Bernese Hound

BERNESE HOUND

Note: all swiss breed were described in the same standard No. 059. In order to make the consult easier we saparate them in four charts.

FCI Standard nº 059 / 28. 11. 2001 / GB. Date of Publication of the valid Original Standard: 05. 11. 1993
Origin: Swiss. Origin name: Berner Laufhund; Utilization: Small game hunting dog.
FCI Classification	- group 6 - Scent Hounds and Related Breeds; - section 1.1.2. - Medium sized Hounds; - with working trial.
* Updated at August, 29 - 2004

HISTORICAL SUMMARY

GENERAL APPEARANCE		- Medium size, good conformation indicating strength and endurance; long muzzle and lean head with long ears giving him an air of nobility.
-		-
PROPORTIONS		- Length of body : height at withers about 1,15 : 1 - Size : depth of chest about 2 : 1 - Length of muzzle : length of skull about 1 : 1
-		-
SIZE		- Height at the withers: Male 49 to 59 cm Female 47 to 57 cm
-		- length: (standard does not comment). - weight: (standard does not comment).
-		-
TEMPERAMENT		- Lively and passionately keen on hunting; sensitive, docile and very attached to his master.
-		-
SKIN		- Fine, supple, well fitting to the body, of different colour in the four varieties: Bernese Hound: Black skin under black coat and white skin, slightly black mottled, under white coat Jura Hound (Bruno): Black skin under black coat, but lighter under tan coat Lucerne Hound: Black skin under black coat and lighter under blue speckling Schwyz Hound: Dark grey skin under orange coat and white flecked with black under white coat
--		-
COAT		- Nature of Hair: short, smooth and dense, very fine on the head and the ears.
-		-
COLOUR		- Bernese Hound White with black patches or black saddle; with light to dark fawn markings over the eyes, on the cheeks, the inside of the ears and around the anus; sometimes very slightly mottled.
-		-
HEAD		-
-	Skull	- elongated, narrow, lean, noble; rather rounded; pronounced occiput; axes of skull and muzzle slightly divergent.
-	Stop	- defined without exaggeration.
-	Muzzle	- of equal length to that of the skull, finely chiseled, narrow, neither square nor pointed; foreface straight or very slightly aquiline (Roman nose). Cheeks lean, zygomatic arches not prominent.
-	Nose	- completely black, well developed; wide open nostrils.
-	Lips	- moderately developed, upper lips covering the lower jaw closely; corner of the lips slightly open.
-	Jaw/Teeth	- Jaws solid. Teeth strong, complete and regular with scissor bite, i.e. the back sides of the upper incisors are in close contact with the front face of the lower incisors; teeth squarely implanted into the jaws, pincer bite accepted; absence of one or two premolars (PM 1 or PM 2) tolerated. The Molars M3 are not taken into consideration.
-	Eyes	- dark or lighter brown corresponding to the colour of the coat, slightly oval, medium sized, soft expression; rims of eyelids well pigmented, fitting perfectly the shape of the eyeball
-	Ears	- set on below the eye level and towards back of the skull, never attached in their greatest width; in length, reaching at least the tip of the nose; ear conch not prominent; leathers narrow, drooping, folded and twisted, rounded at their tips, supple and covered with fine hair.
-		-
NECK		- elongated, elegant, muscular; skin slack at the throat but without noticeable dewlap
-		-
BODY		-
-	Top Line	- all together, the neck, back, rump and tail should form an harmonious and firm outline.
-	Withers	- discreetly defined, reachy neck.
-	Back	- compact, level and straight.
-	Chest	- deeper than wide, well let down and reaching at least the point of the elbow; thoracic cage carried well back.
-	Ribs	- slightly sprung
-	Belly	- slightly tucked up
-	Loins	- solid, muscular, supple
-	Under Line	- belly (abdomen) slightly tucked up towards hindquarters.
-	Croup	- slightly inclined, elongated; back merging smoothly with the rump; not higher than the withers
-		-
LIMBS
Forequarters - Seen on the whole, very muscular, but without heaviness, lean; average bone structure; seen in profile, forelegs vertical; seen from the front, straight and parallel; forefeet pointing straight ahead.
-	Shoulder	- Shoulder-blades long and oblique, well attached to the chest wall. Ideal angle of the scapular-humeral articulation: about 100 degrees.
-	Upperarms	- a little longer than the shoulder-blade, oblique, close to the body and muscular without heaviness.
-	Elbows	- naturally placed against the thoracic wall.
-	Forearms	- straight, strong and lean.
-	Carpus	- strong and wide.
-	Pasterns	- relatively short; seen from the front, in the vertical line of the forearm; seen in profile, slightly inclined.
-	Forefeet	- of roundish shape; toes tight; pads rough and hard; nails solid and coloured according to colour of coat.
-		-
Hindquarters - Muscular but in harmonious relation with the forequarters; seen from behind, straight and parallel.
-	Thighs	- long, oblique, muscular without being overdone. Angle of the coxal-femoral articulation: about 110 degrees.
-	Stifles	- Neither turned out nor in. Angle of the femoral-tibial articulation: about 120 degrees.
-	Lowerthighs	- Long, lean, muscles and tendons apparent.
-	Metatarsus	- (standard does not comment).
-	Hocks	- No dewclaws (removal authorized). Angle of the tibial-tarsal articulation: about 130 degrees
-	Hindfeet	- round shaped; toes tightly closed; pads rough and hard; nails solid and coloured according to the coat colour
-		-
Tail		- set in prolongation of the rump, of medium length, elegant tapered at its extremity which forms a slight upward curve; at rest or in slow gaits, it hangs naturally without a distinctive curve; when the dog is more attentive or is moving faster, it is carried higher than the back line, but never falling over the back or curled up; well covered with hair without any coarse hair underneath (brush tail)
-		-
Gait/Movement		- Free, even and coordinate; extended strides; powerful impulsion from the hindquarters; the legs move parallel to the median plane of the body; vertical move of the withers regular and moderate; the back should remain level; very slight lateral oscillation of the head and neck.
-		-
Faults		- should be regarded in exact proportion to its degree. • general appearance lacking distinction, heavy (coarse) or light • important disproportion between the length of the dog, the depth of chest and the height at the whithers • skull to wide, too bulging or too flat • muzzle too short or too long, too square or too pointed • absence of teeth other than one or two premolars (PM 1 or PM 2) • foreface dished • stop too pronounced • flews too accentuated • eye light, hawk-eye, conjunctiva (haw) apparent • ear flat, thick, too short or set too high • neck too short • excess dewlap • thoracic cage not let down enough, not enough spring of ribs or barrel shaped • saddle or roach back • rump too much sloping or too short • belly (abdomen) too tucked up, hollow flanks • legs fine boned or crooked • shoulder too upright, upper arm too short • down at pastern • insufficient angulation of hindquarters, cow hocked • dewclaws on hindquarters • stern badly set, carried too high, deviated, curved, coarse or feathered • coat harsh or shaggy • timid dog or fighter dog Faults of the repartition of markings and colours in the Bernese Hound: • too many black spots in the white • fawn colour on the outer face of the ear lobe
-		-
Serious Faults		- (standard does not comment).
-		-
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS - all general faults. • lack of type • size either over or under that fixed by the standard • nose entirely depigmented • overshot or undershot mouth • ectropion or entropion (even operated) • rolled or ring tail, kink tail, tail with vertebral deformity • very timid or very aggressive behaviour
-		-
NOTE: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.