If you are looking to give a home to a Bernese mountain dog then the one question you may be asking yourself is "how adaptable is the Bernese?"
Different people will give you different answers to this question. However the truth is that the Bernese is usually quite adaptable to any circumstance. The only catch is that after 18 months of age they do tend to be quite attached to their current family. So if you purchase a Bernese mountain dog after the age of 18 months then you could have trouble settling them in.
Younger Dogs versus Older Dogs for Adaptability
It is common sense really that a younger Bernese will be more adaptable to life than an older Bernese would be. This is because when the dog is young you are getting it used to a routine and it quickly learns what is and what is not acceptable. However, with an older dog it has already had its routine and as the Bernese breed does tend to bond more to its family than others, the changes could actually be quite upsetting.
However, as a breed the Bernese mountain dog is good with adaptability. So whilst it may be hard at first to settle an older dog into the home, with a little patience you will end up with a gentle, loving companion. You just have to understand the bond that the Bernese had with its old family before it can settle into yours.
However, if you are purchasing a Bernese from a breeder then apart from the obvious puppy adaptability stage, there should be no further problems. Generally they do prefer to live indoors and it is not advisable to keep them outdoors. With their long, thick coats it isn't impossible for the Bernese mountain dog to live outside. However because they love to be a part of the family so much it is much better to keep them indoors and involved in family life. Also if you choose to keep the breed outdoors, you could end up with problems such as constant barking, aggressiveness and boisterousness.
The breed as a whole is fairly boisterous anyway. But left to do what it wants away from the family, the Bernese will take full advantage of that and they could become uncontrollable. With a dog that size you do not want them to behave in that way and so it is much better and easier to keep them indoors and to train them regularly from an early age.
In respect to a house move, the Bernese is very adaptable. Just as long as it has its family, the breed will be more than happy. So you can take the dog anywhere and train it to do almost anything. Just remember that as long as you give the breed plenty of praise and accept that in certain situations (such as bringing a puppy home for the first time), the breed will need some time to adjust to things as do all breeds.
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