We can offer an educated guess as to why, back in the day, the Bernese Mountain Dog had such colorful nicknames as “Gelbbacker” and “vieräuger,” but this lovely piece of art by Carol Pontin gives us a clue. Translated, “gelbbacker” means “yellow cheeks,” and “vieräuger” means “four eyes,” no doubt because of the “pips” of color above each eye.
Other nicknames in the breed’s early history include, “The Cheese Factory Dog,” the “Butcher’s Dog,” and the “Cheesery Dog,” because the Berner’s main job at one time was as a draught dog for dairymen and butchers. Too poor to own horses, these people relied on their “sennenhunds” to transport fresh milk and meat. Weavers and toolmakers also relied on Berners to carry the tools of their trade, and on market day, these wonderfully large and patient dogs would be seen pulling carts piled high with cheeses, woven baskets, jugs of milk, or tools into villages.
More recently, one can add “therapy dog,” to the breed’s resume.
ecovering from a bout with cancer. Schieber had never thought of owning a dog, let alone one weighing over a hundred pounds, and if he explains why he felt compelled to bring the eight week old puppy back with him to Montana, we missed it. Nevertheless, Schieber never regretted the decision, and after seeing Moritz’s natural gift for healing, he signed him up for pet therapy certification.
On Moritz’s first birthday, he and Schieber began to visit patients in the hospital, and afterwards, Schieber would write a few pages about the visits. Soon, he’d written enough to fill a book, and indeed, his memories became the book: Nose to Nose: A Memoir of Healing
Image: “Zoie” Carol Pontin. More of Pontin’s images of Berners can be seen at http://www.berneseportraits.com/