Start with the good, because there is a great deal of it. Bernese Mountain Dogs are calm indoors, gentle with children, easy company for couples and families alike, and unfailingly affectionate. For the right household there is hardly a better companion.
Now the practicalities. They are large: adults reach 70 to 115 pounds and take up real space. They shed a lot. They need brushing, they need moderate daily exercise, and they need to be near their people rather than left alone all day.
Costs scale with size. Large-breed food, larger doses of preventative medication, bigger bedding, and veterinary care priced by weight all add up over a decade of ownership.
And the hardest part: Berners typically live seven to ten years, shorter than most breeds. Anyone who loves them knows this going in. If you can accept a shorter time in exchange for an extraordinarily devoted companion, this may be exactly the right breed for your family.