How To Find a Bernese Mountain Dog Breeder: Questions You NEED To Ask
When you are looking to add a new dog to your furever family, it’s important to ask ALL the questions. Especially if you are looking for a purebred pup! When it comes to finding a breeder for a Bernese Mountain Dog, my family has a first-hand experience!
Finding a Berner Breeder
Once you’ve done your initial research and determined that I would be a good fit, you should start looking for a breeder. We had never had a purebred dog and had heard so many bad stories of backyard breeders and inhumane treatment, so we wanted to be sure to select the right person. First, we joined every BMD (in case you are new here, that stands for Bernese Mountain Dog) Facebook group we could find to ask more questions. We wanted to learn all about our breed so we knew what to expect when we brought Kevin home! But in those Facebook groups, we met a few breeders who seemed like a good fit… but there were some major red flags. We started to do some additional research and learned that there were some important questions you should be asking before settling on a BMD breeder.
Top 5 Questions to Ask A Dog Breeder Before Purchase
If you are curious as to what questions you should be asking, a member of the BMD of Oregon Facebook group recommended a list of questions to ask a breeder.
From that list, here are the top 5 questions to ask before buying a Bernese Mountain Dog (or any other kind of pup!).
1. Are you a member of any dog clubs?
A dog club or kennel club puts on different events and has tons of information about raising dogs and competition. If your breeder is a part of a dog club, it could be a good indicator that they understand what they are talking about when it comes to pups (but obviously, do your own research as well!).
2. Can you provide me with references for you and your dogs?
If they can provide references, make sure you do some background work and try to contact them! It’s always good to hear other people’s experiences with the breeder.
3. Do you have health clearances?
You want to be aware of what clearances they have and if there are any health issues before you buy your pup.
4. What guarantees are in the contract? May I review the contract?
Contracts are extremely important, especially when it comes to what questions to ask a dog breeder. You should be able to review the contract and make sure you understand it before you purchase your pup!
5. How long have you been a breeder and what are your personal goals in your breeding program?
Once again, this is all about doing your research. If your goal is to find a happy, healthy puppy, you should have a good idea of who your breeder is and how they see this business.
If you want to learn more about how to get in touch with reputable breeders in your area, check out the BMD of America. For even more important questions to ask your breeder, this list of questions should cover all of your bases!
If you want to learn more about how to get in touch with reputable breeders in your area, check out the BMD of America.
Time To Find A Bernese Mountain Dog!
Now that we’re equipped with these questions, the red flags we had about the initial breeder were confirmed. So, we went back on the hunt to find a reputable one!
The way we ended up finding my breeder was kind of cute!
One look at this photo right here and we were in awe of the big guy on the right:
We loved that cute face and friendly eyes. And look at those paws… huge! When we saw him, we fell in love.
We then posted in the Facebook groups asking if anyone knew who this dog was. To her surprise, the owner was a breeder! And that fella right there… he’s Kevin’s dad! His name is Bully, and he was a show dog… isn’t he just the most handsome thing you have ever seen? Covered head to toe in the softest, fluffiest fur, he is such a snuggly dog that my we couldn’t wait to have one of our own! I gotta say, he is ONE good-looking fella (and where Kevin gets his good looks).
His owner lived only an hour away! We reached out to her to see if she could ask her some more questions and Anne graciously invited us over to learn more about Bernese Mountain Dogs and meet Kevin’s dad.
Then, the story goes, they spent two hours in Berner heaven! Complete with lots of Berner hugs, puppy breath, and smiles the whole time. Anne was also super patient and answered all the questions they had! We were convinced this was the right choice.
And The Rest is History!
We believe every house needs a Berner… but not every house would be a good fit for a Berner. Go in with an open mind, and do your research! Weigh the pros and cons, and decide using your brain (not just your heart). Whether you want a Bernese Mountain Dog or another breed, make sure it will fit your family’s lifestyle. We wanted a dog that was super loveable, didn’t require a lot of exercise, and was more on the lazy side.
Some dogs require more exercise and have characteristics that might not mesh well with your family, so make sure you select a dog beyond their cuteness factor. With Berner popularity on the rise, it has become even more important to educate yourself to ensure you get a happy, healthy, and ethically-raised fur baby. I mean, just look how cute Kevin turned out!
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