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.<\/p>\n
They are part of a Facebook group designed for owners of the breed to catch up and share tips on raising the prodigious pooches.<\/p>\n
It started after Tania Hampton realised there was a small community of \u2018Berner\u2019 owners in Bendigo and thought it would be nice to have a communal place.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt started with myself and one other, and now we\u2019ve got 22 members,\u201d she said. \u201cToday I\u2019m meeting some puppies for the first time. I\u2019m looking forward to the group growing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bernese mountain dogs originated in Bern, Switzerland and were originally kept for farm work.<\/p>\n
They are a rare breed in Australia and local owners share experiences of interstate breeders, waiting lists, adoption fees and a bit of luck.<\/p>\n
Long Gully resident Sandra Chylinski said she waited for years to own her first Berner, 13-week-old Daisy, who was \u201cin the right place at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n
From Germany, the breed reminds Ms Chylinski of Europe, and she has been looking for a local social group to join.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s not many Bernese in Australia, there\u2019s potential for more,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was looking in other Facebook groups for people around Bendigo, I\u2019m happy to see there\u2019s more than just Daisy. It\u2019s very exciting to catch up so she can socialise with the same breed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love this breed. The love, the companionship, how gentle they are. They\u2019re gentle giants, they\u2019re protective but not aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Hampton said Berners are the ultimate companion, if you\u2019re ready to put up with hair, drool, and high vet bills.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to be prepared to take them on as part of the family,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful being owned by a Berner.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n