The KEY to finding that berner puppy is finding a "responsible & ethical" BREEDER.

Because the demand is high and there are limited reputable breeders, the Bernese Mt Dog "for sale" is starting to show up in pet stores ,commercial internet puppy selling sites "stocked" by the volume puppy mills from the Midwest and being bred by unknowledgeable backyard breeders. These are the same volume puppy mills you've read about and seen exposed on television disclosing some horrendous housing conditions and inhumane treatment. Many are auctioned and/or sold to the pet stores throughout the country; transported like cattle to various parts of the country.

AN INTERNET AD THAT STATES "WE SHIP" IS A HEADS UP TO BE LEERY

IMPORTS: No reputable breeder in a foreign county will send their good dogs to the United States. Only a few of us breeders that are internationally known can be assured of getting excellent healthy breeding stock. DO NOT BUY AN IMPORT. You can not return a sick dog, have a breeder to work with or know anything about the history of the dog.

In your search for a Bernese Mountain Dog, please make sure that the breeder is reputable, a member of the Bernese Mountain Club of America-a code of ethics club, well known and has a proven track record of producing quality champion and family pet Bernese Mountain Dogs. Don't hesitate to ask your breeder for references and please check them.

Select a breeder that you trust! As a general rule, better known breeders will have a better reputation for quality, experience and reliability - that's how they got to be so well recognized. They should have a track record of producing AKC champions and quality offspring.

RUN-DON'T WALK-AWAY if you are taken to see the puppies or the parents that are housed/confined in kennel runs. Always ask where the adults, parents and puppies are raised and maintained "from birth" and into their adult life. The Bernese Mt Dog is very people oriented and should never be raised or housed in kennel runs with limited exercise and socialization. This tells you more about the breeder than anything else no matter what their credentials might be.

The genetic background is what made your puppy.
This knowledge takes years and years of breeding experience from particular genetic lines. Breeders with less experience and pedigree (family history) knowledge should be mentored by an experienced breeder with the genetic knowledge in your puppy's pedigree.

I just want a PET, why worry about the rest!
Your PET came from the same litter with the same genetic background as the very few select pups graded to go on to conformation showing and potential future breeding stock. You want the same qualities that you find in a show dog. Even show dogs are always PETS first with a little more refinement in conformation, type and markings.

Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT)
A must for a breeder to determine which puppy to select for you that matches up with your life style. This test is done at 7 weeks and even the most experienced breeder can be surprised at the results. Nothing is more miserable than trying to live with a puppy that is not suited for your family. It is not the "sex" of the puppy that is important but the puppy's individual personality/temperament to fit in with your family. The most important thing you can do before getting a pup of any breed from any breeder, is to read the book you can get a half.com for $8: The Monks of New Skete book "The Art of Raising Your Puppy"

IF YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY TODDLERS----NEVER adopt an older dog of any breed! NEVER bring home a puppy that has not been temperament tested by the breeder. Make sure you are given a copy of the test along with an explanation why this particular pup is the right pup to join your family.

Longevity
I have been fortunate with the Berners I keep and raise in my home as they have lived lengthy lives. I have not found the average life span of seven years to be factual for my Berners. But, I do not stress the auto-immune system with over vaccinating (dogs develop immunity from the vaccinations just like people and do not need yearly vaccinations). I do not use heartworm, lyme vaccination or any toxins such as flea/tick frontline, advantage, chemical baths,dips or sprays. People are exposed to the same mosquitoes, fleas and ticks. We certainly would not take nor give to our children a drug if a bug bites us; the bug dies from ingesting the toxic blood in "our" bodies. So why on earth would we do it to our dogs and watch their auto-immune system deteriorate over years that should be strong to protect them!
And I feed a raw natural diet combined with a quality kibble ...Eagle Pack Natural and Holistic. Please read my website on Diet and vaccinations. Rabies vaccinations has been proven to be a direct link to cancer in our dogs and our dogs have immunity after the first vaccination.

"IF YOU WOULDN'T DO IT TO YOURSELF OR YOUR CHILD--DO NOT DO IT TO YOUR DOG".
There are safer and less expensive ways to accomplish the same result. For example, Avon's skin-so-soft diluted in a spray bottle of water sprayed on your pet does the same thing as the toxic flea/tick/mosquito chemcals applied to your pet. Early neuter/spay has been proven to cause bone/joint problems in large breed dogs due to lack of hormone growth and taking nutrients from the bones. Wait until after a females first heat cycle and at least a year or longer for a male for a healthier family pet.