Mixed between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Labradoodle, the Australian Bernedoodle is a unique breed that’s loved by many dog enthusiasts around the world. Unlike many dog breeds, the Australian Bernedoodle is the perfect house dog for both beginners and experts alike. If you’re in search of a Doodle breed, then this guide will help you understand whether this dog will be compatible living with you or not.
The Australian Bernedoodle is packed with high energy and loves to socialize with other animals and humans. Since the Australian Bernedoodle is partially mixed with the Poodle, this breed is known to be intelligent. In case you didn’t know, Poodles are ranked as the second most intelligent dog breed in the world. If you’re a beginner and you worry about teaching your Australian Bernedoodle, don’t – they’re much easier to teach compared to other dog breeds. If you’re one of those people that enjoy strolling down the beach or any outdoor activities in general, the Australian Bernedoodle might dog for you since they’re usually energetic.
Whether you have other family pets at home, this Doodle breed will likely get along with them. After all, the Australian Bernedoodle loves attention, which means having a large household with children will make your future companion even happier. In this Australian Bernedoodle dog breed guide, we’ll go over all the information necessary to help you begin a new chapter of your life.
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Characteristics of an Australian Bernedoodle
- Breed: Australian Bernedoodle
- Mix: Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Labradoodle
- Temperament: Playful, Gentle, Affectionate, Smart
- Typical Standard Height (Approx.): Up to 21 inches
- Typical Standard Weight (Approx.): Up to 59 pounds
- Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
The Australian Bernedoodle is a mix between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Labradoodle. This type of Doodle breed is known to be affectionate towards its owner, playful with other animals, playful with children, and intelligent. With the intelligence from its Poodle side, the Australian Bernedoodle is easy-to-train even for children and novices. The Australian Bernedoodle can grow as high as 21 inches and weigh up to 59 pounds. The lifespan of this Doodle breed is between 12 to 15 years old, which is above average in comparison to the lifespan of most dogs.
Origins
To learn about the origins of the Australian Bernedoodle, we have to go back in time to learn about its parents, the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Labradoodle. Once you learn about its parents and history, you’ll see why this makes the perfect mix.
- Bernese Mountain Dog: The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large dog that’s helped many people throughout history. The origin even comes in its breed name. This dog breed used to be a mountain dog that has helped many people with farms, driving cattle, and protecting homes from predators. The Bernese Mountain Dog is notable for its strength and being able to pull heavy objects. This powerful, kind, and loving dog breed wasn’t registered by the American Kennel Club up until 1937.
- Australian Labradoodle: The Australian Labradoodle is amongst the Doodle breeds that are rising in interest over the last several decades. This Doodle breed is a mix between the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, and the Labrador Retriever. Depending on its parents, the Australian Labradoodle generally comes with a curly or wavy coat, which reduces the amount of shedding. This type of coat is perfect for people with allergies and reduces the unnecessary mess. Today, this Doodle breed makes the perfect family and service dogs.
With the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Australian Labradoodle combined, the Australian Bernedoodle was introduced as a result. The Bernese Mountain Dog is its own breed itself while the Australian Labradoodle is best described as a hybrid breed. To give you an idea of all the mixes combined, the Australian Bernedoodle is partially an Irish Water Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, and the Poodle.
Temperament & Personality
The Australian Bernedoodle is known to be intelligent and affectionate towards its owners. This Doodle breed has tons of energy, which means you should bring them outdoors for exercise every day. If you have children, family pets, or a large household – then your Australian Bernedoodle will likely be happier because it’ll constantly crave attention. Your Australian Bernedoodle will enjoy playing and meeting new people.
The reason why this Doodle breed is growing in popularity amongst the dog community is that they make the perfect family dog. When you’re training your companion, it shouldn’t be difficult because they’re the type of dog breed that learns quickly. Since the Australian Bernedoodle is mixed with the best traits, it’s hard to ignore their perfect temperament and personalities.
Nutrition
If your Australian Bernedoodle is currently still a puppy, then try feeding it food that’s made specifically for its size. There are various ways to feed your Australian Bernedoodle as it grows up. You can feed it your homemade cooked food, raw food, semi-moist food, kibble, or canned food. For each type of food, there are pros and cons. It’s better to diversify your Australian Bernedoodle’s food because there are pros and cons to every feeding method.
- Kibble: Feeding dogs kibble is one of the most popular feeding methods since they’re affordable for many people. When you purchase kibble for your Australian Bernedoodle, it’ll last for a long time on the shelf while you’re saving money at the same time. There’s no need to store them in a refrigerator. This type of dry food can help keep your Australian Bernedoodle’s teeth healthy and reduces tartar buildup.
- Cooked Food: Your Australian Bernedoodle will love your cooking! While the cost could add up, you shouldn’t constantly feed them human food because it could become a habit for them. With cooked food, you have the ability to control your Australian Bernedoodle’s diet. When you’re cooking, keep in mind that there are certain recipes that you should never feed your dog because it could lead to stomach problems.
- Canned Food: Feeding your Australian Bernedoodle canned food is another great option but costly. Canned food is another way to describe “wet food.” If you’re purchasing them for your Australian Bernedoodle from the supermarket, make sure to find the right brand because every dog has a different protein requirement.
- Raw Food: Unlike cooked food, you’re feeding your Australian Bernedoodle raw food such as bones and meat. Many dog owners go with this route because it gives their dogs a natural source of calcium and phosphorus. If you’re worried about your Australian Bernedoodle eating bones, then don’t – they have a stronger digestive system than people. If you’re planning to feed your companion raw food, we recommend that you speak to your veterinarian first to learn about your Australian Bernedoodle’s risks and benefits.
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Grooming
The Australian Bernedoodle has wavy and curly coats, which means that you’re required to groom it daily. Without any attention to grooming, your companion’s hair could cause its hair to trap causing knots. This eventually leads to other problems such as mats and bacteria. Not only will it lead to problems but your Australian Bernedoodle won’t look as great.
Before introducing your companion to your home, you should invest in a slicker brush, shampoo, scissors, de-shedder, comb, and a clipper. Don’t worry too much if you’re not experienced at grooming. It might be difficult at first, but with time and patience – it’ll be a piece of cake. Below are several tips to help you get started into grooming your Australian Bernedoodle:
- When you’re using scissors to clip the hair off of your Australian Bernedoodle, make sure to be as careful as possible. You should clip slowly and carefully to avoid any potential injuries to your dog. While using scissors, you should hold them parallel to your Australian Bernedoodle and avoid pointing forward at all times.
- If you’re pulling out knots on your Australian Bernedoodle, don’t use a comb. You should use a de-shedder or a brush instead.
- While looking for knots and mats, you should check your Australian Bernedoodle’s ears and anywhere in general. There are mats and knots in areas you sometimes least suspect it so you should observe and check carefully.
- When grooming your companion, use this opportunity to look for any potential infections. If something doesn’t feel right, visit a veterinarian as soon as possible before it could become worse.
At least once every several months, you should bring your Australian Bernedoodle to a professional dog groomer. For most places, the cost for this is usually under $100. You can have your companion professionally groomed, which should take several hours of wait time.
Exercise
Exercising your Australian Bernedoodle is as important as training it. With exercise, your companion will grow up to become a healthy dog. If you don’t take your Australian Bernedoodle out for exercise, it could cause unnecessary problems for you. Imagine having the energy to go outside but instead, it was locked inside.
It’ll run around the house while being hyper, which could cause a huge mess. While health is one of the benefits of taking your Australian Bernedoodle out for exercise, another is reducing its energy so it’ll have a good night’s rest. You can let your companion run around in your backyard, take it out for a walk, bring it to a dog park, or anything that’ll drain its energy. You can find Australian Bernedoodle toys specifically for this purpose.
When your companion is still a puppy, try to have it exercise between 5 to 10 minutes per day. Increase its daily exercising time in increments of 5 minutes every month. You can stop increasing its exercising time once you’re between 30 minutes to 1 hour, which is the ideal time. For your Australian Bernedoodle, you should find indoor and outdoor activities. Like humans, dogs get bored of doing the same thing repetitively.
Training
Training an Australian Bernedoodle might seem overwhelming at first but fortunately, you’re raising one of the most intelligent dog breeds. With time and patience, the process of training an Australian Bernedoodle should become easier for you. The first and most important thing to teach your companion is potty training.
Find a spot in your home for your companion to release waste. Once you figure out a spot, that’ll be your Australian Bernedoodle’s territory. Many people start with dog pads because it’s easier. When you’re training your Australian Bernedoodle, don’t punish your companion for bad behaviors. You should observe your dog and reward it every time it does something good. It’s been proven that rewarding your companion for good behaviors is more effective than punishing it.
When your Australian Bernedoodle is still young, you should invest in a leash. You can teach your Doodle important commands such as sit, down, bad, no, etc. It’s also important to teach your dog to come back to you. Believe it or not, a high percentage of dog owners lose their companion every year because they run away. Every time you call your Australian Bernedoodle and it comes back to you, reward it with a treat. Teaching them to come back will prevent you from potentially losing a dog in the future. It might seem impossible right now but anything can happen. By teaching your dogs the right commands, you’re teaching them to behave and avoid unnecessary situations.
Health
Like all dogs, Australian Bernedoodle will likely deal with health issues as it becomes older. Generally, this Doodle breed is healthy but owners should still be aware of these potential problems. As your Australian Bernedoodle ages, it could deal with immune system diseases, cancer, heart disease, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, or sebaceous adenitis. The Bernese Mountain Dog is the parent breed and they’re known to have a higher chance of cancer when compared to the average dog. If you suspect any health problems from your Australian Bernedoodle, you should meet up with the veterinarian as soon as possible. Even if it’s a mild problem, not giving it attention could lead to bigger problems for your companion.
Appearance
The Australian Bernedoodle generally comes in different shades of brown, white, and black. Most of the time, their coats are wavy and curly, which is ideal for people with allergies. This Doodle breed can grow up to 59 inches high. The features of an Australian Bernedoodle depends on its age, gender, and genetics. Within the dog community, many people describe this Doodle breed with a teddy-bear-like appearance.
Price
The cost of purchasing an Australian Bernedoodle from a breeder generally ranges between $2,000 to $3,500. If you find a price that seems too good to be true, we recommend that you do your due diligence before making any decisions. There are countless puppy mills and many people are supporting them without even knowing it.
Puppy mills breed and sell dogs usually in an unethical way. You want to find reputable Australian Bernedoodle breeders because these dogs are cared for in the best ways possible. Again – you should always do your research when you’re purchasing an Australian Bernedoodle puppy from a non-reputable breeder.
Conclusion for Australian Bernedoodle Dog Breed Guide
Mixed between the Bernese Mountain Dog and an Australian Labradoodle, the Australian Bernedoodle makes the perfect dog for your emotional needs and families. Whether you have children or not, having an Australian Bernedoodle at home will bring out tons of joy and happiness. They’re kind, loyal, and affectionate dogs.
If you’re planning on raising an Australian Bernedoodle, remember to give it the attention it needs. Social dogs are likely to deal with separation anxiety. It might seem challenging at first but with time and learning, everything will become much easier. Are you ready to take on the challenges of raising an Australian Bernedoodle? Once you bring home your companion, a new chapter of your life will begin. It’s the spark of an everlasting friendship with beautiful memories that’ll stick with you for the rest of your life.
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Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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