Big love for big dogs

A LONG way from where the breed originated, four Bernese mountain dogs greeted each other at the Bendigo Botanic Gardens with the traditional sniff last Sunday.

They are part of a Facebook group designed for owners of the breed to catch up and share tips on raising the prodigious pooches.

It started after Tania Hampton realised there was a small community of ‘Berner’ owners in Bendigo and thought it would be nice to have a communal place.

“It started with myself and one other, and now we’ve got 22 members,” she said. “Today I’m meeting some puppies for the first time. I’m looking forward to the group growing.”

Bernese mountain dogs originated in Bern, Switzerland and were originally kept for farm work.

They are a rare breed in Australia and local owners share experiences of interstate breeders, waiting lists, adoption fees and a bit of luck.

Long Gully resident Sandra Chylinski said she waited for years to own her first Berner, 13-week-old Daisy, who was “in the right place at the right time.”

From Germany, the breed reminds Ms Chylinski of Europe, and she has been looking for a local social group to join.

“There’s not many Bernese in Australia, there’s potential for more,” she said.

“I was looking in other Facebook groups for people around Bendigo, I’m happy to see there’s more than just Daisy. It’s very exciting to catch up so she can socialise with the same breed.

“I love this breed. The love, the companionship, how gentle they are. They’re gentle giants, they’re protective but not aggressive.”

Ms Hampton said Berners are the ultimate companion, if you’re ready to put up with hair, drool, and high vet bills.

“You have to be prepared to take them on as part of the family,” she said. “It’s wonderful being owned by a Berner.”