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Professor Dr. Albert Heim, in approximately 1902
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a farm dog of ancestral origin, which was used as a guard and draught dog and for driving cattle in the Alpine regions and in the midland areas around Bern.   Originally, he was named "Dürrbächler", according to the name of the hamlet and of the inn of Dürrbach, near Riggisberg, where this longhaired, tri-coloured farm dog was especially appreciated.

There are three other varieties of Swiss Mountain Dogs:   the Appenzell, the Entlebuch and the Great Swiss Mountain Dog.  The Appenzell is named after the canton and the town of Appenzell.  They would herd cattle and also pull carts which transported buckets of milk from the dairies.  The Entlebuch, the smallest of the breeds, comes from the Valley of Entlebuch, which is in the Canton of Bern. The breed also worked in the region of Lucerne and was used as a farm dog  -  guarding and herding.  The Great Swiss Mountain Dog, the largest of the mountain breeds, was used for general farm work.

During the 1800's, the breed had very nearly disappeared due to the interest in the St. Bernard and the lack of concentrated breeding programs  -  and it was not until the turn of this century, that a Swiss psychologist, Herr Franz Schertenlieb, combed the countryside to find the last of these dogs. He did have some success around the Dürrbach district of Bern, when a Zürich professor, Dr. Albert Heim, joined him.  Thanks to them, the Bernese Mountain Dog made a comeback.

At first, these dogs were known as either "Gelbbackler" (yellow cheeks), "Vierauger" (four eyes), or, more commonly, "Dürrbachler".  As they now came from the whole area of Bern and not just Dürrbach, in 1908 the "Schweizerische Dürrbach-Club" changed their name to the "Berner Sennenhund" (Bernese Mountain Dog).

The Berner had, by then, a huge following in Switzerland, the Continent and Scandinavia and was finally recognized in America in 1936.  Canada followed suit in the 1970's.  Today, the Bernese Mountain Dog is well known and appreciated all over the world as a companion and family dog, thanks to its striking tri-coloured coat and its great adaptability.