The name ?Bernese Mountain Dog? is a rough translation of the German ?Berner Sennenhund,? which literally means ?Bernese Alpine herdsman?s dog.? The Bernese Mountain Dog was rescued from near extinction by Swiss cynologist Franz Schertenlieb in the late 1800?s.
The modern breed was developed from the dogs found in the countryside near Bern, Switzerland and they are only one of several Swiss breeds. The original Berner Sennenhund was an all-round farm dog used to guard the farm, drive the cows to and from their mountain pastures, and pull carts loaded with milk cans to the dairy.
The Bernese Mountain Dog needs lots of human companionship and must be allowed regular interaction with the family. The breed is gentle, calm, affectionate and faithful and makes a great watch dog. They are also very good with children and other animals.
The Bernese Mountain dog first came to the United States in 1926. A decade later, two more Bernese Mountain Dogs were imported from Switzerland. In 1937, these two dogs became the first of the breed to be officially recognized by the American Kennel Club.
