| The Breed Standard ... |  |
A Bernese Mountain Dog owner's interpretation ... |
| GENERAL APPEARANCE | GENERAL
APPEARANCE |
|
Strong, Sturdy working dog, active alert, well-boned, of striking colour. |
The most beautiful dog you have ever seen. EVER! |
|
| CHARACTERISTICS |
 |
CHARACTERISTICS |
| A multi-purpose
farm dog capable of draught work. |
A multi-purpose
farm dog capable of finding the most comfortable bed, sofa or chair
to snooze in for as long as you are around. Won’t leave your side
if he can help it. He will love everyone and take care of them all
in the bust nurse-maid fashion known to dogs! |
|
| TEMPERAMENT |  |
TEMPERAMENT |
| Boisterous,
fun loving, happy and prepared to do anything you ask him. He will
even do it if you don’t ask him. |
||
| HEAD AND SKULL |
 |
HEAD AND SKULL |
| Strong
with flat skull, very slight furrow, well defined stop; strong and
straight muzzle. Lips slightly developed. |
That huge
head finds its way under your elbow just as you are about to get
the peas into your mouth. Head-butt par excellence! Then those gorgeous
lips draw back into the most stunning Berner smile
and forgiveness is soooooo easy! |
|
| EYES |  |
EYES |
| Sparkling
with mischief and drowning with adoration for his human and life.
Yes, and brown too. |
||
| EARS |  |
EARS |
| MOUTH |  |
Mouth |
Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. |
Designed specifically for Berner kisses. And that divine smile! |
|
| NECK |  |
Neck |
| Strong,
muscular and medium length. |
Very strong. Any judge that has tried to force his mouth open to check teeth will confirm this. A short, strong flick of the neck and you will not hold that big head. Guaranteed! |
|
| Forequarters |  |
Forequarters |
Shoulders long, strong and sloping, with upper arm forming a distinct angle, flat lying, well muscled. Forelegs straight from all sides. Pasterns flexing slightly. |
Those forelegs can stretch out in all directions. Especially when he is checking what delectables have been left unguarded on the counter surfaces. And the flexing pasterns make it so easy to hook the desired object accurately and successfully into the waiting mouth! |
|
| BODY |  |
Body |
Compact rather than long. Height to length 9:10. |
Big, warm, soft and cuddly. And if you are really lucky, he will move it enough for you to get into your bed with him. |
|
| Hindquarters |  |
Hindquarters |
| Broad, strong and well muscled. Stifles well bent. |
Must be strong enough to support the counter-surfing forequarters. Otherwise, he would not be able to reach his mid-day snack. |
|
| FEET |  |
Feet |
Short, round and compact. |
For such a big dog, he is incredibly agile and light on his feet. That is why he can make his post counter-surf getaway so successfully |
|
| TAIL |  |
Tail |
Bushy, reaching just below hock. Raised when alert or moving but never curled or carried over back. |
Never stops wagging. Powerful and lethal. Small children should not stand behind a Berner. Very painful expression of great happiness. Constantly. And pretty much always raised and curled…… |
|
| Gait/Movement |  |
Gait/Movement |
Stride reaching out well in front, following well through behind, balanced stride in all gaits. |
If you can stop him bouncing for joy and keep at least some of his feet on the ground….. well, I suppose it has happened, but not often. |
|
| COAT |  |
Coat |
Soft, silky with bright natural sheen, long, slightly wavy but should not curl when mature. |
Beautiful, tricolour, silky coat that dumps a week before every show and grows back with a pronounced and definite curl one week after every show. |
|
| COLOUR |  |
COLOUR |
Jet black, with rich reddish-brown on cheeks, over eyes, on all four legs and on chest. Slight to medium-sized symmetrical white head marking (blaze) and white chest marking are essential. Preferred but not essential, white paws, white not reaching higher than pastern, white tip to tail. A few white hairs at nape of neck, and white anal patch undesirable but tolerated. |
||
| SIZE |  |
Size |
Height |
BIG |
|
| FAULTS |  |
Faults |
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog. |
As long as your dog has his grin and his bounce, he remains perfect. And his wagging tail will bear witness to this. |
|
| NOTE |  |
Note |
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum. |
Yes…And he will be only too happy for you to check them as often as you like. His grin and his wagging tail will bear me out on this! |
