Members are encouraged to provide input via letters or articles in the magazine. If you have something you would like to share with our members or would like to comment on any of our events, then please let us know.

The club holds two Open Shows and a Championship Show each year. These are held at Leatherhead, Surrey.

Our annual Bernese Fun & Working Weekend is an event no Bernese enthusiast should miss. This event is held near Billingshurst, West Sussex. The venue has facilities for overnight camping and plenty of room to enjoy the activities.

The weekend normally includes fun & novelty events/games, carting (both parades and the working course), obedience and temperament assessments.

It is a truly social event where anyone interested in Bernese is more than welcome to attend and is an ideal opportunity to meet and talk with friends and people who have similar interests.

The club's cart is available for use, should you wish to receive some supervised training for you and your dog in this wonderful pastime.

The Bernese of the Year Contest is a smart affair and your opportunity to meet the year's top dogs and their owners. The dogs are split into 3 categories, Future Stars, Bernese of the Year and Veteran.

Our Christmas Party is held near Reading, Berkshire each year and is a great opportunity to meet and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere with other Bernese owners and their dogs. It is also a great event for socialising your young puppies in a safe environment where they can interact with other puppies/dogs and lots of people.

Santa has been known to arrive with his sleigh being pulled by Rudolph the Berndeer.

Our committee are distributed all around the south of England and are only too pleased to help members both old and new. Their contact details can be found inside each issue of Bernfax or by visiting our Club Contacts page.

The Southern Bernese Mountain Dog Club is a founder member of the Bernese Mountain Dog Breed Council and is always happy to work in conjunction with others to help improve our breed.

For anyone interested in Bernese Mountain Dogs, there can be no better investment than our current membership fee of £10.00 single, £12.00 joint (spouses/partners or two owners in partnership) and £12.00 (sterling) for overseas members.

To join, please contact our Secretary Irene Soper for an application form on telephone number 01825 872251.

The financial year of the club is from January 1st to December 31st. Membership renewals are due on January 1st each year. The membership of any new member who joins after September 1st is valid until December 31st of the following year, whereupon it shall require renewal as normal.

Applications for membership shall be ratified, or rejected, at the committee meeting following receipt.

For details on the dates of any of these events, please take a look at out our Forthcoming Events page.