How old is the oldest Bernese mountain dog? Expert Advice

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What Factors Determine the Lifespan of a Bernese Mountain Dog?

Yes, a lot of factors are related to years lived by Bernese Mountain dogs. Some of these factors include nutrition, environment and hereditary factors, which are often related to breeding and genetics.

Nearly 50% of Bernese Mountain Dogs pass away from canine cancer. This is a much higher percentage than dogs as a whole; it is typically closer to a 27% average of all dogs that pass from cancer.

Cancer is often due to hereditary causes, as are other medical issues like:

  • Hereditary eye diseases, which are common to larger breeds of dogs
  • Arthritis
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Cruciate ligament rupture

    • It is important to know that issues like this can start younger in a Bernese Mountain Dog, such as the onset of arthritis at even 4 years of age.

    In Dog Years, How do You Calculate a Dog’s Age?

    Yes, this breed has a shorter lifespan, but let’s define what that means in dog years.

    It is often been said and thought that one human year is seven dog years. This conveys a dog’s “age” is greater compared to a human’s per year, however, the comparison is not quite right.

    According to the American Kennel Club, the first year of life equals about 15 years.

    After year 1, they have become a teenager.

    Then, the AKC approximates that large dogs’ age in human years corresponds to canine years like this:

  • 2 years = 24 dog years
  • 3 years = 28 dog years
  • 4 years = 32 dog years
  • 5 years = 36 dog years
  • 6 years = 45 dog years
  • 7 years = 50 dog years
  • 8 years = 55 dog years
  • 9 years = 61 dog years

    • The path is similar up until much older years:

  • 15 years = 93 dog years
  • 16 years = 120 dog years

    • This may translate a bit different for Bernese Mountain Dogs, which have a particularly short lifespan, but hopefully, this gives you a better idea for the aging process of your dog.

    Interesting fact: In a study ran in 2004, the oldest found Bernese Mountain dog was just over 15 years old.

    Feed Your Bernese A Healthy Diet

    You will want to calibrate your Berner’s food amount based on his or her activity level, age, and size. You will want to give your dog between three to five cups of high-quality dry food daily. This amount of food should be divided into two servings.

    You will want to adjust the amount of food your dogs will need to maintain a healthy weight. You can determine this by running your hands down the sides of your dog to feel for ribs.

    If you can easily feel your dog’s ribs, but can’t see them, then your dog’s weight is fine. You will also want to avoid feeding your dog too many treats or table scraps as this could lead to an unhealthy weight and shorten an otherwise healthy Bernese Mountain Dog lifespan.

    BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG HISTORY DEEPDIVE