Our Breeding Program:
Quality Over Quantity
Ethical breeding isn’t about shortcuts or maximizing profits. It’s about making thoughtful decisions at every stage—from selecting foundation dogs to the moment a puppy goes home—with one goal: producing healthy, well-adjusted family companions.
Here’s exactly how we do it.
Health, Temperament, and Genetic Diversity
Our Breeding Philosophy
We built our breeding program around three core principles:
1. Health Testing Is Non-Negotiable
Every dog in our program completes comprehensive health clearances before breeding:
We don’t breed dogs with known genetic health issues. We don’t skip tests because they’re expensive or inconvenient. Your puppy’s long-term health depends on what we do before breeding ever happens.
2. Temperament Comes First
A pretty puppy with a poor temperament is a heartbreak waiting to happen. We select breeding dogs for:
Looks matter, but temperament matters more. Always.
3. Genetic Diversity By Design
Many breeders repeatedly breed their most successful pairings or keep multiple dogs from the same lines. This concentrates genes—including problematic ones.
We do the opposite. Our breeding strategy intentionally maximizes genetic diversity:
Why this matters: Greater genetic diversity means healthier puppies with lower risk of inherited diseases and better immune systems.
A Multi-Generational Approach
Our Breeding Strategy
We built our breeding program around three core principles:
Starting with F1 Foundation Females
We’re building our program with F1 Bernedoodles (50% Bernese Mountain Dog, 50% Poodle) from different breeders as our foundation females. This gives us:
Creating F1B Offspring
We breed our F1 females to carefully selected Poodle studs (different studs for different female lines) to produce F1B puppies (25% Bernese, 75% Poodle). This generation typically has:
Selecting for Multi-Gen Breeding
From our F1B litters, we select the very best offspring—exceptional health, temperament, and structure—to become our next generation of breeding dogs. These carefully selected F1Bs produce what we call “multi-gen” puppies.
Why this path instead of buying multi-gen dogs to start?
Control and transparency. By starting with F1s and breeding our way forward, we:
The timeline trade-off: This approach takes longer to produce our first multi-gen litters. We’re okay with that. We’re building something sustainable, not racing to market.
What We Test and Why It Matters
Health Testing Standards
Orthopedic Health (OFA/PennHip Clearances)
Hips: Hip dysplasia is painful and expensive. We only breed dogs with “Good” or “Excellent” ratings.
Elbows: Elbow dysplasia can cause severe arthritis and lameness. OFA clearance required.
Patellas: Luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps) are common in small dogs and can require surgery. OFA “Normal” rating required.
Cardiac and Eye Health
Cardiac (OFA): Congenital heart defects can be inherited. Annual cardiac clearances ensure sound hearts across generations.
Eyes (OFA/CERF): Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and other eye diseases can cause blindness. Annual eye exams by board-certified ophthalmologists.
Genetic Testing (Embark for Breeders)
Full genetic panel testing every breeding dog for 200+ conditions including:
Plus: Coat genetics (furnishings, curl), color genetics, trait markers, and coefficient of inbreeding calculation.
When Testing Happens
Genetic testing: As early as 8 weeks (genes don’t change with age)
Hip/elbow clearances: After 24 months of age (growth plates fully closed)
Cardiac/eye clearances: Initially at 12-24 months, then annually
Breeding decisions: Only after ALL clearances are complete
Transparency: All health testing results will be posted publicly on each dog’s profile page, with links to OFA and Embark databases where you can verify results independently.
Puppy Development:
The First 8 Weeks
Why These Weeks Matter Most
The period from birth to 8 weeks is the most neurologically impactful time in a dog’s life. What we do during these weeks affects your dog’s confidence, resilience, and temperament for the next 15 years.
Puppy Culture Protocols
We follow the Puppy Culture program by Jane Killion—the gold standard for early puppy development. This includes:
Week 1: Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS)
Days 3-16: Daily gentle stress exercises that improve stress tolerance, cardiovascular performance, and immune system function
Handled and weighed daily
Neurological development tracking
Weeks 2-3: Transitional Period
Eyes and ears open
Introduction to novel surfaces and textures
Beginning sound exposure
Individual attention and handling
Weeks 3-5: Awareness Period
Critical socialization window begins
Exposure to household sounds, environments, and experiences
Introduction to challenges and problem-solving
Meeting new people (controlled, safe exposures)
Weeks 5-7: Fear Impact Period
Careful socialization continues
Avoiding traumatic experiences during sensitive period
Continued novel experiences at appropriate intensity
Beginning crate training and separation exercises
Week 7-8: Ready for New Homes
Volhard Puppy Aptitude Testing for temperament assessment
Final veterinary health check
Age-appropriate vaccines and deworming
Puppy go-home preparation
What Your Puppy Comes Home With:
Comprehensive socialization foundation
Crate training introduction
Potty training started
Confident, resilient temperament
Health records
Puppy Culture resources
Lifetime breeder support