After you decide you want a bernedoodle puppy in your life, you’ll likely start thinking about how to find a reputable, high-quality bernedoodle breeder. To help you find the right pup, you’re going to want to ask potential breeders these questions.
1. How Long Have You Been Breeding Bernedoodles?
When looking for a bernedoodle breeder, you should ask how long they’ve been breeding. The longer a breeder has been breeding, the more experience they have. It also takes time to develop a reputation, and the longer they’ve been in business, the easier it will be to research them.
If they haven’t been breeding for long, don’t panic yet. Ask how familiar they are with bernedoodles. The breeder may have been raising bernedoodles for years and decided to get into breeding recently. This still could make them a good choice as they have experience with the breed.
2. What is the Bernedoodle Breed Like?
Now, this is likely a question you have researched if you’re interested in owning a bernedoodle. So, while you might already know the answer to this question, you’re still going to want to ask your breeder it. Why? It will give an indication of how passionate and genuine the breeder is.
A good quality breeder is passionate about what they do and the dogs they breed. And it will show! Your breeder shouldn’t have a lazy spiel about the breed. They should have plenty of background of the breed, insights about their dogs, and sound enthusiastic when talking about them.
3. How are Dogs Chosen for Your Breeding Program?
Another crucial question. The health of the overall breed depends on healthy dogs. So breeders should conduct health testing to ensure they are in the best shape to breed. This includes testing hips, elbows, patellas, and cardiac, as well as genetic testing potential breeding dogs. If test results are not available on the website, they should be available upon request.
4. How Do You Socialize Your Puppies?
The first couple months of your bernedoodle puppy’s life is the most influential, and it’s going to be entirely in your dog breeder’s hands.
If the breeder is just turning out litters as fast as they can, socialization is not a top priority for them. So, you will likely be given a “corporate” response when asked this question. It goes without saying: stay away from these breeders.
A top-quality bernedoodle breeder knows the crucial value of socialization and will be able to tell you how they fuss over their puppies. This often includes household and outdoor stimulation and noise, playing with littermates and toys, and holding and stroking them. Another good sign is if a breeder utilizes early neurological stimulation (ENS) to help their puppies become even more well-socialized.
5. Do You Cover Vaccinations?
The best bernedoodle breeders will ensure all vaccinations and deworming treatments are up-to-date. This will make it abundantly clear they care about the health and well-being of their puppies and ensure you are set on the right track with your new furry friend.
The breeder should provide you with records showing what vaccines they have received, the dates of the vaccinations, and when they were dewormed.
6. Can I Visit the Puppies?
A reputable breeder will let you visit to see the puppies and how they are cared for at some point. We say “some point” because some breeders, like us at Alpine Bernedoodles, don’t want visitors if they aren’t on the waitlist.
We understand this can seem like a red flag. But the health and safety of the dogs and puppies are paramount. At Alpine Bernedoodles, we truly love and care for them, and want to protect them. When strangers come to visit, they can carry parvovirus, giardia, etc. on their shoes and clothing, and this can result in the infection and death of an entire litter. It can also stress out the moms, which in turn stress out the pups or can cause worried mom to accidentally injure or crush a pup. We are their guardians, and so we must do everything we can to protect them.
Like us and other breeders protecting their puppies, you are welcome to visit online, look at photos of litters, read website testimonials and comments on Facebook, and send an email for any information! If a breeder doesn’t allow you to see the puppies at any point or doesn’t have photos, reviews, or social media, then that is a red flag.
7. Do You Offer Follow-Up Assistance?
A reputable breeder will care more than just selling a puppy to you. They are invested in your puppy’s well-being and want to make sure it grows up healthy and happy. And with that, they also know being a new bernedoodle parent can come with questions and concerns you never thought to ask about.
Many great breeders are happy to provide follow-up assistance to support and answer questions well after you bring your pup home.
8. How Can I Ensure My Dog Has a Healthy Life?
Your breeder should be brimming with advice on how to give your dog the best possible future. They’ll be ready to give you information, advice, and guides to caring for your puppy. And, just like we mentioned above, they’ll always be around to answer questions and offer guidance.
If your breeder suggests you use Google or limit the amount of questions you can ask, that is not the breeder for you, and you should stay away.
Ready to Start Planning for Your Next Best Friend?
It can be stressful to find a reputable bernedoodle breeder. But know that with these questions, you’ll be able to narrow down the list and find a passionate, high-quality breeder in no time. If you’re currently on the hunt for a breeder, we’d love to be considered and answer all your questions!
We are located in the beautiful town of Montrose, Colorado, and it is our passion to produce exceptional quality bernedoodles. Our bernedoodles are bred with responsibility and integrity to be cherished family companions. Every puppy is raised with attention to physical and mental health and nurtured with love and care. Thank you for your interest in our puppies!
