Bernese Mountain Dog History And Traits

Family Photo
Birken Berners Kennels

It is believed the Berner (Sennenhund DurrBachler) breed is believed to have originated during the time of the Romans, and descended from the Roman Mollasers (Mastiff) and cross bred with the Livestock Guardian dogs of the Alps. (source Wikipedia).

In more recent times it is considered to have origins in Switzerland in the midland area around Berne in a hamlet called Durrbachler near Riggisburg. The dog was considered a farm dog, and used to herd cattle to and from the pastures, and at times pulled carts of milk cans to deliver milk to neighbouring villages and towns. (source Naturehistorische Museum Bern).

The Berner is a wonderful family dog and companion when it has been socialized as a puppy. It is good around children, other dogs and even cats. I witnessed many times Monya playing with the cat for hours and hours. The cat when it was a kitten, used to put her head right inside of Monya's mouth for fun. They are also calm and mild mannered in crowds of people, playful with other dogs, and warm up to friends. They are often tentative around strangers until the owner exhibits acceptance of the stranger.

The Berner is excellent as a watch dog. and they alert the owner to anything that might be going on around the house or property. My dogs spend time out on the deck year round, and alert me to visitors, and even other dogs or animals that might be approaching the property long before a human being would ever notice.

They are mild mannered and affectionate, and need human contact on a regular basis. In terms of training, they need a good deal of attention in sound training principles, but over a fairly short period of time they begin to recognise the the habits and structure of the household and family unit that they belong to.

If you are interested in a Berner puppy please contact me at BirkenBerners@gmail.com or sign up for regular updates to my Blog.

The Dog Whisperer

At age 13 growing up on a farm in Mexico, Cesar Millan realized that he wanted to be the best dog trainer in the world. During this period in his life he was always around a pack of dogs, and he remembers that his Father and Grandfather always taught him never to work against nature. In his book he said "That in every dog, he sees the spirit of his Grandfather"

With over 20 years experience in dog training, he produced a TV special for National Geographic, and the show has been a hit ever since it began. He owns a Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, and on a daily basis helps numerous dog owners to solve behaviour problems with their dogs with great success.

The philosophy of his training starts with the assertion that a dog because it is an animal, "Always Wants To Go Back To A State Of Balance", or back to a state of normal for the dog.

He feels that modern day society as a tendency of Humanizing dogs, because we want them to be a part of our family. He says "We need Dogs more than they need us". And this tendency to Humanize the dog has forced the dog to live outside this state of balance, and is the root cause of all dog behavioral problems.

The fundamentals of correcting a dog's behavior are Exercise, Discipline, and Affection. By daily Exercise of the dog, coupled with unrelenting daily Discipline, and ending with Affection when the dog behaves properly any dog can be rehabilitated over time. The dog owner must on a daily basis use this window of opportunity to accomplish a Balance in the life of the dog, and the owner.

Cesar often says that he Rehabilitates dogs, and Trains people.

Cesar Millan's Official Website

National Geographic Channel-Dog Whisperer

Buy The Complete First Season of Dog Whisperer on DVD

Fidel And His Offspring

Fidel And His Offspring

Here is a great shot of the first litter between Fidel and Monya 2years ago. What a beautiful sight to have a healthy lively litter of puppies in the Kennel.

At the time, Monya was my primary female, and she produced some beautiful litters of puppies over her years.

Fidel is now my main man, and he continues to produce day in and day out.

If you are interested in a Berner Puppy, please sign up for an email update or a RSS update in the spaces in the top right hand corner of the blog. I will post a message on this blog whenever I have puppies for sale.

Bacia In The Classic Berner Pose

Babel Bacia Barking Bunch Holland

Bacia is my most recent female purchase from the Barking Bunch Kennel in Holland. I had her flown over on Air Canada in 2007, and she is a beautiful dog as you can see from the pose that she made in the photo.

One of the benefits you can appreciate from purchasing a puppy from my Kennel is that we are on a 1.5 acre property in the beautiful mountain area of Birken B.C. The property is completely fenced off, and the dogs have a large amount of space to run, play, and enjoy the fresh air outdoors winter and summer.

Going For A Swim In Gates Lake

Cisco And Fidel

Here is a great photo taken in May 2007 when I took Cisco and Fidel to Gates Lake for a swim, and to get some exercise. The Lake is only 5 minutes away from the Kennel, so I take the dogs for a swim as often as possible.

These two males take very well to the water, and enjoy the swim, and chasing after sticks when you throw them in the water.

Diesel's Monya Ordas

Diesel's Monya Ordas

Monya was one of the finest Berners I have ever owned. She was the mother of a fair number of beautiful puppies. She was also one of the most laid back and friendly dog that you could ever want to own.

I have fond memories of her, and because she is no longer with us, I miss her dearly. She was the dog that started me off breeding Berners.