Bernese Mountain Dog Versus Sloughi. Differences and Similarities

Last Updated: Nov 07, 2022

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Bernese Mountain Dog Versus Sloughi: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Bernese Mountain Dog and for the Sloughi. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Bernese Mountain Dog or the Sloughi.

Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi: Overview

A very important difference between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Bernese Mountain Dog is a giant-sized dog while the Sloughi is a large-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Bernese Mountain Dog belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

On the other hand, the Sloughi belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.

Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Bernese Mountain Dog to the Sloughi based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi

FactorBernese Mountain DogSloughi
Adapts Well To Apartment Living1/54/5
Tolerates Being Alone1/53/5
Tolerates Hot Weather1/53/5
General Health1/53/5
Good For Novice Owners2/52/5
Height23 to 28 inches24 to 29 inches tall at the shoulder
Dog Friendly3/54/5
Easy To Groom3/55/5
Tendency NOT to Wander3/53/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor3/53/5
Minimal Exercise Needs3/51/5
Easygoing2/52/5
Does NOT Drool2/55/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight2/54/5
Easy To Train4/53/5
Intelligence4/54/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl2/54/5
NOT Rambunctious2/51/5
Potential For Playfulness4/53/5
Tolerates Cold Weather5/52/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Kid-Friendly5/55/5
Friendly Toward Strangers5/53/5
Does NOT Shed1/53/5
Does NOT chew on things1/53/5
Low Prey Drive1/51/5
Life Span6 to 10 years12 to 16 years
Weight70 to 115 pounds40 to 63 pounds
Average Lifespan8.0 years14.0 years
Average Price$2390No Data
Price Range$1500 – $2995No Data
Temperament Score86.6 percent100.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • AKC DNA Profile
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Degeneratative Mylopathy (DM) DNA results for both SOD1-A and SOD1-B, or an at-risk result for either SOD1-A or SOD1-B registered with the OFA.
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Exam by a veterinarian with Board certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Specialty of Cardiology
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination by a board certified ACVO Ophthalmologist- minimum age 12 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds25189
    *Data from AKC.org (The American Kennel Club),dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (The American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Bernese Mountain Dog in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Sloughi. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the Bernese Mountain Dog is 66 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Sloughi is 79 out of 125.

    Despite the higher Better-Pet score of the Sloughi, we still believe that the Bernese Mountain Dog is a better pet than the Sloughi.

    This is because Bernese Mountain Dogs are much cuter but you cannot put a score on cuteness. If you could put a score on cuteness, then the Bernese Mountain Dog will come out on top.

    Also, we are biased in favor of the Bernese Mountain Dog :-). We are for the Bernese Mountain Dog. So get a Bernese Mountain Dog!

    Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi

    Below is a list of where the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are most different:

  • Bernese Mountain Dogs do not adapt well to apartment living. However, Sloughis adapt well to apartment living.
  • Bernese Mountain Dogs have a very high tendency to drool. However, Sloughis do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Bernese Mountain Dogs can tolerate cold weather. However, Sloughis cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.
  • The Similarities Between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi

    The Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are most similar:

  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are not the best dogs for new dog owners.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are very easy to train.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are very playful.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Size Comparison of the Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi.

    The Bernese Mountain Dog weighs 70 to 115 pounds when fully grown. The Bernese Mountain Dog is 23 to 28 inches when fully grown.

    On the other hand, the Sloughi weighs 40 to 63 pounds when fully grown. The Sloughi is 24 to 29 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Size of Bernese Mountain Dog versus Size of Sloughi

    Lifespan of Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

    The lifespan of the Bernese Mountain Dog is between 6 to 10 years. The average lifespan of the Bernese Mountain Dog is 8.0 years.

    The lifespan of the Sloughi is between 12 to 16 years. The average lifespan of the Sloughi is 14.0 years.

    The Sloughi lives longer than the Bernese Mountain Dog.

    Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

    Temperament of the Bernese Mountain Dog Versus the Sloughi

    The Sloughi has a better temperament than the Bernese Mountain Dog.

    This is because the temperament score for the Sloughi is 100.0 percent while the temperament score for the Bernese Mountain Dog is 86.6 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 86.6 percent, the Bernese Mountain Dog has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 100.0 percent, the Sloughi has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi by measuring the temperaments of 194 Bernese Mountain Dogs and 3 Sloughis.

    The Popularity of Bernese Mountain Dog versus Popularity of Sloughi

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Bernese Mountain Dog is more popular with dog owners than the Sloughi. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Bernese Mountain Dog is 25 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Sloughi is 189 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Bernese Mountain Dog

    Popularity of Bernese Mountain Dog

    Popularity of Sloughi

    Popularity of Sloughi

    Year Bernese Mountain Dog Popularity Rank Sloughi Popularity Rank
    2013 32 no data
    2014 32 no data
    2015 29 no data
    2016 27 185.0
    2017 25 188.0
    2018 22 192.0
    2019 23 191.0
    2020 22 189.0
    2021 20 193.0

    Health Problems of Bernese Mountain Dog versus Health Problems of Sloughi

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

    Both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Sloughi is prone to the same number of genetic health problems as the Bernese Mountain Dog.

    6 health tests are recommended for Bernese Mountain Dog while 6 tests are recommended for the Sloughi.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Bernese Mountain Dogs and in Sloughis.

    Bernese Mountain Dog Health Problems

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Bernese Mountain Dog puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Bernese Mountain Dog breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Bernese Mountain Dogs for:

  • AKC DNA Profile
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • Degeneratative Mylopathy (DM) DNA results for both SOD1-A and SOD1-B, or an at-risk result for either SOD1-A or SOD1-B registered with the OFA.
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Bernese Mountain Dogs here.

    Sloughi Health Problems

    Sloughis are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Sloughi puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Sloughi puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Sloughi breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Sloughis for:

  • Autoimmune thyroiditis
  • Cardiac Exam by a veterinarian with Board certification by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Specialty of Cardiology
  • DNA Repository
  • Eye Examination by a board certified ACVO Ophthalmologist- minimum age 12 months
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Sloughis here.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi

    Bernese Mountain Dogs do not like to be left alone.

    Sloughis can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do Bernese Mountain Dogs shed more than Sloughis?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Sloughis shed moderately.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Bernese Mountain Dog or the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are moderately easy to groom.

    Sloughis are very easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Bernese Mountain Dog or the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs get along fairly well with other dogs.

    Sloughis get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Bernese Mountain Dogs good family dogs? What about Sloughis?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Sloughis are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Bernese Mountain Dog Easier to Train than the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are very easy to train.

    Sloughis are fairly easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Bernese Mountain Dog or the Sloughi

    Bernese Mountain Dogs have a very high tendency to drool.

    Sloughis do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Bernese Mountain Dogs and Sloughis?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Sloughis get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Bernese Mountain Dog Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Sloughis have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Do Bernese Mountain Dogs Bark and Howl? What about Sloughis?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Sloughis are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Can Bernese Mountain Dogs Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Sloughis Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Sloughis cannot tolerate cold weather. They are vulnerable to the cold.

    Wanderlust Potential: Bernese Mountain Dog vs. Sloughi

    Bernese Mountain Dogs have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Sloughis have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Bernese Mountain Dogs Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Sloughis Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Sloughis can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Is the Bernese Mountain Dog Better for Apartment Owners than the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Sloughis adapt very well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Bernese Mountain Dog or the Sloughi?

    Bernese Mountain Dogs are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Sloughis are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Bernese Mountain Dog Versus Other Dog Breeds

    You may also be interested in how the Bernese Mountain Dog compares to other breeds aside from the Sloughi. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Bernese Mountain Dog to other breeds:

    Bernese Mountain Dog versus Newfoundland     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Rottweiler     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Irish Wolfhound     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Labrador Retriever     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Tibetan Mastiff     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Mastiff     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Golden Retriever     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Great Pyrenees     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Rhodesian Ridgeback     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Bernedoodle     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Vizsla     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Cane Corso     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Alaskan Malamute     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Saint Bernard     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Leonberger     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Bullmastiff     Bernese Mountain Dog versus Dalmatian     

    Conclusion: Bernese Mountain Dog versus Sloughi. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Sloughi better suits you and your family.