Poodle + Bernese Mountain Dog
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Bernedoodle
Bernedoodles 101
Why a Bernedoodle?
A Bernedoodle is a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a purebred Standard Poodle. The Bernese is not only gorgeous, but is also considered one of the most loyal family dogs. The Standard Poodle is known for its intelligence, and because they don't shed, they are hypoallergenic. They're also full of goofiness and have a character that you'll fall in love with.
The cross between these two breeds gives you a healthier dog through hybrid vigor. You also get the hair from the Standard Poodle, meaning little to no shedding. With the combined good looks of the Bernese and the smarts of the Standard Poodle, Bernedoodles make the perfect family pet!
Watch this to get a general 101 on Bernedoodles and Fife & Wife's breeding program, and see why we are rated one of the best Bernedoodle breeders worldwide.
Temperament
Bernedoodles have a playful personality that thrives in the family home. Like the Bernese, they're smart, loyal, and caring, making them easy to train and ideal for children, elderly, and service occupations. Bernedoodles are happiest as inside dogs because they want to be part of the family. They love the outdoors, though, and with the power of the Bernese and hunting skills of the poodle, they're extremely athletic and agile. However, if you want to flop on the couch, they are more than happy to join you!
Hair type
Your puppy will have curly hair with low to no shedding. The curler the hair, the less shedding. If you have allergies, this is a great dog to have, but please note that those with severe allergies may still experience symptoms. The Bernedoodle has half hair, half fur. Hair you have to cut, fur you don't. Bernedoodles should be groomed every 8 weeks, but if you're consistent with your brushing and bathing, you can wait longer. If grooming is neglected, Bernedoodles will mat, meaning the hair will begin to knot. This could cause red marks, itchiness, irritation, and odor. Please groom your dog. It makes a HUGE affect on their mood and health. I would LOVE to groom your puppy. I am a certified groomer.
Color
Everyone loves the look of the Bernese Mountain Dog. The beautiful markings are striking. I strive to provide this through selective breeding, producing beautiful tri-color, black and white, phantom, brindle, merel, and sable puppies. They are all gorgeous, unique, and adorable.
Hover over pictures to see the descriptions of each coloring type.
Sable is red coloring on the back with white and brown markings
Tri is the three Bernese colors: black brown and white
Black and white is just that, black and white
Brindle is striping on the coat in typically darker colors
Phantom Merle is the gray spotted color on the back with brown on the legs and face
Phantom is black and brown markings
Size
Standard Bernedoodles can range from 45 to 90 pounds. Sometimes it's hard to tell exactly how big they will be. My puppies will grow to 65 to 85 pounds.
I will be adding Moyen Poodles to my program to bring a much smaller Bernedoodle to those who need a smaller dog. Moyen Poodles range from 17-20 inches in height and 20-35 pounds. This cross will produce Bernedoodles that are 40-65 pounds, and won't compromise the integrity of the Bernese.
I believe in breeding only F1's because that's where you get hybrid vigor. They make for the healthiest cross along with the best hair. F1's hair does not get matted as quickly as your F1b's and other generations. I know this personally because I have had to shave several dogs that have this coat. From my professional opinion F1's are the superior cross. The 50/50 is the perfect breed. I like to describe F1s are similar to ice cream and chocolate I am not trying to reinvent the two but putting the two together makes for a perfect combination.
Socializing your puppy
0-2 weeks
From 0 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies live in my front living room, getting them used to the goings-on of family life. Puppies are not raised on slick floors; I believe being raised on slick floors can cause hip dysplasia. They are raised on blankets , rubber mats and shavings as their potty area. As their eyes open at two weeks, they start to get interested in noises and movement. This is when the fun begins. I do ENS training on the puppies which I have seen first hand how big difference this makes on puppies as they mature. ENS stands for Early neurological stimulation. Learn more here.
2-6 weeks
From 2-6 weeks, the puppies receive a a professional groom at least twice. This includes pads, sanitary, bath, blow out, ears cleaning, and anal glands expressed. I deworm at two weeks - four weeks - six weeks. They are brushed and blow dried on a regular basis to get desensitized. Exposing the puppies different environments along with them being treat trained and litter box trained. We also do activities where they search for their food.
7-8 weeks
I start working on basic commands and leash work at 7-8 weeks. The puppies have training sessions morning, noon, and night. Consistency is KEY. I also begin getting them used to the crate. That does not necessarily mean they will be crate trained; I believe my job is to expose the puppy to everything I can so the transition into a new home isn't as scary for them. Farm life allows me to provide that strong foundation to your puppy. It gives them the opportunity to run around on 32 acres of mud, sand, puddles, ponds, grass, weeds, gravel, and much more. They interact with pigs, chickens, cats, cows, horses and my kids. They are taken on car rides and treated like family.
From 4 to 8 weeks they move out of my home and live in what I like to call their own cozy "dog barn." It's insulated and has electricity, as well as a spacious run when weather permits. By giving the puppies their own space, they learn that they don't need to be around people 24/7. This cultivates a confident puppy with a healthy dose of independence.
I also let them experience being in a pack of adult dogs. Other canines are truly their best teachers, because they know exactly what they need to grow and develop.
If this is how you would like your puppy to be raised, fill out my adoption application and we can find the puppy that's right for you.
The Volhard method is very helpful in picking a puppy. Puppies have this test done at 49 days old, and that's when puppy picking will happen. Matching the right personality to the right owner is crucial for a successful partnership with your puppy.
Bernedoodle & Poodle care
Grooming
Being a professionally certified dog groomer, I highly recommend taking your dog to a professional groomer at least once every 8 weeks. But of course I understand if you want to try and do it yourself. Just please note that grooming is much more difficult than you expect, and there are safety concerns of cutting your dog having to take it to the vet. That being said, learn how to do it properly, and if you feel comfortable, then by all means give it a try.
The style that you wish your dog to be groomed is up to you. There is no such thing as a doodle groom, so there's a lot of creative liberty here! Your dog's hair grows back, so have fun with it. Change it up and see what you like. Your first groom is half off if you bring the puppy back for me to groom! Visit my grooming services page for more info.
Training
Training your dog trains you. I am a big believer that you can have the perfect pet if you put the time and dedication into your training. I have never had any problems with my dogs. I have had a Siberian Husky, German Shepard, Standard Poodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and Labrador Retrievers, but the training never differs. I'm planning to create training videos to help you make your Bernedoodle the perfect pet.
Any personality of dog can be trained. Bernedoodles are especially quick and willing learners. I suspect this is partially what drew you to them, along with their calm nature, willing to go and do anything with you, even watch a Netflix series. But for this to happen, you need to set boundaries and rules. All creatures need a purpose in life, and the puppy's job is to be your companion. This requires consistent training.
We also learn a lot from our dogs, too. Your dog reflects you as a person. If you're uptight, your dog will be uptight. If you're nervous, they're nervous. They mirror you. It's a great way to check yourself and know where you're at in life. You help the dog, the dog helps you. I truly believe that God gave us these creatures when we would listen to no one else but them. They help us learn who we are and what we need in life. They are our angels.
Nutrition
Feeding your puppy the right food is crucial for their health and happiness. I personally love NurtiSource grain-free and Earthborn grain-free. I have seen these foods fix problems that other brands failed to.
In choosing your dog food, make sure to read the ingredients. If it says byproduct, or lists grain as the first ingredient, that dog food is not good quality. It needs to list chicken, fish, bison, etc. as the first ingredient.
I feed my dogs a mix of dry food, raw meat, and goats milk that I grow on my homestead. I believe this is the best diet I can provide for my dogs.
Checking for parasites
There are two parasites that are common in dogs coccidia and giardia. They can be found in most dogs gut and won't show any signs of having such parasite but when stressed it can come out. Change in environment, change in food, weaned or shipped.
Puppies can pick up Giardia by licking water in a puddle licking their feet when we go for walks. It's pretty much everywhere. Birds can bring it in, wild life can bring it in. With that being said, I choose not to kennel my dogs by giving them the opportunity to explore the world. I raise my puppies on the farm, where they get to experience more than most puppies 0-8 weeks old. As a breeder, I try my hardest to keep my puppies free from such parasites, but it can come at a risk of over deworming the puppies and ruining their gut for life, leading to sensitivity to foods.
So what do I do? If you over-deworm puppies and over sanitize their area, that kills the parasites, but also kills other good bacterias that are beneficial to the puppies immune development.
I have come to the the conclusion that it's way more important that your puppy is allowed to go outside and be socialized, explore, and be in a big space where they can run and be free to move their body. I will do my best to keep parasites such as coccidia and giardia under control, but not over sanitize so you're dealing with sensitive stomach issues for the rest of your puppies life.
In conclusion, I will socialize your puppy to the best of my ability. The joys of being on a farm and the socialization that comes with it are what I take to be more important. I of course will deworm, but not at the cost of over doing it to the health of your puppy.
Another breeder talks about parasites and how to treat them. I wanted to give them credit and link their article here.