3 Characteristics of Reputable, Respectable Bernedoodle Breeding Programs
Kinsey and I are constantly discussing the aspects of other breeding programs we respect, and what they are doing correctly. Inevitably, our next conversation is one about how hard it must be for families to navigate the sea of programs out there, especially given how many Bernedoodle breeders have popped up in the last two years. To us, it’s easy to tell if a program is breeding dogs morally and ethically, however, we do come from a livestock family that has bred dogs for almost two decades. As such, we wanted to share some of the characteristics we look for in programs we respect so you can make the best possible decision in your hunt for a new family member.
1. How many puppies do they breed?
Though this is not always the case, oftentimes there is an inverse correlation between how many puppies a program has and how well those puppies are raised. Us breeders only have so much bandwidth to care for our dogs, and the more dogs you add to that equation the less attention any individual pup will get. When we see a program that consistently has multiples litters at the same time, and many litters throughout the year, we always ask the question, “How are they caring for that many puppies?”. Sure, there are way to mitigate that lack of bandwidth, but in general we are weary towards programs that breed high quantities of puppies. We constantly experience how hard it is to care for 1-2 litters, so adding even more seems untenable without comprising individual attention and socialization.
2. What are their health testing standards and are they transparent?
I know we are always preaching this point, but it is worth reiterating: The term “Health Tested” does not equate to healthy dogs. The vast majority of programs have some variation of a “Health Tested” claim on their website, but the specifics of that statement are important. Often, we’ll see “Health Tested” and then there is no information on the “tests” they use and no actual tests posted. To us, that is insincere. A breeder should have clearly defined testing standards, and those tests should be valid and effective. That’s a very important point. Certain tests have no relevance to puppy health. For example, many programs will use a Veterinary Check to claim their pups are healthy. A Vet’s assessment of a puppy is only relevant to the puppies health that specific day. No Vet can discern hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, or any other future disease from a check done when a puppy is eight weeks old. In our case, we universally utilize PennHip testing to minimize hip dysplasia risk, and Embark Genetic testing to screen out breed relevant diseases in all of our parent dogs.
3. Do they let you choose your puppy and visit their facility?
It’s a massive red flag to us when a program won’t let families meet their puppy in advance and see their facility. We very much understand the personal relationship a puppy entails, and we want you to be an active part in choosing who will be your new family member. The idea of assigning a puppy has never made sense to us, and although puppy visits add work to the process, we believe families deserve that opportunity. Furthermore, we are proud of our program and the way we raise puppies. We want our families to witness that and are always happy to have them visit. For us, programs that don’t allow visits seem like they are hiding something, or at the very least not as proud as they should be. Once again, it’s not a direct correlation but when we see that our spidey-senses go up.
Ultimately, we want families to find the Bernedoodle of their dreams. We fully understand that not every family will work with Haystack, so we want to provide information to make the best possible decision with the other programs you may come across. I hope this has helped in your Bernedoodle journey and if you’re interested in working with Haystack Mountain, please always feel free to reach out!
