Bernedoodle
The Bernedoodle crosses a Bernese Mountain Dog with a Poodle.
It is a crossbreed rather than a breed, and litters vary considerably in size, coat and colour, with the tricolour markings of the Bernese being the look most buyers are after.
It typically stands 30 to 74 centimetres and weighs 11 to 41 kilograms depending on the Poodle used. Lifespan is the honest crux: Bernese Mountain Dogs have one of the highest cancer rates of any breed, particularly histiocytic sarcoma, and an average lifespan of only seven to eight years. Crossing to a Poodle may improve on that, but it is not a guarantee, and buyers should go in knowing the risk on the Bernese side.
- Origin
- A crossbreed, not a recognised breed
- Size
- 30–74 cm; 11–41 kg, highly variable
- Lifespan
- 10–14 years claimed; the Bernese side averages 7–8
- Coat
- Curly to wavy; heavy grooming, shedding not guaranteed low
- Temperament
- Generally gentle and people-oriented
- Health
- Cancer risk from the Bernese side; hip and elbow dysplasia
Related: Bernese mountain dog · Poodle
3 bernedoodle photos, newest first
Living with a bernedoodle
Ask about cancer in the Bernese-side pedigree. Histiocytic sarcoma is heritable and devastatingly common in Bernese lines, and a breeder who cannot discuss the ages and causes of death of the grandparents is not one to buy from.
Ask for hip and elbow scores on both parents, and for the Poodle-side eye and PRA testing.
The coat needs professional grooming every six to eight weeks and brushing several times a week. Neglected doodle coats mat solid and have to be shaved off.
No crossbreed puppy can be promised hypoallergenic; coat type varies within a litter.
They are generally gentle and family-oriented, and they need moderate to high exercise and company — they do not do well left alone.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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