Health concerns
Registries
As stated before bernedoodles are a hybrid and healthier then their parent breeds but they can still be prone to certain things like hip and elbow dysplasia and certain eye problems.
Skin problems such as hot spots and allergies are also seen in this mix and just like almost every other breed of dog and human they can get cancer.
A lot of people randomly breeding bernedoodles are unaware or just don't care to do health testing. It is true that bernedoodles are less prone to genetic disease but testing is still required. If breeders are breeding dogs with genetic disease such as hip or elbow dysplasia your puppy is defiantly more prone to it and it's better to spend more money on the beginning for a good pup from a good breeder and to support these breeders rather then to support a backyard breeder who is doing NO testing and end up with problem after problem and very expensive vet bills!
Please do your research and make sure breeders are performing the testing below. It’s better to wait for a good quality pup from a great breeder then to support careless breeders who are just out to breed as many pups as possible without caring about the breed as a whole.
Tests required for Breeding of Bernese
1. Hips (HD) OFA or Pennhip or OVC
2. Eyes (CERF)
3. Elbows (OFA)
Elbows have become a recent problem in the breed. Due to this, you may find many of the older tested dogs will not have elbow clearances. In order to continue to keep up with the research and the recommendations of the breed Assoc. All new bernese certification should have elbows cleared before breeding.
Tests required for the Breeding of Standard Poodles
1. Hips (HD) OFA or Pennhip or OVC
2. elbows OFA
3. Eyes (CERF) Required Yearly
4. Von Willebrands (vWd) (bleeding disorder) DNA or Blood screen
5. Sebaceous Adenitis (SA) Skin Disorder
* Thyroid malfunctions - Not Required but a highly recommended test for all breeding dogs.
Tests required for breeding of Miniature and Toy Poodles.
1. Hips for HD and Legg-Perves Disease OFA, Penn hip or OVC
2. Stifles for Luxating Patella's
3. Eyes (CERF) Required Yearly
4. Von Willebrands Disease (vWd) DNA or Blood screen
* Thyroid malfunctions - Not Required but a highly recommended test for all breeding dogs.
Longevity
Standard bernedoodles: 12-15years
Mini bernedoodles: 13 -17 years
Tiny bernedoodles: 14-18 years
Usually the smaller the dog the longer they live!
Generations
F1 bernedoodles- this is the cross that most bernedoodle breeders breed right now. You get an f1 bernedoodle by taking a bernese mountain dog and crossing it with a poodle. This cross is usually the healthiest as you get the strongest type of hybrid out of this cross. As most of you know a hybrid (mix breed dog) is in most cases healthier then a purebred dog because you are taking 2 parents of different lines/breeds that are prone to different genetic problems. Since genetic traits are recessive and both parents need to carry the gene in order for the pups to get it if one parent carries it and ones doesn't then the puppies cannot get this genetic disease.
Purebred dogs carry similar genes and in turn pass these genes onto their pups which makes purebred dogs more prone to genetic diseases. The only disease an f1 hybrid (such as a bernedoodle) can get is a disease that both the poodle and bernese are prone to. Since they only share a few common diseases this cuts down on a lot of things that purebred bernese or purebred poodles are prone to. In turn this means you will end up with less genetic problems, a dog this will live longer and be healthier then the original parents breeders!
F2 bernedoodles- You are taking a f1 bernedoodle and crossing it with another f1 bernedoodle. This will give you more consistency in the lines. Many f1 bernedoodles can look different (most are a nice mix between the 2 parents) but some can take on more of the traits of the mother or father. When you start breed f2, f3, f4 bernedoodles you will get more consistency in terms of looks in the litter. A breeder with a goal and a look in mind will start doing this. If you breed an f2 to an f2 you will get an f3 bernedoodle and if you do this 7 times (f7 bernedoodle) you can apply to register it as a purebred dog. There are good and bad things about this. The good thing is that people will know what they are getting (just like any purebred dog). A purebred has a breed standard and a certain look and every dog must fall under this. A bernedoodle does not have a "BREED STANDARD" look. A qualified breeder will be able to give you an idea of what the pup will look like as an adult based on what the parents have produced in the past and what traits they see in the pup but there is no set breed standard. The bad thing about breeding generations after generations is you are now doubling up on genetic traits and getting away from the hybrid vigor that makes any cross breed dog so special!
F1b- this is a back cross so a bernedoodle bred back to a poodle. Most of these pups will have curlier coats and will be better for people with severe allergies!
Temperament
The bernedoodle is a very nice combination and has attributes of both the bernese and the poodle. They suit almost any person that is looking for a fun, playful, goofy, socialable dog! Bernedoodles are great family dogs. They are very gentle around kids and seem to know what the child can and cannot handle.
They are very intelligent and learn very quickly HOWEVER they do need to be trained and taught right from wrong. Lack of training and human interaction will lead to problems as bernedoodles are highly intelligent dogs and need human interactions. As for activity level it depends on the dog but most bernedoodles have a mid activity level. They are not usually high strung and not shy or submissive. They are basically your middle of the road type dog! They loves to play, swim, run and fetch but when it is time to relax they will lay down and enjoy a nice movie with you!
Coat Type/
Grooming
Bernedoodle Information
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The bernedoodle is a cross between a bernese mountain dog and a poodle. SwissRidge Kennels was the first breeder who purposely bred a bernese to a poodle to come up with this combinations. SwissRidge kennels had bred goldendoodles and bernese mountain dogs for many years and people kept asking them to combine the bernese and poodle. After much thought and many requests Sherry Rupke from SwissRidge kennels finally decided to try it! She was very impressed with these pups and ever since her first litter in 2003 she and many others have started to produce these amazing dogs! Just like the goldendoodles, we believe as more people become aware of them their numbers will increase but for the time being they remain very rare!
Height / Weight
Every bernedoodle has a different coat type. The curlier the coat the less it will shed. Most bernedoodles have the wavy type coat that is low to non-shedding but every puppy is different and you will have to talk to your breeder about which coat type you are looking for.
Straight Coat - like the bernese coat type, may have a slight wave to it. This coat will shed. It will not shed as much as a berner but you will notice the shedding.
Wavy Coat - most bernedoodles have this coat type. This coat type give the bernedoodles that doodle type look. Most wavy coats are very low to non-shedding. Most people with allergies (to dog dander) are fine with a wavy to curly coated dog.
Curly Coat- Similar to the poodle coat and will not shed unless you try to rip out the hair. If you are OK around a poodle then a curly coated bernedoodle will not bother your allergies.
Remember there are different types of allergies and if you are allergic to dog saliva you will most like be allergic to both bernedoodles and poodles. You will know if you are allergic to salvia because your skin will break out in hives every time a dog licks you. If you still want a dog it would be best to go with a mini bernedoodle (or a smaller type dog as they produce less saliva then larger dogs). If you are allergic to dander and you are OK around poodles then you should be OK around bernedoodles (that have a wavy/curly coat) however there is no guarantee. Most breeders will give you some time to test your puppy out and if your allergies are affecting you they will allow you to return the pup. You will know if you are allergic to dog dander because you will get itchy/watery eyes and you will sneeze around dogs!
As for grooming the curlier the coat the harder it is to maintain and the straighter the coat the less it will matt and the easier it is to maintain. Since most bernedoodles don't shed or shed very little you will need to clip them. A bernedoodle should be clipped every 3-4 months and brushed on a regular basis to prevent matting.
Bernedoodles come in different sizes, it depends on the parents used what size the pups will be
Standard bernedoodles (standard poodle crossed with a bernese): 50lbs and up (females are usually smaller then males) as for height most are 21" and up
Mini bernedoodles (mini poodle crossed with a bernese): 25-49lbs (females are usually smaller) as for height most are 15-20" at the shoulder
Tiny bernedoodles (toy poodle crossed with a mini bernedoodles) : 10-24lbs as for height they are usually 10-14" at the shoulder
Color
Bernedoodles come in different colors. They are usually either pure black, black and white, black and brown or a tri colored similar to the bernese so black, white and brown!
This is a mix breed dog and cannot be registered with the American or Canadian kennel clubs.
