APPEARANCE

Coat:
Moderate to high care. While the hybrid puppy's coat could be very similar to either parent breed, it will likely be a bit of both - wavy, but not curly; light-shedding; needing regular brushing and bathing (depending on outdoor activities in particular). Occasional trimming or stripping will be needed. It is rare to see a Bernedoodle with extremely straight or extremely curly hair.
 
Shedding:
Many of the first generation hybrid Bernedoodles will be low- to moderate-shedding, but this will vary among pups in the same litter. Routine brushing will help. Be prepared to vacuum often.
 
Allergy Friendliness:
Recommended for individuals and families with moderate to severe allergies, although you can not depend on any hybrid to be fully "hypo-allergenic."
  
Colors:
Bernedoodles can have different colors depending on the breed's genes passed on to the pup. Bernedoodle puppies have several different color possibilities:

• All black
• Black & white
• Black & tan/rust
• Tri-Color (black, white, brown)

While the tri-color is often the most desirable, it is also the most difficult to produce when breeding and, thus, are much more uncommon and often carry a much higher cost. As with any breeding, a mix of different colors will often come from the same litter. The litter produced by Sadie and Hank in 2022 consisted of 4 boys and 2 girls. Of these six puppies, three were primarily black with white markings, while the other three were primarily white with black markings.

LIFESPAN

One of the greatest benefits of this particular hybrid is the likelihood of increasing the lifespan of the dog. The Bernese Mountain Dog population had decreased to the point that it was hardly possible to avoid mating relatives. There were just not enough breeding animals to choose from and they had to breed back to lines that were already represented. While this was not unheard of and was performed to perpetuate outstanding traits, it also carried with it some inherent genetic issues.  One of these that was passed on to the Berners was a shortened lifespan, generally 8-10 yrs at best. They have also become increasingly susceptible to certain genetic diseases including cancer, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and hereditary eye diseases, arthritis, hip dysplasia, and other ailments -- all of which are common among larger dogs.

By crossing the majestic Bernese Mountain Dog with a Poodle, many of the genetic deficiencies may be reinforced by the bloodline of the Poodle. Yes, poodles have their own share of potential issues, but together, these two breeds complement and strengthen each other, providing a strength to their gene pool which should extend their lifespan to be 12-14 years, as well as reducing their predisposition to some of the genetic issues outlined above.

We have examined the genetic line of both the sire and dam and believe that they are excellent examples of their respective breed and come from quality lines that have been free of any outstanding hip, eye, cancer, or other genetic abnormality.

We trust that this will be carried on by the Bernedoodle puppies and caution the new families to consult with a vet regarding feed, care, and exercise of the puppy, particularly during the first year of life. Too much rapid weight gain is not healthy for any large dog and, likewise, excessive exercise can put an undue strain on the joints during this critical time of development in their lives. 
 

BERNEDOODLE REGISTRY

  
This hybrid is not recognized by the American Kennel Club as an independent breed. We do, though, provide supporting documentation to demonstrate the outstanding lineage from which our Bernedoodle puppies have come.

Current Puppy Availability