Whats the longest lifespan of Bernese Mountain Dogs?
I own and breed Bernese Mtn Dogs. I first started looking at them 8 years ago (I’m a long-time Samoyed breeder/exhibitor so I had a very good idea of exactly what I wanted). The average lifespan in the US is 7.5 years. There are lines of Bernese that live longer. Those lines are where I’ve either purchased dogs or bred to their dogs. There are no real guarantees that a dog will live longer– but a family history of it is a good first step. I’m planning a breeding next spring to a 10 year old male whose father sired his last litter at age 11 years and died at 12 years. Please feel free to contact me at animal_artwork@yahoo.com and I’ll point you to a few breeders who believe longevity is more important than winning in a show ring. Edit: Yes, environment, diet and an altered vaccination protocol have been effective increasing longevity. My dogs are primarily raw-fed… and my vaccination protocol is not up for discussion on public boards. Editx2:
