Ask The Breeder

When people say that its easier to adopt a child than obtain a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, they aren't joking! Most ethical breeders will have long waiting lists, you may have to wait a year or more. Other not-so-ethical breeders will be more than willing to hand you a puppy sooner but its in your own and the puppy's best interests for you to wait for the right breeder to have the right puppy for you.

Its important for you to get to know your potential puppy's breeder. Do they breed in a way that you feel comfortable with? Or does it appear that they are only interested in making money from the breed? When you buy a puppy from them, you should expect some level of support although this will vary between breeders. An occasional phone call to make sure the puppy is thriving shows that the breeder cares for the puppy after they leave the dam.

Questions

Here are some questions you might find useful to ask your puppy's breeder:-

• Does the puppy's breeder plan on keeping any pups from the litter? If not, why not? Breeders should be breeding to improve the Bernese Mountain Dog breed. How can this be done if they don't keep a pup from that litter? Of course, the breeder may have a genuine reason for not keeping a puppy from a particular litter but ask this question anyway and see what their answer is.

• What health problems are in the lines that the puppy has come from? All lines have health issues. Find out what they are so that you can be prepared for them if they occur. Also find out how the breeder is trying to improve on health problems.

• What kinds of noise/experiences have the pups been exposed to? Have they been in the car? Have they met any children? How they reacted to children is especially important if you have children of your own. It's important that puppies are gently exposed to all sorts of situations and noises during their early socialisation period (up to 12 weeks).

• What are the temperments of the parents like? You should be able to see the mother when you see the puppies. (Alarm bells should go off in your head if the breeder is unwilling to let you see the dam.) Even though the dam will have natural maternal instincts, she should still be friendly and outgoing. The dam should be willing to be petted and be good-natured. Remember, for better or worse, the puppies are likely to have a similiar temperment to their mother, not only because of genetics but also because of the strong effect her physical example will have. If she is nervous of certain things or people, the pups will see her reaction and will likely be effected by it.

• Is it possible to see the father? Of course, the sire makes up the other half of the puppies' genes so it's important to know what he is like. If he lives near to you or the breeder, then it may be possible to see him. If this is not possible, ask the breeder about him. What is his temperment like? Is he shown? (You may be able to see him at a show if he is shown.) Does he participate in carting? obedience? agility? or something else? What made the breeder choose this particular dog as stud? Perhaps the breeder could provide you with a photo of the puppies' father. You may even be able to speak with the stud-dog's owner. This would be useful if you wanted to find out health information and so on.

• What will happen the puppy if, for some unforseen reason, you can no longer keep him? Good breeders will always take the dog back or, at the very least, help with rehoming it. Other breeders wash their hands of the puppy as soon as it is sold. Who would you rather buy your puppy from?