How long does a Bernese Mountain Dog live?

The listed lifespan for a Bernese Mountain Dog is 7–10 years.

How tall is a Bernese Mountain Dog?

The listed height for a Bernese Mountain Dog is 25–27.5 in (male), 23–26 in (female).

Is a Bernese Mountain Dog good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Bernese Mountain Dog is 5 out of 5.

When is a Bernese Mountain Dog full grown?

The growth size band for a Bernese Mountain Dog is up to 24 months.

Working Group

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dog is a giant dog in the Working Group. Adult weight is 80–115 lb (male), 70–95 lb (female), height is 25–27.5 in (male), 23–26 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 7–10 years. AKC describes the temperament as Good-natured, Calm, Strong.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Bernese Mountain Dog dog — Photo: Hide-sp · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan7–10 years

Weight80–115 lb (male), 70–95 lb (female)

SizeGiant GroupWorking Group

Height

25–27.5 in (male), 23–26 in (female)

Energy

4 / 5

Shedding

5 / 5

Grooming

3 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 36 single-size giant breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 8.5 years is about 1.7 years shorter than the 10.2-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 92.5 lb is about 23.5 lb lighter than the 116 lb average for those giant breeds.

The listed origin is Switzerland. The coat is described as double, medium. The AKC energy score is 4 out of 5, 0.3 points above the group average of 3.7 for the Working Group. Shedding scores 5 out of 5, so coat cleanup is a regular job. Grooming scores 3 out of 5. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 5 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 20 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in up to 24 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): larger breeds require up to 24 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Elbow Evaluation, Cardiac Exam, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, Degenerative Myelopathy (Bernese Mountain Dog Variant) (DM) - DNA Test, AKC DNA Profile, and Degenerative Myelopathy (Common Variant) (DM) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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