Bernese Mountain Dog vs Great Pyrenees
Side by side
Bernese Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Adult weight
Males 36–52 kg (80–115 lb); females 32–43 kg (70–95 lb) (breed club figure)1
55–75 kg (121–165 lb)2
Fully grown
13 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
Exercise
A moderate amount
A modest amount
Health
Melanoma of the eye or eyelid (far more likely); Bone cancer (much more likely)7
No sourced figure
Class
Family
Watchdog
Which suits you
Size
The Great Pyrenees is larger: about 65 kg (143 lb) as an adult, against 41 kg (90 lb) for the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Bernese Mountain Dog sheds through the year, the Great Pyrenees moults most as the seasons change.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Bernese Mountain Dog, and a modest amount with the Great Pyrenees.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Bernese Mountain Dog: keen to work with you; Great Pyrenees: decides for itself) and on affection (Bernese Mountain Dog: a lap or leaning dog; Great Pyrenees: affectionate on its own terms).
Alike
Both are rated the same on prey drive: usually fine with small pets.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
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.
Great Pyrenees
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
Calm and patient with its own household, it is also independent, watchful and reserved with strangers, and known for barking at night.
Breed traits
Day to day
Bernese Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Needs an experienced owner
With people
Bernese Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Bonded to its family
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Decides for itself
Around the home
Bernese Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Great Pyrenees grows to the heavier adult, about 65 kg against the Bernese Mountain Dog's 42 kg.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
More comparisons
Compare the Bernese Mountain Dog with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page. ↑
- 2The Kennel Club. Great Pyrenees breed standard. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 9Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 10American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
Parts of this page were written by AI ·