Come visit us at our location in Sanford directly behind the Paw Park Dog Park

If you want a big, and I do mean BIG, dog then Jonah and / or his brother Touchdown might be the one(s) for you.  They weigh 45 pounds at 4 months old so we expect them to be over 100 pounds when fully grown.

 

Right now, Jonah looks like he could be a bear.  He is big and fluffy, and has the biggest paws I've even seen on a canine. 

 

Oh, but he is just a joy to be around.  He and his brother are so playful and so much fun.  They love to play with each other, other dogs, people, etc.  They are so sweet and playful, you just want to give them each a big hug. 

 

They were surrender because their family could not afford them. Please, please, please consider the adoption of a dog this size very carefully and make sure you are able to afford him, before adopting.  Big dogs cost more than smaller dogs in terms of food, heartworm (you have to give them two pills because of their size), etc.

 

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, although the exact origins of the Bernese Mountain Dog are unclear, this breed probably began as a farm dog in the Swiss mountains. Paintings from the end of the 18th century show the Bernese type. By the end of the 19th century, however, many foreign dogs were being imported to Switzerland and there was a danger that the native breeds would be lost. Professor Albert Heim, Franz Schertenleib and others led the effort to preserve native Swiss breeds by finding remaining specimens and stabilizing the Berner Sennenhund (Bernese Alpine Herdsman's dog) as a distinct breed. The Bernese Mountain Dog was named after the Berne canton of Switzerland where the breed is widely known. The sturdy Bernese has been used for driving livestock, for draft work and as a farm guardian. Because of his gentle, happy temperament, the Bernese Mountain Dog makes a fine family companion. Its talents are tracking, herding, watchdogging, guarding, search & rescue, carting, and competitive obedience. These gentle, cheerful dogs love children. They are very intelligent, easy to train and are natural watchdogs, but not overly aggressive. A friend for life. They are very loyal and may have trouble adjusting to a new owner after they are 18 months old. Self-confident, alert and good-natured. They are fairly friendly with strangers, and are generally good with other pets and dogs. Never sharp or shy. These dogs may by slow to mature, remaining boisterous and puppy-like for quite awhile. The Bernese needs to be with people and not relegated to the backyard or kennel run. Like any dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog should be well socialized as a puppy. These dogs are sensitive and should be trained gently. They have a life expectancy of 6-8 years.