Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes" Compare Bernese Mountain Dog and Australian Shepherd. Which is better: Bernese Mountain Dog or Australian Shepherd or Bouvier des Ardennes?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Bernese Mountain Dog	Australian Shepherd	Bouvier des Ardennes
Origins	Switzerland	United States	Belgium
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Working Dogs	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Working Dogs
Popularity Rank	25	17	298
Reviews	3	2	0
Rate

Other Names	Berner Sennenhund, Bernese Cattle Dog, Berner	Aussie, Little Blue Dog	Ardennes Cattle Dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1937 as a Working breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1991 as a Herding breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Swiss Mountain- and Cattledogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Australian Shepherd Club Of America	No set
Price	$800-$1000	$600-$800	$500-$600

General Appearance - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Size	Large	Large	Large Medium
Weight	Male: 85-110 pounds (38–50 kg), Female: 80-105 pounds (36–48 kg)	Male: 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg), Female: 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg)	Male: 62–77 pounds (28–35 kg), Female: 49–62 pounds (22–28 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 97.5 pounds (38–50 kg), Female: 92.5 pounds (36–48 kg)	Male: 57.5 pounds (27 kg), Female: 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg)	Male: 62–77 pounds (28–35 kg), Female: 49–62 pounds (22–28 kg)
Height	Male: 24-28 inches (61–71 cm), Female: 23-27 inches (58–69 cm)	Male: 20-23 inches (52-58cm), Female: 18-21 inches (46–53 cm)	Male: 22–25 inches (55–63 cm), Female: 20–22 inches (51–57 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 26 inches (61–71 cm), Female: 25 inches (58–69 cm)	Male: 21.5 inches (55 cm), Female: 19.5 inches (46–53 cm)	Male: 22–25 inches (55–63 cm), Female: 20–22 inches (51–57 cm)

Hair & Care - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Coat	Dense	Feathered	Double
Colors	White Black	Red Blue Merle Black	Fawn Grey Black
Grooming	Average: The Bernese Mountain Dog requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Australian Shepherd requires average grooming effort.	Advanced: The Bouvier des Ardennes requires a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Bernese Mountain Dogs shed above average.	Australian Shepherds shed moderately.	Bouvier des Ardenness shed above average.

Characteristics - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Temperament	Affectionate Intelligent Faithful Loyal	Active Friendly Intelligent Loving Affectionate Good-natured Protective	Adaptable Obstinate Curious Playful
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Bernese Mountain Dog is an excellent dog breed.	Smart: Australian Shepherd's has great intelligence.	Smart: Bouvier des Ardennes's has great intelligence.
Trainability	Bernese Mountain Dogs are easy to train.	Australian Shepherds are very easy to train.	Bouvier des Ardenness are easy to train.
Playfulness	Bernese Mountain Dogs, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Australian Shepherd is a highly playful breed.	Bouvier des Ardenness, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Australian Shepherds don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Bouvier des Ardenness have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.
Affection Level	Bernese Mountain Dogs are average dogs regarding their affection level.	Australian Shepherds are highly affectionate dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are average dogs regarding their affection level.
Social Needs	Bernese Mountain Dogs need for social interaction is average.	Australian Shepherds are a social breed.	Bouvier des Ardenness need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Average: The Bernese Mountain Dog barks occasionally.	Low to Average: The Australian Shepherd rarely barks.	Average: The Bouvier des Ardennes barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Bernese Mountain Dogs are one of the best watchdogs.	Australian Shepherds are one of the best watchdogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Bernese Mountain Dogs are extremely protective guard dogs.	Australian Shepherds are extremely protective guard dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Low The Bernese Mountain Dog has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Australian Shepherd has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Bouvier des Ardennes has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Bernese Mountain Dogs have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Australian Shepherds have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Bouvier des Ardenness have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Bernese Mountain Dogs have average wanderlust potential.	Australian Shepherds are not the biggest explorers.	Wanderlust potential of the Bouvier des Ardennes is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	Bernese Mountain Dogs have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	Australian Shepherds have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Bouvier des Ardenness have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Australian Shepherds are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Bouvier des Ardenness are not apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Bernese Mountain Dogs adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.	Australian Shepherds adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Bouvier des Ardenness adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	Australian Shepherds do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Stranger Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards strangers.	Australian Shepherds are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Australian Shepherds are very kid-friendly dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards cats.	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards cats.	Bouvier des Ardenness are average friendly towards cats.
Dog Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards other dogs.	Australian Shepherds are average friendly towards other dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	No Bernese Mountain Dog is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Australian Shepherd is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Bouvier des Ardennes is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Australian Shepherds are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Bouvier des Ardenness are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Bernese Mountain Dogs are generally with other pets.	Australian Shepherds are generally with other pets.	Bouvier des Ardenness are generally with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Bernese Mountain Dogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Australian Shepherds are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Bouvier des Ardenness are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Bernese Mountain Dog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Australian Shepherd breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Bouvier des Ardennes breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Yes A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Health Issues	Very healthy dog breed.	The Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Bouvier des Ardennes is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Bloat Cancer Elbow Dysplasia Hip Dysplasia Panosteitis Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Von Willebrand's Disease	Allergies Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Deafness Detached Retina Distichiasis Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Nasal Solar Dermatitis Osteochondrosis Dissecans Persistent Pupillary Membranes Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	No set
Life Expectancy	7-10 years	12-15 years	12-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No	No
Energy Level	Bernese Mountain Dogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Australian Shepherds are high energy dogs.	Bouvier des Ardenness have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.
Exercise Need	Bernese Mountain Dogs have an average exercise need.	Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercises.	Bouvier des Ardenness have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Bernese Mountain Dogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Australian Shepherds don't need too much sleep.	Bouvier des Ardenness sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.
Avg. daily food consumption	6 to 8 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	3 to 5 cups of a high-quality dog food daily, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average to High.	Average to High.	Average to High.
Weather & Climate	Prefers cold weather The Bernese Mountain Dog can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Australian Shepherd can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions
Stinkiness	Medium The Bernese Mountain Dog has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Australian Shepherd has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Bouvier des Ardennes has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Bernese Mountain Dog drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed.	The Australian Shepherd is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Bouvier des Ardennes is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Australian Shepherd vs Bouvier des Ardennes

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	1-14 puppies, average 8	6-9 puppies, average 7	4-6 puppies
Dog Name Generator – Find A Perfect Name For Your Puppy

Popular Dog Compares

Despite the best intentions, there may be errors. If you find one, please let us know and we will fix it as soon as possible. Contact us here.