What to Look for in a Bernedoodle Breeder: A Breeder's Honest Guide
By Emily Scott | Rocky Road Doodles
Finding a Bernedoodle breeder is overwhelming. I know that because I hear it from nearly every family that contacts me. They have spent weeks scrolling through websites that all look the same, reading testimonials that could have been written by the same person, and comparing programs that make identical promises despite running fundamentally different operations. By the time they reach out, most of them are exhausted, and the first thing they say is some version of: “I don’t even know what questions to ask.”
I am a breeder. I have been doing this for over a decade. And I am going to write the guide I wish every puppy buyer had before they started searching. This is not a sales pitch for Rocky Road Doodles. It is a framework for evaluating any breeder, including me. The Bernedoodle world has wonderful breeders doing exceptional work. It also has people who should not be breeding dogs. The difference between the two is not always obvious from a website, but it becomes very clear once you know what to look for.
Green Flags: What to Look For
Comprehensive Health Testing
This is the single most important thing you can evaluate. A responsible breeder health tests through recognized organizations, primarily Genetic health testing (this can test for Genetic Disease Markers related to the Bernedoodle breed/s and testing through Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and PennHip. PennHip is the gold standard for hip evaluations. At minimum, expect hip evaluations, elbow evaluations, cardiac exams by a board-certified cardiologist, and ophthalmology clearances from a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist.
Pay close attention to the phrase “vet checked.” A vet check is not a health clearance. It means a veterinarian examined the dog and found it generally healthy on that day. It tells you some things (certain issues can be found on examination) Every breeder’s dogs should be vet checked. OFA evaluations, PennHIP scores, and specialist exams help to paint the broader picture of the family tree. A breeder who is genuinely invested in health will have these results and will be happy to show them to you. Many will have their results publicly searchable on the OFA database.
DNA Testing for Coat Genetics
A responsible Bernedoodle breeder tests for the furnishings gene (RSPO2), which determines shedding; the curl gene (KRT71), which influences coat texture; and color genetics so they can predict what puppies will look like and identify potential issues with certain color combinations. This allows the breeder to match you with a puppy whose coat works for your family, especially if allergies are a factor. It also demonstrates that the breeder understands the genetics of what they are producing. Breeding is applied genetics. A breeder who does not test for coat genetics is making decisions without data.
Temperament Testing of Breeding Dogs
A beautiful, healthy dog with a poor temperament should not be bred. Responsible breeders evaluate temperament continuously over the life of the dog. They know how each dog responds to children, strangers, novel environments, stress, and other animals, and they use that information for pairing decisions. Ask what a breeder knows about the temperament of both parents. A good breeder will tell you which dog is more independent and which is more velcro, which handles car rides well, which is bombproof with toddlers. If a breeder cannot describe temperament beyond “friendly” they are not evaluating at a level that should give you confidence.
Transparency About Their Program
Good breeders are open books. They show health results without being asked twice. They explain their breeding philosophy, walk you through the genetics of a specific litter, and talk honestly about challenges they have faced. Their websites include health testing results for the OFAs. They publish content that educates rather than sells. They talk about genetics with specificity, not vague reassurances. If a breeder becomes evasive or dismissive when you ask detailed questions, that tells you everything you need to know.
Guardian Home or Family-Raised Dogs
A dog raised in a family home develops differently than a dog raised in a kennel. Home-raised dogs experience doorbells, vacuums, children, other pets, and unstructured downtime. That continuous socialization produces a calmer, more well-adjusted adult, and the temperament data a breeder gathers from a home environment is infinitely richer than what any kennel provides. The guardian home model allows a breeder to maintain a genetically diverse program without warehousing dogs. Every breeding dog lives its life as a family pet, not as a production animal in a facility. Ask where the breeding dogs live, and ask to see photos.
Waitlist and Interview Process
A waitlist means the breeder is not overproducing. It means they are planning litters intentionally rather than breeding as often as possible to keep puppies in stock.
Specific Health Guarantee
Every responsible breeder offers a health guarantee, but the details matter. Does it specify which conditions are covered? Does it outline what happens if a genetic issue appears? What are the conditions the buyer must meet? A vague guarantee that promises “healthy puppies” without defining terms or timelines is marketing, not protection.
Lifelong Support and Take-Back Policy
A responsible breeder’s relationship with you begins when you take your puppy home. You should be able to call with questions about training, health, behavior, or nutrition for the life of your dog. Equally important: a responsible breeder will always take back a dog they produced, at any age, for any reason. This ensures no dog from their program ever ends up in a shelter. If a breeder does not have this policy, ask yourself what happens to their dogs when life gets complicated.
References from Previous Families
Ask for references and actually contact them. Talk to families who brought home puppies six months ago and families from three years ago. Ask about health, temperament, and whether the breeder was available when questions arose. A breeder who has been doing this well will have a community of happy families eager to talk. Instagram is a wonderful place to follow along past puppy accounts. These are great ways to see and interact with families that have our dogs and you can see how their hair and size developed.
Red Flags: What to Avoid
No Health Testing or Vague Claims
If a breeder’s health testing consists entirely of “our dogs are vet checked and healthy,” walk away. The absence of OFA results, genetic panels, and specialist clearances is the single biggest red flag in this industry. It does not necessarily mean the breeder is a bad person. But the result for you is the same: no data on the genetic health of the dog that produced your puppy.
Multiple Breeds Available Simultaneously
A breeder offering Bernedoodles, Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Aussiedoodles, and Cockapoos is spreading their expertise too thin. Responsible breeding requires deep knowledge of the specific breeds involved. There are exceptions for closely related programs, but as a rule, more breeds means less specialization.
Bragging about being a “small” breeder
Less experience and less genetic diversity does not mean you will get a better puppy. Professional, experienced breeders have improved their pedigrees over many years of work and many litters, learning and cultivating better dogs with time AND experience. It was often a point of marketing to say “I only have one litter a year” but what that meant was that they did not have the knowledge that came from each litter and generation that someone who has worked with many puppies had. Expertise comes from dedication and experience.
We have worked for over 10 years and are STILL learning and developing better practices, better genetics and better industry knowledge. Our team is made up of highly specialized team members that have all learnt from the best in the industry. Veterinarians, geneticists, dog trainers and families. We have teamed up with the best breeders in Bernedoodles across the country to partner and progress the breed, so that it can have the best genetics and health possible.
We are proud to say that we are a large, professional team. We have been in the industry for over 10 years and are committed to the long term development of it. Our Bernedoodles stand out because they come from YEARS of work and love. Don’t fall for the idea that a “small” breeder who doesn’t know enough about the breed to know what they don’t know, is better. You wouldn’t go to a surgeon because he only performs a few surgeries a year. Why go to a breeder that thinks having less experience is going to be better?
Ships Puppies Without Meeting Families
The red flag is not distance. It is a breeder willing to ship a puppy to someone they have never spoken with, called, or interviewed. A good breeder working with distant families still conducts thorough screening and arranges for a nanny flight or personal delivery rather than cargo shipping.
No Contract or Vague Contract
A contract protects both parties. It outlines the health guarantee, spay/neuter agreement, take-back policy, and responsibilities on both sides. A breeder without one is not providing the accountability that a lifetime commitment requires.
Prices That Seem Too Good to Be True
Responsible breeding is expensive. If a price seems dramatically lower than what you see from health-testing breeders, ask what is being cut to make that number work. The answer is usually testing, care, or both. There are also scam accounts that offer “cheap” bernedoodles with stolen content.
Questions to Ask Any Breeder
Bring this list to every conversation. A good breeder will appreciate the diligence.
What health testing do you perform on your breeding dogs? Can I see the results?
2. Are your OFA results publicly searchable?
3. Do you DNA test for coat genetics, including furnishings, curl, and color?
4. What genetic health panel do you run, and which conditions does it screen for?
5. Where do your breeding dogs live?
6. How do you evaluate temperament in your breeding dogs?
7. What is your socialization protocol for puppies from birth to placement?
8. Can you walk me through the genetics of this specific pairing?
9. What does your health guarantee cover, and for how long?
10. Do you have a take-back policy at any age?
11. Will you be available for support after I bring my puppy home?
12. Can you provide references from families who purchased puppies one, two, or three years ago?
13. Why did you choose this specific sire for this litter?
14. Can I review your contract before committing?
Why Responsible Breeding Costs What It Does
People sometimes experience sticker shock at the price of a well-bred Bernedoodle. I understand. It is a significant investment. But the price reflects specific costs that responsible breeders absorb to produce healthy, well-adjusted puppies.
Health testing. OFA hips, elbows, cardiac, ophthalmology, PennHIP. Multiply across every dog in a breeding program. These are not optional extras.
Genetic testing. Comprehensive DNA panels screening dozens of heritable conditions, plus coat and color genetics, for every breeding dog and every puppy.
Guardian home support. Covering breeding-related veterinary costs for dogs living with guardian families. More labor-intensive than a kennel, but it produces better dogs.
Nutrition. High-quality food for breeding dogs, pregnant and nursing mothers, and puppies from their first solid meal.
Veterinary care. Routine care, emergency care, reproductive services, ultrasounds, progesterone testing, and sometimes surgical interventions. Breeding dogs see the vet far more often than the average pet.
Time and expertise. A decade of experience, continuing education, relationships with veterinary specialists. That expertise informs every breeding decision.
Here is the part I want to be direct about: a cheap puppy often costs more in the long run. A puppy from untested parents is a gamble on hip dysplasia, heart conditions, eye problems, and genetic diseases that can cost thousands to manage. A puppy from a breeder who skipped socialization may develop behavioral issues requiring professional intervention. The purchase price is the smallest part of the total cost of dog ownership. Where you spend that initial investment matters enormously.
Rocky Road’s Practices: Full Transparency
I have spent this entire article telling you what to look for, so let me be clear about where Rocky Road Doodles stands. Our breeding dogs live in guardian homes as family pets but they have to pass our standards before they will be bred, if not, they will live out their life as a pet, with their family. We have a waitlist. We interview every prospective family. We turn down applicants when the fit is not right. Our health guarantee is specific and detailed. Our contract is thorough. We stand behind our puppies in their health warranty. We are committed to the long term development of the Bernedoodle breed. I am available to our families for the life of their dog.
I am telling you this not because I think Rocky Road is the only good program out there. There are many excellent Bernedoodle breeders, and I respect them deeply. I am telling you this because I believe in families finding the right fit for them. Despite all of this, unexpected health concerns can arise, and occasionally they do. We wish that we could prevent all heartbreak for our puppies and their families but unfortunately even healthy parents can sometimes have unhealthy, unexpected issues in their puppies. For that reason we have a health warranty that covers (up to the purchase price) towards treatment or a replacement puppy, depending on the circumstances in the first year of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth paying more for a breeder who does extensive health testing?
Yes. A puppy from fully tested parents has dramatically lower risk of expensive, heartbreaking genetic health conditions. The difference in purchase price between a tested and untested puppy is almost always less than the cost of a single orthopedic surgery or a year of managing a chronic condition.
What if I find a breeder I love but they don’t do OFA testing?
Ask them why. Some newer breeders may not yet be aware of the standard, and a genuine willingness to learn is a good sign. But if a breeder has been operating for years without OFA testing and has no plans to start, that tells you something about their priorities.
How many litters per year is normal for a responsible breeder?
There is no single right number and a lot of it depends on how their puppy raising system is set up to give the puppies love and attention from day 1. Our guardian home system means that all of our litters are raised in individual family homes, with love and attention from the start. This balance between family raised puppies and a professional team of experts, allows for a balance between expertise and individual care. A breeder producing carefully planned litters with health testing and individualized placements is doing better work than a breeder producing two litters with no testing and no long term commitment to the puppy. Ask about their process, not just their volume.
Can I trust online reviews when evaluating a breeder?
Online reviews are a starting point, not the final word. Look for past puppy accounts that have pups from their program and ask them about their dog and how the process has been. On Instagram many of our past pups tag our Instagram account and we often feature past puppies and tag their accounts to help people find siblings and other pups that they can follow. Go and check out the many past families and watch their pup grow - this is the best part of Facebook and Instagram! Online discussion boards are full of competitors that will write false information with anonymity, to create distrust about other breeders. Its really sad but unfortunately the reality. After being in this for 10 years I have seen competitors go to extreme lengths to write lies about other breeders in an effort to create distrust. Their efforts should be spent helping to create better bernedoodles and working with their puppy families. Our biggest source of referrals are our dogs, walking down sidewalks, beaches and in cafes. People find us through our best walking advertisements: our incredible dogs!
About the Author
Emily Scott is the founder of Rocky Road Doodles, a multigenerational Bernedoodle breeding program with more than 10 years of hands-on experience. Her program is built on comprehensive health testing, DNA-verified coat genetics, the guardian home model, and a commitment to transparency that she believes should be the industry standard, not the exception. Emily writes to educate puppy buyers everywhere, not just her own customers, because she believes informed families make better homes and better homes make better lives for dogs.