogs deserve it but please keep photos from the procedure out of the post.

I’m curious what the healthiest Bernese mountain dog mix would be? Obviously that varies on the dog, but like generally

I'm in a little bit of a rough spot after transitioning out of the Army and am trying to make sure my girls are taken care of and I've heard of pet insurance but idk if it's worth anything. I'd love to hear from all y'all if you have any experience with it and what your experience is. Thanks for the help.

As we know, Berner hair is like mystical fairy dust that is invisible until IT ISN"T.... and then it's everywhere.

Have you repainted any light-color walls in your home since you've had berners? Any tips and tricks to keep the hair that gets stuck to a minimum?

My plan of attack for the small rooms is to:

1. sweep, vacuum, and dust/microfiber wipe the whole room.

2. Keep the door shut when opening all items to paint with and while taping.

3. Keep the door shut until walls are dry.

We have an open concept living room/kitchen/dining area so I would happily take any strategies you may have for keeping the hairs out of the paint, because I fear it will be the worst of losing battles.

Our girl is about to be 2 and Is in heat right now. It’s her third time around and we are planning on spaying her after this.

My question is, is she possibly creating milk of a sort? We aren’t breeding her and there’s 0 chance she’s pregnant, but I’ve noticed a yellow/whitish crust around her nipples. I’ve noticed it before but not this much and didn’t really think much of it last time. Maybe my pregnancy hormones are throwing her off a bit?🤣 picture of her hugging my pregnant belly when I got home yesterday.

Hey!

Last few hours have been interesting.

She threw up all of her food and she threw up twice foamy white liquid.

She seemed to settle down.

She is very alert and is wagging her tail. She is still playful and her nose is wet. Gums are not pail...

We have a nearly 9 year old Berner who has had pet insurance since she was a pup. We got our renewal and we’re looking at nearly 2k for the next year. With our deductible, we would have to have a 3k+ bill for the insurance to be beneficial.

We have a decent emergency fund we’ve built through many years and could afford to pay for medical treatment. We are trying to be realistic at her age. She is in good health, just some old lady joint issues that we take care of with supplements.

So this question is for those with older Berner’s who have passed or gone through significant health challenges. While I want her around forever, what kind bills did you face in their golden years? How successful were treatments for the big two potential issues - cancer/TPLO in older Berners? What kind of costs were involved to keep your older dog healthy and happy without affecting their quality of life too much?

The medical ethics weigh big time on me. Making decisions based on her comfort and quality of life are of utmost importance. I’m just trying to balance my love for her, empathy for her health, and reality given her age. Thanks in advance.

One huge thing you learn as a parent is that there is such a thing as “too quiet”. Burners are no exception🥹 Just bought a box of Starbucks coffee pods last night. Luckily she just wanted the box and not the actual coffee pod lol Salvaged almost all of them!

Meet Willow!! She is our 13 week old Bernese Cross - any guesses with what? Mom was apparently pure Bernese and Dad was the Bernese cross. Interestingly, she has a sister with one blue eye and one brown so we were thinking Malamute.

She has stolen our hearts already! Can you believe we got her at a rescue?

I was wondering if anyone else have a Berner that sploots? Velma has done this since I've had her and it cracks me up.

Pictures for tax reasons obviously But does anyone else’s Berner run into nail issues? Bleeding/splitting/anything else of the sorts? We are working alongside the vet and have him on meds and supplements to clear what we think it may be, but may have to talk to a dermatologist. Is this common in this breed? Just wondering is anyone else has struggled with something like this?