# Bernedoodle



## MrsO11

Hello,

Does anyone know of a Bernedoodle breeder in this country? 

Seems like these dogs are really popular in the USA and Canada but I can’t find anyone in the UK.

Many thanks.


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## Teddy-dog

Never heard of one up until now but I guess a lot of people are crossing poodles now! I assume this is a Bernese mountain dog X poodle? Any reason why you want to look for a cross rather than one of the parent breeds (Bernese or Poodle)?


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## labradrk

A what? why would you want a cross of those breeds?

If you like a dog that looks like a Poodle then why don't you just get a Poodle?


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## MrsO11

Teddy-dog said:


> Never heard of one up until now but I guess a lot of people are crossing poodles now! I assume this is a Bernese mountain dog X poodle? Any reason why you want to look for a cross rather than one of the parent breeds (Bernese or Poodle)?


Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.

The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.

Many thanks for your reply.


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## MrsO11

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.





labradrk said:


> A what? why would you want a cross of those breeds?
> 
> If you like a dog that looks like a Poodle then why don't you just get a Poodle?


Can you be polite please. I just signed up to this forum to ask a simple question. Thanks for your input but I was merely asking a question.


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## labradrk

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.


A dog being half Poodle doesn't guarantee they won't shed. There is a 50% chance they will shed, and with that combination of breeds and their heavy coats, if you get one that sheds it's going to shed heavily due to coat mass. If they don't shed, then that coat is going to require SERIOUS all over daily maintenance to avoid extreme matting; putting a longer coated double coated breed to a curly coated non shedding breed is the worst combination for coats. You'll end up with a wooly, matted mess if you aren't anal about daily grooming and frequent trips to the grooming salon.

If you want a family pet then why not go with something like a Labrador or Golden Retriever or something? no issues with life expectancy there, my last Labrador lived until he was 15. Or if you like the scruffy crossbreed look, every rescue up and down the country is full of them, not just adult dogs but puppies too.


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## Ownedbymany

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.


Getting a cross of 2 different breeds won't guarantee you a dog with the temperament of a bernese , nor will it guarantee a dog that doesn't shed it's fur. Apart from that even if the dog doesn't shed there is every chance the allergies aren't cause by the dogs fur itself, it's usually dander or saliva that causes allergy problems.


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## Teddy-dog

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.


Ahh right ok. I'm not all that up on dog breeds but there will be similar dogs to a Bernese that have longer life spans, I'm sure. TBH Poodles are nice dogs so I don't know if you've ever thought about owning a purebred poodle. 
I've never heard of this cross in the UK before. Be careful if you look for one, so many people want something crossed with a poodle that it means there are a lot of unethical breeders breeding poodle crosses. Make sure whatever breeder you go to (for any dog) does health testing and you can see both parents. Also be aware that just because they are crossed with a poodle doesn't mean they will have a none shedding coat, the pups will get genes from both parents so it is just as likely to have a coat like a Bernese than a poodle or anywhere inbetween. Same with the life span, it is just as likely to have a life span of a Bernese than a poodle so you might not be getting the longer life you want.... Just a thought.


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## simplysardonic

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.


Unfortunately, there is no guarantee a poodle cross won't trigger allergies as they are as likely as not to inherit the poodle coat- there was someone on here just yesterday who is potentially rehoming a poodle cross for this very reason.

Sadly unscrupulous breeders are cashing in on the current fashion for poodles mixed with just about anything & claiming they are so many things they are not- the character of one breed with the non shedding qualities/longevity of another.

Genetics doesn't work like that.

There may be a handful of half decent breeders at most who are breeding the more popular poodle mixes such as labradoodles & cockapoos but for a more obscure mix like a bernedoodle I'm 99% certain there is no such thing- it will be puppy farms & people looking to make money.


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## Lurcherlad

Crazy mix imo

I’d go for a well bred Standard Poodle.

Or look in rescue for a poodle cross - probably lots of Xmas cast offs available


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## simplysardonic

Lurcherlad said:


> Crazy mix imo
> 
> I'd go for a well bred Standard Poodle.
> 
> *Or look in rescue for an poodle cross* - probably lots of Xmas cast offs available


Absolutely, the 'trendy' breeds & mixes of the last few years are starting to turn up in increasing quantities- Many Tears have a lot of ex puppy farm poodle mixes & Wood Green had 3 pugs on their website last week


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## Guest

MrsO11 said:


> Thank you, yes that's right it's a Bernese Mountain dog x Poodle.
> 
> The temperaturment of the Bernese is perfect for my family, and my parents had one as I was growing up. They don't have a very long life expectancy (6-8 years) and with two little children I would love a dog that could be with us for a bit longer than that. Plus my sister in law has terrible allergies to dog hair and she visits us a lot so the Poodle coat would be an advantage.
> 
> Many thanks for your reply.


You won't necessarily get a BMD temperament with a BMDxPoodle. Nor are you guaranteed a poodle coat. Far more likely to get some sort of mess of a coat that mats like crazy and needs tons of grooming. 
Crossing a BMD with a poodle won't necessarily give you a longer lived dog either. 
Genetics mixes traits, but not necessarily evenly. You could end up with a dog who's mostly Berner, a dog who's mostly Poodle, a dog who's an even mix, or a dog who's nothing like either breed.

If you want the BMD temperament, find an excellent BMD breeder who breeds for temperament and health. Health tested dogs from long lived lines have a much better chance of living longer than those bred without that effort.


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## MrsO11

Ok. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and interesting points. I’ll take them all on board.


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## picaresque

With the potential for such a difficult coat, professional grooming would probably be needed and with such a large dog the cost would be eye-watering. Something else to bear in mind.


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## Smalldogs

I would second cautions about the poodle-cross coat unless you absolutely love grooming. We have two different poodle crosses. Both are wonderful. Both need intensive grooming. One has beautiful long silky hair which mats easily, clogs the hoover with moulted hair, and has to be trimmed incessantly around eyes, bum and undercarriage - I love his coat, but after seven years have just had it clipped short, and he is thrilled. The other has a mixture of wiry hair and curls, very very thick, adorably cuddly, which turns into matted dreadlocks if you take your eyes off him for a second, again needing frequent trims around the sticky areas. Wonderful dogs, but wouldn't recommend either coat to anyone who isn't an obsessive groomer.


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## Laney_Lemons

I have a little poodle x whippet mongrel and he sheds  .... whippets are apparently low castling & poodles don't at all so there really is no guarantee  


Please be careful with poodle crosses if you are still wanting this mix as they are rife with puppy farmers trying to sell them for silly money for untested and they come from horrific conditions. I found mine in the dogs trust so I would defo look around rescues as they are over flowing with mix breeds .


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## hopereignseternal

Just joined & wondering if you found a Bernedoodle breeder in the U.K?we too have been looking for one for past 2 years. Swisridge in US did reply to me but costs were hugely prohibitive.Think there might be someone (Hampstead Heath area?) who has previously advertised


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## Blitz

hopereignseternal said:


> Just joined & wondering if you found a Bernedoodle breeder in the U.K?we too have been looking for one for past 2 years. Swisridge in US did reply to me but costs were hugely prohibitive.Think there might be someone (Hampstead Heath area?) who has previously advertised


they are mongrels and not compatible to cross so I would hope there are not too many people putting them together. Far more sensible to go for a pure breed of one or the other, at least then you will know roughly how it will turn out.


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## Rupert_the_bernedoodle

hopereignseternal said:


> Just joined & wondering if you found a Bernedoodle breeder in the U.K?we too have been looking for one for past 2 years. Swisridge in US did reply to me but costs were hugely prohibitive.Think there might be someone (Hampstead Heath area?) who has previously advertised


Hi there...my name is Rupert the Bernedoodle and I live in the UK, born in Devon. I am 10 months old and there is a previous litter from the same Bernese mum and poodle who was, I believe imported from the US. Now I also read the book from Swissridge kennels in Canada so I was fully aware of the breed as we previously had a Bernese who dies last year and we love that breed.
I just saw also that a new puppy is on Instagram also in the UK, from Cambridge apparently and they had 4 pups. Very rare breed but that is now 2 breeders. I have so many people ask me about Rupert, he is adorable and quite tall.He's a cheeky pup! Love him to pieces but I would agree with some of the comments regards GROOMING...it is going from one extreme of mass shedding to another of mass grooming and i just had him cut quite short though he looks fab and is much easier to manage but he is costing me £100 every 6 weeks!! So it is a valid point, frustrating but I wouldn't change him for the world.
Hope this helps.


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## Blitz

Rupert_the_bernedoodle said:


> Hi there...my name is Rupert the Bernedoodle and I live in the UK, born in Devon. I am 10 months old and there is a previous litter from the same Bernese mum and poodle who was, I believe imported from the US. Now I also read the book from Swissridge kennels in Canada so I was fully aware of the breed as we previously had a Bernese who dies last year and we love that breed.
> I just saw also that a new puppy is on Instagram also in the UK, from Cambridge apparently and they had 4 pups. Very rare breed but that is now 2 breeders. I have so many people ask me about Rupert, he is adorable and quite tall.He's a cheeky pup! Love him to pieces but I would agree with some of the comments regards GROOMING...it is going from one extreme of mass shedding to another of mass grooming and i just had him cut quite short though he looks fab and is much easier to manage but he is costing me £100 every 6 weeks!! So it is a valid point, frustrating but I wouldn't change him for the world.
> Hope this helps.


It is not a rare breed. There are thankfully very few people crossing the two totally incompatible breeds. I am pleased your boy has turned out well though the grooming sounds a nightmare and I would imagine if there were many about there would be a fair few with very neglected coats. As a crossbreed there is no telling what the coat or the temperament will turn out like so buying a pup is a total gamble.


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## Chloe Snaddon

Rupert_the_bernedoodle said:


> Hi there...my name is Rupert the Bernedoodle and I live in the UK, born in Devon. I am 10 months old and there is a previous litter from the same Bernese mum and poodle who was, I believe imported from the US. Now I also read the book from Swissridge kennels in Canada so I was fully aware of the breed as we previously had a Bernese who dies last year and we love that breed.
> I just saw also that a new puppy is on Instagram also in the UK, from Cambridge apparently and they had 4 pups. Very rare breed but that is now 2 breeders. I have so many people ask me about Rupert, he is adorable and quite tall.He's a cheeky pup! Love him to pieces but I would agree with some of the comments regards GROOMING...it is going from one extreme of mass shedding to another of mass grooming and i just had him cut quite short though he looks fab and is much easier to manage but he is costing me £100 every 6 weeks!! So it is a valid point, frustrating but I wouldn't change him for the world.
> Hope this helps.


Hi Rupert!!

I've also been looking everywhere for a breeder in the UK!

Would you be able to pass on our let me know the details of your breeder? Or information of the Puppy from Cambridge so I can ask them?

Would be much appreciated!

Thank you

Chloé


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## Jamie Jones

Hi Rupert. I too am looking for a Bernadoodle breeder when I return to the UK, if you have any contact details that would be great. 

I’m currently in Canada; I’ve met multiple Bernadoodles, they’re big, cuddly, amazing temperament and their coat is gorgeous and minimal shedding. My partners Bernadodle gets groomed every 4 or so months and his coat has no matts apart from some under the ear. 
They’re amazing dogs. A lot of people on here saying that crossing a poodle doesn't guarantee no shedding but I’ve yet to meet a poodle cross that sheds.


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## Laney_Lemons

I can safely say I have a poodle cross mongrel and he casts ... it really is 50/50


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## Northpup

Jamie Jones said:


> Hi Rupert. I too am looking for a Bernadoodle breeder when I return to the UK, if you have any contact details that would be great.
> 
> I'm currently in Canada; I've met multiple Bernadoodles, they're big, cuddly, amazing temperament and their coat is gorgeous and minimal shedding. My partners Bernadodle gets groomed every 4 or so months and his coat has no matts apart from some under the ear.
> They're amazing dogs. A lot of people on here saying that crossing a poodle doesn't guarantee no shedding but I've yet to meet a poodle cross that sheds.


I know many a poodle cross that sheds my pups dad included and also my pups (although they are 1/4 poodle so) 
Would you post a pic of your bernedoodle? I adore the way they look but I was wondering if they have a similar look to all of them or whether you don't really know what your pup will look like till full grown.
How popular are they in Canada?


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## hales1979

Chloe Snaddon said:


> Hi Rupert!!
> 
> I've also been looking everywhere for a breeder in the UK!
> 
> Would you be able to pass on our let me know the details of your breeder? Or information of the Puppy from Cambridge so I can ask them?
> 
> Would be much appreciated!
> 
> Thank you
> 
> Chloé


Hi 
Do you have the details please of where you got your doggy from please . We have recently lost a labradoodle and can't face the same breed as be too hard and came across this Bernedoodles 

Thanks 
Hayley


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## leashedForLife

.

@hayley & to any other reader searching for a Berner x Poodle,

like it or lump it, the genetics work like this:
Cross a shedding breed of any kind with a MANDATORY GROOMING breed - one which does not shed - & one-half of that F1 litter will shed; the other half will not.
Since U cannot have half a puppy, a litter of 5 pups could have 3 which shed, & 2 which don't - or, as some pups may die in utero during development & be resorbed, in such a small litter, U might have 4 that shed & 1 that doesn't, or 4 that don't & 1 that does.
The larger the litter, the closer it's likely to be to exactly half & half - THAT is how the heritability of *shed x non-shed* works, in real life.

The part that U *will* get in all the pups of that cross? - the mandatory-groom *texture*.
U will not be able to ignore their coats & just bathe them once or twice a year, as many ppl do with sighthounds & Labs & other smooth-coats... they *must* be combed tangle-free to their skins at least 3X per week, & preferably U comb them in sections, with the mat-prone places combed daily, & less-likely-to-mat areas combed at least 2X weekly.

Also, consider that U must look for & remove TICKS in season - & a very heavy, profuse coat such as a Berner's will not be easy foliage to forage thru, searching for small arachnids.  Every little crevice & skin-fold can shelter an adult or juvie tick; any clot of hair can hide one or more. Clusters of feeding ticks can resemble grapes, after they've fed & swollen with blood.
But U need to find them BEFORE that, so that the tick does not transmit various bacteria & viruses to the dog!
Luckily, most tick-borne diseases take 36 to 48-hrs to enter the dog's bloodstream in sufficient numbers to cause illness, so U need to check daily during tick-season... all over the dog, with special attn to ears, petticoats, under tails, in armpits & groin, under the jaw... even between paw-pads.

LONGEVITY:
the easiest way to guarantee a longer life [barring trauma & disease] is to *choose a breeder who WAITS until both sire & dam are 2-YO before any mating*.
Waiting till both parents are 24-MO or older *adds an average of two years to the lifespan of the pups, of any breed or cross*.

A secondary benefit is that waiting till both sire & dam are 2-YO allows most heritable problems that will affect that dog to show symptoms:
statistically, *85% of heritable conditions will develop symptoms by 2-YO*. That still leaves a possible 15% lurking, but the vast majority will 'show'.
That includes things that can't be tested for, such as bloat / GDV, Wobbler's, & similar.


For anyone in search of a delightful pet, I would suggest a *Standard Poodle*.
They are wonderful dogs - playful but not manic, just as athletic as U allow them to be, very sociable, & not bulky - they are slender, agile dogs.
To make coat maintenance simple, CORD them - narrow tassels, 3 to 4 inches long, are easy to care for, dry quickly after a bath, & if a cord is stained or picks up a burr, snip the dirty bit off... it's gone!  . Easy.
Leave 1/4 to 1/2-inch of free hair at the base of every cord, for skin freedom & air movement.

A corded coat is also easy to search for ticks, bites, wounds, etc - checking for injuries & external parasites is way-easier! 

Temperament?
No one can say what temp or personality a crossbreed pup will have, as an adult - they can resemble Mom's breed, Dad's breed, some from Column-A & a few from Column-B, or be something unique to themselves.
It's a dice roll. That's why they call it "sexual assortment" - sexual reproduction gives variation, which is both wonderful & a bit of a pain, as we can't control it. U get what U get.

No matter what breed or mix U choose, please care for & TRAIN that dog - well-mannered dogs are welcome virtually everywhere. Love them, care for them, teach them -- be trustworthy, & the payback will be enormous.

- terry

.


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## hales1979

I want a Bernedoodle not a standard poodle , had a labradoodle who died recently so I like the x breed. Thanks for the input but all dog owners are aware of Care of a dog ...


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## leashedForLife

QUOTE, *hales1979*:

... _Thanks for the input, but *all dog owners are aware of Care of a dog*._
________________________
.

Hales, i wish that was true - if it were, we wouldn't need a Humane Society or RSPCA or police action, to seize dogs from owners who fail to care for them at all, or who care for them IMproperly. 

Also, due to the aggressive sales-pitches & false claims of profit-minded breeders, *most* buyers of various Doodle-blends are not aware that, *until the pup sheds her / his puppy coat at approx 7-MO, U have no idea whether U chose a shedding pup or a non-shedding pup, or even exactly what the texture of their curly coat will be.*
They also don't know that half the litter *will shed* all their lives, AND require poodle-type grooming... all their lives, every 6 to 8-weeks.

Curly coats can be tight ringlets, open waves, a mix of crisp wiry hair & soft wavy hair, or silky & easily tangled. ALL of those textures can mat, & *will* mat, if not regularly combed all the way to the skin... starting the de-tangling process at the TIPS OF THE HAIR, holding the lock U are combing to prevent pulls to the skin at the hair-roots, & moving down the hair toward the skin, once the outer length is tangle-free.
I specify the how-to in combing b/c folks who don't have long hair themselves, often start to comb outward AT THE SKIN, & all the does is move all the knots down the hair-shaft to become a hopeless mass, which must be cut out - it's so meshed, detangling is impossible. 

I also strongly encourage a detangling spray - 
this one is No-Rinse, doubles as a calmative, & makes any knots much easier to remove.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Tails-H155-Happytails-Smooth/dp/B0012KMGNQ

highly recommended - biodegradable, non-toxic.  & smells nice, too.

- terry

.


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## Rupert_the_bernedoodle

Jamie Jones said:


> Hi Rupert. I too am looking for a Bernadoodle breeder when I return to the UK, if you have any contact details that would be great.
> 
> I'm currently in Canada; I've met multiple Bernadoodles, they're big, cuddly, amazing temperament and their coat is gorgeous and minimal shedding. My partners Bernadodle gets groomed every 4 or so months and his coat has no matts apart from some under the ear.
> They're amazing dogs. A lot of people on here saying that crossing a poodle doesn't guarantee no shedding but I've yet to meet a poodle cross that sheds.


Oh wow, yes I know one of the first breeders is in Canada (Ridgeway) and I read her book for research, amazing dogs really.
There is a breeder in Devon where we got Rupert and a recent one in Cambridge.
If you have Instagram, go search for Rupert_the_Bernedoodle (that's me) and message me there so I can give you details for John, our breeder.

Good luck


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## simplysardonic

I am closing this, there is very unlikely an ethical breeder of this mix when it's hard enought to find a decent breeder of the more common poodle crosses.

This forum is not a platform for networking on behalf of potentially unethical breeders.

Bernedoodles are crossbreeds, therefore there isn't going to be any predictability with regards to shedding, size, temperament etc.


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