Breed Overview

Breed Type

Poodle Cross

Care Level

Intermediate

Size

Medium

Trainability

Highly trainable

Sociability & Friendliness

Intelligence

Strength

Family Dog

Physical Exercise Needs

Mental Exercise Needs

Guard Dog/Protection Instincts

Suitability For Dog Sports

Health & Longevity

Grooming Needs

Shedding

Apartment Dog

Suitable For First-Time Owners

Bernedoodles are a highly popular Doodle breed. Their litter cousins, the Miniature Bernedoodles, are in high demand as well. Crossed from a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Miniature Poodle, these dogs are wonderful companions and pets.

They are good dogs with a friendly temperament, do not shed much, are cute and outgoing - what is not to love? Today we will look at the Mini Bernedoodle, his appearance and temperament.

Table of Contents

Origin of the Mini Bernedoodle

The Mini Bernedoodle is a designer dog breed. This means that it was specifically created from two existing dog breeds to craft a new and unique dog.

The Bernese Mountain Dog and the Miniature Poodle are the parents of the Mini Bernedoodle. Both of these are very old breeds that have been around for hundreds of years. Let's look at what each parent contributes to the Mini Bernedoodle in Detail:

Mini Poodle

The Miniature Poodle is an extremely smart dog. In the list of most intelligent dog breeds, Poodles rank #2! 

They also have the typical non-shedding Poodle coat that makes all Poodles mixes so highly sought-after and popular. All Mini Poodles will pass these coat qualities onto their offspring to some extent. 

Mini Poodles are very outgoing and friendly dogs. They love to be around people and generally get along well with other dogs, too. The Mini Bernedoodle inherits his friendly and social temperament from the Mini Poodle parent, too.

All Poodles have the tendency to be a bit nervy and anxious if not socialized properly. They are not the dogs with the strongest nerves. Owners need to take care to expose any Mini Poodle or Mini Poodle mix to a lot of different places and situations to avoid future anxiety problems.

Bernese Mountain Dog

The Mini Bernedoodle's other parent is the Bernese Mountain Dog. These large and calm dogs are a perfect match for the small and wiggly Poodles.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are very friendly and social dogs. They enjoy being around people and dogs alike. Reactivity is very rare in this breed. They are great dogs for first-time dog owners due to their laid-back nature.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are especially calm once they have passed their second or third birthday. They pass this calm and friendly demeanor onto their Mini Bernedoodle offspring.

If raised properly these dogs often display surprisingly little prey drive as adult dogs. This makes them perfect dogs in households with cats or small dogs (always under supervision of course).

The Mini Bernedoodle - combining the best of both parents

The Miniature Bernedoodle will combine the traits of his parents. From his Mini Poodle father he gets:

• the low-shedding/hypoallergenic coat
• the happy and outgoing temperament
• the high intelligence

And from his Bernese Mountain Dog mother he will inherit:

• the friendly disposition towards all people and dogs
• the beautiful black and white coloring
• the loyal attachment to his owners

Appearance

What will your Mini Bernedoodle puppy look like? 

How big do Mini Bernedoodles get?

If you are deciding on a Mini Bernedoodle, it's in part because you like the smaller size of them. But how big exactly do these dogs get?

You can expect your Mini Bernedoodle to be 17-21 inches tall and weigh 22-45 pounds. Female will be at the lower end of this range and males towards the upper.

If you want to have a specifically small dog, you should always choose a female puppy. 

You can also ask the breeder if they have any multi-generation Mini Bernedoodles. The first cross of two different breeds always produces the biggest differences in the offspring. If the first-generation puppies get bred again, the resulting litter will be more homogenous in size and appearance.

Some breeders cross their Mini Bernedoodles with Miniature Poodles to produce even smaller Mini Bernedoodles with excellent low-shedding coat qualities.

Coat & Colors

The coat of nearly all Mini Bernedoodles is black and white. It can (but does not have to) show tan points (red or brown markings on the cheeks, eyebrows and legs). This coloring is inherited from the Bernese Mountain Dog. The Mini Poodle parent's coloring does usually not play a big role. If a Parti Poodle is used for breeding however, the Mini Bernedoodle pups may have larger amounts of white.

The Mini Bernedoodle's hair is a combination of the coarse and curly Miniature Poodle hair and the wavy, thick coat of the Bernese Mountain Dog.

 

Do Mini Bernedoodles shed?

One of the big selling points of any Poodle cross is the low-shedding quality of the coat. Mini Bernedoodles will shed minimally or not at all.

This does however not mean that no grooming or coat care is required! Mini Poodles' hair tangles and mats quickly, and so does the Mini Bernedoodle's. You need to brush your Mini Bernedoodle regularly and clip his coat. The hair is "ever-growing" and will become extremely long and matted unless you take good care of it.

While you do not have to plan on vacuuming hair, you certainly need to plan on brushing and grooming your Mini Bernedoodle throughout his entire life. There are a number of cute haircuts for Poodles and Doodles you can try out!

Are Mini Bernedoodles hypoallergenic?

Mini Bernedoodles tend to be a hypoallergenic dog breed. This means that they are less likely to provoke allergy sufferers. However, it is important to keep in mind that no dog breed is completely hypoallergic.

Dog allergies can be against different proteins - such as the ones found in dander, in urine, in saliva... While your Mini Bernedoodle will not lose hair all over the house, he may still trigger certain allergies. 

If you have in the past experienced an allergic reaction towards a dog, you should spend some time around a Mini Bernedoodle before committing to this breed - to make sure that you do not purchase a puppy you have to later rehome!

Training & Exercise

As all dog breeds, your Mini Bernedoodle will require daily enrichment, training and exercise. During the puppy phase you need to teach your Mini all the skills you want him to know as an adult dog, such as:

• Coming when called
• Walking well on leash
• Not jumping up on people
• Behaving well in public
• Greeting people and dogs appropriately

We recommend to spend 10 minutes every day training your puppy. You do not need to train for an hour or two. Young puppies learn best through short bursts.

However, you do want to train daily at least for the first year of your puppy's life. Consistency is crucial when it comes to training your Mini Bernedoodle.

As an adult dog, expect him to require 1-2 hours of physical exercise a day. This could mea playing frisbee with you, going on walks, playing with doggy friends or even going to an agility class.

Behavior FAQ

What kinds of behaviors can you expect from your Miniature Bernedoodle?

Do Mini Bernedoodles bark a lot?

Yes - your Mini Bernedoodle is going to have a tendency to bark. Poodles can be rather nervy dogs and they often react to being startled or surprised with barking. Bernese Mountain Dogs are laid back and calm, but they were once also bred as guard dogs. They will let you know if someone is at the door or entering your property!

Since the Mini Bernedoodle inherits the tendency to bark from both parents, you should definitely expect your puppy to bark. He should not be an incessant barker. However, if you live in an apartment with close neighbors, this might not be the right breed for you.

Some breeders claim that spaying or neutering a Mini Bernedoodle will make them less vocal. This might be true to a small extend, but you should generally assume that every Mini Bernedoodle - whether altered or intact - will be somewhat vocal.

Are Mini Bernedoodles cuddly?

Yes, Mini Bernedoodles are very cuddly dogs! They enjoy being petted and sitting on your lap. This breed is often used as a therapy dog for its love of cuddling and snuggling.

If you have children, teach them to pet your puppy gently from day 1. Especially for small kids it can be difficult to know how rough is too rough when it comes to cuddling and petting.

Most dogs do not enjoy being hugged! It can be perceived as threatening by them if we wrap our arms around them. Instead of cuddling your Mini Bernedoodle "like a human", you should pet his neck, chest, back and hips. Your Mini Bernedoodle will appreciate the pets, and it will bond you closer to him.

How much does a Mini Bernedoodle cost?

Are you ready to get your very own Mini Bernedoodle? One question left is how much your puppy will cost.

Unfortunately, as with all designer breeds in high demand these dogs are not cheap. You can expect to pay up at least $1,700 for your Mini Bernedoodle puppy. (This is similar across all Miniature and Teacup breeds - also for e.g. Mini Corgis or Teacup Chihuahuas)

Many breeders will charge additional fees for puppies in high demand. If you want to have:

• a female puppy
• a puppy from extra-small parents
• a dog with a lot of white patches
• a very unusual brown-and-white Mini Bernedoodle from a second or third generation breeding

you should expect to pay an average of $2,600. Prices for the dogs in highest demand may even rise up to $4,500.

The Bottom Line

Mini Bernedoodles are a loving and active dog breed. They are great companion dogs for families that like to spend a lot of time with their dog and are ready to commit to training and exercising their puppy daily.

Mini Bernedoodles shed minimally or not at all - which makes them highly popular these days. You still need to invest into coat care for your dog however. Brushing and clipping the hair will be important.

You can find Mini Bernedoodles through a variety of breeders. Because this designer dog breed is in high demand, expect to pay a rather high price for your Mini Bernedoodle puppy. You are unlikely to find these dogs in rescue because they are so highly sought-after.

The price and wait is worth it though: Mini Bernedoodles are fantastic pets that will be loved by your whole family.