Bernese Mountain Dog vs Tornjak
Side by side
Bernese Mountain Dog
Tornjak
Adult weight
Males 36–52 kg (80–115 lb); females 32–43 kg (70–95 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 35–50 kg (77–110 lb); females 28–40 kg (62–88 lb) (breed club figure)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
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
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Bernese Mountain Dog sheds through the year, the Tornjak moults most as the seasons change.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Bernese Mountain Dog: a lap or leaning dog; Tornjak: likes its own space) and on independence (Bernese Mountain Dog: keen to work with you; Tornjak: decides for itself).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 41 kg (90 lb) for the Bernese Mountain Dog and 38 kg (84 lb) for the Tornjak.
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.
Tornjak
Pinschers & molossoids · Large
The Tornjak is calm and steady, devoted to its family and dignified in manner. It is good-natured with people it knows but alert and wary of strangers, and it guards its territory with determination.
Breed traits
Day to day
Bernese Mountain Dog
Tornjak
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Needs an experienced owner
With people
Bernese Mountain Dog
Tornjak
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Likes its own space
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
Tornjak
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 41 kg.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Tornjak
More comparisons
Compare the Bernese Mountain Dog with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Tornjak 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
- 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. ↑
- 11
Parts of this page were written by AI ·