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ABOUT BERNEDOODLES

Bernedoodles are a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle. To know what to expect from your new Bernedoodle puppy, you have to understand the parent breeds. Each breed of dog is different and has its own positive and negative qualities, health problems, grooming requirements, etc. When you blend two different breeds together, you get a hybrid puppy that takes some of those characteristics from each parent. The ideal result if bred correctly is a stronger, healthier, more even tempered companion. In the case of the Bernedoodles, I believe that they are the perfect family pet. I say this from my own personal experience with them. My husband and I were owners of a Bernedoodle before we chose to raise them. And we chose to raise them because of our experience with them. 

So I have to admit, for the majority of my life I was anti-poodle. Until I bought my first breeding poodle, Phoebe, and that changed everything. Originally bred for hunting, poodles have been around for thousands of years. They are probably most well known for being incredibly easy to train and for their nonshedding, hypoallergenic coats. As a new poodle owner, the thing that surprised me most was how silly they are. Our poodles are the comedians of our house and have us constantly laughing with their silly and mischievous antics. Poodles get a bad rap for being overly energetic. While this can be true to some extent (and especially when not bred correctly), I have found them to be calm, gentle house dogs that enjoying relaxing and laying beside us on the couch. Poodles have a higher need for exercise and stimulation than some other breeds and have the tendency to get into trouble when bored. They love to be outdoors and this is usually where their "high energy" is displayed. Poodles are very athletic and can run like the wind. Bred originally for water retrieving, they also like to swim. Poodles come in a few different sizes- standard, miniature and toy. There is also a "moyen" size that is in between the standard and mini. We only use standards and moyens in our program. The most common health problems in poodles are cancer, epilepsy, hip dysplasia. Poodles require regular grooming and brushing to prevent mats.

POODLES

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BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS

I remember being in high school, looking at Berners online and telling my best friend, "I'm going to get one of those dogs one day". After I decided to raise Bernedoodles, I finally did get one and now I will never not have one again. Bernese Mtn Dogs are one of the most gorgeous creatures I have ever laid eyes on, with their thick tricolored coats. They originate from the Swiss Alps and were bred to be farm dogs, pulling carts and herding. Not only are they stunning to look at, but their temperament is the best ever. Bernese Mountain Dogs are very laid back, gentle and well known for being great with children. They form strong attachments to their owners and can sometimes experience "separation anxiety" and destructive behavior when left alone. They are sensitive dogs and slow to mature. For this reason, training a Berner requires patience and a gentle hand. Bernese Mtn Dogs have a short life span, with the average being only 6-8 years. They are plagued with numerous health problems. This comes from years of inbreeding and a limited gene pool. That being said, it is very important to buy from a reputable Bernese breeder who health tests their dogs. The most common health problems include cancer, DM and hip/elbow dysplasia. Being a large breed, they are more susceptible to these joint issues. Bernese Mtn Dogs shed profusely, but brushing them regularly outside will reduce this. 

and now... THE BERNEDOODLE

After Dean and I got our first Bernedoodle, Frasier, we were completely obsessed. We had found a dog that fit our lives perfectly and there was no turning back. I know that there are other families right now looking for the same qualities in a dog that we did. I hope that this will help you find out whether a Bernedoodle is the right fit for you!

TEMPERAMENT & PERSONALITY

One of a breeder's biggest responsibilities is selecting breeding stock that will complement each other. If that job is done correctly, the result will hopefully be a puppy that has inherited the best attributes each parent and breed has to offer. 

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The Bernedoodle is a goofy, friendly and happy breed. They adore people and have a strong desire to please and be loved. Bernedoodles are a moderately active breed. They love be outside romping around and exploring. But mostly, they enjoy being right next to you on the couch and will invade your personal space, no matter how big they are. Like the poodle, Bernedoodles tend to have a silly personality. But like the Bernese, they can also be quite sensitive. They take it to heart when they get in trouble. Bernedoodles are relatively easy to train and love learning tricks. I have found them to be good with other dogs, cats and children.

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COAT & GROOMING

One of the most common questions we get asked is about shedding. And here is my answer - ALL dogs shed to some degree. It doesn't matter what generation of doodle it is or even if the dog is a purebred poodle. All dogs shed and it is impossible to produce one that doesn't. Now how much it sheds is something that breeders can work on and improve. We breed our Bernedoodles to be low shedding and "allergy friendly". If you suffer from allergies (mild or severe), please let us know and we can help you select a puppy that will fit your needs.

 

We are able to offer puppies in three main coat types - straight, wavy and curly. But even in these three coat types, there can be come variation. If you are looking for a specific coat type, please let me know and we will be happy to lead you in the right direction. We can usually tell what kind of coats our puppies will have a few days after birth. 

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Bernedoodles should be brushed on a regular basis (we suggest every day) to prevent mats and groomed every 6-8 weeks.

SIZE

We are currently offering Bernedoodles in a few different sizes. In general, our puppies range from 30-80 lbs. 

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  • Mini: 25-40 lbs

  • Medium: 40-55 lbs.

  • Standard: 55+ lbs

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The majority of our litters are medium and standard size. We only have 1-2 litters of minis each year. And we are not currently breeding Tiny or Micro Bernedoodles. 

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GENERATIONS

Listed below are the generations of Bernedoodles that can be found at Glass House.

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  • F1 Bernedoodle: Poodle x Bernese Mountain Dog

  • F1b Bernedoodle: F1 Bernedoodle x Poodle

  • F2b Bernedoodle: F1 Bernedoodle x F1b Bernedoodle

  • Australian Bernedoodle: Bernedoodle x Australian Labradoodle (There is NO Australian Shepherd in this cross, we do not use Aussies in our program) 

  • Multigenerational Bernedoodles: Coming soon!

WHAT ARE AUSTRALIAN BERNEDOODLES?

A few years ago, we became familiar with the Australian Labradoodle breed. Despite what you may initially think, there is no Australian Shepherd in this cross. We made the decision early on not to use Aussies in our program, but to instead focus on lower energy breeds. Australian Labradoodles were first bred in Australia, hence the name. They originated because of one man's desire to create a breed with exceptional and consistent conformation, coat type and temperament. Australian Labradoodles are generally a cross between the Labrador Retriever, Poodle and Cocker Spaniel. In some lines, other breeds such as the Irish Water Spaniel and Curly Coated Retriever were added in. But a dog must be a cross of those first three core breeds to be consider an ALD. I loved what I read online about them and then I became friends with an ALD breeder. The more I learned about them, the more I felt like they would be a great addition to our program. We purchased our first ALD in 2018, Archie, and we were not disappointed. We believe that the Australian Labradoodle will be the perfect match for our Bernedoodles and are so excited for what the future holds! We plan to offer Australian Bernedoodles every year, as well as an occasional litter of ALDs. 
Pictures of our past Australian Bernedoodle puppies can be seen below.
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