Why Bernedoodles?
Wondering why we breed bernedoodles? They are incredible dogs!
Here's why:
Bernese Mountain Dogs
Bernese Mountain Dogs are very hardy dogs. They are great in cold weather but do not tolerate the heat as well. They are extremely hard working and athletic.
They have a very family friendly personality that makes the breed an excellent companion dog. These gentle giants get along with people of all ages, including kids. The Bernese Mountain Dog is easy to train but you will need to be patient and consistent.
They need daily walks and exercise to stay in the best physical and mental health.
Bernese Mountain Dogs shed, if you keep the dog indoors, be prepared for a lot of vacuuming.
They are predisposed to diseases such as bloat, hip and elbow dysplasia and joint disease. Joint disease can develop when Bernese puppies are allowed to grow too quickly; do not overfeed your Bernese Mountain dog puppy. The life span of a Bernese Mountain Dog is sadly very short compared to many other breeds, usually around 7 years. The average size of a full grown dog can be 70-110 lbs.
Poodles
Poodles are outgoing and friendly dogs who love to run and be active. They are highly intelligent and easily trainable.
Some of the challenges of owning a Poodle include the dog's high level of energy. They need at least an hour of exercise per day.
The key characteristic of a Poodle is the breed's impressive intelligence. The sociable and adaptable poodle temperament makes this pet a great friend and companion.
Poodles, unlike other breeds don't shed. While they are hypoallergenic, they are not always easy to groom. Be prepared to spend a lot of time grooming and caring for your dog's coat to keep it neat and healthy.
Poodle life expectancy is from eleven to thirteen years depending on the care and overall health of the dog.
The main health issue in poodles are their eyes. They can develop vision problems as they age.
There are 4 main sizes of poodles:
Standard: over 15 inches tall (45-70lbs.)
Moyen: Not recognized by AKC, usually 15-20 inches tall (25-40 lbs.)
Miniature: 10-15 inches tall (15-20lbs.)
Toy: Less than 10 inches tall (6-10lbs)
Bernedoodles
Crossing a poodle with a Bernese creates what is known as hybrid vigor, or the best of both worlds. This includes getting the gorgeous coloring and personality of the Bernese and the intelligence, low shedding, and extreme athleticism from the poodle. More importantly, the health of many cross breeds can be superior to purebred dogs because of the variations in genetics. This particular cross can increase the lifespan of the poodle while minimizing the health risks of the Bernese. It allows for more variation in color and size as well as weather tolerance and ease of in-door pet care. The poodle genetics will predominantly determine the size and coloring in your bernedoodle. What you get is a family loving pet with high trainability and better health.
A Word About Genetics
When breeding dogs, each generation has a different distinction. Here is the science in a nut shell:
P generation = pure bred
F1 = two pure bred dogs mated together = 50% of each dog
F2 = two F1 dogs bred together, for example, two F1 bernedoodles
F1b = F1 bred to a P = 75% of one and 25% of the other breed
F3 = two F2 hybrids mated
Multi Generation = basically anything more then F3
As with all genetics, things can get complicated but what is important to remember is that the purpose of breeding hybrids is to create hybrid vigor. If there are favorable genetic traits in a dog, a breeder would be wise to carry those on throughout generations.
Another important bit of information; specific genes may show up differently in every puppy! We always do genetic testing on all our puppies when they are just days old but that does not guarantee what traits will manifest as they grow. This is why no two puppies will ever be the same!!