The Guiding Principles of the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America are:

  1. to preserve and protect the Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund), and promote understanding and appreciation of the breed;
  2. to do all possible to improve the health of the breed;
  3. to strive to bring all the qualities described in the BMDCA Standard (AKC approved) of the Bernese Mountain Dog to perfection;
  4. Advocate honesty and integrity in all matters concerning the BMDCA and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

In keeping with these Guiding Principles the BMDCA will:

  1. Advocate responsible and humane ownership and care of all Bernese Mountain Dogs;
  2. Provide education appropriate to the needs of owners, breeders, judges, potential owners and all others with an interest in the breed;
  3. Advocate that for the breed to thrive, individual owners and breeders must accept the responsibility to educate and be educated and to apply their knowledge for the benefit of the individual dogs under their sphere of influence;
  4. Advocate acceptance of the BMDCA Standard of the Bernese Mountain Dog as the only standard of excellence by which Bernese Mountain Dogs shall be judged in the United States;
  5. Advocate improvement of the health, longevity, and physical and mental soundness of the Bernese Mountain Dog through responsible and judicious selective breeding;
  6. Advocate honesty, integrity, cooperation and open disclosure of Bernese Mountain Dog information in striving to achieve the qualities described in the BMDCA Standard;
  7. Promote events and activities which encourage the maintenance and preservation of the BMDCA Standard and reflect the breed history and heritage; including Specialty Shows, Performance Events, and BMDCA Draft Tests;
  8. Establish and advocate a rescue network for Bernese Mountain Dogs;
  9. Advocate sportsmanlike conduct at all dog events;
  10. Encourage the formation of local independent Bernese Mountain Dog clubs with similar goals.

Last modified: January 27, 2007.