Bernese Mountain Dog vs Saint Bernard
Side by side
Bernese Mountain Dog
Saint Bernard
Adult weight
Males 36–52 kg (80–115 lb); females 32–43 kg (70–95 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 64–82 kg (140–180 lb); females 54–64 kg (120–140 lb) (breed club figure)2
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
No sourced figure
Exercise
A moderate amount
Health
Melanoma of the eye or eyelid (far more likely); Bone cancer (much more likely)7
Inward-rolling eyelid (far more likely); Outward-drooping eyelid (far more likely)8
Class
Family
Companion
Which suits you
Size
The Saint Bernard is much larger: about 66 kg (145 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 Saint Bernard moults most as the seasons change.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Bernese Mountain Dog: keen to work with you; Saint Bernard: cooperative, with its own ideas) and on intelligence (Bernese Mountain Dog: learns readily, likes games; Saint Bernard: easy-going, simple routines).
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.
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.
Saint Bernard
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
In temperament it is calm, gentle and good-natured, playful with its household and watchful towards strangers without being quick to aggression.
Breed traits
Day to day
Bernese Mountain Dog
Saint Bernard
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Easy-going, simple routines
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Bernese Mountain Dog
Saint Bernard
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Bernese Mountain Dog
Saint Bernard
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Quiet
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Saint Bernard grows to the heavier adult, about 68 kg against the Bernese Mountain Dog's 42 kg.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Saint Bernard
More comparisons
Compare the Bernese Mountain Dog with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Saint Bernard breed page. ↑
- 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
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- 8
- 9Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 10Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 11American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
Parts of this page were written by AI ·