FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Puppy Reservation - The Process
The first thing to be aware of is that adopting one of our puppies is a process. It takes time.
Our reservation list usually opens once a pregnancy has been confirmed.
Once our reservation list opens, we begin scheduling interviews to meet potential families, and for families to meet us and our dogs and puppies (if born at that time).
There is an interview fee of $30 (more details below).
If both parties agree to move forward, a deposit will have to be provided in order to lock in your reservation (more details below).
A deposit gives you a spot on a wait list. If puppies have been born at the time your deposit is received, that confirms one puppy from that litter will likely join your family. If a deposit is received prior to puppies being born, there is a chance there may not be enough puppies for all the families, at which point we will select which families get to adopt a puppy.
Please note we reserve the right to keep puppies from any litter.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REVOKE ANY ADOPTION AT ANY POINT DURING THE PROCESS.
The best way to be up to date on when our reservation list opens is via our Instagram account.
Puppy Selection Process
We personally work with families in matching family lifestyles with individual puppy temperaments to try for best compatibility.
We do not place puppies with families based on phenotype (how a puppy looks).
We breed purebred Bernese Mountain Dogs for health and temperament. They are raised in a loving and knowledgeable environment, as such the behavioral standard comes with each and every one of our puppies.
Our focus is trying to merge an individual’s puppy personality, drive and focus, with a family’s lifestyle and Bernese breed experience (if any).
We want both, our families, and puppies to succeed together.
Interview Fee
There is a $30 fee per video call interview. This amount will apply to the $500 fee deposit if both parties agree to move forward.
The $30 charge is non-refundable otherwise.
Please note that an interview does not guarantee a puppy.
Puppy Price
Our puppies are $4,200
Deposit
A $500 deposit will be required to reserve a puppy.
When placing a deposit after the video call interview, the amount will be $470. That combined with the $30 interview, equates a total of $500.
Deposits are refundable up until a puppy turns 14 days of age. On the day the puppy (from the litter you’ve been assigned to) turns 14 days old, your deposit becomes non-refundable under any circumstance. Your deposit will be used for puppy supplies such as food, enrichment, medical provisions, veterinary services, etc.
If we personally decide to no longer adopt out one of our puppies to you, we will also provide a refund.
Please note deposit refunds are $470. The $30 interview fee is non-refundable, as this service was provided.
Can I place a deposit for a future litter?
Not at this time.
For updates, please follow us on Instagram and / or our website regarding when our reservation list opens.
Thank you for your interest!
Do you have a mailing list or notification system?
Not at this time.
Due to the amount of inquiries we receive, and the many variables in between when a family reaches out to us and puppies arrive in our home, we are unable to notify individual families.
If you are interested in a future litter, please reach out to us when that litter has been confirmed and the timing is right for you.
What if I don't have Instagram?
Our website is updated with dates and news as we have them under the “Puppies” tab.
In this section, you will also find a “Deposit Application Form” once we have confirmed a litter and our wait list opens in the future (It will not appear when our reservation list is closed).
Please know our Instagram account is more than a social media platform for us.
It is a tool we use as a space in which our families are able to see our dogs, and watch us work directly with puppies as they develop.
As such, if the timing is right, and a puppy adoption from us becomes a possibility, we would invite you to consider obtaining an account, (if only to be an observer). We post as often as time allows when we have puppies home. Our families are able to see the puppies grow as well as get an inkling for personalities, it is part of the experience, and we love knowing our puppy families get to experience the journey with us.
Staying in touch is a requirement
We stay in touch with each and every family that has welcomed one of our Berners into their home.
It is a requirement that potential families be willing and open to have a relationship with us. We lovingly raise and care for each and every puppy bred in our home. As such, we love hearing from our puppies and dogs as time goes by. We tend to check in at different puppy / adult life stages and we welcome our families to reach out with any questions or concerns they may have regarding a puppy / dog they adopted from us.
Can we visit your home?
We do not accept visitors.
This is due to health and safety reasons.
However, if you have a deposit in place, we are happy to video call with you and showcase the puppies.
If you would like to learn more about our practices and how we raise puppies in our home, we invite you to check our Instagram account. We have many videos of us working with the puppies and interacting with our dogs. You may also see us working with puppies from past litters on our Puppy Culture Page.
Do you offer full registration / Breeding rights?
No.
Puppies come with limited registration. They are placed as “Pet only”.
Spay / Neuter Contract
All puppies will come with a non-breeding contract policy.
We strongly recommend all our puppies retain their hormone-producing organs as long as possible, as such we recommend a vasectomy for males and an OSS or Ovary-sparing spay for females.
If you would like to learn about these procedures and the science behind it, we invite you to check the following website:
You may also find more information in this regard on our Blog entry:
Purchase Contract
A contract will be required to be signed by both parties at time of exchange. The contract covers neuter / spay requirements, health guarantee, buyer-seller protection, confirmation of exchange, etc.
Health Testing
Our breeding dogs are AKC, UKC / FCI registered and tested when coming of age. They are OFA tested and certified for Hips, Elbows, Eyes and Heart. Genetic clearances for Bernese-specific diseases are performed as well.
We are one of the very few Bernese breeders that also tests for HS (Histiocytic Sarcoma) markers.
Please note: We do not post our clearances on our website due to scammers. Our dogs records are easily found on the OFA and Bernergarde websites.
Our Guarantee
We strive to provide genetically sound puppies with breed specific temperament.
- Multi-championship lineages as proof of excellent conformation.
- Multi-generational health testing and clearances for an optimal genetic foundational start.
- All breed-specific clearances for a great genetic foundation.
- All of our dogs tests results can be easily found on Bernergarde.org
- Our dogs and puppies are fed home made diet. This nourishes our moms and unborn pups, providing them with the best building blocks for cellular development, such as a stronger immune system, gastrointestinal system, brain function, amongst many others.
- We raise our puppies with Puppy Culture, which is a foundational program based on behavioral markers, to help raise well socialized puppies, as well as help them develop a sturdier nervous system.
- We provide Nomographs, which helps us know exactly when to vaccinate to prevent over-vaccination.
- Puppies go home up to date vaccines, dewormed, microchipped, examined by our Veterinarian and when possible pre-registered with the AKC or UKC.
We aim to breed puppies with multi-generations of health clearances to provide better chances of long-healthy lives for future generations.
With all the health testing you implement, will my Bernerlandia Bernese will be exempt from health issues later in life?
It is our goal to provide the best foundation for our puppies in hope of a life without too many health complications. However, it is not possible for us guarantee what life will do.
There is an infinite amount of genetic markers and lifestyle choices that can trigger conditions such as dysplasias, cancers and / or other health issues.
Lifetime Support
We are committed to our puppies for life, and this applies to our puppy owners as well. We will assist with questions or concerns as time allows. If at any point you are unable to care for your puppy / dog please let us know immediately.
Do you offer shipping?
We do not ship our puppies.
Puppies must be picked up from our home or nanny flight arrangements must be made by their potential family. Puppies will not be allowed to fly cargo alone.
Where are you located?
We are located in Upstate New York (not the city).
