You may wonder what a Bernedoodle’s lifespan is and how I can prolong it as much as possible. You’ve come to the right place.
No one likes to think about it, but these fantastic years with them are numbered compared to ours.
A Standard bernedoodle (Bernese mountain dog poodle mix) is a fantastic designer breed. These designer dogs are sometimes referred to as Bernese Mountain Poo.
Their curly coat is cute, a ball of fluff that makes excellent family dogs, and they will soon become one of your newest family members. They are loving, intelligent, and in tune with their owner’s emotions.
They respond well to positive reinforcement. These dogs make every house feel like a home, bringing everyone joy.
What Is Bernedoodle Lifespan
An important thing to know is that an F1 Bernedoodle is a hybrid vigor of these purebred dogs: a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog parent and a purebred Poodle parent.
The result is a liter of hybrid dogs attractive to dog owners. Since Poodles come in various sizes, a male Poodle of various sizes can be bred with the Bernese Mountain Dog to produce Bernedoodles of three sizes.
In Bernedoodle’s case, the male will always be the Poodle because a female Poodle is too small to carry the giant breed pups without harm.
These sizes play a huge role in how long a Bernedoodle will live. A Mini Bernedoodle will live longer than larger breeds.
A Toy Poodle can be bred with a Mini Bernedoodle to produce a Toy or Tiny Bernedoodles. These doodles do tend to be more Poodle in nature.
The toy or miniature Bernedoodles will grow 10-24 pounds and stand 12-17 inches tall. These are the smallest Bernedoodles and have a life expectancy of up to 18 years.
A Mini Bernedoodle is the cross of a male Miniature Poodle and a female Bernese Mountain Dog. When fully matured, these Mini Bernedoodles will reach 25-49 pounds and 18-22 inches tall.
These miniature Doodles typically live around 14-17 years with a healthy lifestyle. And finally, the largest of the Bernedoodles.
A Standard Bernedoodle is a product of a Standard Poodle and the Bernese Mountain Dog. (Well-known farm dogs in the Swiss Alps)
These bears of fluff with a wavy coat will grow 50 pounds and stand 23-29 inches tall when measuring to the shoulder.
A Standard Bernedoodle dog has the shortest life span of any other Bernedoodle size at only 12-15 years.
So if you want a Bernedoodle with higher odds of living longer, a tiny or mini-sized Bernedoodle would be the way to go.
Even though a Standard Bernedoodle is expected to live only 12-15 years, it could live longer with excellent care.
Size And Relation To Lifespan
Genetic testing has proven that larger dogs have always been known to live shorter lives than their smaller counterparts.
But have you ever wondered why that is? Scientists believe large and giant breed dogs have a significantly short lifespan because they age faster.
During these fast periods of growth, a large breed dog can gain up to 100x its birth weight within a year, while a small breed will only gain 20x it’s birth weight in the same time frame.
This fast growth rate explains why a small Poodle can live 18-plus years, while a Bernese Mountain Dog will only live 8-10 years.
The combination of genetics for a Bernedoodle can be at play for the best when looking at the parent breed’s average lifespan.
Standard Bernedoodles typically live longer for such a large dog because the Standard Poodle lives longer than the Bernese Mountain Dog. A Standard Poodle will live 12 years if in a healthy, active lifestyle.
This means that although a Standard Poodle has accelerated growth compared to a Toy Poodle, it will slow down the genetics of the Bernese Mountain Dogs in their litter.
This accelerated growth can cause a multitude of health problems. Faster growth rates mean that cells have to reproduce rapidly.
This accelerated aging can cause cancer, heart disease, bone, and muscular disease, tumors, and other intestinal diseases.
Nature usually tells us that the larger the animal is, the longer it will live. Bugs only live days, cats live 15 or so years, elephants 70 years, and a blue whale lives 90 years.
This pattern is not true for dogs, though. Our forefathers have specifically bred these dogs to have this abnormal accelerated growth.
It goes against what nature initially intended for the canine species, and we must now pay the price. But you can do a few things to help prolong your Bernedoodle’s lifespan.
Prolonging Life
While there is no magic elixir to give to your dog to help her live forever, there are small ways to ensure she is living a healthy life that could potentially prolong it.
These tips deal with good health and balanced nutrition. They will not cost you thousands of dollars, but they can save you just as much in medical bills.
Healthy Diet
You are what you eat. So, why feed your dog cheap food with fillers and other preservative ingredients that can harm your dog?
Pick a high-quality diet full of nutrients and made for your Bernedoodle’s size. Large dogs need different nutritional values than small dogs, and a little dog will quickly become overweight on a large breed diet.
Quality large dog food will also be fortified with vitamins and nutrients that help aid in the rapid growth that they will undergo.
This can help relieve growing pains, soothe muscles, and increase the Bernedoodle lifespan.
Keep The Weight Off
If you want your dog to live a long and happy life, the first step is to keep your dog a healthy weight. Being a healthy weight isn’t just good for their hearts; it is also good for their joints, backs, and livers.
Standard Bernedoodles are prone to hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. The added weight to their joints could easily lead to a torn ACL or a herniated disc.
A dog that carries a lot of extra weight can also develop a fatty liver, diabetes, or pancreatic cancer. Feed correct proportions for your dog’s ideal weight and keep them moving.
Exercise
Getting physical isn’t just good for keeping extra weight off. It’s also good for your dog’s endorphins to feel younger. It keeps their minds sharp and their joints working steadily.
Since Bernedoodles are active dogs, they need at least an hour of playtime daily to stay fit. If left to their demise, they will gladly become couch potatoes with you and gain too much weight.
Get creative with exercise. Take them to a dog park or a doggie daycare a few times a week to keep them moving. Long walks or hikes also work well to keep them moving and motivated.
Vet Visits
Regular visits to your veterinarian are ideal for check-ups, vaccinations, and teeth cleaning.
These check-ups can help diagnose issues before they become unmanageable and help catch issues that you might not even be able to see physically.
At these check-ups, your vet will draw blood and sometimes even a urine or stool sample to make sure that everything internally is ok.
Regular dental cleanings are also recommended to prevent gingivitis. If you ever suspect your dog is sick, call your veterinarian immediately.
Teeth Cleaning
Gum and tooth decay can cause severe issues for your dog. It can lead to infections and liver disease if not properly managed.
Brushing your dog’s teeth at home is an excellent way of preventing everyday things like gingivitis.
If your dog does not care for brushing, there are even additives for their water to clean them or particular chew bones. Ask your vet about yearly teeth cleaning as well, in addition to home brushing.
These annual check-ups are just as vital for them as ours.
Keep Their Minds Sharp
Your Bernedoodle is a brilliant dog. If you allow them to get bored, this can lead to laziness and destructive behaviors. Give your dog puzzles or play a game with them when you are away.
Training is another great way of keeping their minds young and robust. Bernedoodles love to make you happy and will do anything to see you smile.
Use this to bond and learn some neat tricks. If they feel sharp and young inside, they will feel it outside too.
Breeding and Breeding Facility
Another way of prolonging your Bernedoodle’s life is by good breeding. If you are going through a breeder, ask questions about the parents’ medical history.
Parental history can be a massive indicator of how healthy most Bernedoodle puppies will be. Also, make sure to always view the breeding facilities that are used.
Check for cleanliness, no overcrowding, and the health of all dogs. If the facility is lacking in one or more of these areas, the chances are that they are not a reputable breeder.
You will want a breeder who meets these expectations and maybe even provide a DNA screening for common diseases.
Conclusion
While there is no guarantee that your Bernedoodle lifespan will live longer than expected, these tips could help.
Remember to cherish every moment of your amazing Bernedoodle from start to finish because they won’t always be around.
Even if your bernedoodle puppy lives to be 20, it will feel like such a small time frame compared to our lives.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Doodle Board!!
