Caring for Your Great Bernese: Key Health Concerns and Solutions

Introduction

The Great Bernese, also known as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog or simply Great Swiss, is a majestic canine breed originating from Switzerland. This powerful dog has been bred for centuries as a working companion, often used in herding, guarding, and draft work. Its rich history and versatility have made it an attractive choice for many dog enthusiasts. As with any magnificent creature, however, comes great responsibility. This comprehensive guide will delve into the world of Great Bernese care, addressing their needs, behavior, grooming, health considerations, training tips, and more to ensure potential pet parents are well-prepared.

General Care

A Great Bernese requires attention to its physical welfare as much as its mental health. These dogs thrive on regular exercise, making them ideal companions for families with gardens or access to outdoor spaces where they can run freely and engage their natural instinct to herd small animals.

Nutrition and Water

One of the first steps in caring for a Great Bernese is providing a diet rich in nutrients but not excessive in calories, as obesity can be both harmful and unattractive. Foods formulated specifically for large breeds are recommended due to health issues such as hip dysplasia that often affect larger dogs. Always keep fresh water available.

Shelter

A spacious living area within the house or access to an enclosed garden where your dog can stay is crucial during inclement weather and at night. Their bedding should be comfortable enough not to cause joint discomfort but also clean.

Great Bernese Issues

No breed of dog is without its unique health challenges, and Great Bernese are no exception. One primary issue these dogs face is hip dysplasia, a genetic condition that affects the hips' ability to form properly, leading to arthritis if left untreated. Regular veterinary check-ups are key here.

Hip Dysplasia vs. Cruciate Ligament Injuries

While hip dysplasia generally relates to inherited conditions from parents, cruciate ligament injuries in dogs often come on due to wear and tear associated with sudden deceleration, high levels of exercise without adequate building up the muscles involved, and joint instability.

Cardiac Issues

Great Bernese are also at risk for certain types of heart conditions. Regular cardiology checks can help detect such issues early enough to treat with appropriate medicine or possibly surgical interventions.

Feeding a Great Bernese

Feeding your dog in accordance with its health requirements is not just important but also beneficial regarding keeping the expenses down on veterinary care and maintaining its vitality in general. High-quality food formulated specifically for large breeds, coupled with regular dental hygiene and hydration status checks, ensures they thrive fully.

Frequency of Meals

While it's a broad statement that every dog requires unique dietary needs based on health, genetics, etc., one universal principle is feeding the Great Bernese twice daily at consistent times helps maintain its muscle structure while aiding digestion.

Great Bernese Behavior and Training Tips

Training your dog is about nurturing mutual understanding, not just achieving some goals like obedience or reducing bad behavior. This holistic approach encourages development of love and respect between you as a pet parent and your Great Swiss Mountain Dog.

Obedience Training Basics

Obedience commands form an integral part of training because they establish communication channels with their pet as well as help avoid problems such as walking freely, jumping on furniture, or even aggression arising due to boredom. Positive reinforcement by rewards works far better than punishment when it comes teaching manners and actions beneficial for a relationship.

Exercise

Exercise not just in the form of short walks but also extended periods like running, biking together, should be integrated regularly into dog's lives. The Great Bernese being one of those breeds can keep energetic due to its innate love of movement plus an inherent ability in herding any animal or draft for miles if need comes from working with these animals historically.

Socialization

While social skills like greeting strangers peacefully are not difficult to learn yet equally important, what really matters here is early life training which focuses strongly on teaching trust issues among the family members first and then gradually adding more contacts outside once your dog reaches a certain age where it grows accustomed enough. Gradual introduction with positive feedback helps ensure the relationship remains calm.

Great Bernese Grooming Guide

Grooming, being an integral part of caring for any dog breed, can seem unnecessary but plays a pivotal role in protecting one's investment emotionally and financially when properly done over time.

Brushing Their Coat Regularly

Regular grooming sessions every two to three days help reduce matting or tangling of fur, lower shedding issues while distributing their natural oils evenly across the skin for healthier overall dog's coat appearance and smell - also less stressful during walks because of neatness.

Bathing Them Regularly

Just as our bodies require occasional cleansing to stay fresh so does your Great Bernese. The schedule though depends greatly on factors such as living environment, diet choice which influences body odor among others. Daily cleaning their paws is highly advisable due to rough surfaces causing dirt buildup with each single step taken indoors during bad weather conditions particularly - helping maintain that shine always.

Considerations for Pet Parents

Potential pet parents who are interested in acquiring a Great Bernese must understand the magnitude of commitment, time, and resources they will be expected to put forth. Not only do such dogs require a lot physically (considering their size) but also mentally due to their working nature and heritability traits from past generations which need careful nurturing.

Space

They come with large bodies which can cause damage in some settings thus adequate space is paramount especially during exercise time periods as they have to keep themselves fit for daily needs like sleeping, eating, walking.

Great Bernese FAQs

1. Q: How old are Great Bernese dogs when fully grown? A: They achieve their full height by the ages of 18-24 months and weight by roughly two years depending largely on genetics inherited from parents plus general living conditions for proper growth nourishment.
2. Q: What is a typical size of a male adult Great Bernese dog? A: Males are generally taller than females with larger chests but shorter overall in height at full maturity typically reaching up to 27-32 inches tall.
3. Q: Can I keep a Great Bernese as a house pet or as guard dogs? A: Yes, you can definitely own one both for companionship at home and also considering their guarding ability which arises from natural protection instinct they were bred with.

Conclusion

The decision to get a dog like the Great Bernese should never be made lightly. Their unique history, size, potential health issues must all feature prominently in your thought processes before bringing such an animal into your family fold. It's not that owning one would become impossible but considering and preparing fully are always recommended, especially given their requirements on resources both physically and mentally coupled with grooming aspects plus other responsibilities typically attached to caring for any creature living within your home space for extended durations.