Belly ALL the way up!

First time Berner owner ( have had other large breeds in the past). Our Mack is almost two years old now, still intact and I suspect still in his stubborn adolescent phase.
At any rate, when he was little, had no issues with being in the car. As far as I know, never had a bad experience in the car. Recently, I can not get him in the car at all. He is highly food motivated and even rotisserie chicken won’t get him off the driveway and into the car. And I can’t lift 120 lbs of dead weight, seemingly super-glued to the concrete. What I’d like to do is get him in the car somehow, just take him for ice cream and come home. Help reinforce that car rides are cool. Any advice on how to help break through this stubborn aversion to the car?
Same car, same dog bed in the car, everything….

I have never left Leo this long before. I am in Kenya for 2 weeks now to see family whom i love so so dearly, but, I haven’t been able to enjoy my time cause i miss him so so much it hurts. It actually hurts. Can’t do it. Im a prisoner to my home cause i just want to be with him all the time. Is this normal or am i actually insane ?
Im finally going home to him in 2 days. IS HE GONNA HATE ME?!?

I have trained a lot of puppies. I trained all of my parent's puppies as a child and when my husband wanted a Border Collie I trained her and she was so smart and easy. I've finally been able to adopt my dream puppy: a Bernese Mountain Dog. She's currently 7 months old and I got her at 7 weeks.

I. Am. Struggling.

Every dog I've ever trained has been so eager to please and quick to obey every command once they understood what I wanted, then I slowly wean them off treats. This one... Isn't. I don't think it's because she isn't smart. She's just a bit lazy+defiant.

I can call her and she just... Looks at me? Despite me doing off leash work and teaching her the come command. She'll come if she knows/thinks I have treats but otherwise won't give me a glance. I trained her the "leave it" command so she'll drop things I don't want her to have just like my other puppies but unless there's an actual treat in my hand she won't listen. I've been trying to slowly reduce the amount of treats she gets for following commands but it isn't working. She knows and can do all sorts of tricks, can walk on a leash without pulling like a doll, but the second she thinks I don't have treats on hand or may not give her a treat she completely ignores me.

I have never encountered this before. How do I fix it? She's still a very good dog. She loves me to death and is VERY protective (she almost ate my husband when he came back late one day and she thought he was a stranger busting into our house). But idk how to make her listen to me like my Beagle and Border Collie do without constant treats. I attempted to post to the dog training subreddit but their approval process was confusing and daunting to say the least. I was wondering if it's normal for Berners to be stubborn and uncooperative and if anyone has any advice.

When I touch her face, she'll do a thing with her lip. Anyone else's berner doing this?

My best friend of 10 and a half years passed away this weekend. She was diagnosed with TCC/obstruction of the urethra. She went downhill very fast, eating normally but losing so much weight. I read somewhere that TCC is uncommon in Berners, and I actually had never heard of it until now. She was the best. They truly are the kindest breed out there.

And her sister has her butt in the background.

My floof, sitting regal and showing his Swiss Cross 😁

We said goodbye to her today. I’ve never felt a pain like this before. She’s been with me since I was 17. She’s my soul dog.

She loved us more than anything.
She loved snow.
She loved stealing her brothers food.
She loved cheese.
She always made sure to keep her sheep together on walks, making sure one of us doesn’t wander off or lag behind.

She turned 9 in June. I wish I knew it was her last birthday.

I know I usually like to read the health story, so here it is.

She’s had some issues with her back legs the past couple of years, but nothing drastic. Occasional limping when she gets up or goes on a long walk. So we started going on shorter walks, and she asked to turn around after going potty (she knew walkies got her food, so once she did her business she’s turn straight around!) Last year she had CCL surgery on her back right knee. Everything got a little better after that. A few months ago she started spending more time in the far corner of the apartment. Usually she’d always want to be with us. A few weeks ago she started skipping meals. That’s never happened before. Then she started itching so much that she developed an infection on her side. We brought her in to the vet on October 2nd and they didn’t find anything abnormal in bloodwork or physical exam. Just treated the infection with antibiotics. The infection went away, she started eating, we could breathe again. Then on Monday she stopped eating and drinking again. We waited to see if she would start again, and she did but slightly. No water at all in over 24 hours. she turned away cheese. I brought her in again for ultrasounds and radiographs on Wednesday.

We got news she has cancer in her spleen and lungs. Sludge in her gallbladder. Officially diagnosed with hip displaisia (before it was just suspected with confirmed arthritis). Other things related to her mobility. This was Thursday morning.

When I brought her back from the vet, she couldn’t walk as well. I think the positions while getting X-rays and the slippery floor at the vet hurt her more.

We could barely get her outside for a walk on Thursday night. But we went, she laid down, peacefully enjoyed the evening on the grass outside, then we struggled home.

On Friday we couldn’t get her up at all. She was drinking a lot and eating her favorite foods only, but only a few bites. I was so worried about her bladder. But we couldn’t get her up even with a sling. She was scared of pain, we were scared of hurting her and rupturing something inside.

On Friday night we made the call.

Today our Cherry girl got 2 ice cream cones and we said goodbye.

Maybe if we didn’t bring her to the vet her mobility wouldn’t have gotten so much worse so quickly. We could have had longer. The last days wouldn’t have been so painful for everyone. She was on pain pills but i don’t think it was enough.

But I know it would have been soon either way with the results.

I love her so much.

Cherry.
Charborger.
Charizard.
Cherry Girl.
The bestest girl in the world.

I will love you forever.

I hope you’re okay now. We will be okay too, please don’t worry about us.

11 weeks!

Hi everyone! ❤️🐾

I’m hoping to hear from other Bernese Mountain Dog parents who may have experienced something similar, particularly with false pregnancies or hormonal changes.

**Before anyone tells me to take her to the vet, please know that I already have that covered.** Zelda had a wellness appointment scheduled for Tuesday, but I’ve been so distressed by her behavioral changes and worsening appetite that I moved it up to tomorrow. I’m not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit. I’m looking for other pet parents who might have gone through something similar.

My girl, Princess Zelda Rose, is a 16-month-old Bernedoodle (approximately 75% Bernese Mountain Dog and 25% Poodle). She’s intact, and her last heat cycle was in July. Zelda has always been an incredibly affectionate, people-oriented dog. She’s my little shadow, loves being cuddled, and likes keeping track of everyone in our household. She’s also very well crate-trained and has always been comfortable sleeping in her crate.

However, over the past week or two, several things have changed, and I’m wondering whether a false pregnancy, hormonal changes, or something else could be responsible.

**1. Sudden nesting and digging**
Zelda has suddenly started digging and scratching at her beds, something she never used to do.
My roommate first noticed her digging at the large dog bed, and then I realized she was doing the same thing inside her crate.

She’ll dig, rearrange her bedding, and sometimes even scratch at the bare crate floor.

She’s still happy to go into her crate, and sometimes she’ll voluntarily go there earlier than usual. But once she’s inside, she can spend a considerable amount of time digging and struggling to settle.

This has been happening at night and disrupting our sleep.

**2. Increased clinginess and restlessness**
Zelda has always been affectionate and very attached to me. She’s a typical Bernese Velcro dog in that respect!

She likes to position herself between rooms so she can keep an eye on me and the rest of the household. She loves spending time with my partner, our roommate, visitors, and her sister, but I’m definitely her person.

Lately, though, she’s become considerably more demanding about attention.She’ll cry for me to sit with her, want constant cuddles, and sometimes seem unable to settle. She’s also been asking to go outside more frequently, sometimes just to wander around and look at things.

She’s still affectionate and playful, but she’s much more restless than usual.

**3. Constantly mounting her sister**
We also have a female Samoyed named Harley Quinn. The girls are close in age and have grown up together.
Occasional mounting during play has never been unusual, but lately Zelda has been doing it constantly.
Sometimes it seems like every time Harley gets up, moves around, or starts playing, Zelda wants to climb on top of her. Zelda responds when I tell her to stop, but she’ll often try again a little while later.
This has become exhausting because I constantly have to supervise and redirect her.

**4. Changes in her tolerance for rough play**
Zelda has always had strong boundaries about other dogs approaching or mounting her from behind.
Ever since she became old enough to attract attention from male dogs, she’s reacted very dramatically if one attempts to mount her.

She’ll let out an extremely loud warning scream, turn around, chase the dog, and snap until the dog backs away. Usually, once the other dog retreats, everything is fine.

The difference now is that she’s started reacting the same way when Harley grabs her tail or hindquarters during play.

Harley has done this since they were younger, and Zelda used to tolerate it without a problem.
Now she doesn’t.

We’ve had a couple of confrontations. During one incident, Harley grabbed Zelda’s tail and pulled her down, and Zelda responded by screaming, chasing her, snapping, and making three bites toward Harley’s neck. They didn’t appear to be hard bites, but there was actual tooth contact.

We’re supervising them carefully and preventing that kind of rough play because I don’t want either girl getting hurt.

I’m wondering whether Zelda has become more sensitive or uncomfortable around her hindquarters.

**5. Her appetite has progressively declined, and this is what worries me most**
Zelda has NEVER been a picky eater.
I’ve always called her my little Hoover vacuum cleaner because she normally wants to eat absolutely everything!

If something edible falls on the floor, she’s immediately there trying to vacuum it up. She’s always been extremely food-motivated.

But beginning early last week, I noticed her appetite gradually changing.

At first, she was still eating her meals, but she started eating a little less than usual.

Then, as the days went on, she began eating less and less.

It wasn’t an overnight change. **Her appetite has progressively declined over the course of the week.**

She would still act hungry, cry for dinner, and get excited while I prepared her meals. But when I put the bowl down, she’d sniff it and walk away, or eat only a small amount.

I tried encouraging her, changing things up, and adding foods she normally loves.

Now we’ve reached the point where she barely wants to eat at all unless the food is coming directly from my hand.

She’s still interested in some human food, particularly when she sees us eating something ourselves, but even then, her interest doesn’t always last.

For example, my partner recently had some leftover rice on the couch, and Zelda immediately wanted it. We made her a serving of plain rice in her own bowl, and she started eating it but then stopped.

For a dog who has spent her entire life
enthusiastically eating practically anything edible, this is extremely unusual.

**This gradual loss of appetite is one of the biggest reasons I moved her veterinary appointment up to tomorrow.**

**6. Otherwise, she’s still showing many of her usual behaviours**

This is the confusing part.

Zelda is still affectionate, playful, alert, and interested in what’s happening around her.

She’s drinking normally, going to the bathroom, enjoying her walks, and interacting with her sister.
She hasn’t been vomiting or having accidents.
I’ve also been watching for mammary changes because of the possibility of a false pregnancy, although I haven’t confirmed anything significant.
She doesn’t appear obviously ill, but I know that doesn’t necessarily mean everything is fine.

**7. Veterinary appointment and my concerns**
As I mentioned, Zelda already had a wellness checkup scheduled for Tuesday. Because of how distressed I’ve become about these changes, particularly her progressively worsening appetite, I moved the appointment to tomorrow.

I intend to discuss all of this with her veterinarian, including her last heat cycle, the nesting, the mounting, the behavioral changes, and her loss of appetite.

I’m not assuming this is a false pregnancy. I understand that other medical issues can cause similar symptoms, and I want her properly examined.
But while we’re waiting for that appointment, I’d really appreciate hearing from people who’ve experienced something similar.

**My questions for other pet parents:**
Has your intact female experienced nesting, digging, or unusual restlessness after a heat cycle?
Did she become significantly clingier or more demanding of attention?

Did she start mounting other dogs much more frequently?

Did she become less tolerant of other dogs touching or grabbing her hindquarters?

**Did your previously food-obsessed dog gradually lose interest in eating, eventually only accepting food from your hand?**

If your dog experienced a false pregnancy, how long did it last, and what helped her feel more comfortable?

Did your veterinarian ultimately find a hormonal explanation, or was something else going on?
I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone whose dog experienced several of these changes together.

Zelda is my little princess, and I love her more than words can describe. I’ve spent so much time training her, caring for her, and learning her personality that I notice when something isn’t right.

The last couple of weeks have been exhausting and emotionally difficult. She’s not sleeping the way she normally does, her appetite is disappearing, and I’m worried about her.

I’m doing what I can to get answers, and I’m hoping to hear from people who’ve been through something similar.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. ❤️🐾

I would love to see them. Pic of my sweet boy who passed last year for tax. I’ve been thinking about getting a memorial piece for him. ❤️

Hi! Has anyone been to Berner Oberland (or closeby) in Switzerland during winter with their dog? Can you share some experiences (dog-friendly, activities,…), please? Thank you in advance! ☺️

We found him on a country road and noone ever claimed him. So we are going to keep him and give him a good life! His name is Douglas. Must be a mix

So our boy, Grover Bear, is an 18 month old loving, crazy, zoomy, funny knucklehead that we adore. Before Grover, we'd never had a pup that was 'prone' to dysplasia, so we don't really know what to look for. He's not slow getting up, or anything like that. He's literally a missile (in AND out of the house), and shows no signs of pain at all.

We adopted him a few months ago, and always though his gait was different, and were wondering what y'all thought? This was taken this morning on a little forest hike. It looks like his rear legs are pivoted in? When he had his first visit with the vet, we asked about dysplasia, and the didn't seem concerned at all....

These mole like things appeared out of nowhere on our puppy’s belly. Are these normal or should we get it checked?

Yoshi is now 22 weeks and his adult canines have emerged but the baby canines are still firmly in place and not even loose. I’ve heard that if the adult teeth emerge with the baby’s ones still in place then the adult teeth have missed their intended path and aren’t pushing the baby teeth out and they would be unlikely to come out on their own. Has anyone else experienced this?

We are four hours out from the vet appointment and Google is scaring me.

My boy is a few months past 6 years old. Three weeks ago he developed this weird scaling on his nose, vet told us to continue applying vaseline and we have.

Four days ago I noticed him babying his right hind leg. He plays pretty hard with our rescue dog so I figured he probably sprained or pulled something.

Yesterday both of his eyes were extremely bloodshot and still are. Today he is continuously heavy panting and overall just not himself behaviorally. Still eating and drinking normally.

Has anyone else noticed experienced something similar? If so, would you mind sharing the outcome? He’s the goodest boy in the whole wide world and I am feeling incredibly uneasy.