Bernedoodles are a cross between the Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle, but identifying traits across so many dog breeds can be exhausting. What are some of the differences between the Bernedoodle and the Bernese Mountain Dog? Let’s talk a bit more about their major differences, health problems, and more down below.

Visual Differences

At a Glance

Bernedoodle Overview

Bernedoodles are a breed crossed between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Poodle, which naturally means they share both dogs’ characteristics. Colorings range from white, black, brown, and rust. They have fluffy, curly fur that needs regular care to stay brilliant and gorgeous, but a friendly, affectionate temperament. They share the Bernese Mountain Dog’s appearance but many of the Poodle’s personality traits as well.

An important characteristic to note is age. Bernedoodles live longer than Bernese Mountain Dogs on average, living an average of 13 years compared to just 7 to 10 years for the latter breed.

Grooming

As a Poodle offshoot, Bernedoodles need more frequent brushing and overall grooming compared to Bernese Mountain Dogs. The silver lining is that they shed less, but they’ll still shed a lot in the hot summer months to keep them cool.

Personality & Temperament

Any crossbreed involving the Poodle is going to be a personable breed, and the Bernedoodle is no exception. They’re an active, friendly breed that does well with families or single people who do a lot of physical activity. The Bernedoodle takes no extra care in most situations to prevent any breed-specific personality issues.

Health Issues

While overall healthier than Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bernedoodles can inherit some of their issues and some of the Poodle’s common health problems. From the former, elbow and hip dysplasia are risks to keep an eye on, and the latter can pass down ocular diseases like cataracts from retinal degeneration.

Suitable for:

These dogs are suitable for active individuals or families that get a moderate to high amount of exercise. Bernedoodles have a lot of energy and need a lot of exercise to wear them out compared to Bernese Mountain Dogs, so that needs to be planned accordingly when you adopt one for your household or family.

The Bernedoodle may also inherit the Poodle’s aloof character. Whereas Bernese Mountain Dogs are more sociable, Bernedoodles can take some more work to socialize with unfamiliar family members or pets. Honestly, they’re better suited for families without other pets, but you can socialize them fine with patience.

Bernese Mountain Dog Overview

Bernese Mountain Dogs are a herding dog breed tracing back to the Swiss Alps, with long wavy fur in several common color configurations: white, black, brown, and rust. Atypical colorings may be mixed in from other breeds, but those are definitely the most common. They were slower to come to the US than other breeds but enjoy great popularity here today.

Grooming

Like most long-haired large dogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs need a regular grooming routine for their fur to stay clean and untangled. With neglect, a Bernese Mountain Dog’s fur could easily become tangled or matted over time. They need to be brushed weekly to remove loose, dead hair. Around the feet are problem areas, needing regular trims to prevent shaggy toe hair that could obscure long nails.

Ancestry

Also known as the Berner Sennenhund, Bernese Mountain Dogs can trace their ancestry back to herding dogs in the Swiss Alps. Most historians believe the breed is descended from the mastiff-type hunting dogs brought to the country during Roman expansion over a millennium ago, which were bred with local herding dogs to make the Bernese Mountain Dogs we know and love today.

Health Issues

Sadly, Bernese Mountain Dogs are more vulnerable to certain types of conditions and even cancer than other pup breeds; more specifically, hip and elbow dysplasia. These are painful joint conditions where the joints don’t grow and develop normally, so you’ll have to watch out for it and have your Bernese Mountain Dog regularly checked out to prevent it.

Suitable for:

This breed is suitable for nearly any family that’s comfortable with large dogs. Bernese Mountain Dogs are undemanding compared to many other dog breeds and even their relative breed, the Bernedoodle. Despite their lineage as hunting/herding dogs, Bernese are more low-energy breeds that only need about an hour of vigorous exercise per day. As long as you can put that work in and keep them well-groomed, a Bernese Mountain Dog could be in your near future.

Which Breed Is Right for You?

If you have a high-energy house, perhaps with smaller kids, the Bernedoodle is probably more suitable for you. It’s a high-energy breed with an overall smaller size than the Bernese Mountain Dog but may inherit some health issues from either parent.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a great dog for nearly any house in need of a large dog. They aren’t especially hyper, needing an average amount of exercise, but they need more regular grooming and vet checks to stay apprised of potential health problems.

See also:

• 11 Dogs Similar to the Bernese Mountain Dog (With Pictures)
• Labradoodle Dog Breed vs. Bernedoodle Dog Breed: The Key Differences (With Pictures)

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Featured Image Credit: Top – Bernedoodle (Cavan-Images, Shutterstock) | Bottom – Bernese Mountain Dog (André Dehne, Unsplash)