58 B.C.- 400 A.D Age of Romans in Switzerland.

1353 Bern joins the young Swiss Confederation, becoming a leading member of the new state

1489 Burgermeister of Zurich orders the destruction of all farm dogs. Edict fails.

1650 Flanders painter Jacob Jordaens paints a Swiss Sennenhund in a picture representing Greek mythology.
1651 Dutch painter Paulus Potter paints a typical Swiss Sennenhund sitting in a Dutch dune region, Herders met hun vee.

1789 William Tell gains notoriety

1798 Swiss revolution.
1798 Invasion of Canton of Bern by French Revolutionary Army. Fall of Old Berne. Bern stripped of most of it's territories.

1803 Chocolate production starts in Switzerland.
1805 First modern alpine crossing road usable for wagons.

1814 Age of Industrialization begins in Switzerland, the mechanization of the farm eliminated the need for large, powerful animals. By the year 1900 the Swiss Mountain dogs had simply disappeared from most areas and were on the verge of disappearing completely.
1815 World's 1st commercial cheese factory established, in Switzerland
1816: Photography invented: Nicéphore Niépce combines the camera obscura with photosensitive paper
1817 Emigration away from Switzerland because of starvation and poor economic prospects.

1834: Photography progresses: Henry Fox Talbot creates permanent (negative) images using paper soaked in silver chloride and fixed with a salt solution. Talbot created positive images by contact printing onto another sheet of paper.

1840-1860 Extensive poverty in Switzerland.
1848 Switzerland's flag was officially introduced, city of Bern becomes Swiss Administrative capital.
1849 First road in Switzerland coated with asphalt. 1849 Albert Heim born in Zurich.

1850 Jeremias Gotthelf writes a book portraying Swiss farm life, "Michael's Search for a Wife", in which he describes 3 Swiss farm dogs, Bari, Ringii and Blassen.
1850 Rail line service begins in Europe and Switzerland ending the cattle driving business.
1850 Niklaus Gerber, dairy industry innovater, is born at Thun
1850 Nearly 60% of the Swiss population works in agriculture
1852 Development of rail network begins in canton of Bern, Bernese State RR.
1853 F. V. Tschundy writes in the book Animals That Live in the Alps "Together with many heard of cattle in the Alps, we can find the so-called Sennenhund. If the wanderer approaches the alpine dwelling, he is first spotted and greeted by the barking dog. The herdsman uses a medium sized dog, many coulored, to keep the herds together and protect his hut. The same dogs accompany the men if they carry their milk into the valley or town."
1853 Appenzell Cattle Dog was first described in the book "Tierleben der Alpenwelt" (Animal Life in the Alps)

1874 Civil marriage becomes mandatory in canton of Bern.
1875 Milk chocolate invented in Switzerland
1879 Johanna Spyri writes 16 volumes of stories for children. Among these, the two Heidi volumes become very popular

1881 First public telephone networks in Canton of Bern.
1881 Canton of Bern receives first national telephone system.
1883 Swiss Kennel Club (Schweizerische Kynologische Gesellschaft) founded, F. V. Tschudy is responsible for the stud book.
1883 Fast food developed in Switzerland, soup powder in bags.
1884 AKC established.
1888 36% of the Swiss population works in agriculture
1889 E. Bauer in "The Swiss Central Newspaper for Hunting and Dog Enthusiasts" wrote the first known description of the Entlebucher Sennenhunde.


1892 Franz Schertenleib found and purchased a dog from the Durrbach region, south of Bern, that the old farmers of Burgdorf recognized as a Gelbbackler. It's stated this dog was purchased from a basket weaver. Franz subsequently bought more of the dogs from the same region.

1893 New constitution adopted for Canton of Bern.

1893 Article appears in New York Times, Effect of Culture Upon Dogs, Belgium's Experience with them as Draught Dogs. Exert states: For every horse seen in harness on the streets or roads there are at least two dogs, and in some of the streets dogs have the entire monopoly of the business of drawing carts and carriages. They are well fed and cared for and handsomely harnessed. The dogs move the vehicles with ease and go about so noiselessly and inoffensively.

1896 Automobile production begins in Switzerland.

1898 The executive authorities of the Canton St. Gallen put the sum of SFr. 400 at disposal to support the breeding of the Appenzell Cattle Dog.

1899 Beginning of breed recognition in Switzerland, Probst of Bern exhibits an excellent example. First public mention of the Durrbachlers written by Probst in the newspaper Centralblatt.

1899 A Swiss dog club called Berna was founded in Bern for widely scattered breeders of purebred dogs.


1901 In Belgium Professor Reul devotes himself also to the draught dogs and to the bouviers. Trials for draught dogs and harnessed dogs are organised in every corner of the country. The "Draught Mastiff" is increasingly successful
1902 Berna club sponsors a Swiss Dog show at Ostermundigen. In the "animal market" an article appeared about the Swiss "mountain" breeds by an editor named Tagmann. He wrote: The trail class for the Durrbachler was well represented. 3 Durrbachlers were entered in the show, all from the Bern area.
1903 Truck production begins in Switzerland.
1904 German author Strebel theorizes the Bernese derive from dogs of the Mollossus type.
1904 International Dog Show held in Bern. Berna club sponsored a class for Swiss "shepherd dogs", Appenzeller Sennenhunds and Durrbach dogs.
1904 Probst and photographer friend, Doppler arrange trial classes for Durrbachlers at the International Swiss Show (SKG) in Bern.. Classes were judged by Fritz Probst, keeper of a small inn at Berne City. 6 Durrbach dogs were shown, Fritz awarded 4 prizes. First dogs known to be referred to as "Bernese" were exhibited by Schertenleib under his prefix Rothohe.
1904 4 Durrbachlers entered into Swiss registry, Schweizerisches Hundestammbuch (SHSB) of the Swiss Kennel Club (SKG).
1905 M. Schafroth, E. Heiniger and E. Gunther purchased the first Durrbachler breed stock. G. Mumenthaler acquired his champion bitch, Belle, in Bern and through Tagmann found a suitable stud named Sultan. M. Schafroth found the bitch, Prisca, at Gerzensee and the stud Bari in Reichenbach (Albert Heim characterized this dog as one of the truest to type of the big Swiss Farm Dog).
1906 "Appenzeller Sennenhund Club" was founded
1907 Burgdorf breeders take their Durrbachlers to a show in Lucerne, judged by Heim After the show in Lucerne the Schweizerischer Durrbach Klub is founded in Burgdorf, Switzerland. The club has 14 members and a breed standard is defined.
1907 Albert Heim publishes a detailed breed description in the official magazine, Centralblatt fur Jagd-und Hundliebhaber (Central News for Hunting and Dog Lovers), of the Swiss Kennel Club (SKG)
1907 The 4 winning Durrbachs form the International Dog Show held in Bern (1904) were placed in the Swiss stud book, signaling the breed recognition by the Swiss Kennel Club (SKG).
1908 Swiss Standard for the breed established.
1908 Durrbach Klub publishes the breed standard.
1908 Durrbachler Club name changed to Berner Sennenhund Club
1908 Schweizerische Kynologische Gesellschaft (SKG) Jubille show has 2 entries as "short-haired Bernese Mountain Dogs", later to become known as Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund or Greater Swiss Mtn Dogs.
1908 Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund entered into Swiss stud book.
1908 First Bernese gain entry to Swiss stud book.
1908 21 entries at show in Langenthal, interest in breed increases.


1910 Berner Sennenhund Club holds show judged by Heim. Respected judge Albert Heim begins selecting for preferred marking while judging.
1910 8 dogs exhibited in Lausanne under French classification, Bouvier Suisse.
1910 Burgdof show draws 107 BMD entries.
1910 Swiss show in Berne draws 42 entries.
1910 Swiss Kennel Club recognizes the Greater Swiss Mtn Dog.
1911 Bernese introduced into Germany. Behrens import Senn v. Schlossgut.
1911 The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) was created, original member countries were Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and Netherlands.
1911 Swiss Berner Sennenhund Club has 40 members.
1912 The Swiss club for "Grosse Schweizer Sennenhunde" was founded.
1912 Durrbach Klub changes name to Berner-Sennenhund Klub.
1912 Completion of Jungfraujoch, high altitude railway system.
1912 Franz Schertenleib brought three male and two female Entlebuchers to the Swiss Kennel Club exhibition in Bern where Dr. Heim judged them.
1912 After comparison evaluations between horse and dog, Belgium adopts the draft dog for pulling machine-guns in the army
1913 Entlebuchers exhibited for the first time at a Langental show.
1913 Opening of Bernese Alpine Railroad.
1914-1918 World War I
1914 Regional tensions-Swiss population splits. German speaking Swiss orient toward Germany, French speaking Swiss orient toward France.
1914 First valid breed standard for Appenzeller advanced by Albert Heim.
1914 Albert Heim writes essay: Die Schweizer Sennenhunde which details breed physical description and character.
1914 25% of the Swiss population works in agriculture.
1917 The Bernese lead the Appenzzellers in the Swiss Registration book.


1921 The FCI disappeared due to the first World War, now the new articles of association were adopted. Currently 80 member countries.
1922 There are 58 Bernese registrations in the Swiss Kennel Club
1923 Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein fur Deutschland (SSV) founded. The club represents all four Swiss Sennenhund breeds.
1924 First Bernese imported into Holland.
1925 German Bernese club affiliates with International Federation (FCI).
1925 Dr. Kobler founded the first Entlebucher Sennenhunde club in Saint Gallen Switzerland
1925 German book entitled The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture by von Stephanitz is published. Author quotes an essay by Prof Albert Heim regarding the Swiss dairyman dogs saying. ...all of them are born cattle drivers and seekers of strays. They only need opportunity and example and no special training. These dogs have lived for generations with butchers, cattle dealers, dairymen and farmers.
1926 First International Show held in Munich.
April 12, 1926 First Bernese introduced to the US from Switzerland by farmer Isacc Schiess of Flourence, Kansas. Donna von der Rothohe from Franz Schertenleib and Poincare von Sumiswald frm Fr. Iseli, both unregisterable with AKC.
March 29, 1926 First litter of BMD pups whelped in US. Not able to register with AKC.
1926 First litter from Donna von der Rothohe and Poincare von Suniswald. AKC refuses registration. Litter registered with Swiss Kennel Club under Clover Leaf kennel name.
1926 Swiss Club of Entlebuch Cattle Dogs founded.
1927 The first Entlebuch standard was completed.
1928 Berner Sennenhund Club name changed to the Schweizerischer Klub fur Berner Sennenhunde (Swiss Club for Berner Sennenhund).


1930 The Entlebucher was recognized as a full purebred member of the Swiss and International Cynology.
1930 Hutchinson's Popular and Illustrated Dog Encyclopedia published, contains section with pictures on Draught-dogs.
1933 First German stud book, 17 breeders and 182 dogs.
1935 First BMD article appears in the AKC Gazette, The Bernese is a Loyal Dog of the Swiss Alps by Mrs. L. Egg-Leach.
1936 Mrs. L. Egg-Leach writes first of two articles for AKC Gazette, Why Collars Were Worn By Early Swiss Dogs.
1936 First Bernese imported to Great Britain, Senta v. Sumiswald by Mrs. Perry & Mrs. Patterson.
1936 First litter of BMD puppies whelped in Great Britain.
1936 Glen Shadow of Ruston, LA imports Fridy v Haslenbach (female) from Fritz Stadker in Switzerland and Quell v. Tiergarten (male) from A. Schoch in Switzerland.
April 13, 1937 Glen Shadow received letter from AKC declaring official recognition of the Bernese Mountain Dog as a new breed to the Working class.
June 1, 1937 AKC Registration issue carried the listings of the first BMDs ever registered in the US, Glen Shadows Fridy (A-156,753) and Felix (A-156,752).
1937 Mrs. L. Egg-Leach writes second article for AKC Gazette, The Bernese Is a Loyal Dog Of the Swiss Alps.
1937 Mrs. Perry imports five more Bernese to Great Britain from Switzerland.
1937 AKC adopts breed description and standard, derived from the standard current in Switzerland.
1937 Dr. Albert Heim dies.
1937 AKC recognition granted for the Bernese Mountain Dog.
1939 AKC publishes first authoritative American book on breeds recognized by AKC.
1939 FCI Standard published for Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund
1939 There are 129 Bernese registrations in the Swiss KC (SKG)
1939 The first Grosse Schweizer Sennenhunde standard was published by the FCI.
1939 SKG has 129 Bernese registered.
1939 WWII aggression begins.


1940 First BMDs appear in Norway.
1945 WWII ends.
1945 The Observer's Book of Dogs, Bernese Mountain Dog: "Being long-coated, he is rather like the large Swiss draught dog, but is smaller in size". " He is often used as a haulage dog for the basket weavers of Berne." Entlebuch Mountain Dog: "He has been bred most carefully from the larger stock, to become the ideal Swiss drovers' dog."
1948 Accidental outcross to Newfoundland. Female BMD (Christine v. Lux) to male Newf (Pluto v. Erlengut). 7 pups whelped.
1948 Schweizerische Klub fur Berner Sennenhund listed 336 Berner Sennenhunds in its registry.
1949 Until this date Glen Shadow was the only AKC registered breeder of Bernese.


1950 BMDs introduced into Finland.
1951 First set of minor revisions made to the Swiss breed standard.
1951 Female (Babette) from outcross litter (with appearances of a Newf) bred to pure male BMD (Aldo v. Tieffurt). Eight pups whelped, one male and one female marked like BMD.
1952 BMD marked female (Christine v. Schwarzwasserbachli) from 1951 litter bred to pure BMD male (Osi v.Allenuften). Five pups whelped all marked like BMDs.
1952 East German club, Spezialzuchgemeinschaft fur Berner Sennenhund (SZG) founded.
1954 BMD introduced into Sweden.
1956 Swiss Kennel Club introduces temperament testing for all breed stock.


1961 Austrian club, Verein fur Schweizer Sennenhunde in Osterreich (VSSO) established.
1962 First AKC title earned by a Bernese (Aya of Verlap) was in OB.
1962 AKC listing has only 9 BMD owners in the US.
1962 Bea Knight established a BMD breeding program under Sanctuary Woods kennel name with Gretel v Langmoos and Horsticks Ultra v Oberfeld.
1964 Martin and Barbara Packard import Lucki v Chorrichterhof from Switzerland.
1965 Combined club for all 4 Swiss breeds founded in Finland.
1966 Sanctuary Woods' Black Knight receives 4th place in Working Group at Riverside Kennel Club show.
1966 Mary Dawson gets her first Bernese, Olaf v Oberscheidegg.
1967 Decision by Carol Pyle and others to form US breed club.
1968 First newsletter sent out by Carol Pyle organizing the BMDCA. 33 members reported.
1968 BMDCA founded, membership:62 and 43 registered Bernese.
1968 Swedish Berner Sennen Club starts.
1968 First Swissy's imported into the US.
1969 BMDCA holds it's first election of officers, President: Dr. Mary Dawson. 70 members.
1969 BMD reintroduced to Great Britain after having died out after WWII. Oro de Coin Barre and Dora von Breitenhof imported by Irene Creigh.


1970 BMDCA membership stands at 97 members and 103 Bernese.
1970 First BMDCA Standard Committee convenes.
1970 First BMDCA Bernerfest Fun Match, organized by Barbara Packard.
1970 Barbara Packard begins works with OFA as Breed Representative.
1971 First British BMD standard.
1971 Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Great Britain (parent club) established .
1971 BMDCA membership tops 100. Harrisburg show is a supported entry and has 22 entries. First "in-person" BMDCA meetings takes place in conjunction with the show.
1971 Die Schweizer Hunderassen authored by Dr. Hand Raber is published.
1971 GSMDCA started.
1972 BMDCA incorporates.
1972 BMDCA Constitution and Bylaws accepted by AKC.
1972 BMDCA Code of Ethics approved.
1972 AKC grants BMDCA permission to hold its first B match.
1973 Swiss breed standard revised.
1973 BMDCA achieves AKC sanctioned status.
1973 First Open Class shows for Bernese scheduled in Great Britain.
1974 San Francisco Bay Berners forms.
1974 First BMDs introduced into Belgium.
1974 Bernergarde database established.
1974 BMDCA holds A matches and achieves licensed status with AKC.
1974 Breed recognition process begins in Canada with the CKC..
1975 BMDCA licensed by AKC to hold independent specialties.
1976 First American Bernese tracking title.
1976 First BMD regional club comes into existence (BMD Club of Southern California)
1976 BMDCAs first National Specialty held in Harrisburg, PA., Ch Zyta V Nesselacker BOB.
1976 British BMD Club name changes to BMD Club of Great Britain.
1977 Great Britain Bernese moved to Working Group out of Rare Breed status.
1977 Bernese Mountain Dog recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club.
1977 Challenge Certificates for BMDs were first awarded (at Crufts).
1978 BMDCA holds its first independent National Specialty in Pontiac, Michigan.
1978 Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada founded.
1978 BMDs reimported to Holland and national club reforms after WWII disruption.
1978 First BMD imported to Australia from New Zealand, Durrbachler Shiralee (Savannah Kennel).
1979 First Berners earn a UD.
1979 Danish BMD club formed.
1979 Belgian Bernese Club started and serves all 4 Sennen breeds.
1979 First draft test regulations accepted by BMDCA.


1980 Eng. CH Folkdance at Forgeman wins Working Group at Crufts. First BMD to do so.
1980 BMDCA Code of Ethics adopted and must be signed by all members.
1980 First revision to the US Bernese standard. Committee members Sylvia Howison, Esther Mueller and Mary Alice Horstick.
1981 With completion of 6 specialties BMDCA becomes a member club of AKC.
1981 Diana Cochrane writes first edition, The Bernese Mountain Dog
1982 Mary Jo Thomson appointed first BMDCA delegate to AKC.
1984 Margret Bartschi theorizes BMDs arise from local farmers keeping different kinds of dogs of varying size according to objective desired as well as financial standing.
1985 BMDCA publications divided into Bulletin for current news and Alpenhorn for in-depth treatments on a variety of subjects.
1985 Mary Alice Eschweiler awarded the Gaines Good Sportsmanship medal, precursor to BMDCA Outstanding Service Award.
1985 Swissy's admitted to the Miscellaneous class by AKC.
1986 National BMD Computer File unveiled at National Specialty by Barbara Packard.
1987 Diana Cochrane releases the Revised Edition, The Bernese Mountain Dog.
1987 Norway Mountain Dog Club reorganizes in Norway.
1988 New Zealand club starts.
1989 First BMDCA draft match, sponsored by Nashoba Valley in Medfield, MA.
1989 The Complete Bernese Mountain Dog by Jude Simonds is published.


1990 Second revision to the US Bernese standard.
1990 BMDCA initiates first judge's education program at its National Specialty.
1990 First agility demonstration at BMDCA National Specialty in WI.
1990 Following German unification the Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein fur Deutschland (SSV) and the east German Spezialzuchgemeinschaft fur Berner Sennenhund (SZG) merge and retain Schweizer Sennenhund-Verein fur Deutschland (SSV) name.
1990 Current BMD standard adopted by AKC.
1990 Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC) founded.
1990 BMDCC stands at 150 members and 746 Bernese registered.
1991 First Canine Good Citizen evaluation at a BMDCA National Specialty in PA.
1991 First official BMDCA draft test, Westford, MA, 12 entries.
1992 First Futurity and herding instinct test at BMDCA National Specialty in CO.
1992 First BMDCA draft test at a National Specialty in CO.
1992 Deutscher Club fur Berner Sennenhund (DCBS), a club representing only Berners, is established.
1992 BMDCA publishes the Illustrated breed standard.
1992 The Bernese Mountain Dog by Paddy Petch is published.
1992 Hunde sehen zuchtenerleben, Das Buch vom Berner Sennenhund by Margert Bartschi and Hansjoachim Spengler is published.
1993 Swiss breed standard revised.
1993 Knyon Keine Hundebibliothek Berner Sennenhund by Prof. Dr. Bernd Guenter is published.
1993 The Beautiful Bernese Mountain Dogs by Diane Russ and Shirle Rogers is published.
1993 Bernese Mountain Dogs by Lilian Ostermiller is published.
1994 Cindy Tittle Moore establishes and moderates Usenet newsgroup rec.pets.dogs, early on-line Berner owners meet here.
1994 Phil Shaffer develops and mounts a Bernese FAQ on the rec.pets.dogs list pre-world wide web.
1994 Marc Nussbaumer of Natural History Museum in Bern sets up the first WWW pages for the 7 Swiss breeds.
1995 Matt Kleiman launches Berner-L internet discussion group on prairienet.org
1995 Bernergarde incorporates.
1995 AKC recognition granted for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
1995 The New Bernese Mountain Dog by Sharon Chestnutt Smith is published.
1995 Swissy's moved to the Working class by AKC.
1996 Dr. Hans Raber publishes article in Hunde stating the view that BMDs are authentic to Switzerland cannot stand critical review. He states in part, "The Swiss themselves, inhabitants of a thorough fare, cannot be clearly assigned to a particular people. Along the same lines it can be surmised that the Sennenhunde are a mixture of the native farm dogs present since the Neolithic Age, the immigrant dogs and dogs just passing through. In the course of time certain types were developed in isolated valleys. This was a result of primitive breed stock selection and of inbreeding."
1996 AKC institutes DNA Pilot project program.
1997 90 year anniversary of Klub fur Berner Sennenhunde (KBS).
1997 Australian National Kennel Club publishes an extended breed standard of the BMD.
1998 The BMDCA Bulletin ceases publication.
1998 The Bernese Mountain Dog Today by Dr. Malcolm Willis is published.
1998 AKC creates Parent Club DNA Program.
1999 Alarms of cancer in the Bernese and premature mortality prompt BMDCA to embark on a 3 year project in cooperation with the Morris Animal Foundation.
1999 BMDCA Draft Work Committee initiates a draft judge's newsletter, Harness and Hitch.

2000 Margret Bartschi writes article, "Our Swiss Connection, Herding?, Driving?, Drafting?, Some Breed History."
2000 The Bernese Mountain Dog by Julia Crawford is published.
2000 A Kennel Club Book: Bernese Mountain Dog by Lousie Harper is published.
2002 SSV registry has 192 litters and 1223 puppies

2002 BMDCA Bulletin resumes publication.
2003 Swiss breed standard revised, temperament section revised to disqualify aggression, anxiety and distinct shyness.
2004 The Bernese Mountain Dog, A Dog of Destiny by Bernd Guenter is published.


Last modified: February 7, 2007.