A DOG IS A COMMITMENT

Don't buy that doggie in the window

Christmas Day is not the best time to bring a puppy into your household

 

Information Resources

"The New Bernese Mountain Dog" by Sharon Chesnutt Smith

"The Bernese Mountain Dog Today" by Dr. Malcolm B. Willis

Below is a list of beeders. Click on the name to send an email if you are considering a puppy. Please provide the breeder with information about yourself, such as:

  • Type of dog(s) you own(ed).
  • Do you want a Pet or Show dog?
  • Activities you are interested in doing with your dog.
  • Current household.
  • Do you live in a house or apartment?
  • Why you are considering a Berner?

 

Breeders to Contact:

 

 

 

  • Norma Hamilton

Hardwood, MD

410-956-2053

 

  • Patricia Mills

Riva, MD

410-956-5673

 

 

Byrn Maur, PA 29010

610-525-1683

 

 

 

  

So You Want a Puppy?

Research First

We encourage each puppy seeker to first spend considerable time researching the pros and cons of owning a Bernese Mountain Dog before contacting breeders. You may wish to visit dog shows in the area and talk to as many BMD owners as possible. At ringside you can meet breeders and their dogs. Go to the following links for show schedules infodog or raudogshows.

Five days before the show check the ring time and location. You can talk with breeders well before or after the showing, but preferrably not during the show. You can also check our events calendar and join in at one of our events. Meet our dogs and talk to their owners. Do not be in a hurry. Berners are not prolific breeders. It takes time to find the right dog.

All Berners need quality veterinary care, high-quality and nutritionally balanced diets, routine grooming, adequate housing, and as much love and attention as you can give!

Don't Buy the Puppy from a Pet Shop

When you buy a puppy from a pet shop, you're spending a lot of money for a dog whose parents you know nothing about. Have both parents had their hips and elbows x-rayed for dysplasia?

Have the parents been tested for PRA, which causes blindness?

Tests are expensive, but breeders are responsible as their goal is to produce healthy pups.

If a pet shop says "healthy pups," ask them for proof. Pet shops want you to think "AKC papers" equals healthy puppies. It doesn't. The only thing AKC registration means is that both parents are purebred and AKC registered. The mother (dam) could be a truly awful example of the breed and the puppies can still be registered. Call the AKC at 919-233-9767 and ask them.

A responsible breeder will register her puppies if the breed is recognized by the AKC.

When you go to a breeder you generally have more than one puppy from which to choose. A responsible breeder temperament-tests her puppies to find out which ones are outgoing or shy or dominant. Then she matches up owners to make sure that active puppies go to active homes, and that a shy puppy ends up in a home that's just right for it. If you're going to spend all that money, it makes sense to look at several examples of the breed and then pick a dog that's right for you. When you buy a puppy from a responsible breeder, you can usually meet the mother and see pictures or video of the father (sire). You can discuss with the breeder the faults each parent possesses. You can't predict exactly what the puppy will turn out like, but you'll know what to expect, and you'll know that your purebred puppy will resemble his breed.

Why spend so much money on a pet shop puppy without even knowing what the parents look like?

A responsible breeder never breeds just to make money, and their prices are usually lower than in pet shops. Save some money and get a better quality puppy at the same time. Pet shops can tell you a little about the breeds they sell. And they can point you to a rack of generic breed books. That's it. A responsible breeder will be a wealth of information about the breed you're interested in. She'll be able to tell you about unique breed characteristics, ways to get involved in activities your dog might be suited for, and most importantly, she knows what specific health issues to watch out for. How do you know most pet shop pups come from puppy mills? Because no responsible breeder would ever sell their puppies to a pet store, for two reasons:


1) Responsible breeders care about the puppies they produce, and want them to go to very carefully selected homes.


2) Keeping track of litters is an essential part of responsible breeding.

If two puppies from a certain litter die from liver failure at a young age, the breeder knows there's a problem in the line and will not breed the parents again.

What does that say about the breeders of pet shop pups? Pet shops make a big deal out of their pedigrees, which is interesting because they just contain a bunch of names. Can the pet shop tell you how long the puppy's grandparents lived, and what they died of? How many of the parents littermates are still alive? How long do dogs in this pedigree usually live? A responsible breeder can answer all of those questions. You get not just a pedigree, but all of the important information behind the pedigree.

Why is it so hard to find a Berner?

Only 2500 pups were born last year and registered with the AKC. Ten years ago it was about 1800, so there isn't a huge increase to go with the increased interest. AND, most important, if you have already owned a Berner, taken good care of it, stayed in contact with your breeder, and it has died, your breeder is more likely to sell you another dog rather than selling to a stranger. Many litters have half or more of their pups going to former owners. Breeders look carefully at potential homes, based on past experience and that of other breeders. If you find a breeder who just sells you a dog without asking questions, you should wonder why?

Copyright © 2002 // Tina C. Desrosiers

Updated: September 2004