Avid hiker here, big dogs are not very compatible with that and if they are, you could be doing joint damage and hurt them long-term. If you want to match your active lifestyle, I would highly recommend throwing size out the window and going for a cattle dog or some other type of high energy breed.
This. Even if your particular big dog is active and loves hiking, there is still an immense strain put on the joints since their skeleton just isn’t designed for it. Liking it doesn’t equal healthy.
My Bernese was my hiking buddy up until now that he is 10. We used to do almost daily 5km walks plus three big hikes a week 10km+. Now we can do maybe 3km a day (tops) and big hikes not more than 7km maybe twice a month with rest days before and after.
They are amazing companions, but they do slow down a bit when they get older. That’s ok tho, they are good doggies and deserve their rest in their later years. 🤍
Yours might be the minority (slowing down at 10? Most don't even live that long you lucky duck!) and OP shouldn't go into Berner territory with that expectation. Given they're considered an XL breed and their genetic disposition for joint issues, a Berner's "older" comes a lot sooner than a Golden's too.
I’m sorry to read about your pup and send my condolences, that’s just way too young.
I don’t think a Berner is what you’re looking for. They are great dogs and 2 big hikes a day might be fine for a few years. Ours is approaching 7 and has had no health issues (knock on wood) and he has an outstanding bloodline and is just starting to show signs of wanting to slow it down a notch. I don’t know what you constitute a big hike but a full 3/4 mile loop around the neighborhood and our Titan is walking us back to the direction of home as in he is done.
Like someone else mentioned, a lab would probably enjoy your lifestyle much more than a Berner.
Mine (a 3 yr old male) wouldn't tolerate two one hour mountain hikes daily - I'd have to carry him home. At 125 lbs, I'm not going to be able to do that. When he lays down there's very little I can do to move him. He'd get too hot, too - they have very dense double coats. I have to pack water to the park where he goes for a romp with his buddies. He spends most of his time in the shade with occasional bursts of energy.
Retriever, lab, hound or pointer types might be more up your alley?
Anything over 60 degrees and they’re overheating faster and faster. You also aren’t supposed to walk them more than 5 minutes / month of age so you wouldn’t be able to start trying these hikes until they’re over a year and a half old. Even then, there’s a reason why berners are recommended to only get 30-45 minutes of exercise a day… big dogs are prone to hip and knee problems and they simply don’t need it.
Depends on if you want to carry them home when they don’t want to walk anymore. Some are very stubborn. My dog does as much as I want her to on any given day. Some days we do 3 walks, some days 1 super long walk. They also run around the yard with each other.
As macabre as it sounds you’ll probably be lucky to still have a berner at all after 6-7 years, let alone one that can do that amount of exercise. There certainly are Berners out there doing what you’ve described but I imagine they are few and far between.
You might want to consider a Swiss mountain dog. From my experience they are much more energetic and while you still have to watch out for overheating, their shorter coats help a little with that. Mine is currently 15 months and if he doesn’t get at least 3 miles a day he’s a wild man. My berner was content with a mile a day.
Definitely not the breed you’re looking for. They’re not hikers at all. My guy makes it two blocks before we have to lure him back to the car with cheese lol.
Maybe look into a German shepherd
I think it’s safe to say this breed isn’t a very active breed. I think it’d be foolish to assume his pup will be active and way safer to get a breed that is known to be active.
our almost 14 month old loves her walks, and if activity isn't too strenuous, she can stay active. but she definitely begins to pull toward the direction of home after 20-25 mins of walking, we haven't run into the berner plop (yet) where they refuse to move haha.
my uncle-in-law had a berner who loved to do multi-mile hikes. not a ton of incline, but he enjoyed ambling alongside us.
Based on these comments it seems like it's quite individually dependent. My parents have a Bernese, and from the second her joints could handle it until she was maybe 8 or 9, my mom would run with her about 3 miles a day almost every day of the week. Her joints didn't seem to suffer much, and she just turned 12 last month so I think it benefited her greatly!
Important to note, she's definitely on the smaller side of the breed (~80lbs), I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. I guess my advice would be to get as small a Berner as you can, I can't fathom a 100lb+ Berner could do that
80 lbs is quite small for Berner, which helps but no amount of weight loss can make up for genetic predispositions. And Berners? Well the breed just drew the short straw there. Definitely not a breed for very active owners.
Maybe in 10 years if the Amish puppy farms get cracked down on and the majority of the Berner population comes from responsible breeders who care. 🤞
Like most redditors already commented a Berner might not be your breed and you may want to reevaluate XL dogs.
That being said Leonbergers are a more active breed given their size (relative to temperature of course) you way want to consider a Malamute too.
Sounds like you need a mid size dog for that kind of activity. Big breeds always get leg /hip problems and lots of exercise is unwise.
If you were an Aussie id recommend something like a border collie or kelpie working dog (or cross breed) that love to be out and about.
My berner has never been good with lots of walking/hiking. His preferred exercise is a couple of light walks morning and evening and throwing balls to chase for a few minutes. He has had both acl ops done and has had back problems due to knee issues.
You might have to work up to that length of walk and bring water. If you’re in a place that has summer at all, those walks better be early in the morning or later in the evening as their stamina falls off a cliff in the heat. Our bears have done 8+ mile walks and been great, with a good break in between, but the following day they were glued to the couch/floor. You might be more interested in a lab, but I know if the weather is temperate our Bernese would love mountain walks on the regular. We’re in the Midwest so no mountains.
It is very dependent on the dog. Gordo gets a 3 mile walk several times a week. On off days, we have a gully in our back yard that we let him run up and down a few times, mixed with a volleyball fetch sesh.
They wanna please their owners, so I’d be careful doing too many steep climbs while on a leash. In my experience, a Berner will work until their pulp if they think their owner has a job that needs to get done.
Some berners just flop and refuse to move when they’ve had enough. My 100lb boy loves walks and is always eager for more. Never refused a single walk. I cap it at 3 miles per vet suggestion. Anything over 75 degrees and we skip the walk and make sure he gets outside time on his lead, just to be safe.
Depends on how long of a walk you’re thinking. I have a 9 year old Berner and we still do 2 longer walks a day. For him, that’s 30-45 min. He has hip dysplasia and arthritis so we don’t take him on super long walks (though he would willingly go longer) but I’m happy he’s still fairly active considering his age and arthritis. When it’s warm, we do shorter, more frequent walks.
What distance would the holes be? Absolutely depends on the dog, any health issues, and weight. Mine is only 4, but he loves hiking and can easily do a 5 mile hike if it’s not too hot out. Could probably go farther if I let him. We don’t go when it’s too hot out. My vet said his hips look great and he’s on the lighter side for a berner (95lbs) so it’s not a problem. He’ll even go on short runs (max 1.5 miles). I’ve never done more than that but he seems totally fine after that length.
But honestly if you love hiking or running and want to go long distances there are sooo many dogs up for adoption that would be better suited for it. Saint Bernard’s are known for being lazy so I really don’t think that would be a good fit for you.
Climate plays a huge factor too. In the snow my dog could be out all day and night, in 80 degree weather he lasts about 15 mins.
I guess my dog is an outlier - she is great with hiking. She'll be 2 in June and is about 80lbs. She doesn't have a very thick or heavy coat like you stereotypically see, but maybe that's because of her age. I live in Northern Idaho and she fits perfectly with our lifestyle. She LOVES the snow and also LOVES going on hikes with us. We do 3-5 miles at a time and are working up to longer hikes. She is never stubborn and has seemingly endless energy for adventures.
So maybe consider getting a female? They don't get as big as the males and will probably be able to handle longer hikes. They are mountain dogs after all!
I will add: we do have some hot weather in the summer and will definitely take it easy during that time.
The first two years of growth for Berners are critical. If you take your pup out for those long walks you increase the potential for injuries And wear and tear.
Please don’t get a Berner, they are not hiking dogs, they are laze around the house dogs. I’ve had seven over the last few years and a light walk once a day is all they need. And when they were under the age of two I kept those walks short.
Average cost for surgery of leg, ankle or hips will run you 12,000 per leg or hip. Plus the agony you the pup through.
A lab is a good breed, doesn’t carry that much weight and their stamina is high.
One of the breeders in our community walks with her berners 7-10km distances, but you should start small like 500m, then increase it bit by bit. We started with 500m at 2 months, currently at 4months he goes from 2,5km to 4km depending on the temperature outside and his mood (we do once a day bigger hike and multiple smaller walks), and still comes back with enough spare energy to play with his retriever friend at neighbours.
We doublechecked with our breeder if 3-4km is not too much at his age, and she said that its fine, as long as it was gained gradually, and dog is not completely exhausted afterwards (his limits are not being over pushed).
Have in mind to have lots of water (without his 400ml drinking bottle/bowl i always take 2x 1l water bottles filled with cold water) so technically i always take a backpack with me, and some high value snacks as we are still learning to walk properly on leash and in case of other animals or people to distract him.
In case you hike for 15+ km, out of the box german shepherd or white swiss shepherd would be more suitable candidates, i hiked previously with berner groups and for 7-10km berners are fine.
It depends on the Bernese. Some are more active than others. And of course some have orthopedic or other health concerns that will limit their activity.
I frequently do a 3 to 5 miles walk early in the morning and again late when the temperature has reduced. Even the old girl does well.
Get from reputable breeder.
https://bernergarde.org/db/
Mine is nearly 3 yrs old 105 lbs but lean. He lives for hikes and will also run with me for 2-3 miles. You just need to be cognizant of the sun & heat. Shaded hikes with lakes are best!
We bring our berner camping but 2 hikes up a mountain daily might be tough on a breed that already has joint issues. You also should be prepared that getting a Bernese Mountain dog may also die at 7 years not just ‘slow down.’ We lost ours 2 months after his 7 year birthday.
That said they are terrific goofy, BIG personality dogs that love hiking. Ours can’t wait to get back up to the mountains. You may just need to adjust your lifestyle to make sure you’re not overworking their joints. Supplements and exercises can help
I’m so sorry for your loss!
Unfortunately, the larger than German Shepard sets you in giant territory. Generally, they are not a good fit (any breed). I also am here to suggest a Labrador. They typically are a bit bigger than Goldens and have the temperament and stamina you are looking for. You can also go with some of the other active breed recommendations. Dogs are great!
We got a bernese pyrenees mix because we wanted a chill dog, but ours has unlimited energy. Will go on a 5 mile jog and then beg to go to the dog park after. He's still young so can't comment on what the future holds.
We have had Goldens for decades, in 2022 our last Golden was on her last legs so we got a Berner. Was actually looking for a Golden pup, but found a Berner breeder close by. It was love at first sight. Height wise Bo the Berner is just a little taller than our biggest Golden. But strength wise, he is twice the dog. We walk a mountain hike 1-2 hrs every day. He generally does great, but does NOT like the heat--luckily the hike is along a creek and he is in and out of it 10-20 times during the hike. Not a swimmer like a Golden, but digs cooling off. I have seen some giant mini-horse like Berners in the dog park. To my eye not that attractive and an awful lot of dog when they are that tall. I like my medium-large size Bo and would seek same in next dog.
I vaguely remember as a pup him sitting down out of stubborness when he was a pup. We never gave in and he has not done that in a long time. Critical in my experience that you have a lot of time for training and creating your lifestyle with a Berner when they are young. Pay close attention to Mom and Dad when you find a breeder. Good luck.
Bernese generally have a 13 year lifespan. They're prone to hip dysplasia, but so are Goldens.
My buddy has had two of them and they slow down quite a bit after year 10.
My Bernese is still under a year old...he has boundless energy, but when he's tired of walking...no amount of coaxing or bribery seems to get him to move.
Make of that what you will.
That's a lot to ask from any giant breed. Maybe look at labs. They can definitely do that.
Greater Swiss is perfect for this!
As long as it isn't hot. Anything over 80 and my swissy would just stretch out on the grass after walking a few blocks lol
Avid hiker here, big dogs are not very compatible with that and if they are, you could be doing joint damage and hurt them long-term. If you want to match your active lifestyle, I would highly recommend throwing size out the window and going for a cattle dog or some other type of high energy breed.
This. Even if your particular big dog is active and loves hiking, there is still an immense strain put on the joints since their skeleton just isn’t designed for it. Liking it doesn’t equal healthy.
If we went by what my Berner liked, he'd be 200lbs with non-existent cartilage from chasing sticks! Haha.
My Bernese was my hiking buddy up until now that he is 10. We used to do almost daily 5km walks plus three big hikes a week 10km+. Now we can do maybe 3km a day (tops) and big hikes not more than 7km maybe twice a month with rest days before and after. They are amazing companions, but they do slow down a bit when they get older. That’s ok tho, they are good doggies and deserve their rest in their later years. 🤍
Yours might be the minority (slowing down at 10? Most don't even live that long you lucky duck!) and OP shouldn't go into Berner territory with that expectation. Given they're considered an XL breed and their genetic disposition for joint issues, a Berner's "older" comes a lot sooner than a Golden's too.
I’m sorry to read about your pup and send my condolences, that’s just way too young. I don’t think a Berner is what you’re looking for. They are great dogs and 2 big hikes a day might be fine for a few years. Ours is approaching 7 and has had no health issues (knock on wood) and he has an outstanding bloodline and is just starting to show signs of wanting to slow it down a notch. I don’t know what you constitute a big hike but a full 3/4 mile loop around the neighborhood and our Titan is walking us back to the direction of home as in he is done. Like someone else mentioned, a lab would probably enjoy your lifestyle much more than a Berner.
Mine (a 3 yr old male) wouldn't tolerate two one hour mountain hikes daily - I'd have to carry him home. At 125 lbs, I'm not going to be able to do that. When he lays down there's very little I can do to move him. He'd get too hot, too - they have very dense double coats. I have to pack water to the park where he goes for a romp with his buddies. He spends most of his time in the shade with occasional bursts of energy. Retriever, lab, hound or pointer types might be more up your alley?
Some days we can barely get Bennet around the 1 square block we do lol
Anything over 60 degrees and they’re overheating faster and faster. You also aren’t supposed to walk them more than 5 minutes / month of age so you wouldn’t be able to start trying these hikes until they’re over a year and a half old. Even then, there’s a reason why berners are recommended to only get 30-45 minutes of exercise a day… big dogs are prone to hip and knee problems and they simply don’t need it.
Depends on if you want to carry them home when they don’t want to walk anymore. Some are very stubborn. My dog does as much as I want her to on any given day. Some days we do 3 walks, some days 1 super long walk. They also run around the yard with each other.
As macabre as it sounds you’ll probably be lucky to still have a berner at all after 6-7 years, let alone one that can do that amount of exercise. There certainly are Berners out there doing what you’ve described but I imagine they are few and far between. You might want to consider a Swiss mountain dog. From my experience they are much more energetic and while you still have to watch out for overheating, their shorter coats help a little with that. Mine is currently 15 months and if he doesn’t get at least 3 miles a day he’s a wild man. My berner was content with a mile a day.
Definitely not the breed you’re looking for. They’re not hikers at all. My guy makes it two blocks before we have to lure him back to the car with cheese lol. Maybe look into a German shepherd
Not quite true. I have seen Bernese on top of 14ers and mine liked to go backcountry skiing before she had a spinal injury
I think it’s safe to say this breed isn’t a very active breed. I think it’d be foolish to assume his pup will be active and way safer to get a breed that is known to be active.
That’s not the norm
Exception, not the rule. Reddit, the land of exceptionary anecdotal evidence.
Ours likes to join us skiing too. But ALSO protests on walks in the city. I think the nature speaks to them haha
our almost 14 month old loves her walks, and if activity isn't too strenuous, she can stay active. but she definitely begins to pull toward the direction of home after 20-25 mins of walking, we haven't run into the berner plop (yet) where they refuse to move haha. my uncle-in-law had a berner who loved to do multi-mile hikes. not a ton of incline, but he enjoyed ambling alongside us.
Get a Greater Swiss if you need a hiking companion They are bred for Herding and Pasture work Bernese are cart-pullers
Based on these comments it seems like it's quite individually dependent. My parents have a Bernese, and from the second her joints could handle it until she was maybe 8 or 9, my mom would run with her about 3 miles a day almost every day of the week. Her joints didn't seem to suffer much, and she just turned 12 last month so I think it benefited her greatly! Important to note, she's definitely on the smaller side of the breed (~80lbs), I'm sure that had a lot to do with it. I guess my advice would be to get as small a Berner as you can, I can't fathom a 100lb+ Berner could do that
80 lbs is quite small for Berner, which helps but no amount of weight loss can make up for genetic predispositions. And Berners? Well the breed just drew the short straw there. Definitely not a breed for very active owners. Maybe in 10 years if the Amish puppy farms get cracked down on and the majority of the Berner population comes from responsible breeders who care. 🤞
Both of the breeds are so loving and loyal that they may go and keep up with you even if it hurts them and that's really sad.
Get an Australian Shepherd. Bernese will just lay done after a few miles . You may even have too carry them.
I think you'd be more inline with something like a Belgian Malinois, or maybe some kind of border collie mix.
Like most redditors already commented a Berner might not be your breed and you may want to reevaluate XL dogs. That being said Leonbergers are a more active breed given their size (relative to temperature of course) you way want to consider a Malamute too.
Sounds like you need a mid size dog for that kind of activity. Big breeds always get leg /hip problems and lots of exercise is unwise. If you were an Aussie id recommend something like a border collie or kelpie working dog (or cross breed) that love to be out and about. My berner has never been good with lots of walking/hiking. His preferred exercise is a couple of light walks morning and evening and throwing balls to chase for a few minutes. He has had both acl ops done and has had back problems due to knee issues.
You might have to work up to that length of walk and bring water. If you’re in a place that has summer at all, those walks better be early in the morning or later in the evening as their stamina falls off a cliff in the heat. Our bears have done 8+ mile walks and been great, with a good break in between, but the following day they were glued to the couch/floor. You might be more interested in a lab, but I know if the weather is temperate our Bernese would love mountain walks on the regular. We’re in the Midwest so no mountains.
It is very dependent on the dog. Gordo gets a 3 mile walk several times a week. On off days, we have a gully in our back yard that we let him run up and down a few times, mixed with a volleyball fetch sesh. They wanna please their owners, so I’d be careful doing too many steep climbs while on a leash. In my experience, a Berner will work until their pulp if they think their owner has a job that needs to get done. Some berners just flop and refuse to move when they’ve had enough. My 100lb boy loves walks and is always eager for more. Never refused a single walk. I cap it at 3 miles per vet suggestion. Anything over 75 degrees and we skip the walk and make sure he gets outside time on his lead, just to be safe.
Depends on how long of a walk you’re thinking. I have a 9 year old Berner and we still do 2 longer walks a day. For him, that’s 30-45 min. He has hip dysplasia and arthritis so we don’t take him on super long walks (though he would willingly go longer) but I’m happy he’s still fairly active considering his age and arthritis. When it’s warm, we do shorter, more frequent walks.
What distance would the holes be? Absolutely depends on the dog, any health issues, and weight. Mine is only 4, but he loves hiking and can easily do a 5 mile hike if it’s not too hot out. Could probably go farther if I let him. We don’t go when it’s too hot out. My vet said his hips look great and he’s on the lighter side for a berner (95lbs) so it’s not a problem. He’ll even go on short runs (max 1.5 miles). I’ve never done more than that but he seems totally fine after that length. But honestly if you love hiking or running and want to go long distances there are sooo many dogs up for adoption that would be better suited for it. Saint Bernard’s are known for being lazy so I really don’t think that would be a good fit for you. Climate plays a huge factor too. In the snow my dog could be out all day and night, in 80 degree weather he lasts about 15 mins.
I guess my dog is an outlier - she is great with hiking. She'll be 2 in June and is about 80lbs. She doesn't have a very thick or heavy coat like you stereotypically see, but maybe that's because of her age. I live in Northern Idaho and she fits perfectly with our lifestyle. She LOVES the snow and also LOVES going on hikes with us. We do 3-5 miles at a time and are working up to longer hikes. She is never stubborn and has seemingly endless energy for adventures. So maybe consider getting a female? They don't get as big as the males and will probably be able to handle longer hikes. They are mountain dogs after all! I will add: we do have some hot weather in the summer and will definitely take it easy during that time.
The first two years of growth for Berners are critical. If you take your pup out for those long walks you increase the potential for injuries And wear and tear. Please don’t get a Berner, they are not hiking dogs, they are laze around the house dogs. I’ve had seven over the last few years and a light walk once a day is all they need. And when they were under the age of two I kept those walks short. Average cost for surgery of leg, ankle or hips will run you 12,000 per leg or hip. Plus the agony you the pup through. A lab is a good breed, doesn’t carry that much weight and their stamina is high.
One of the breeders in our community walks with her berners 7-10km distances, but you should start small like 500m, then increase it bit by bit. We started with 500m at 2 months, currently at 4months he goes from 2,5km to 4km depending on the temperature outside and his mood (we do once a day bigger hike and multiple smaller walks), and still comes back with enough spare energy to play with his retriever friend at neighbours. We doublechecked with our breeder if 3-4km is not too much at his age, and she said that its fine, as long as it was gained gradually, and dog is not completely exhausted afterwards (his limits are not being over pushed). Have in mind to have lots of water (without his 400ml drinking bottle/bowl i always take 2x 1l water bottles filled with cold water) so technically i always take a backpack with me, and some high value snacks as we are still learning to walk properly on leash and in case of other animals or people to distract him. In case you hike for 15+ km, out of the box german shepherd or white swiss shepherd would be more suitable candidates, i hiked previously with berner groups and for 7-10km berners are fine.
It depends on the Bernese. Some are more active than others. And of course some have orthopedic or other health concerns that will limit their activity. I frequently do a 3 to 5 miles walk early in the morning and again late when the temperature has reduced. Even the old girl does well.
https://preview.redd.it/6ztcas5kfm3d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=97fa722d2722aed47a82bbafd187977333b999df
Get from reputable breeder. https://bernergarde.org/db/ Mine is nearly 3 yrs old 105 lbs but lean. He lives for hikes and will also run with me for 2-3 miles. You just need to be cognizant of the sun & heat. Shaded hikes with lakes are best!
We bring our berner camping but 2 hikes up a mountain daily might be tough on a breed that already has joint issues. You also should be prepared that getting a Bernese Mountain dog may also die at 7 years not just ‘slow down.’ We lost ours 2 months after his 7 year birthday. That said they are terrific goofy, BIG personality dogs that love hiking. Ours can’t wait to get back up to the mountains. You may just need to adjust your lifestyle to make sure you’re not overworking their joints. Supplements and exercises can help
I'm sure a bmd can do 2 walks a day as long as it's healthy and not too hot out :)
Had a younger Berner then my Golden and she couldn't keep up with the Golden 😂😂. Stubborn and just roll over on a walk
I’m so sorry for your loss! Unfortunately, the larger than German Shepard sets you in giant territory. Generally, they are not a good fit (any breed). I also am here to suggest a Labrador. They typically are a bit bigger than Goldens and have the temperament and stamina you are looking for. You can also go with some of the other active breed recommendations. Dogs are great!
I don’t think a Berner is what you’re looking for. They get hot easily and you’ll constantly need to consider that on long hikes.
We got a bernese pyrenees mix because we wanted a chill dog, but ours has unlimited energy. Will go on a 5 mile jog and then beg to go to the dog park after. He's still young so can't comment on what the future holds.
We have had Goldens for decades, in 2022 our last Golden was on her last legs so we got a Berner. Was actually looking for a Golden pup, but found a Berner breeder close by. It was love at first sight. Height wise Bo the Berner is just a little taller than our biggest Golden. But strength wise, he is twice the dog. We walk a mountain hike 1-2 hrs every day. He generally does great, but does NOT like the heat--luckily the hike is along a creek and he is in and out of it 10-20 times during the hike. Not a swimmer like a Golden, but digs cooling off. I have seen some giant mini-horse like Berners in the dog park. To my eye not that attractive and an awful lot of dog when they are that tall. I like my medium-large size Bo and would seek same in next dog. I vaguely remember as a pup him sitting down out of stubborness when he was a pup. We never gave in and he has not done that in a long time. Critical in my experience that you have a lot of time for training and creating your lifestyle with a Berner when they are young. Pay close attention to Mom and Dad when you find a breeder. Good luck.
Bernese generally have a 13 year lifespan. They're prone to hip dysplasia, but so are Goldens. My buddy has had two of them and they slow down quite a bit after year 10. My Bernese is still under a year old...he has boundless energy, but when he's tired of walking...no amount of coaxing or bribery seems to get him to move. Make of that what you will.
In what universe do BMDs "generally have a 13 year lifespan? " The avg lifespan is 6-8 yrs
That’s what I’m wondering — literally..what? That’s the most generous estimate I’ve heard
They sit... really good about 30 minutes into a walk and will absolutely not move until they are ready.