Bernedoodles

Bernedoodle Basics

If you are looking for a fluffy dog that will be your companion for life, look no further than the Bernedoodle. Also known as the Bernese Mountain Poo, this breed is a combination of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle. While the name may sound a little funny, these dogs make wonderful pets and they are especially great with children.

Origin

Hybrid dogs have been in existence for many years, so the first crossing of a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle may have occurred long ago. The breeder who claims to have been the first to intentionally breed Bernedoodles, however, is Sherry Rupke of SwissRidge Kennels. Rupke bred her first litter of two Bernedoodles in 2003 and has since developed a breeding program around this hybrid breed.

Pedigree

The Bernedoodle is a 50/50 mix of a purebred Bernese Mountain Doodle and a purebred Poodle. It is possible to have a Bernedoodle with more or less than 50 percent of each parent breed in its heritage if a first-generation Bernedoodle is mated with either a Poodle or a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Bernedoodles are playful and affectionate – they do well with children and they love to spend time with their families.

Food/Diet

The Bernedoodle comes in three different sizes so you should choose a dog food formula appropriate for the dog’s size. Toy and mini Bernedoodles should be offered a dog food formulated for small-breed dogs while the standard Bernedoodle should be fed a large-breed formula.

Training

When they are still young, some Bernedoodles can be a little bit headstrong – this is particularly true of the toy and mini versions. For this reason, it is important that you start your Bernedoodle puppy with socialization and training early. This headstrong quality comes from the Bernese Mountain Dog line so crosses with less of this breed may not have this problem.

Weight

Bernedoodles are a cross between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle. Because the Poodle comes in three different sizes, so does the Bernedoodle. A toy Bernedoodle stands 12 to 17 inches tall and weighs 10 to 24 lbs. A mini Bernedoodle stands 18 to 22 inches tall and weighs 25 to 49 lbs. A standard Bernedoodle stands 23 to 29 inches tall and weighs 70 to 90 lbs.

Temperament/Behavior

Because the Bernedoodle is a combination of two different breeds, the puppies will a combination of personality traits from each parent breed depending on the amount of each breed involved in the cross. For the most part, however, Bernedoodles are playful and affectionate – they do well with children and they love to spend time with their families. From the Bernese Mountain Dog side, Bernedoodles can be a little wary around strangers so early socialization is important. Toy and mini Bernedoodles also tend to be more energetic and stubborn than standard Bernedoodles. One thing to be wary of with this breed is that they need a lot of human interaction – they shouldn’t be left alone for long periods of time.

Common Health Problems

For the most part, the Bernedoodle is a healthy breed. In many cases, crossbred dogs are less likely to develop congenital conditions than purebred dogs simply because the gene pool is much larger. That is not to say that the Bernedoodle isn’t prone to developing certain conditions – all breeds have the potential to be affected by a number of different diseases. Some of the conditions that may affect the Bernedoodle include hip dysplasia, eye problems, skin problems, and elbow dysplasia.

Life Expectancy

The average life expectancy of a Bernedoodle is between 12 and 15 years.

Related: Poodle

Exercise Requirements

The activity level of Bernedoodles varies depending on breeding, but they are typically a moderately active breed. The smaller varieties – toy and mini Bernedoodles – tend to be more active than the larger varieties. In any case, a daily walk should be enough to satisfy the exercise requirements of a Bernedoodle.

Toy and mini Bernedoodles also tend to be more energetic and stubborn than standard Bernedoodles.

AKC

The Bernedoodle is not recognized by the AKC because it is technically a hybrid of two pure breeds rather than a new breed. This breed is, however, recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, the Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the International Designer Canine Registry, and the Designer Breed Registry.

Coat

Bernedoodles come in any combination of white, black, and brown. Many Bernedoodles are all-black or some combination of black-and-white or black-and-brown. It is also possible for Bernedoodles to be tricolor – black, white and brown. Just as Bernedoodles come in different colors according to breeding, they also have different types of coats. Most Bernedoodles have long, wavy coats that shed minimally. Curly coats are also very common and these shed very little, like the Poodle’s coat, and they are great for allergy sufferers. Straight-coated Bernedoodles are less common and they tend to shed more than wavy- or curly-coated Bernedoodles.

Puppies

Bernedoodle puppies look like little bundles of curly fur and they are just full of love and affection. Because these dogs are intelligent, it is important to start training puppies from a young age – early socialization is also very important. During the puppy stage especially, Bernedoodles can be a little headstrong but this tends to lessen as the dog matures and receives training.