What is Berner-Garde? The Berner-Garde Foundation (BGF) was established in 1995 to collect, maintain and disseminate information about genetic diseases observed in the Bernese Mountain Dog.The BGF is comprised of a voluntary Board of Directors, several committees and, at its core, a computerized database. The database contains information which has been compiled over many years from voluntary submissions of data from owners and from other public sources of information. The information in the BGF database is now available online to owners, breeders, veterinarians and researchers who are working to reduce genetic disease in the Bernese Mountain Dog. In addition to maintaining the database, the Berner-Garde Foundation funds research studies aimed at reducing the health problems found in Bernese Mountain Dogs. Research proposals and grants are approved on a case-by-case basis by the Board of Directors.