Bernedoodles
The Bernedoodle is a beloved hybrid that combines the best qualities of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle. Known for being cheerful, intelligent, affectionate, playful, and social, Bernedoodles make wonderful family companions. They are fun-loving, goofy, and confident, while also being gentle, highly trainable, and eager to please; traits that make them excellent candidates for therapy and service work.
One of the advantages of this cross is improved health and longevity. While Bernese Mountain Dogs are known for their shorter lifespans, crossing them with Poodles often results in puppies that enjoy longer, healthier lives with fewer breed-related health issues.
With their blend of loyalty, charm, and resilience, Bernedoodles are truly a well-rounded breed, loved for both their temperament and their companionship.
As described by the AKC, the Bernese is a hardy dog that thrives in cold weather, the Bernese Mountain Dog's intelligence and strength originally helped him perform work on the Swiss farms. Today, this versatile breed enjoys playing sports and spending time with his human companions. Although Bernese Mountain Dogs will get along with the entire family, they'll often become more attached to one lucky human.
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Personality: Good-natured and calm.
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Energy Level: They love outdoor activities, like hiking or even pulling young children in a cart.
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Good with Children: Yes
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Good with other Dogs: Yes
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Shedding: Lots Of Shedding
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Grooming: Weekly
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Trainability: Eager To Please
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Height: 25-28 inches (male), 23-26 inches (female)
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Weight: 86-110 pounds (male), 79-110 pounds (female)
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Life Expectancy: 6-8 years
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Barking Level: Barks When Necessary
The Poodle
As described by the AKC, the Poodle, though often equated to the beauty with no brains, is exceptionally smart, active and excels in obedience training. The breed comes in three size varieties, which may contribute to why Poodle is one of the most popular breeds according to AKC® Registration statistics. Poodles can be a variety of solid colors, including white, black, apricot and gray, but never parti-colored.
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Personality: Proud, active and very smart.
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Energy Level: Very Active; Poodles are enthusiastic walkers, runners, and swimmers. They're eager for all kinds of activity, and they enjoy keeping busy.
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Good with Children: Yes
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Good with other Dogs: With Supervision
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Shedding: Infrequent, Hypoallergenic
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Grooming: Daily
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Trainability: Eager To Please
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Height: 10 inches & under (toy), 10-15 inches (miniature), over 15 inches (standard)
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Weight: 4-6 pounds (toy), 10-15 pounds (miniature), 60-70 pounds (male standard), 40-50 pounds (female standard)
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Life Expectancy: 10-18 years
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Barking Level: Barks When Necessary
Appearance and Color
The Bernedoodle’s appearance blends the best traits of both the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle. While some may take after the Poodle with a slimmer, more refined build, others may resemble the Bernese with a sturdier frame. Despite these variations, Bernedoodles share a recognizable “look” that breeders can help shape through careful selection of parent dogs and coat color pairings.
Bernedoodles come in a wide range of sizes and colors, with coat color influenced largely by the Poodle parent and its lineage. Their coats may be solid black, black and white, or black and brown, as well as the much-loved tri-color patternof the Bernese. Other possibilities include sable, brindle, chocolate, and phantom variations, offering families a variety of beautiful options.
Coat
Every Bernedoodle has a different coat. There are typically three types of coat. The curlier the coat the less it will shed. Most Bernedoodles have the wavy type coat that is low- to non-shedding.
Straight Coat: Like the Bernese coat, it may have a slight wave to it. This coat will shed, less than a Bernese, but noticeably. It is rare to see a Bernedoodle with a straighter coat, however, the straighter the coat, the more it will shed.
Wavy Coat: Most Bernedoodles have a wavy coat, which gives them the typical ’doodle look. This type of coat is minimal- to non-shedding.
Curly Coat: This is the most similar to the Poodle coat and should not shed. The curlier the coat, the less it will shed.
Grooming Requirements
Bernedoodles should have hair, not fur, more like a poodle. The curlier a dog’s coat, the easier it becomes matted and harder to maintain. Since most Bernedoodles shed little, they need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting For lower maintenance, you can have their hair clipped every few months, depending on the desired look. This can be done professionally or you can learn to do it yourself. Brushing your bernedoodle will make shedding less noticeable.
Puppies should only be taken to the groomer after it has had its full set of vaccines. They should be taken as soon as you can, to get them use to the groomers and the process of being bathed, ears cleaned and nails clipped, or if you choose to do this yourself.
There are no guarantees what type of coat a Bernedoodle will have.
Hypoallergenic?
Bernedoodles are not fully hypoallergenic but do tend to be allergy-friendly. Most people allergic to the dog dander, usually tend to be fine with a Bernedoodle. However, this is not a guarantee. An F1B does tend to be even more 'allergy friendly'.
Size
Bernedoodles come in a variety of sizes. It really depends on what size the Parents are in its pedigree. We can only estimate weights according to parents size. Females do tend to be smaller than males. These are only ranges and a puppy can be out of the expected range when crossing two different breeds.
Standard is 70-100bs in weight and 23-29 inches in height.
Medium is 40-50lbs in weight
Mini is 25-39lbs in weight and 18-22 inches in height.
Tiny is 10-24lbs and 12-17 inches in height.
Bernese Mountain Dog x Poodle
F1 Bernedoodle - 50% Poodle / 50% BMD
A Bernese to Poodle cross is first generation, resulting in healthier offspring. In this particular Bernedoodle cross, hair type can be smooth like a Bernese or wavy/shaggy, more of a mix. They can shed or not shed and puppies in the same litter can vary. This is not the best cross for people with severe allergies.
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Coat Type: Straight, Wavy or Curly
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Non-shedding: Not Guaranteed
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Allergy Friendliness: usually successful in families with mild allergies. When a family has moderate to severe allergies, a backcross Bernedoodle is recommended
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Temperament:Playful, affectionate, and often goofy. Their personalities can lean toward either parent breed, making them fun-loving but sometimes a little stubborn.
F1 Bernedoodle x Poodle
F1b Bernedoodle - 75% Poodle / 25% BMD
This is a Bernedoodle bred back to Poodle— the wavy, curly, shaggy-look Bernedoodle (poodle cross) is very consistent in coat types. F1b is the MOST likely of any Bernedoodle to be non-shedding and allergy-friendly, and is the easiest coat to take care of.
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Coat Type: Wavy or Curly
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Non-shedding: Typically is non-shedding.
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Allergy Friendliness: recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
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Temperament: More consistent in temperament, with higher intelligence and trainability from the Poodle. They tend to be affectionate, loyal, and a bit more energetic.
F1 Bernedoodle x F1 Bernedoodle
F2 Bernedoodle - 50% Poodle / 50% BMD
F2 = second-generation puppy. In this combination you get the same percentage of Bernese as Poodle as you would in the F1 Bernedoodle. In the case of the Bernedoodle, they are more likely to shed.
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Coat Type: Highly variable and unpredictable. Straight, wavy, or curly.
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Non-shedding: Unpredictable.
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Allergy Friendliness: not recommended for families with allergies, due to the varying coat types.
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Temperament: similar to F1s—playful and family-oriented—but can be more unpredictable since traits vary depending on genetics.
F1b Bernedoodle x Poodle
F1bb Bernedoodle - 87.5% Poodle / 12.5% BMD
An F1BB Bernedoodle is the most hypoallergenic and non-shedding of all the first generation Bernedoodles due to the large amount of Poodle genetics.
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Coat Type: Curly
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Non-shedding: The most non-shedding 1st generation Bernedoodle.
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Allergy Friendliness: F1bb Bernedoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
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Temperament:smart, people-focused, and energetic — excellent companions for families who want a trainable, allergy-friendly Bernedoodle with a Poodle-leaning temperament.
F1b Bernedoodle x F1 Bernedoodle or Higher
F3 or Multigen Bernedoodle
An F3 Bernedoodle is a third-generation Bernedoodle, meaning it comes from breeding two Bernedoodles together. F3 Bernedoodles most often have wavy to curly, thick coats that shed less and are more predictable, though straight coats can occasionally appear depending on the parent lines.
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Coat Type: Wavy to curly
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Non-shedding: Typically, Yes
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Allergy Friendliness: F3 Bernedoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
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Temperament: Bred for consistency, they balance the Bernese’s calm, loyal nature with the Poodle’s intelligence and eagerness to please. Typically very affectionate, adaptable, and reliable in temperament.
Multigen x Multigen with higher Bernese genetics
Ultra Bernedoodle - More Bernese than poodle
The Ultra Bernedoodle is the result of careful multigenerational breeding with the goal of producing a Bernedoodle that reflects more Bernese Mountain Dog influence than Poodle. Breeders achieve this by pairing multigenerational Bernedoodles or selectively backcrossing to strengthen the Bernese traits. The outcome is a companion with the gentle, loyal nature and classic tri-color appearance of the Bernese, combined with the low-shedding, allergy-friendly coat that families love in doodles.
Because “Ultra” is a breeder-defined term rather than a standardized generation label, individual breeding programs may vary slightly in how they produce and describe their Ultra Bernedoodles.
F1b x BMD
F1bb Reverse (Also "Ultra") - 37.5% Poodle / 62.5% BMD
F1B Bernedoodle back to a Bernese Mountain Dog, rather than to a Poodle (which is the usual F1BB). This “reverse” pairing shifts the genetics toward the Bernese side.
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Coat Type: straighter to wavy, easier grooming
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Non-shedding: Typically non-shedding, may shed some
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Allergy Friendliness: usually successful in families with mild allergies
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Temperament: With the higher Bernese content, F1BB Reverse Bernedoodles tend to be loyal, calm, and affectionate, capturing more of the Bernese Mountain Dog’s gentle personality while still carrying some of the Poodle’s intelligence and playfulness.
F3 x BMD
F3b Reverse (Also "Ultra") - 25% Poodle / 75% BMD
F1B Bernedoodle back to a Bernese Mountain Dog, rather than to a Poodle (which is the usual F1BB). This “reverse” pairing shifts the genetics toward the Bernese side.
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Coat Type: straighter to wavy, easier grooming
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Non-shedding: Typically non-shedding, may shed some
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Allergy Friendliness: usually successful in families with mild allergies
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Temperament: F3B Reverse Bernedoodles usually do well in family settings, adapt to different lifestyles, and make both loving companions and reliable family dogs.
Health and Lifespan
The lifespan of a Bernedoodle is still an estimation, as the Bernedoodle is still a young breed. It is estimated based on the combination of the Bernese and Poodle cross. Standard Bernedoodles are estimated to live 12-15 years, Mini Bernedoodles up to 14-16 years and Tiny Bernedoodles up to 18 years.
Bernedoodles do tend to be healthier than their parents breeds. Bernedoodles can be prone to hip, elbow dysplasia and eye problems and like any other breeds they can get cancer. Genetic testing of the parents can reduce many of the health concerns for Bernedoodles.
Tests for Bernese Mountain Dogs:
1. Hips – OFA or PennHip or OVC
2. Eyes – CERF
3. Elbows – OFA
4. Heart
5. Degenerative Myelopathy
6. Von Willebrand Disease – if not cleared through parentage.
Tests for Standard Poodles:
1. Hips – OFA, PennHip, or OVC
3. Eyes – CERF (Required yearly)
2. Elbows – OFA
4. Von Willebrand Disease
5. PRA
6. Degenerative Myelopathy
7. Heart
Tests for Miniature and Toy Poodles:
1. Hips for Hip Dysplasia and Legg-Perves Disease OFA, PennHip or OVC 2.
2. Stifles for Luxating Patellas
3. Eyes CERF – Required Yearly
4. Von Willebrand Disease
5. Elbows
6. Degenerative Myelopathy
7. Heart
It’s important for prospective buyers to understand that breeders invest a great deal of money upfront in finding healthy breeding stock and doing the required testing. This investment is usually reflected in the higher cost of the puppy for the buyer. A higher upfront cost will most likely reduce vet bills down the road.
Registration
Bernedoodles are a mixed breed dog and even if both parents are of registered breeds, they still cannot be registered with the American or Canadian kennel clubs. This is being worked on and hopefully in the near future, Bernedoodles will be a recognized and registrable breed.