Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever"
Compare Bernese Mountain Dog and Labrador Retriever. Which is better: Bernese Mountain Dog or Labrador Retriever?
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Name | Bernese Mountain Dog | Labrador Retriever |
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Origins | ![]() | ![]() ![]() |
Group | Working Dogs | Gun Dog |
Popularity Rank | 25 | 1 |
Reviews | 2 | 3 |
Rate |
Other Names | Berner Sennenhund, Bernese Cattle Dog, Berner | Labrador, Lab |
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Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1937 as a Working breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed. |
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 Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers 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 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 |
Price | $800-$1000 | $1000-$2000 |
General Appearance - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Size | Large | Large |
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Weight | Male: 85-110 pounds (38–50 kg), Female: 80-105 pounds (36–48 kg) | Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg) |
Avg. Weight | Male: 97.5 pounds (38–50 kg), Female: 92.5 pounds (36–48 kg) | Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg) |
Height | Male: 24-28 inches (61–71 cm), Female: 23-27 inches (58–69 cm) | Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm) |
Avg. Height | Male: 26 inches (61–71 cm), Female: 25 inches (58–69 cm) | Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Coat | Dense | Dense Waterproof Hard Short |
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Colors | White Black | Yellow Chocolate Black |
Grooming | Average: The Bernese Mountain Dog requires average grooming effort. | Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming. |
Shedding Level | Bernese Mountain Dogs shed above average. | Labrador Retrievers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Temperament | Affectionate Intelligent Faithful Loyal | Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive |
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Intelligent Rank | Very smart: Bernese Mountain Dog is an excellent dog breed. | Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
Trainability | Bernese Mountain Dogs are easy to train. | Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train. |
Playfulness | Bernese Mountain Dogs, like any other dog breed, like playing. | The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed. |
Sensitivity Level | They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds. | Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. |
Affection Level | Bernese Mountain Dogs are average dogs regarding their affection level. | Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence. |
Social Needs | Bernese Mountain Dogs need for social interaction is average. | Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction. |
Barking | Average: The Bernese Mountain Dog barks occasionally. | Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally. |
Watchdog Ability | Bernese Mountain Dogs are one of the best watchdogs. | Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs. |
Territorial | Bernese Mountain Dogs are extremely protective guard dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are average defenders. |
Biting Potential |
Low The Bernese Mountain Dog has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody. |
Mouthiness | Bernese Mountain Dogs have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Labrador Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
Impulse to Wander or Roam | Bernese Mountain Dogs have average wanderlust potential. | Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential. |
Prey Drive | Bernese Mountain Dogs have a high impulse to chase and catch something. | Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals. |
Apartment Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle. | Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle. |
Adaptability | Bernese Mountain Dogs adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually. | Labrador Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all 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. | Labrador Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them. |
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. |
Good With - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Stranger Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards strangers. | Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs. |
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Child Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are kid-friendly dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs. |
Cat Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards cats. | Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs. |
Dog Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are average friendly towards other dogs. | Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs. |
Office Friendly |
No Bernese Mountain Dog is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
Senior Citizens Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are usually recommended for elderly people. | Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people. |
Pet Friendly | Bernese Mountain Dogs are generally with other pets. | Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets. |
Good For First Time Owners |
No Bernese Mountain Dogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
Service Dog |
Yes This breed makes good as a service dog. |
Yes This breed makes good as a service dog. |
Therapy Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog. |
Yes This breed makes a perfect 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. |
Yes 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. |
Yes 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. |
Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes 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. |
Health Factors - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Health Issues | Very healthy dog breed. | The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. |
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Health Problems | Bloat Cancer Elbow Dysplasia Hip Dysplasia Panosteitis Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Von Willebrand's Disease | Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia |
Life Expectancy | 7-10 years | 10-12 years |
Hypoallergenic | No | No |
Energy Level | Bernese Mountain Dogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds. | Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs. |
Exercise Need | Bernese Mountain Dogs have an average exercise need. | Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises. |
Sleeping Need | Bernese Mountain Dogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping. | Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep. |
Avg. daily food consumption | 6 to 8 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. | Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. |
Weight Gain Potential | Average to High. | High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight. |
Weather & Climate |
Prefers cold weather The Bernese Mountain Dog can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog. | Tolerates warm and cold weather. |
Stinkiness |
Medium The Bernese Mountain Dog has an average chance of bad smell. |
High The Labrador Retriever has a high 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 Labrador Retriever is an average drooler. |
Reproducibility - Bernese Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever
Gestation Length | 60-64 days | 60-64 days |
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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. |
Litter Size | 1-14 puppies, average 8 | 5-10 puppies |
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