Bernedoodle

• ExerciseModerate

  A daily walk plus some playtime hits the spot.

• GroomingDaily grooming

  Daily brushing (and pro grooming) keeps the coat in shape.

• Living spaceHouse with room

  Does best with room to move and a yard.

• Owner experienceFor experienced owners

  Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• Commitment12–15 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Hip dysplasia · Elbow dysplasia · Bloat (GDV)

The Bernedoodle crosses a Bernese Mountain Dog with a Poodle, usually a Standard, and has been bred deliberately since around 2003. The most common motive is honest and worth stating: the Bernese Mountain Dog is a wonderful family dog with a heartbreakingly short life, typically seven or eight years, largely because of a very high cancer rate, and crossing with the longer-lived Poodle aims to keep the temperament while extending the lifespan. Temperament is usually the Bernese's: calm, gentle, affectionate, loyal and good with children, with more of the Poodle's trainability and a lower shedding coat. Bernedoodles are lower-energy than most doodles, needing around an hour of daily exercise, but they are large, slow to mature and often goofy well into adulthood. They are strongly family-attached and do not do well left alone for long periods. Early training matters because an adult can weigh fifty kilograms. The coat is the largest practical commitment here: thick, curly and continuously growing over a big dog, requiring brushing to the skin several times a week and professional grooming every six to eight weeks, which is expensive at this size. On health, crossing lowers but does not remove the Bernese cancer risk, so ask specifically about longevity in the Bernese line. Require hip and elbow scores, heart and eye clearances and DNA panels on both parents, and take the ordinary large-breed precautions: measured meals to reduce bloat risk, controlled puppy growth and a lean adult weight.

• How much exercise does a Bernedoodle need?

  Moderate. A daily walk plus some playtime hits the spot.

• How much grooming does a Bernedoodle need?

  Daily grooming. Daily brushing (and pro grooming) keeps the coat in shape.

• Is a Bernedoodle suited to apartment living?

  House with room. Does best with room to move and a yard.

• Is a Bernedoodle a good fit for first-time owners?

  For experienced owners. Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• How long do Bernedoodle live?

  12–15 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Bernedoodle?

  Keep an eye out for Hip dysplasia, Elbow dysplasia, Bloat (GDV). These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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