Please see our expanded breed education website at http://www.bmdinfo.org for more information on Bernese Mountain Dog care and training.
Nature and nurture
Cubby and Wilma
photo courtesy Nick Wellenstein
Bernese are usually incredibly cute , fluffy, vivacious puppies. And every puppy is unique. There are variations in the physical and mental qualities each individual puppy has inherited from its sire and dam that will influence the pup's capacity to perform in different kinds of situations.
Combine inborn differences in puppies with:
1- variations in how different owners relate to their dogs and different owner's lifestyles which will effect
what type of relationship an owner wants to have with their dog
eliot
photo courtesy Nick Wellenstein
how much time and energy an owner is able and willing to commit to a relationship with their dog
2- an owner's experience and focus in training which will affect:
an owner's capability to get and hold a dog's attention
an owner's knowledge of different ways to motivate a dog to perform as desired
an owner's ability to recognize and handle problem behaviors
an owner's recognition and acceptance of a particular dog's natural aptitudes
It is up to a breeder to do their best to produce healthy sound pups and place them with people who are willing to provide a stable lifelong home. Ultimately it is up to the owner to develop their dog's potential and mold behavior.
Given the uniqueness of families of dogs, individual dogs and owners it should be quite evident there will be considerable variation in how dogs will look, in dogs' structures, in their physical fitness, their intelligence, in what makes individual dogs tick, and in how dogs will act and behave based on owner management and lifestyle choices.