What is a Bernedoodle?

A Bernedoodle is hybrid cross between a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog and a purebred Poodle.   The Bernedoodle mix combines the wonderful personalities of both of their parents breeds.  The Bernese Mountain Dog is a placid, sturdy, large dog with an exceptionally sweet, and affectionate personality.  The Standard and Moyen size Poodles are an amazingly smart breed that is athletic, eager and willing.  They love to learn!  Whenever dog intelligence studies are done, the Poodles always come out at the top of the chart.  With the wonderful characteristics of both of it’s parents, its no wonder the Bernedoodles have become a popular choice as a family pet.  The Bernedoodle is an affectionate, mellow, friendly dog.  They excel as a family pet and are wonderful with young children.

What is the B.I.G. Doodle from Sunshine Acres?

For the past 5 years, our family has been working on introducing Bernese Mountain Dog lines into our Irish Goldendoodle lines.  Beginning with pedigree research, breeder screening and lots of waiting to select our puppies from some great Berner breeders, our first Bernese Mountain Dog puppy arrived here at Sunshine Acres in April of 2020.  Three years later, after our new Bernese Mountain Dog puppies cleared their OFA testing, Coat Color testing and DNA screening, we are so happy to see the way our  Bernese Irish Goldendoodle puppies have turned out.  We like to call them our B.I.G. Doodle puppies for short.

Our B.I.G. Doodle puppies have a mother who is is a Bernese-Irish-Golden hybrid and their sire is a purebred Poodle. We love their easy going, cheerful, willing personalities and their adorable teddy bear faces.  We enjoy the variety of colors that show up in their coats! The B.I.G. Doodle is similar in many ways to our friendly, fun-loving Irish Goldendoodles. But they have a mellow, calm, happy nature of the Bernese Mountain Dog added to their temperament.

Our Bernedoodle Colors and Color Testing

All purebred Bernese Mountain Dogs carry the exact same color genes.  So the many different colors found in a Bernedoodle puppy are caused by the great variety of colors found in the poodle breed.  Here at Sunshine Acres, we specialize in the red Bernedoodle puppies for sale, tri-color Bernedoodle puppies for sale, merle Bernedoodle puppies for sale, phantom Bernedoodle puppies for sale, and apricot Bernedoodle puppies for sale.  Each one has its own adorable look unique to itself!  Our poodle sires carry the genes that determine what different colors we will see in their puppies.

How are Bernedoodles Puppies Different than Golden Doodle Puppies?

Should I choose a Bernedoodle puppy or a Golden Doodle puppy?  What is the difference?  The differences between the two breeds go back to the difference between their parent breeds.  A Bernese Mountain Dog is similar to a Golden Retriever is some ways, and very different from them in other ways.  They are similar in that both breeds do make good family pets.  Both enjoy interacting with their families and being included in the family activities.

The biggest differences between the Goldendoodle and the Bernerdoodle will be in their activity levels.  A Bernese Mountain Dog is a mellow, placid dog who will be content with a much lesser amount of exercise or physical activity than a Golden Retriever.  A Golden Retriever  (the Goldendoodle parent) is a higher energy dog who needs plenty of exercise every day to be happy.  The Goldendoodle is a very social, energetic dog that is smart and willing.  The Bernerdoodle is a very sweet, affectionate, sturdy dog that loves to please.  Both make wonderful pets but they have different characteristics that make them well suited for different types of situations.

Bernedoodle Sizes available at Sunshine Acres

The adult size of a Bernerdoodle will vary, depending on the size of its parents.  Our poodle dads fall in the 30 to 40 pound size range, so this will be the smallest size of our puppies.  Our Bernese Mountain Dog-Golden Retriever-Irish Setter mix mothers fall between 55 and 70 pounds.  Our largest puppies will grow to about 85 pounds as adults.   Typically a puppy will grow to an adult weight that will fall between the size of its parents weights, or up to 10 pounds larger.  When comparing littermates to each other, usually the smaller puppies in a litter would grow to the size of the smaller parents. The larger puppies in the litter growing to the size of the larger parents, or up to 10 pounds heavier than the larger parent.  If a puppy or two in a litter are outliers compared to their siblings in size/weight, they could also be an outlier in adult weight compared to their parents weights.

Exercise and Environmental Needs of the Bernedoodle

A Bernerdoodle needs to have daily exercise, but they can be content with the activity they can get in a backyard.  If a yard is not available, 1/2 hour each day should be given for moderate exercise to keep your puppy healthy and happy.  Bernedoodles enjoy outdoor activities and enjoy hiking, and being included in their humans camping or backpacking trips.  But just a walk on leash around the neighborhood works as well.  Bernedoodles are a family oriented dog.  They do best in an environment where they are not left home along for long periods of time.

Since the Bernedoodle often has a black coat, care must be taken in hot climates during the mid day.   The Bernedoodles appreciate having shade and water available when outdoors so they do not get too hot when in the direct sun.  A Bernedoodle who does not have a black coat is less affected by direct sun during the summer.  Those who live in a warm climate may wish to get a lighter colored Bernedoodle puppy for sale, if they will frequently be active during the hottest parts of the day.

Do Bernedoodles Shed?

Yes, and no.  Some Bernedoodles shed, some do not.  It all depends on the genetics of the lines they come from.  Our F1 Berndoodle puppies or Bernese Irish Goldendoodle puppies usually do not shed.  If a puppy has a risk of having a shedding type of coat, this is noticeable when they are a young puppy.  Since we have been raising Doodle puppies for sale for over 20 years, through experience we can tell which puppies may be at risk to have a low shedding coat type rather than the usual non-shedding coat type.  We have selectively bred for a non-shedding coat type and rarely have shedding coats in our puppies.

What is the best type of Bernedoodle puppy? F1 Bernedoodle, F1B Bernedoodle,  F2 Bernedoodle, Mulit-Gen Bernedoodle puppy, etc?

As we consider the different types of Doodle puppy genetics that are an option, our experience has been that the hybrid vigor found in the F1 Doodles  give the puppies the best chance for a long healthy life. Since all purebreds are by definition inbred (similar DNA to one another) a puppy who has unrelated parents from a wide gene pool are not going to be prone to the same genetic defects found in the purebred breeds.

The first type of Bernedoodle puppy available is the 50/50 hybrid where one parent is a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog and the other parent is a purebred Poodle. This mix is called the F1 Bernedoodle. These Bernedoodle puppies became the favored cross of those seeking to avoid congenital health issues found in purebred dogs, while maintaining a low to non-shedding coat, and keeping as much of the mellow, affectionate nature of the Bernese Mountain Dog as possible.  Good parent selection is important for maintaining personality, coat quality and a pedigree with good health. This 50/50 hybrid Bernedoodle puppy has an improved chance of a long healthy life due to the hybrid vigor and genetic diversity of its mixed breed genetics. However, since hybridization is not a silver bullet for all genetic defects, it is still vital to health test and genetic test each potential parent.

The second type of genetics for a Bernedoodle puppy is the F1B Bernedoodle puppy. In this cross, one parent is a purebred Poodle and the other parent is an F1 Bernedoodle (50/50 cross). This is a favorite among families who have severe dog allergies, mostly because the percentage of puppies that are allergy friendly in a litter is higher than the 50/50 F1. Each individual puppy is not necessarily more allergy friendly as we can be led to believe, but a larger percentage of the puppies in the litter will have characteristics that make them more allergy friendly. If I had significant dog allergies and I really wanted a doodle, this is the mix I would choose. Their coat will be more curly, so if kinks are not for you, the 50/50 F1 Bernedoodle puppy may still be a better a choice. Since this mix requires breeding back to a purebred poodle, some hybrid vigor and genetic diversity is lost in the F1B cross. However, as long as the breeder is carefully testing their lines and making sure that the poodles in the family tree are not close relatives, the F1B Bernedoodles should have long term good health and predictable traits.

The third choice after an F1 or F1B Bernedoodle puppy is the Multi-generation Bernedoodle.  A multi-generational Bernedoodle, or Multigen Bernedoodle for short, is when a Bernedoodle is bred to a Bernedoodle. This worst case scenario of F2, Bernedoodle puppies is what happens when someone gets the bright idea of mating their beautiful 50/50 F1 because he or she is the best dog ever. However, F1’s do not breed true and produce another dog like themselves.  In genetic terms, this means they will fall back to their original parents breeds. Statistically, the F2 Bernedodle litter, that would come from two F1 Bernedoodles being mated will be 25% purebred Bernese Mountain Dog, 50% like the F1 parents, and 25% purebred Poodle.  So really what an F2 breeding will produce is  unknown genetics.   Genetically the puppy could be a purebred Bernese, a purebred Poodle or a mix of both breeds.

The last possibility for a Bernedoodle puppy’s genetics is an F3 Bernedoodle (or F4, F5 or F6 etc.). This is a combination where a multi generational Bernedoodle would be bred to a multigen Bernedoodle. The higher the generation number the higher the degree of purebred. The multi gen bernedoodles join their purebred parentage as the inbred coefficient of the multigenerational bernedoodle puppy skyrockets and congenital health is of the greatest concern. There are not any advantages over the F1 or F1B, only disadvantages, due to the loss of genetic diversity and hybird vigor found in the F1 cross.  The more inbred or multigenerational a Doodle puppy is, the greater the predictability of outcome. I would not cross two Poodles and expect to get Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. So inbreds are more predictable than hybrids.  Just as a purebred dog, which is inbred genetically is also predictable in their outcome.

A multigenerational Bernedoodle puppy flies in the face of the original reason the Doodle puppies became so popular. Wasn’t their popularity due to the attracting of knowing the puppy did not carry the genetic health risks found in their purebred parents, since the puppy had the advantage of hybrid vigor and genetic diversity? Unless there has been careful selection, a close watch to pedigrees, and a good dose of accountability through purebred registries, the risks of passing on congenital health issues increases in multigen doodle breedings.

Here at Sunshine Acres, we support the breeding of F1 and F1B Doodle puppies for sale and never breed a Doodle to a Doodle.  We will not have double doodle puppies for sale.

What is the difference between a Golden Mountain Doodle puppy and a Bernedoodle puppy?

A Golden Mountain Doodle is a Golden Retriever-Bernese Mountain Dog mix bred to a Poodle.  A Bernedoodle is a Bernese Mountain Dog crossed with a Poodle.   Since the Golden Mountain Doodle is a combination of more breeds, the Golden Mountain Doodle puppies have improved genetic health compared to the Bernedoodle, providing the parents have had the appropriate health screening for their breeds.   Since the Golden Retrievers intelligence and trainability is very high, the Golden Mountain doodle puppies for sale would be more intelligent overall than a Bernedoodle puppy for sale.  Here at Sunshine Acres, we are always looking for ways to improve our Doodles potential for good health and amazing personalities.  Our B.I.G. Doodles mix the great breeds of the Bernese, Irish-Goldens and Poodles.

What are the cons of a Bernedoodle?

A Bernedoodle need regular grooming and haircuts, which are more time-consuming than a shedding dog’s coat care will be.  If a Bernedoodles coat is not clipped short, they need regular brushing every couple days.  If you do not brush/comb your Bernedoodle regularly when it has a long coat, the hair will mat at the roots and your dogs hair will need to be completely shaved off to start over.  It can be a rather starling experience to have a Doodle go to the groomer bushy and come home shaved flat!  So don’t forget to keep up the brushing routine.

Since Bernerdoodles can be a larger breed, good training from puppyhood is important.  No one wants to walk an 80 pound dog that hasn’t been trained to walk politely on a lead! Or should I say no one wants to have their 80 pound untrained Bernedoodle take them for a walk, perhaps where they don’t want to go? Faithful training will give you a well mannered Bernedoodle.  Some purebred Berners can have a stubborn streak, so proactive training with lots of positive reinforcement can be helpful if this streak shows up in your Bernerdoodle puppy.  Since they are an affectionate, open hearted dog, keep your training sessions positive, so your Bernerdoodle puppy won’t get its feelings hurt.

They want to be with their families, so long periods of alone time can lead to undesirable behaviors.  If you don’t have much time for a dog, a Bernedoodle is probably not a good choice for you.  They enjoy being a part of the families activities.

What’s the lifespan of a Bernedoodle?

An average lifespan for a Bernedoodle would be about 12-13 years.  Some will live to 15 or 16 years, but this is not as common.  Good preventative vet care, adequate daily exercise and quality food are  necessary for your puppy’s health and happiness.  The most important aspect for your puppy’s longevity is its parents health and genetic background.  A good breeder will check their puppies’ parents for all of the below:

• • • • Hip Evaluation (OFA or PennHip)
      • Elbow Evaluation (OFA or PennHip)
      • Cardiac Exam
      • Ophthalmologist Evaluation
      • Von Willebrand’s Disease, DNA Test.
      • Degenerative Myelopathy, DNA Test
      • Progressive Retinal Atrophy, DNA Test

Is a Bernedoodle a Calm Dog?

The Bernese Mountain Dog breed is a calm, mellow, friendly dog with a laid back personality.  They enjoy interacting with their families.  When the Bernese Mountain Dog is crossed with a Moyen or Standard size poodle, which is a medium energy dog, their Bernedoodle puppies are usually a low to medium energy level dog.  We love this size, as they are small enough to easily keep in the house and take everywhere with the family.  Also, they are big enough to interact with as a large breed dog, romping in the backyard with the kids. All of our Berndoodle puppies for sale here at Sunshine Acres will be Moyen or Standard size B.I.G Doodles.

A Bernerdoodle puppy who is from Toy Poodle or Miniature Poodle lines, can be a high energy dog, since some very small poodles are extremely active.  We have chosen not to raise this size of Bernedoodle puppy, since a mellow, sweet personality is our goal.  Many Bernedoodle breeders are raising multigenerational Bernedoodle puppies for sale, which can be as much as 95% to 98% purebred Poodles.  Of course, as the percentage of Bernese Mountain Dog falls, and the percentage of purebred Poodle increases, the personality of their puppies will be affected proportionally.  The smaller a Bernedoodle is expected to grow to as an adult, the higher strung the puppy will be, since the only way to get a small size Bernedoodle is to increase the percentage of toy poodle the dog has in its genetics. A mini Bernedoodle puppy for sale, or a multigenerational toy Bernedoodle puppy for sale is going to be a different type of puppy than a standard or moyen size F1 or F1B Bernedoodle.

When purchasing a Bernedoodle puppy, it is important as a puppy buyer to do ones homework and know what we are really getting genetically!  Buying from a well established, trustworthy Bernedoodle breeder is vital, since the puppy’s parentage and genetics are only going to be as clear as the breeders honesty is.  Ask lots of questions and find out how knowledgable your breeder is about what genetics are in the puppy’s background.

What is the Cheapest Bernedoodle?

The price of a Bernedoodle puppy varies greatly from breeder to breeder.  Bernedoodle puppies for sale, from parents with no genetic testing, no OFA hip, elbow/heart/eye testing and a minimal health warranty, may be as cheap as $500-$1500.  But a cheap puppy can quickly become very expensive when it starts to have health issues.  One example would be a debilitating disease such as hip or elbow dysplasia.   In a best case scenerio, a costly surgery could reverse the disease symptoms.  But when high cost surgeries are unaffordable, the devastating decision to put a dog down may be made.  If a debilitating genetic defect such as Degenerative Myelopathy shows up in a cheap and poorly bred Bernedoodle, all of a pet owners wonderful expectations for their cheap Bernedoodle puppy will be derailed.

A reputable breeder can lower the risk of these types of diagnosis by breeding only quality, health tested parents.  Staying within a budget is wise, but the cheapest Bernedoodle puppy available is cheap for a reason, and may not be a wise decision in the long run.  Here at Sunshine Acres, each of our puppies’ parents are OFA screened for the hips and elbows, CAER eye certified, OFA heart certified and DNA screened.  It has been our families priority from the first day we started raising puppies in 2001 to be a dedicated Doodle breeder.  Sound decisions, based on science, are our commitment for healthy Doodle puppies.

Our family strives to continually improving the health, genetics, and quality of our parent lines, and is actively involved in breeder education.  We are committed to responsible breeding practices, and are equally dedicated to educating our Bernedoodle puppies’ new families about responsible dog ownership.  The long term good health of each of our puppies is not only our top priority, but also a priority we continually invest in.

Are Bernerdoodles Good with Kids?

Yes!  In all my years of working with dogs of different breeds, I have never seen such perfect match for young children as a Bernese Mountain Dog.  The Bernedoodles love children. Here at Sunshine Acres, our kids love to interact with our puppies.  We feel that our puppies are good for our kids, and our kids are good for the puppies. Families who have purchase our puppies over the past two decades have often told us how much their puppies love kids, and are attracted to interacting with them:)  This sweet natured Bernedoodle mix is made to go with children like peanut butter goes with jelly.