Bernese Mountain Dog vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dog vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: full comparison

Key differences at a glance

• The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a larger dog than the Bernese Mountain Dog, which affects space, food and exercise needs.

Size and living space

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large dog that does best in a larger home with room to stretch out, ideally with access to a yard. By comparison, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a giant breed that needs a spacious home — its size alone means more room, a bigger car and higher food costs. If space, transport or budget are tight, the smaller of the two is the more practical choice.

Exercise and energy needs

The Bernese Mountain Dog needs a solid walk or two a day plus some active play. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog needs a solid walk or two a day plus some active play. Their exercise needs are broadly the same, so this is unlikely to be a deciding factor.

Grooming and shedding

The Bernese Mountain Dog needs frequent grooming and benefits from professional trims and sheds constantly and keeps the vacuum busy all year. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog needs regular brushing to stay in good condition and leaves a noticeable amount of hair on furniture and clothing. If low upkeep matters to you, factor this in — the difference adds up over a dog's lifetime.

Temperament, training and family life

The Bernese Mountain Dog learns quickly and enjoys the training process, keeps fairly quiet, barking occasionally and is famously gentle and patient with children. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog learns quickly and enjoys the training process, gives voice moderately, typically when something warrants it and is famously gentle and patient with children. On guarding instinct, Bernese Mountain Dog announces visitors but stops short of guarding, whereas Greater Swiss Mountain Dog announces visitors but stops short of guarding.

Which is better for…

• For apartment or apartment living, Bernese Mountain Dog has the edge, thanks to its size, quieter nature and more manageable energy.
• For families with young children, Bernese Mountain Dog and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are an even match — either can work well.
• For first-time dog owners, Bernese Mountain Dog and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are an even match — either can work well.
• For being left alone during the workday, Bernese Mountain Dog has the edge, coping better with independence and being quieter when unsupervised.
• For allergy sufferers, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has the edge, as it sheds less dander around the home.

Which should you choose?

Choose the Bernese Mountain Dog if you prefer a quieter dog or you want a smaller, more apartment-friendly dog.

Choose the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog if you prefer lower grooming upkeep, you want less shedding around the home, or you want a bigger, more substantial dog.

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