The bernedoodle is a large doodle also known as the Bernese Mountain Poo. They are the clever and goofy hybrid combination of a Poodle 🐩  and a Bernese Mountain dog. 

The bernedoodle is a relatively new designer dog that was first bred intentionally in 2003 and has become popular in the United States 🇺🇲 and Canada 🇨🇦. The Bernedoodle can have the quickmind of the Poodle and the unwavering loyalty of the Bernese Mt Dog. They are a great combination that can be powerful with a gentle personality. They can be very friendly to other dogs and extremely gentle with children. But they do have a tendency to select and stick to their favorite human, if you are chosen. 🤞

The Bernese Mountain Dog was originally brought by the Romans to Switzerland 🇨🇭over 2000 years ago. Switzerland has a massive agricultural area that is the main producer of chocolate 🍫 and cheese 🧀. The Bernese Mountain Dog was instrumental for production in this area. They were used to guard flocks and pull heavy carts since some farmers could not afford horses. Bernese Mountain Dogs were used as draft dogs since they have the ability to pull multiple times their own weight. They were used as cattle 🐄 drivers and the guardian dogs of flocks. During this time they earned many different nicknames such as farmers dog, butchers dog and cheesery dogs. 

In the late 1800s there was a missive decline of the Bernese Mountain Dogs’ overall health and numbers. Due to this there was a massive effort in 1907 via a healthy breeding program to save this impressively strong and versatile dog. In 1937 the Bernese Mountain Dog was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. 

Sizing it all up

The sizes of the Bernedoodle can vary dramatically. The huge size variation is due to using different sized parents in the breeding process.

The standard bernedoodle can weigh 50 to 90 pounds and be up to 29 inches tall. The standard bernedoodle is bred using the standard Poodle and a standard Bernese Mt Dog.

The miniature bernedoodle can weigh 25 to 29 pounds and be up to 22 inches tall. The miniature bernedoodle is bred using a miniature Poodle and a Standard Bernese Mt Dog.

The smallest of the Bernedoodles can weigh 10 to 24 pounds and be up to 17 inches tall. The smallest bernedoodle is bred with a toy Poodle and a miniature bernedoodle. 🐕

Color Coding, Fur Real

The bernedoodle can have quite a bit of variation in the type of coat that it has. The Bernese Mt Dog has a very thick coat designed to keep it warm in colder climates. ❄️ Most Poodles have a thinner curly coat that sheds minimally. Your bernedoodle could have either of these two coat types or a nice combination of the two. Their coats may be wavy, curly or straight. It is next to impossible to predict what kind of coat a doodle may end up with. 🤷

No matter which parent breed your doodle takes after they will require daily brushing and a bath about once per month. 🛁  Your bernedoodle will also most likely require a hair trimming about every 4 to 6 weeks. 

The color that the bernedoodle comes in can be a variation of white, black and rust. 

Your bernedoodle may have a tendency to drool 🤤  which comes from the Bernese Mt Dog side or they may take after their neater Poodle parent. 

These dogs will be most comfortably kept in an average climate due to their fur combination. 

The bernedoodle may shed or may just shed minimally, there is no guarantee on this. 

Let’s quickly go over the “hypoallergenic” topic. The AKC asserts that “there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog”. Unfortunately people with dog allergies are usually allergic to the dog dander 🦠, not the dog’s fur. Granted the dog fur can be a carrier for the dog dander it is not the cause of the allergen. The old school of thought was that less dog hair = less allergen. So breeders would attempt to have as many Poodle genes in a dog breed to lessen dog hair shed. Unfortunately, this does not change the level of dander. Please be cautious regarding the labels of “hypoallergenic” if you have dog allergies. If you would like more info on this please read 22 Hypoallergenic Doodles. ◀️

Working it out

The bernedoodle has moderate exercise needs. Their Poodle 🐩  parent is a high energy dog that requires quite a bit of exercise. The Bernese Mt Dog is a bit more laid back and enjoys relaxing. So your bernedoodle will most likely be a combination of both energy levels. They will need about 30 – 60 minutes of exercise per day, they will enjoy a nice walk 🚶 around the neighborhood or a good hike. It may be a good idea to keep their exercise strictly in the morning or evening during the warmer months due to the thickness of their fur.  Your bernedoodle would love a big yard and access to the great outdoors. 🏡

Come, Sit, Stay

The bernedoodle can either be super easy to train or a bit stubborn. The Poodle 🐩  being one of their parents is notoriously one of the easiest dogs to train. The Poodle is also very active and loves having a job to do. The Bernese Mt Dog parent on the other hand is a bit more laid back and calmer but can also be stubborn. 

Bernedoodle with proper training can be a gentle fun playmate for children. 🚸 They can also be trained to get along well with cats and other family pets. 

The bernedoodle can be prone to have separation anxiety and may need further training to be left alone without becoming destructive or start barking. 

The bernedoodle can be a good candidate to be trained as a therapy dog due to its friendly nature. 🐕‍🦺

As with all puppies the bernedoodle will need early socialization and puppy training in order to be a healthy and well rounded doodle. 

Quality of Life

The bernedoodle is a pretty healthy dog who can live between 12 to 18 years. Usually a mixed breed dog such as a bernedoodle tends to be healthier than their parent pure breeds. Although, the bernedoodle can still be susceptible to the diseases that their parent breeds are more likely to have. These medically issues that the bernedoodle may be prone to are hip dysplasia, bloat and Von Willebrands disease. 🩺

So now you want a Bernedoodle….

If you are thinking about getting a bernedoodle you must make sure that you are in love with any combination of traits that a doodle surprise could offer. 🎁 Your doodle may look exactly like a Bernese Mountain Dog but act exactly like a Poodle. Would you be ok with that? What about the other way around? If you can love 💗 ALL of the traits of both parent breeds then DO IT! Doodles are the best! 

I would check at Poodle rescues and also at Bernese Mountain Dog specific rescues, they may have a mixed breed/hybrid there as well. Also check regular rescues. Just realize that if you want to rescue you may have to wait to find your dog or travel to pick it up. But there are great benefits to rescuing instead of buying. 👍👏

If you decide to buy a puppy please do your research on the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. And good luck to you! I hope you find your forever puppy! 🥰