Bernese Mountain Dog puppies

Berners are big, calm dogs in a striking black, white and rust coat, bred to pull carts and work alongside farmers in the Swiss mountains. They are gentle with children and less demanding of exercise than their size suggests, though they are far happier in cool weather than in heat. Syracuse is in northern Indiana, about two and a half hours from Chicago and less than an hour from the Michigan state line.

Questions about size, coat or price? Read our Bernese guides.

• Lifespan and sheddingHow long Berners live, health testing, the coat and drool, temperament and size.
• Bernese pricesWhat our Berners cost, why the breed costs what it does, and what one costs to keep.
• Grooming a BernerThe tools, baths and drying, feet and ears, nails and teeth, and why a Berner is never shaved.