Welcome to my big, beautiful Berner world.

Hi friend! Thank you for being here and following my journey from an 8-pound tiny pup to a full-grown, majestic Bernese Mountain Dog. My mom started my social media accounts to chronicle my life and share my adorable floof with the world.

Our priority is advocating for responsible pet ownership and nurturing the bond between dog and owner. We aim to educate, inspire, and entertain our followers while promoting health, well-being, safety, positive training, and a loving environment for dogs. We also like to have a little fun and create a few laughs along the way!

Our blog provides an in-depth look at specific subjects of interest to dog parents, Bernese Mountain Dog enthusiasts, and pet lovers considering this wonderful breed. We only promote honest, ethical, and helpful information because our number 1 priority is the health and well-being of dogs.

We are eager to partner with brands that we love and collaborate on creative content that helps grow your business. Please check out Work with Riggie for more information about working with us.

For additional details about my background, check out our Frequently Asked Questions below. Also, be sure to like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

Photo of @riggietheberner laying on the floor with his orange tabby cat Corky

A Bernese Mountain Dog named Riggie the Berner on his 1st birthday. He is wearing a blue birthday hat with a 1, a blue tie with a 1, and a birthday bandana.

Frequently Asked Questions

All of your “berning” questions about Riggie the Berner are answered here.

Riggie is from Winterfell Bernese Mountain Dogs in Rockford, IL, and his breeder is Brenda Kranish.

Riggie’s full American Kennel Club name is Winterfell’s King of the South, a nod to his Game of Thrones-themed breeder (Winterfell Bernese Mountain Dogs) and recognition of where he lives today (the Southern United States).

Riggie is short for Rigatoni, the Italian pasta. Riggie’s human mom is of German, Irish, and Italian descent. Since she went Irish for her previous dog’s name (Jameson), she wanted either German or Italian this time.

Riggie’s canine father is CH Winterfell’s Rhaegar Targaryn, Lord of Dragonstone (Rhaegar), and his canine mother is Winterfell’s Winter is Here (Raevyn). In keeping with the R names, Riggie seemed like a good fit!

Riggie has a mom (Katie), dad (Bryan), sister (Jordyn), and brother (Sam). We reside in the state of Georgia.

Riggie’s mom is his social media manager, content creator, and biggest fan. Dad often acts as a videographer and willing video participant.

Yes, they got along well! They also antagonized each other like all brothers do. Riggie gave Corky a new spark and a much-needed playmate again after he lost his 2 brothers in 2022 (Jameson, a Golden Retriever, and Oliver, a tabby cat). We were devastated to lose Corky in December of 2023.

We have always used a traditional harness that secures around the chest and back. These are the most secure and are safer than neck collars, which can pose many risks.

However, harnesses can be challenging while training a puppy, especially a puppy as large as a Berner who was bred to pull. Therefore, we also utilized an Easy Walk harness that clips in the front for training to walk politely on a leash. We used this harness when we were in environments that were more challenging (crowded places) or when we knew we would face a lot of distractions on our daily walks.

As Riggie matures and his manners improve, we no longer rely on the front clip harness and now use a traditional harness. At school, Riggie uses a limited-slip / Martingale-style collar.

Riggie has graduated from puppy class, intermediate obedience, and advanced obedience at Petsmart. After that, he started at a dog training school where he earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen title at only 9 months!

He is now training in AKC Rally and Agility. We hope to start Drafting (dog cart pulling) and Herding in 2024. Riggie LOVES to learn, and it is the only thing that can subdue his boundless puppy energy.

We currently have our hands full with this little bundle of Berner joy! He keeps us busy, on our toes, and up at dawn, so we do not have the energy for another baby right now. But never say never…

Check out our blog for everything you need to know about this fabulous breed.

Have more questions?

Send us a message and we are happy to answer them!