Bernese Mountain Dog

image via Wikipedia

The ancestors of this breed were brought in to Switzerland more than 2,000 years ago by invading Roman soldiers. The dogs acted as watchdogs on farms in the canton of Berne who worked as drovers, drawing wagons for basket weavers. A good-looking, strong-boned dog, the Bernese has a long, silky jet-black coat having rust markings on the cheeks and spots over each eye, on all four legs, on each side of the chest, and under the tail. A white blaze graces the muzzle and forehead, white chest markings form an inverted cross, and there is white on the tip of the tail and the feet.

WEIGHT. 80-110 pounds

HEIGHT: males 24 1/2-27 1/2 inches; females 22 1/2-25 1/2 inches

COLOR: black with rich rust and clear white markings. 

By Tip Writer

Working Dogs: Great Pyrenees

image via Wikipedia

The Great Pyrenees or the Pyrenean Mountain Dog is an ancient breed that comes from the earliest-known Asian Mastiffs. It was named after the Pyrenees Mountains, where it worked as a shepherd dog and protected its flocks from wolves and bears. It was a darling of the French royal court in the 17th century. Immense size and a majestic air differentiate the Great Pyrenees. Its head is large and wedge-shaped, measuring about 10 to 12 inches from dome to nose; with sloping dark eyes and V-shaped ears. Its body is strong, his bushy tail long and low when relaxed, but curled high over the back and "making the wheel" while alert. Its coat is his crowning glory—heavy and fine underneath, having a top layer of thick, coarser hair, straight or a bit wavy.

WEIGHT: males 100-125 pounds; females 90-115 pounds

HEIGHT: males 27-32 inches; females 25-29 inches

COLOR: all white, or principally white with markings of badger, gray, or varying shades of tan. 

 By: Tip Writer