What's a Bernedoodle? I hear it a lot. Being in the south, we don't see many Bernese Mountain Dogs. For one, it's HOT more than it's cold and Bernese were built for the cold and snow! Their big bones and strong bodies were ideal to haul wagons and carts up hillsides. But if you've ever met a Bernese, you'll see they are happy go lucky dogs, who love their humans, are gentle with kids, and make fantastic family pets. They just have an unfortunate short lifespan. They can be a bit stubborn but for all the good they possess, it's a small trade for how great they are. Then there's the Poodle, who is one of the top 10 healthiest breeds out there. They are one of the most hypoallergenic breeds and are known for their smarts. They are a more energetic but love to please and are highly trainable. So we mix these 2 breeds and get the Bernedoodle! A loveable, less shedding dog. Affectionate. Loves humans. Great with kids. Laid back! Loves to please. And by adding the healthy genetics of the poodle, we extended the Bernedoodle lifespan to 10-16 years depending on the size. At Boxwood Doodles, we breed for longevity, size, color, temperament, and structure.
SIZE
It's hard to predict adult size. Sometimes, the runt of the litter grows to be the largest. Sometimes a puppy might take on more Bernese genes and grow over 100+ pounds. Or maybe the puppy stays small! Bernese Mountain Dogs range from 50-120 pounds. Poodles range from 10-65 pounds. Size is never a guarantee. The most accurate way to predict adult weight is to look at previous pairings and see how those puppies matured. If you are set on a mini, your best bet is get a puppy from parents who are similar in size. Most standard x mini breeding's will produce a variety of sizes within the litter.
Colors
Bernedoodles can come in many colors but we focus mostly on producing striking tricolors Black Tri, Merle Tri, Phantom, Merle Phantom, and we hope to add Brown Tri in the future. You can see more color examples by clicking here.
Tricolor
Solid color body, Tan points on legs eyebrows, and cheeks. White feet, chest, muzzle, & blaze.
Merle Tricolor
Merle Body, Tan points on legs, eyebrows, and cheeks. White chest, muzzle, blaze.
Phantom
Solid color body. Tan points on legs, eyebrows, and muzzle.
Merle Phantom
Merle Body. Tan points on legs, eyebrows, and muzzle.
curl & Shed
Does curl matter? That's up to you! A curlier coat requires more weekly or even daily brushing and frequent trips to the groomer. A straight coat is less likely to mat but you might find little hairs here and there. We keep our wavy and curly coated adult dogs clipped short to keep them cool in the summer, and avoid hurtful matting.
A Bernedoodle will not shed nearly to the degree a Labrador Retriever will but please keep in mind, ALL DOGS SHED. Even we as humans shed! The hair grows, the hair shaft dies and the hair falls out. On curly coats, it's our job to brush out the dead hair, otherwise it gets trapped and matted because of the corkscrew shape of the hair. Wavy coats and Straight Coats appear to shed but really, it's the hair shaft dying. Puppies usually blow their puppy coat from around 7m-14m and during this time, you'll find more bust bunnies of hair around the house. It's very important you brush your puppy during this time. Totally normal.
Straight (- -)
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Straight coats are said to shed more but are easier to maintain and require less grooming.
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Found in F2, F1b (BMD) and F3/Multigeneration litters.
Wavy (+-)
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Wavy coats shed a minimum amount, easy to maintain & need brushing about once a week.
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Found in F1, F1b, F2 and possibly F3/Multigen litters.
Curly (++)
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Curly coats shed the least but require frequent brushing & grooming to prevent matting.
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Found in F1b, F2, and possibly F3/Multigen litters
Furnishings
Furnishings are from the Poodle genetics. A furnished Bernedoodle will have the shaggy, teddy bear FACE we all love! Furnishings are responsible for the hair growth on the eyebrows, muzzle, and beard. For now, Boxwood Doodles is focused on producing only furnished puppies. Furnishing also interact with the curl gene to give less shedding. An unfurnished Bernedoodle is sometimes referred to as having a flat coat. Flat Coat bernedoodles will shed and look much like a Bernese Mountain Dog.
Furnished/Unfurnished
This is a Bernedoodle & Lab. Labs are not furnished. They have smooth faces.
Furnished adult
This is Fancy. She has an obvious fuzzy muzzle & eyebrows.
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Early Indicator at 4w
Same dog as a puppy. See the little hairs sticking up from the inner corner of her eye? It's a good indicator of furnishings.
8w old
You can see even more so here, her furnishings are really starting to grow. She is such a doll!