The Bernedoodle is a cross breed known for being cheerful, intelligent, loving, playful, responsive, and social. Bernedoodle is a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Poodle. Bernedoodles seem to have the best traits of both the Bernese and the poodle, making them an ideal family companion. They are fun, loving, goofy, sociable, confident dogs. They are very gentle, easy to train and love to work, and are often perfect therapy and service dogs as well. Bernese Mountain Dogs are known to have a fairly short lifespans, therefore, by crossing a Bernese with a Poodle, there is a chance for a much healthier puppy with a longer lifespan and less breed related health issues. The standard Bernedoodle is a large breed estimated to live 12-15 years, the mini is a medium dog estimated to live for 14-17 years and the tiny or toy is a small dog estimated to live 14-18 years.
The Bernese Mountain Dog
As described by the AKC, the Bernese is a hardy dog that thrives in cold weather, the Bernese Mountain Dog's intelligence and strength originally helped him perform work on the Swiss farms. Today, this versatile breed enjoys playing sports and spending time with his human companions. Although Bernese Mountain Dogs will get along with the entire family, they'll often become more attached to one lucky human.
Personality: Good-natured and calm.
Energy Level: They love outdoor activities, like hiking or even pulling young children in a cart.
Good with Children: Yes
Good with other Dogs: Yes
Shedding: Lots Of Shedding
Grooming: Weekly
Trainability: Eager To Please
Height: 25-28 inches (male), 23-26 inches (female)
Weight: 86-110 pounds (male), 79-110 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy: 6-8 years
Barking Level: Barks When Necessary
The Poodle
As described by the AKC, the Poodle, though often equated to the beauty with no brains, is exceptionally smart, active and excels in obedience training. The breed comes in three size varieties, which may contribute to why Poodle is one of the most popular breeds according to AKC® Registration statistics. Poodles can be a variety of solid colors, including white, black, apricot and gray, but never parti-colored.
Personality: Proud, active and very smart.
Energy Level: Very Active; Poodles are enthusiastic walkers, runners, and swimmers. They're eager for all kinds of activity, and they enjoy keeping busy.
Good with Children: Yes
Good with other Dogs: With Supervision
Shedding: Infrequent, Hypoallergenic
Grooming: Daily
Trainability: Eager To Please
Height: 10 inches & under (toy), 10-15 inches (miniature), over 15 inches (standard)
Weight: 4-6 pounds (toy), 10-15 pounds (miniature), 60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard)
Life Expectancy: 10-18 years
Barking Level: Barks When Necessary
Appearance and Color
Bernedoodles overall appearance combines traits of the Bernese and the Poodle. Some Bernedoodles may lean more toward the Poodle’s slimmer build, or the Bernese larger bulk, but overall there is a common “look,” and a breeder can, to some extent, control that with the color combinations of the parents.
Bernedoodles come in a variety of sizes and colors. Color is heavily determined by the Poodle parent and what colors are in its pedigree.
Their colors can be pure black, black and white, black and brown or the tri-color look that the Bernese has of brown, sable, brindle, chocolate and phantom.
Coat
Every Bernedoodle has a different coat. There are typically three types of coat. The curlier the coat the less it will shed. Most Bernedoodles have the wavy type coat that is low- to non-shedding. Straight Coat: Like the Bernese coat, it may have a slight wave to it. This coat will shed, less than a Bernese, but noticeably. It is rare to see a Bernedoodle with a straighter coat, however, the straighter the coat, the more it will shed.
Wavy Coat: Most Bernedoodles have a wavy coat, which gives them the typical ’doodle look. This type of coat is minimal- to non-shedding. Curly Coat: This is the most similar to the Poodle coat and should not shed. The curlier the coat, the less it will shed.
Grooming Requirements
Bernedoodles should have hair, not fur, more like a poodle. The curlier a dog’s coat, the easier it becomes matted and harder to maintain. Since most Bernedoodles shed little, they need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting For lower maintenance, you can have their hair clipped every few months, depending on the desired look. This can be done professionally or you can learn to do it yourself. Brushing your bernedoodle will make shedding less noticeable.
Puppies should only be taken to the groomer after it has had its full set of vaccines. They should be taken as soon as you can, to get them use to the groomers and the process of being bathed, ears cleaned and nails clipped, or if you choose to do this yourself.
There are no guarantees what type of coat a Bernedoodle will have.
Hypoallergenic?
Bernedoodles are not fully hypoallergenic but do tend to be allergy-friendly. Most people allergic to the dog dander, usually tend to be fine with a Bernedoodle. However, this is not a guarantee. An F1B does tend to be even more 'allergy friendly'.
Size
Bernedoodles come in a variety of sizes. It really depends on what size the Parents are in its pedigree. We can only estimate weights according to parents size. Females do tend to be smaller than males. These are only ranges and a puppy can be out of the expected range when crossing two different breeds.
The Standard Bernedoodle is 70-100bs in weight and 23-29 inches in height.
The Mini is 25-49lbs in weight and 18-22 inches in height.
The Tiny is 10-24lbs and 12-17 inches in height.
Generations
Understanding the terminology is important in what the letters and numbers mean.
This is merely a reference guide for the different types of Bernedoodle generations. There are more than what we have included here.
F1 Bernedoode: 50% Poodle & 50% Bernese Mountain Dog
F1b Bernedoodle: 75% Poodle & 25% Bernese Mountain Dog
F1bb Bernedoodle: 87.5% Poodle & 12.5% Bernese Mountain Dog
F2 Bernedoodle: 50% Poodle & 50% Bernese Mountain Dog
F2b Bernedoodle: 62.5% Poodle & 37.5% Bernese Mountain Dog
F2bb Bernedoodle: 81.25% Poodle & 18.75% Bernese Mountain Dog
F3 Bernedoode: 62.5% Poodle & 37.5% Bernese Mountain Dog
Multi-generation Bernedoodles: Several generations of Bernedoodle breeding typically backcross breeding to another Bernedoodle
F1 Bernedoodle = Bernese x Poodle
F1 = first generation puppy - 50% Bernese and 50% Poodle
A Bernese to Poodle cross is first generation, resulting in healthier offspring. In this particular Bernedoodle cross, hair type can be smooth like a Bernese or wavy/shaggy, more of a mix. They can shed or not shed and puppies in the same litter can vary. This is not the best cross for people with severe allergies.
F1 Bernedoodle Characteristics:
Coat Type: Straight, Wavy or Curly
Hypoallergenic: Not Guaranteed
Non-shedding: Not Guaranteed
Allergy Friendliness: usually successful in families with mild allergies. When a family has moderate to severe allergies, a backcross Bernedoodle is recommended
F1b Bernedoodle = F1 Bernedoodle x Poodle
F1b = backcross puppy - 25% Bernese and 75% Poodle
The F1 Bernedoodle and Poodle cross; this is a Bernedoodle bred back to Poodle— the wavy, curly, shaggy-look Bernedoodle (poodle cross) is very consistent in coat types. F1b is the MOST likely of any Bernedoodle to be non-shedding and allergy-friendly, and is the easiest coat to take care of.
F1B Bernedoodle Characteristics
Coat Type: Wavy or Curly
Hypoallergenic: Typically is hypoallergenic.
Non-shedding: Typically is non-shedding.
Allergy Friendliness: recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
F1bb = F1b Bernedoodle x Poodle
F1bb = backcross puppy - 12.5% Bernese and 87.5% Poodle
An F1BB Bernedoodle is the most hypoallergenic and non-shedding of all the first generation Bernedoodles due to the large amount of Poodle genetics. However, this Bernedoodle generation is great for people with pet allergies and don’t want to have to pick up dog hair everywhere.
F1bb Bernedoodle Characteristics
Coat Type: Curly
Hypoallergenic: The most hypoallergenic 1st generation Goldendoodle.
Non-shedding: The most non-shedding 1st generation Goldendoodle.
Allergy Friendliness: F1bb Bernedoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
F2 Bernedoodle = F1 Bernedoodle x F1 Bernedoodle
F2 = second-generation puppy - 50% Bernese and 50% Poodle
In this combination you get the same percentage of Bernese as Poodle as you would in the F1 Bernedoodle. In the case of the Bernedoodle, they are more likely to shed.
F2 Bernedoodle Characteristics
Coat Type: Highly variable and unpredictable. Straight, wavy, or curly.
Hypoallergenic: Unpredictable.
Non-shedding: Unpredictable.
Allergy Friendliness: not recommended for families with allergies, due to the varying coat types.
F3 Bernedoodle = F1 Bernedoodle x F1b Bernedoodle
F3 = second-generation backcross puppy
F1 Bernedoodle bred to a F1b (hybrid backcross)
F3 Bernedoodle Characteristics
Coat Type: Generally Curly
Hypoallergenic: Typically, Yes
Non-shedding: Typically, Yes
Allergy Friendliness: F3 Bernedoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
Multi-generation = F1b Bernedoodle x F1b Bernedoodle or higher generation
F3 or higher-generation hybrid crossed with F3 or higher-generation hybrid
Multi-generation Bernedoodle Characteristics
Coat Type: Generally Curly
Hypoallergenic: Typically, Yes
Non-shedding: Typically, Yes
Allergy Friendliness: Multigeneration Bernedoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
