Here we will attempt to answer so commonly asked questions regarding Bernedoodles. We understand that you are very curious and soaking up a lot of information about the breed. We will do our best to arm you with some basic understandings and offer you access to our Facebook group which contains more meaningful information and honest answers directly from our Rocky Mountain Bernedoodle owners. We are happy to be a resource for you, so please let us know if you have any lingering concerns about a Bernedoodle fitting into your family.
Travel Facts
Here are some common questions we are frequently asked regarding pet travel. We hope these alleviate any fears or concerns you may have as we assure you, all methods of transport are safe, or we would not use them. Our puppies are precious cargo!
- Is it safe to ship a puppy via an airline? We assure you, it is perfectly safe, or we would not employ it as one of our methods to get your puppy to you. We understand that you may have some reservations about air travel for pets, which is why we offer hand delivery. We have been breeding dogs for 17 years and have yet to have any major issues besides travel delays with air shipment of our dogs. United is our favorite carrier and we use them almost exclusively. They fly directly out of Montrose and their PetSafe program is phenomenal in booking, tracking, and customer service.
- Do you drug the puppies before they fly? NO, absolutely not. This is actually against airline policy, however, we assure you, we would never drug or sedate our puppies and put them in danger prior to their flight.
- Can the puppies suffer from heatstroke in cargo area of the plane? The area reserved for animals is temperature controlled and pressurized just like the cabin.
- Will the puppy regarded as luggage? Airlines have regulations regarding travel guidelines and the types of carriers they allow. Rocky Mountain Bernedoodles will provide a new airline approved crate where your puppy will have visibility from the front and side, as well as food and water that is secured to the crate. During layovers or delays, animals are removed from the plane and placed in a holding area that is also temperature controlled until they are ready for take-off! You are able to track their progress the entire journey.
- When will I receive the information regarding my puppy's flight? You will receive your puppy's flight information a week in advance of their travel. This will include all the flight arrival information, i.e., date of travel, arrival time, airline, flight number, air bill number etc... Payment in full including shipping fees must be received before travel arrangements are finalized.
- Will my puppy become sick from travel? It's possible, but unlikely - a potty is more likely. We take the proper precautions and remove food and drink from them before their flight so their urge to use the bathroom is less. Usually we have families tell us that neither occurred and they picked up an amazingly clean puppy who was very happy to meet them!
- Do you recommend we fly the puppy to us or drive to pick them up? Honestly, if hand delivery is not an option, we would recommend flying them. A long car ride with a puppy can be stressful on them and you! Of course, if you live in close proximity, we would recommend picking them up.
Are Bernedoodles Good with Young Kids?
|
Babysitters with fur are the best! Our Bernedoodles make excellent companions to children. We often find that they have a special inclination towards little people and will temper their energy accordingly. Adding a fantastic layer to your baby's world, owning pets is proven to positively affect a child's life - warding off feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and teaching them valuable lessons of compassion and empathy. Although, we can't promise that they won't get into a little mischief together - we can promise that your Bernedoodle will be your child's best friend and happily clean-up any spilled food during meal time.
|
Waitlist Process
Rocky Mt Bernedoodles can not guarantee colors of puppies. We strive to produce healthy, happy puppies with wonderful temperaments. Color is a bonus! We are a family breeder, and raise all dogs and puppies in an environment without kennels or cages. We produce a limited quantity of puppies each year and employ a waitlist for those who desire a Bernedoodle from Rocky Mountain Bernedoodles. Our puppies are very popular the waitlist for a Tricolor Bernedoodle of any variety is now several months. If you are open to gender or color, your wait may be significantly less.
We have situations where a family on our deposit list may forgo on a pup in a litter because they have their hearts set on a certain look. We breed for health and temperament over specific appearance - although we can typically ensure an adorable outcome! In these scenarios, a pup may be available much sooner and will be advertised on our Facebook page and website. For updates, please “like” our page and you will be informed if we have a puppy that is immediately available.
We have situations where a family on our deposit list may forgo on a pup in a litter because they have their hearts set on a certain look. We breed for health and temperament over specific appearance - although we can typically ensure an adorable outcome! In these scenarios, a pup may be available much sooner and will be advertised on our Facebook page and website. For updates, please “like” our page and you will be informed if we have a puppy that is immediately available.
Like us on Facebook
We have a master waitlist for each type of litter produced. To secure your place on a list, you will need to fill out a puppy application and remit a deposit. If you have questions or concerns, do not feel you need to fill out the puppy application to approach us. We are happy to be a resource and answer any lingering questions. Once Rocky Mountain has received your application and deposit, we will assign you a number. For the privacy of our clients, these lists are unpublished and managed internally. For more details on our Deposit Waitlist, please see here.
Puppy Picks
Rocky Mountain Bernedoodles will post pictures of puppies in each litter, at newborn, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks. These pictures are showcased on the "Current Litters" section of the website. We also typically post them on our Facebook page, so make sure to "like" us and follow along as they grow! We operate the waiting list in order of deposits received. When it is your turn to choose a puppy, We prefer to communicate using email, please let us know if you're email address changes. Rocky Mtn Bernedoodles will give you 24 hours to make your selection. To ease the anxiety of the other families waiting their turn, we feel this is adequate time to make your decision.
New Puppy Facts
Arrival
If your pup is being flown to you, you will have an email from us with your puppy’s flight information. Don’t forget to take a photo ID with your address on it along with your flight info. This will all be included in your email detailing flight information once the flight has been booked.
Your puppy will be in his / her crate; they should have had water along the way – but won’t have been fed. There will be a ziplock bag taped to the crate with food in it so you can offer your pup food right away if you want. Just remember food in: poop out. It’s about that fast!
Your pup will have had a bath the night before their flight; but be prepared for a messy crate / puppy. Their stress will be quickly alleviated when they meet you and learn their new surroundings.
There will be paperwork from the airline, a health certificate from our vet, and a health record also taped to the outside of the crate. The health record will have all the medications / vaccinations that your puppy has received thus far. You are required to take your pup to your vet within 5 days of receiving her (this is in the contract); please send us documentation of this visit.
Your puppy will be in his / her crate; they should have had water along the way – but won’t have been fed. There will be a ziplock bag taped to the crate with food in it so you can offer your pup food right away if you want. Just remember food in: poop out. It’s about that fast!
Your pup will have had a bath the night before their flight; but be prepared for a messy crate / puppy. Their stress will be quickly alleviated when they meet you and learn their new surroundings.
There will be paperwork from the airline, a health certificate from our vet, and a health record also taped to the outside of the crate. The health record will have all the medications / vaccinations that your puppy has received thus far. You are required to take your pup to your vet within 5 days of receiving her (this is in the contract); please send us documentation of this visit.
Vaccinations
Your puppy will receive their first and second set of core vaccines from us. Typically the third set of vaccinations is given 3 – 4 weeks after the second set of shots. Vets can vary slightly in their opinions on vaccination schedule so we suggest you talk to your vet during your initial “check up” to determine when your pup needs their third set of shots. Your health record will have all the info you need as far as what’s been given so far; be sure to take it with you to your first visit!
Microchip
We will be mailing you microchip information shortly after you pick your puppy. There will be a registration envelope and stickers with your puppy’s registration # on them. You will also find I have put a sticker with the microchip number on your contract, and on the registration envelope. You will need to:
a. Complete the registration online. https://buddyid.com/register - You should do this ASAP!
b. File the extra ID stickers where you can refer to them, along with the health record taped to your pups crate.
c. Your pups microchip is located just under the skin, between the shoulder blades. You usually cannot feel it.
We will be mailing you microchip information shortly after you pick your puppy. There will be a registration envelope and stickers with your puppy’s registration # on them. You will also find I have put a sticker with the microchip number on your contract, and on the registration envelope. You will need to:
a. Complete the registration online. https://buddyid.com/register - You should do this ASAP!
b. File the extra ID stickers where you can refer to them, along with the health record taped to your pups crate.
c. Your pups microchip is located just under the skin, between the shoulder blades. You usually cannot feel it.
Food
The pups are being fed Nutrisource puppy small medium. There are instructions for how much to feed your puppy on the bag based on age and weight. Your pup will be used to eating twice / day; at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. You can vary that to fit with your schedule. If you want to change your puppy’s food to a different brand, do it slowly to avoid diarrhea and / or an upset stomach. We recommend transitioning slowly – over 1 week. We don't give the pups treats – and we never feed the dogs scraps or people food. They drink water (no milk). Of course how you feed your pup is up to you – but please keep it healthy! Your vet can offer guidance on healthy diets for your dog.
The pups are being fed Nutrisource puppy small medium. There are instructions for how much to feed your puppy on the bag based on age and weight. Your pup will be used to eating twice / day; at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. You can vary that to fit with your schedule. If you want to change your puppy’s food to a different brand, do it slowly to avoid diarrhea and / or an upset stomach. We recommend transitioning slowly – over 1 week. We don't give the pups treats – and we never feed the dogs scraps or people food. They drink water (no milk). Of course how you feed your pup is up to you – but please keep it healthy! Your vet can offer guidance on healthy diets for your dog.
Toys
There have been some articles lately on the nylon bones – dogs have chewed and ingested part of them and the shards of nylon are sharp and can penetrate the intestine. We recommend avoiding nylon bones. Also, fabric stuffed toys that your puppy can tear and pull the stuffing out of should be avoided for now. Rope toys, hard rubber toys, and generally toys that they cannot eat will work best. Mostly just keep an eye on them so they don’t get themselves into trouble! For some helpful suggestions on toys and chews, please see our Shopping List.
There have been some articles lately on the nylon bones – dogs have chewed and ingested part of them and the shards of nylon are sharp and can penetrate the intestine. We recommend avoiding nylon bones. Also, fabric stuffed toys that your puppy can tear and pull the stuffing out of should be avoided for now. Rope toys, hard rubber toys, and generally toys that they cannot eat will work best. Mostly just keep an eye on them so they don’t get themselves into trouble! For some helpful suggestions on toys and chews, please see our Shopping List.
Crating and Sleep
Your pup will have spent time in their crate and should be familiar with it. This doesn’t mean they won’t cry while in the crate; especially those first few nights. Crating your pup at night and while you are gone is really a very good habit. The pup learns this is their safe zone and typically they enjoy their crate. It also keeps them out of trouble while you are gone or sleeping. We urge you to stick with the crate – even if the first few days are difficult. We like this video.
It’s also true that most puppies / dogs will not go to the bathroom in their crate. Of course there can be accidents. Don't leave food in the crate with your pup; remember the food in / poop out rule. We also do not put water in the crate unless they are going to be in there for a few hours. Then we leave the minimum amount you think they will need; that way they won’t over drink and hopefully can hold their pee until you let them out!
As far as house-breaking your pup, taking your pup out frequently, and using consistent terminology to encourage your pup to go is helpful. Give lots of praise when the pup does pee or poop outside. Don’t scold your pup if you find pee or poop inside unless you catch them in the act. Typically scolding when you find an old accident is meaningless to them as they don’t associate the scolding with the act of having gone to the bathroom unless it's real-time. For recommendations on crates, please see our Shopping List.
Your pup will have spent time in their crate and should be familiar with it. This doesn’t mean they won’t cry while in the crate; especially those first few nights. Crating your pup at night and while you are gone is really a very good habit. The pup learns this is their safe zone and typically they enjoy their crate. It also keeps them out of trouble while you are gone or sleeping. We urge you to stick with the crate – even if the first few days are difficult. We like this video.
It’s also true that most puppies / dogs will not go to the bathroom in their crate. Of course there can be accidents. Don't leave food in the crate with your pup; remember the food in / poop out rule. We also do not put water in the crate unless they are going to be in there for a few hours. Then we leave the minimum amount you think they will need; that way they won’t over drink and hopefully can hold their pee until you let them out!
As far as house-breaking your pup, taking your pup out frequently, and using consistent terminology to encourage your pup to go is helpful. Give lots of praise when the pup does pee or poop outside. Don’t scold your pup if you find pee or poop inside unless you catch them in the act. Typically scolding when you find an old accident is meaningless to them as they don’t associate the scolding with the act of having gone to the bathroom unless it's real-time. For recommendations on crates, please see our Shopping List.
Do Bernedoodles Swim?