Bernese Mountain Dog Tricks Couple to Adopt Him at 8 Weeks Old: 'Tactics'
These new puppy owners were in for a surprise when they realized picking the quietest dog doesn't guarantee a quiet life.
Bernie the Bernese mountain dog began life with his new human parents as a quiet and calm pup, but his owners joked that he "should have gotten an Oscar" award for pretending to be so relaxed because things soon changed.
Amber Steuernol shared on TikTok that once she got Bernie back to her home, "crazy mode was activated," as he needed constant attention and caused all kinds of mischief.
The American Kennel Club says Bernese mountain dogs are highly playful dogs who live to please. Their high energy levels require at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, but owners might find themselves doing more just to tire out their new pup.
The "demanding pup" was filmed chewing blankets, socks and even after damaging Steuernol's iPhone screen. Bernie's unwitting owners muse that he's "still using these tactics to this day."
After sharing the hilarious video on TikTok (bigcitybernie), Steuernol of New York City spoke to Newsweek about Bernie's larger-than-life personality.
"When we brought him home the first two days he was so timid, calm, docile and we actually had a moment when we wondered if we just brought home the world's most boring dog ever," Steuernol said.
"He quickly got very comfortable, and he was still a very clam and chill pup all things considered, but his huge personality started to show very fast. Bernie learned so quickly how to tell us exactly what he wanted and when. Berners truly have the best personalities."
Steuernol brought Bernie home when he was just 8 weeks old, but it didn't take long for him to grow in confidence and show everyone his goofy side. Now 2 years old, Bernie is still demanding plenty of attention from everyone, from his owners to strangers he sees during walks.
"He went from being the quietest and most boring pup, to the biggest personality on the planet," Steuernol said. "We like to say Bernie only has two gears—he's all or nothing. He's either a crazy and excitable dog, or the most chilled and laid back dog you've ever met in your life. It just depends on what he wants from you. Now, he's the definition of a big, goofy toddler."
Fortunately for the Bernese mountain dog, his owners are more than willing to oblige by his playful demands, which include stealing something and making them get it from him, laying down during walks to get petted, and barking for belly rubs.
Since the TikTok video was posted on March 3, it quickly went viral and has more than 440,000 views at the time of writing. With more than 55,000 likes, many fellow pet owners related to Steuernol's struggles.
One user commented on the video: "My parents always picked the calm one when I was a child, and they always turned out crazy. So I picked the crazy one for my first adult dog and..."
Another person added that they too were fooled by their new dog's nature: "Ours was the calmest, most shy puppy out of the lot. He is now one crazy boy. We were also tricked."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
