Bernese Mountain Dog vs Golden Retriever

Photo: FriendlyToaster

Photo: Johan Spaedtke

Side by side

Bernese Mountain Dog

Golden Retriever

Adult weight

Males 36–52 kg (80–115 lb); females 32–43 kg (70–95 lb) (breed club figure)1

Males 29–34 kg (65–75 lb); females 25–29 kg (55–65 lb)2

Height

No sourced figure

Males 56–61 cm; females 51–56 cm3

Lifespan

Median 10.1 years4

Median 13.2 years4

Fully grown

13 months, both sexes5

12 months, both sexes5

Group

Pinschers & molossoids6

Retrievers & water dogs3

Coat

Long coat6

Coat with feathering3

Shedding

Sheds through the year

Moults most as the seasons change

Grooming

Daily brushing

Brushing a few times a week

Exercise

A moderate amount

Plenty

Health

Melanoma of the eye or eyelid (far more likely); Bone cancer (much more likely)7

Blood blister in the ear flap (much more likely); Underactive thyroid (much more likely)8,9

Class

Family

Which suits you

Size

The Bernese Mountain Dog is larger on average: about 41 kg (90 lb) as an adult, against 29 kg (65 lb) for the Golden Retriever.

Lifespan

In UK vet records the Golden Retriever lives longer: a median of 13.2 years, against 10.1 for the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Shedding

Their coats shed differently: the Bernese Mountain Dog sheds through the year, the Golden Retriever moults most as the seasons change.

Grooming

The Bernese Mountain Dog needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Golden Retriever needs brushing a few times a week.

Exercise

Plan for plenty of exercise with the Golden Retriever, and a moderate amount with the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Temperament

They differ most on loyalty (Bernese Mountain Dog: bonded to its family; Golden Retriever: friendly with everyone) and on intelligence (Bernese Mountain Dog: learns readily, likes games; Golden Retriever: needs daily brain work).

Alike

Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Bernese Mountain Dog

Pinschers & molossoids · Large

In temperament it is good-natured and calm, steady rather than excitable, and closely attached to its family.

Golden Retriever

Retrievers & water dogs · Large

The Golden Retriever's temperament is friendly, intelligent and devoted. It is eager to please, gentle, keen to work alongside people and seldom a good guard dog.

The Bernese Mountain Dog page →The Golden Retriever page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Bernese Mountain Dog

Golden Retriever

Activity

Differs

Happy with modest walks

Needs lots of exercise

Intelligence

Differs

Learns readily, likes games

Needs daily brain work

Handler demand

Differs

Needs steady training

Suits a first-time owner

With people

Bernese Mountain Dog

Golden Retriever

Affection

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Differs

Bonded to its family

Friendly with everyone

Independence

Keen to work with you

Around the home

Bernese Mountain Dog

Golden Retriever

Sensitivity

Average

Voice

Barks to alert, then settles

Prey drive

Usually fine with small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour10. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home11,12.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Bernese Mountain Dog grows to the heavier adult, about 42 kg against the Golden Retriever's 29 kg.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Golden Retriever

More comparisons

Compare the Bernese Mountain Dog with

Golden Retriever vs Labrador Retriever Bernese Mountain Dog vs Saint Bernard English Cocker Spaniel vs Golden Retriever Flat-Coated Retriever vs Golden Retriever Bernese Mountain Dog vs Newfoundland Bernese Mountain Dog vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page. ↑
2
American Kennel Club. Golden Retriever breed standard. ↑
images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/GoldenRetriever.pdf
3
FCI. Breed standard no. 111. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/111g08-en.pdf
4
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
5
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
6
FCI. Breed standard no. 45. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/045g02-en.pdf
7
Rodríguez et al., 2026. Epidemiology of Four Major Canine Tumours in the UK: Insights From a National Pathology Registry With Comparative Oncology Perspectives. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/vco.70056
8
O'Neill et al., 2021. Reporting the epidemiology of aural haematoma in dogs and proposing a novel aetiopathogenetic pathway. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00352-0
9
O'Neill et al., 2022. Frequency, breed predispositions and other demographic risk factors for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s40575-022-00123-8
10
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
11
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
12
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
13
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

Parts of this page were written by AI ·