What is a burmese mountain dog?
The Burmese Mountain dog is actually a mispronunciation of the Bernese Mountain Dog. An internet search might tell you that the Burmese Mountain Dog is a legendary skunk hunter from Myanmar, but there’s really no truth to that story.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large, beautiful animal with an excellent temperament. Its height at the withers ranges from 23" to 27.5", with the females being on the smaller end of that scale. Its weight may be anywhere from a manageable 65 lbs. to a brawny120 lbs.
Its fur is thick, long and silky. The main color is jet black, with a white strip along the muzzle, a white chest, white paws and a white-tipped tail. There will be some brown around the face, along the legs and possibly around the chest. There is very little color variation within the breed.
Bernese Mountain Dogs thrive in cold weather because they originated in Switzerland (accordingly, they have a tough time in hot climates). Being the large and hardy dogs that they are, they were originally used as farm dogs. Confident and trainable, they could pull carts, drive cattle, guard the farm and at the end of the day, they made excellent companions.
Things to consider before adopting a Bernese Mountain Dog: The breed needs moderate daily exercise and consistent obedience training. Its thick fur tends to be high maintenance, so regular, thorough brushings are a must. These dogs love the outdoors, but also love people, and need to spend plenty of time with their human families. They have a sweet and easygoing temperament and make wonderful family dogs.
A Bernese Mountain Dog is a breed of dog that originated in Switzerland – there is no breed of dog called the Burmese Mountain Dog. If you’d like to learn more about Bernese Mountain Dogs, check out the Illustrated Commentary on the Bernese Mountain Dog breed standard to see pictures of “Berners” and find out more about what BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS were bred to do.
