Australian Shepherd and Bernese Mountain Dog Mix A Complete Guide

Australian Shepherd and Bernese Mountain Dogs are both farm dogs. While the Australian Shepherd enjoys herding, Bernese Mountain Dogs were good for protecting livestock and helping with heavy loads.

When you mix them together, you get a dog that enjoys having a job and is very intelligent. The Berner Aussie enjoys sports, having a taste, and even search and rescue.

If you want to learn more about the Berner Aussie, as well as its two parent breeds, the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Shepherd, continue reading below.

Australian Shepherd, Berner Aussie, Bernese Mountain Dog Comparison Table

	Australian Shepherd	Berner Aussie	Bernese Mountain Dog
Height	18-23 inches	20-25 inches	23-28 inches
Weight	40-65 pounds	55-100 pounds	70-115 pounds
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	12-16 years	7-10 years
Colors	Black Blue Merle Red Red Merle	Tri-color Bi-color White Black Gray Blue Red Merle Blue Merle	Black Rust & White Black Tan & White
Coat Type	Double coat with medium length	Double coat with medium length	Double coat with medium length
Affection Levels	Averagely loving	Pretty loving	Very loving
Shedding Level	Average shedding	Average shedding	High shedding
Temperament	Pretty playful Average protectiveness	Pretty playful Average protectiveness	Pretty playful Average protectiveness
Health Issues	Hip dysplasia Epilepsy Cataracts Cancer	Hip dysplasia Cancer Epilepsy Retinal atrophy	Hip dysplasia Elbow dysplasia Cancer Blood disorders Retinal atrophy
Trainability	Very easy to train	Pretty easy to train	Pretty easy to train
Exercise	Very high exercise needs	Very high exercise needs	Pretty high exercise needs
Friendliness to People	Alright with strangers	Pretty good with strangers	Pretty good with strangers
Friendliness to Dogs	Alright with other dogs	Pretty good with other dogs	Pretty good with other dogs
Drooling Levels	Little to no drooling	Light drooling	Average drooling
Mental Stimulation	Very high mental stimulation required	High mental stimulation required	Average mental stimulation required
Barking Level	Average barking	Average barking	Average barking

About Australian Shepherds

Australian Shepherds are beautiful dogs. They generally have merle coats, which are usually uneven mottling of a couple of different colors on a solid background.

Despite their name, they are actually American-bred dogs. Their name is a nod to other herding dogs, many of whom originate in Australia.

For the most part, these are medium-sized dogs, though there are two smaller versions, the miniature, and the teacup. They are agile and intelligent and need a job. Otherwise, they may become destructive or not listen to your commands.

They can do everything from train for pet sports to fetching a paper every day, as long as they have something to do. Despite only being recognized by the AKC in 1991, they are considered the 18th most popular dog breed.

Due to their herding background, they have a tendency to nip children and pets if not trained properly.

About Bernese Mountain Dogs

Though relatively unheard of until recently in the United States, Bernese Mountain Dogs are growing in popularity.

They are an ancient breed, with some versions of these dogs being around for at least 2,000 years, though some evidence of the ancestors of this dog breed being around since 3,000 BC has been found.

They were farming dogs, originating in Switzerland. As farming dwindled, so too did these dogs, to the point that they almost became extinct.

Thankfully, a small group decided to focus on breeding these dogs and managed to bring them back to life.

Unfortunately, they tend to have shorter lifespans than most dogs of their size, only averaging six to eight years. Pushes for better breeding have pushed the age range up to 10, but it is still rare to reach.

These dogs have two official colorations, which are black, rust, and tan, and black, tan, and white.

About Berner Aussies

Berner Aussies, also known as Aussie Bernese, is a mix of the Australian Shepherd and Bernese Mountain Dog. They tend to take on more of the size of their Bernese Mountain Dog parent, usually weighing no less than 55 pounds. This makes them a large dog breed.

Are Berner Aussies accepted by the AKC?

Unfortunately, like all mixed dog breeds, the Berner Aussie isn’t accepted by the American Kennel Club (AKC). AKC is pretty slow in accepting new dogs and didn’t even accept the parent breeds of the Berner Aussie until around the 1990s.

The Berner Aussie is still a relatively new, and accidental breed, not even really a designer dog yet. This means that even more accepting kennel and dog clubs haven’t warmed up to this mixed breed yet.

As they grow more popular, and their breeding more stable, we will start to see them being accepted into more and more dog and kennel clubs.

What Does a Berner Aussie Look Like?

Berner Aussies aren’t yet stable in their looks. This means that they can be any mix of their two parent breeds in terms of appearance and physical traits, including size and weight.

Generally, you will find that Berner Aussies have a double coat with medium fur length, as both of their parents share this trait. However, sometimes the coat will be wavy and sometimes it will be straight.

Usually, these Berner Aussies tend to take the coloring of their Bernese Mountain Dog parent, though the pattern may more match an Aussie than a Mountain Dog with the merle.

Do Berner Aussies Shed?

Berner Aussies do shed. They may shed more than their Australian Shepherd parent, who only sheds a moderate amount. However, their other parent, the Bernese Mountain Dog, is a very heavy shedder, and the Berner Aussie takes after them somewhat.

They will need almost daily grooming and occasional blowouts to reduce the amount of fur they shed. If having a home covered in dog fur isn’t for you, then this might not be a mix you want to adopt.

Even with proper grooming, these dogs will shed often. They will often shed some throughout the year some amount, but it will increase twice a year as they go through their shedding season.

These dogs are big, fluffy, and drool a fair amount, which doesn’t make them an ideal pet for anyone that wants a clean home. If you are willing to accept slobber everywhere and a little fur though, they can make excellent companion animals.

How Big Does a Berner Aussie Get?

Like most mixed breeds, the Berner Aussie doesn’t have a stable size or weight. They can match the size of either of their parents.

From the few mixes we’ve seen, they tend to take more after their Bernese Mountain Dog parent in terms of size, ranging anywhere from 50 to 110 pounds, but most often staying between 70 and 90.

They usually stay under the Bernese Mountain Dog parent in height, though just barely, usually topping out at around 25 inches in height.

Conclusion

Berner Aussies are the perfect combination of Bernese Mountain Dog and Australian Shepherd. They are still large and fluffy, but intelligent and close to their owners. As long as they are busy and have a job, they make the perfect dog for any family.

They may need some training, but as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort, you won’t be disappointed if you adopt one of these mixes into your family.