FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Contact us by text, phone or email to discuss what you are looking for in a puppy. We will answer any questions you may have about our breeding program, and if you are ready, a $500 deposit will reserve a puppy for you. The deposit is not refundable, but may be transferred indefinitely to another litter of your choosing. 

There is no online application to fill out, and it is not possible to make a deposit to reserve a puppy through the website. Personal connection is required. We can communicate by phone, text, or email, but we have to communicate. A phone conversation is by far the best way to find out if we will work well together, and if Blackbriar will have the kind of puppy/dog you are seeking.

The cost of a Bernedoodle puppy is generally determined by size and often by coat color. We try to do things differently at Blackbriar.  Each and every puppy here is fully valued for their individuality and unique characteristics. While we do not value one coat color or size over another, micro litters are more expensive to produce and are always smaller. 

Standard Bernedoodles - 4000

Mini Bernedoodles  - 4000

Petite (Micro) Bernedoodles   4500

We try to match the right puppy with the right person or family. If  there are specific needs or requirements in choosing a puppy, or If a particular coat pattern, or set of temperament traits, for example,  is important to you, we will make every effort  to meet your needs - but Mother Nature always has a hand in it!

The vast majority of Bernedoodles have non-shedding or very low shedding coats. Bernedoodles have hair, not fur, so the undercoat does not shed but the top coat will grow and require trimming from time to time. Please let us know if someone in your family is allergic to dog hair and we will take special care in the selection of your puppy.

 
This is a good place to discuss 'furnishings' on a Bernedoodle and how it relates to coat type.  The term 'furnishings' refers to the long, fluffy hair that appears on the  muzzle and body of a Bernedoodle. A Bernedoodle with a non-shedding coat will be what is called 'fully furnished' - proper wavy to curly coat type and full fluffy hair around the muzzle and head. Furnishings are what give Bernedoodles their characteristic fluffy coat. 

This is a commonly held belief.  

But not always correct. 

Like almost every aspect of coat determination in Bernedoodles, it comes down to the poodle genetics. Here's how:

There is a  genetic trait that controls the degree of curl in a poodle's coat.  Poodles carry a gene called the “curl gene” or sometimes the “curly coat gene.” This gene is responsible for the development of the tight curls of the typical poodle coat, and a poodle inherits one copy of this gene from each parent. However, not all poodles inherit two copies of the curly gene. Puppies that inherit only one copy or lack the curl gene altogether may develop straight hair instead of curls.  This is indicated as Plus (+) or Negative (-) on a genetic test. 

A curly poodle will be ++ (plus plus)

A more relaxed curl, sometimes wavy will be +- (plus negative)

A straight coat (not curly) will be --  (negative negative)

This is a long answer to a straightforward question. The short answer is that many F1bs will have curlier coats than an F1, for example. But it depends on the genetics of the poodle stud used for the back cross.  Many of our F1bs are indistinguishable from F1 s as adults - because of the genetics. 

BlackBriar Bernedoodles are excellent with children and make exceptional family companions. They train easily, are highly intelligent and are very people oriented. Bernedoodles are "sturdy" - even the 12-15 pound petite or "micro" Bernedoodles are very robust in structure and boning. Most importantly, they are temperamentally sound and fun-loving, and enjoy the company of children of all ages. Many of our clients have written to say that their Bernedoodles  "babysit" the family's young children!

Bernedoodles are known as a very good choice for people with allergies. That said, an F1b puppy will generally be the safest bet if allergies are a known or serious concern. Many, many F1s are also quite allergy-friendly, and we will direct you to those pups with proper coat type if this is an issue. 

  Bernedoodles come in three general sizes:

• Petite (Micro) : 12-28 lbs
• MIni : 30-50 lbs
• Standard : 50-90 lbs or larger

We can reliably predict the future adult sizes of our puppies to within a few pounds. We use a variety of growth charts to form a general prediction, but in reality it is the detailed knowledge of our bloodlines and patterns of inheritance, plus years of experience, that  make our size estimates so reliable. 

We take this quite seriously. Many people live in apartments or co-ops that have very strict regulations on the size of a dog that will be allowed. It would be tragic for a family to be forced to rehome a pet because of an incorrect size estimate.

Our puppies are raised in our home - not in a kennel, ever. 

They receive early neurological stimulation and follow an established protocol to socialize and train them during the critical first 8 weeks of life. They are exposed to cats and birds, children, household commotion, and learn to ride in a car. They are handled constantly. They are fed a  top quality organic raw diet and receive vitamin C, supergreens, probiotics, and DHA to support their developing brains and enhance their intelligence and overall health. Our entire purpose is to raise healthy, outgoing, resilient puppies who will adapt easily to their new homes and who will be eager to explore and be comfortable with new environments, situations, and diverse people of all ages.  

 No, Bernedoodles are not registered by the AKC (American Kennel Club) or any other recognized breed registry. The AKC only registers purebred dogs, and Bernedoodles are, by design and intention, a hybrid dog. Very often puppy mills or shady breeders  will state that their Bernedoodle pups are "registered" and even produce a document of sorts, but this is a scam claim and the registration "document" is worthless.

No. Some Bernedoodles are 'unfurnished,' meaning that they are smooth coated and do not have the fluffy coat type of the typical Bernedoodle. 

It all comes down to poodle genetics, as Bernese Mountain Dogs are never furnished. The gene for coat type (furnished vs. unfurnished) is called the 'F locus.' Each  puppy carries 2 copies of the F gene - one from each parent. (To complicate things a bit, poodles also carry genes that determine the degree of curl in the coats of their offspring.)  Poodles always are furnished but can carry a recessive gene for a smooth coat that has regular shedding, and so can produce Bernedoodles that have no furnishings. Also, an F2 breeding (F1 Bernedoodle to F1 Bernedoodle) statistically will likely produce some unfurnished puppies (25%.) An experienced breeder can identify this within a few weeks of a puppy's birth. 

Unfurnished Bernedoodles can be an excellent choice for people  who don't want the grooming rigors of a classic Bernedoodle coat with  regular visits to a groomer, or who prefer a smooth face, or who are unconcerned about allergies.

 Unfurnished Bernedoodles have all the charm, beauty, and intelligence of the breed with a lovely coat that is easy to maintain with occasional simple brushing. Click here for some photos of unfurnished Bernedoodles. 

When possible, we highly encourage people to visit, so we may meet each other personally. Meetings will take place outdoors, unless the weather makes that difficult. This will give you a chance to see the puppies in an open environment, which is a great way to observe each puppy - its personality, energy, movement, etc. Because young puppies are still vulnerable to diseases, particularly parvo and distemper,  and some respiratory viruses as well, we follow strict hygiene procedures with visitors. If you are not able to visit us personally, we can do indoor/outdoor Facetime to provide you a chance to really observe the pups in action, in real time. 

I don't bring my breeding dogs out to meet and greet visitors, ever. I am aware that "meeting the parents" is on many online lists of due diligence items that should be done before purchasing a puppy. I am not aware of a single serious breeder, regardless of the breed, that permits this any longer. Many breeders don't even provide for meeting the puppies at all until go-home day. 

Here are several of my reasons, but certainly not all: 

1. These are  breeding dogs and I do everything possible to limit the possible introduction of illnesses into the program. Biosecurity/Hygeine in a breeding program is a really serious business and constant vigilance is absolutely required. 
2. The dogs live in my home, not a facility, and it's disruptive to my family to move dogs in and out, even though we meet outside.
3. I try to keep things manageably quiet for the benefit of my neighbors. I have a special area for visiting puppies but moving adults in and out will always create extra barking. 
4. Females often do not look their best after raising a litter - their coats shed out,  for example. Additionally, many will remain quite protective of puppies (even after they are thoroughly done with  them) and do not welcome the attention of strangers.
5. With clients for whom seeing the parent dogs  is important, we are happy to arrange FaceTime with the parent dogs, so that they can be observed in real time. Of course we are happy to send video and photos as well.

Puppies are chosen, generally, in order that deposits were received. Blackbriar doesn't have an option for "first pick" or "second pick" puppies - in fact, that practice really bothers me on many different levels. I try to provide the best possible guidance to families when choosing a puppy and share not only the results of extensive temperament testing,  but also my accumulated observations of each puppy. I try to guide the process to the extent that a client permits it. If  I do not believe a particular puppy is a good fit for a family, I reserve without limitation the right to withhold the puppy from sale. 

Blackbriar reserves the right to retain one puppy from each litter for the breeding program.

Yes, we can and do ship puppies. We use an excellent animal transport concierge for air shipping that monitors a pup's journey from beginning to end and ensures the shortest possible route and transit time. Additionally, we can provide the travel services of flight nannies, who take the puppy into the on-board cabin for the entire flight. We employ the services of an excellent overland transporter as well. BlackBriar has placed puppies with families from coast to coast, New York to California, to Canada, and to several European countries as well. We are always able to meet you at one of our local  airport to deliver your puppy to you personally.