Meet Cally and Dusty’s Bernedoodles
Twelve puppies made their grand entrance on October 15: eight boys and four girls. It’s the biggest of our three December litters, and the biggest puppies, too, maturing at about 50–70 lbs. If you’ve been dreaming of a big, huggable boy to curl up by the tree this year, you’ll want to meet this crew. They’ll be ready for their new homes on December 11, in time for Christmas.
These puppies are Irish Golden Bernedoodles, a cross of Bernese Mountain Dog, Irish Golden Retriever and Poodle. You may also hear them called Golden Mountain Doodles or Bernese Irish Goldendoodles. Whichever name you know them by, they’re affectionate, easygoing family dogs with that much-loved Bernedoodle look.
Meet the parents
Cally, the mom, is a calm, sweet-natured girl who loves to be right with you wherever you are. Her name means “lovely one,” and with her pretty markings and gentle personality, she lives up to it. Dusty, the dad, is a 53-pound Standard Poodle and Murphy’s son. We own both parents and their grandparents too, so after 25 years of raising puppies here in Indiana, we can tell you exactly where your puppy comes from, how they were raised, and what they’re likely to grow into.
See what they’ll look like at going-home age
Cally and Dusty come from family lines we’ve raised for years, so our past litters give you the truest preview of how these puppies will look on their going-home day. Here’s one of our earlier litters from these same family lines. The video in the photo gallery at the top of this page shows a past litter from these lines at going-home age, too. Videos of Cally’s own puppies will be shared with families on the morning of picking day.
A past Sunshine Acres Bernedoodle litter from the same family lines, shown at going-home age
Three sister litters, all home before Christmas
Cally’s sisters, Betsy and Missy, each had litters this October too. Their puppies were sired by Murphy, Dusty’s dad, which makes Murphy grandpa to Cally’s litter. All three litters share the same family lines. Looking for a slightly smaller dog? Betsy and Murphy’s litter matures at 40–56 lbs. Hoping for a girl? Missy and Murphy’s litter has eight.
How to choose your puppy
Begin with our free application, and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours. A $500 deposit by Venmo or Zelle places you on our waiting list, in the order deposits arrive. As each litter nears picking age, we ask the families on our list whether they’d like to choose from that litter, and whether they’d prefer a boy or a girl. Families who opt in choose on Puppy Picking Day in deposit order, with separate picking orders for boys and girls. With eight boys in this litter, an early deposit gives you the widest choice.
Your deposit is fully refundable and transferable between litters and breeds until you choose your puppy, and there’s no obligation to choose from this litter. If you pass, you can join another litter’s picking order behind the families already planning to choose from it, or keep your place on our list for future litters. Once you choose your puppy, your deposit becomes a non-refundable earnest deposit held for that puppy.
Puppy Picking Days for this litter are November 23 and 24, right before Thanksgiving. A couple of days beforehand, we’ll post new photos of each puppy, and on picking-day morning we’ll send videos of the litter romping and exploring, so you can see who’s bold, who’s cuddly, and everyone in between. At your scheduled time, we’ll walk you through each puppy by FaceTime or Zoom, or by phone if you’d rather just talk, and share what we’ve noticed about each puppy’s personality and coat. You can also visit in person and meet them through our window. At this age, our veterinarian advises that the puppies not be handled by visitors, to protect them from accidental exposure to outside germs.
Traveling for Thanksgiving? You can choose a day or two early, still in your deposit order. We’re glad to point out which puppies might suit your family, and the final choice is always yours.
Raised with our family, on a protocol that hasn’t changed
For 25 years, our puppies have been raised as part of our family. Our children, elementary age to teens, handle and play with every litter daily, starting the week the puppies are born. Each puppy has Early Neurological Stimulation in the first weeks, then socialization following Jan Fennell’s Amichien Bonding method. Both parents are tested through OFA hip, elbow and heart screening, CAER eye certification, and DNA panels.
Going home
Puppies are ready on Friday, December 11, two weeks before Christmas. If you’d like a later homecoming, just let us know and we’ll work out the details with you. Families who’d like their puppy to arrive with training underway can choose optional board-and-train with Happy Pup Manor in the Chicago area, who can pick your puppy up straight from us. Too far to drive? We deliver by flight nanny or airline pet carrier.
The balance is due at pickup and can be paid by Venmo, Zelle, cash or personal check. If you’re paying by Venmo or Zelle, check your account’s daily limit ahead of time, since some accounts cap daily payments.
Every puppy comes with
- A 3-year written health warranty
- Up-to-date vaccinations and deworming
- A thorough veterinary exam, plus a health record of immunizations given
- Microchip identification
- A first puppy grooming
- Crate training started, for a head start on house training
- A blanket with mom’s and littermates’ scent, and a sample of puppy food
- Lifetime support from our family
- A $200 rebate when your puppy earns the AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate
“I have had my new Bernedoodle for 4 days and he’s a literal angel… Best temperament you can possibly ask for. Cautious but not timid. Playful but not hyper. I have trained and raised multiple dogs. This dog is making my life ridiculously easy considering what I was preparing for. My experience is 10/10.”
— Ryan C., Irish Golden Bernedoodle family
Ready to choose your puppy? Apply today (it’s free), or text us with any questions. We can’t wait to help you find your new best buddy. Hoping for a girl? See Missy and Murphy’s litter, with eight girls.
