Saint Berdoodle Basics

Some big dogs a giant and intimidating creatures destined for protection. Others are lovable lugs who act more like a big, furry, lovable, and huggable roommate. The Berdoole falls into the second category. This is a dog destined to be bring nothing by smiles and cuddles into your life, despite their massive frame.

Smart, social, and affectionate, the Saint Berdoodle is a gentle giant that will charm you in an instant. These friendly dogs have quickly gained popularity, mostly owing to their fluffy teddy bear looks and wonderful personality. They are intelligent, people-oriented, and make good therapy or service dogs, but it’s mostly the role of companionship that they were bred from. These are designer dogs bred for their affection and companionship. To say they deliver on those qualities would be an understatement. Saint Berdoodles inspire joy everywhere they go.

As a mixed breed dog that comes from crossbreeding a Standard Poodle with a Saint Bernard, this hybrid will inherit traits from both of his parents. Needless to say, this unusual combination of breeds is attractive to many, mostly because of the potential for the combo of low-shedding coat and intelligence from the Poodle parent, as well as the calmness and sweetness of Saint Bernard. The breed might be too rare and recent to make definite conclusions, but it does seem that the breeders managed to create a new hybrid that inherits some fantastic traits from both mom and dad. The hybrid offers a winning canine combination for any owner.

While loving and good natured, the Saint Berdoodle comes in a large size, which means he may not be a good fit for families with extremely young children (it’s far easier to train children to play gently with small and fragile dogs than the other way around). That said, he does do well with other dogs and family pets and his social nature means he loves to be the center of attention. He will not appreciate any other animals stealing away the attention of his owner. Because of this intense need for human interaction, he would do best in a household where he is not left on his own for extended periods of time because he has a destructive side that may surface.

Does this designer breed sound like the right dog for you? Read on to find out more about the quirks and needs of the Saint Berdoodle before you adopt one of these big teddy bears. They are wonderful pets to be sure, but whether or not they will fit into your home is another question entirely. So keep your eyes glued to this page and scroll away to find out if the Saint Berdoodle will be coming home with you sometime soon.

The Saint Berdoodle does well with other dogs and family pets and his social nature means he loves to be the center of attention.

Origin

Just like most designer dogs, the origin of the Saint Berdoodle remains unclear. No one knows with certainty when people started intentionally breeding Poodle and Saint Bernard mixes. The key word in that sentence being intentionally. There have probably been accidental crosses of the two breeds throughout history, but they weren’t recognized as a designer dog breed until recently. It’s highly likely that this hybrid was first developed during the 1980s, when designer dog craze first started. Breeders started crossing Poodles with various different breeds to get a new ‘doodle’ mix that would combine the best of both worlds. The Saint Berdoodle was one of the many designer dogs to result from this trend.

This hybrid originated in the U.S and while it is a relatively need breed, the Saint Berdoodle’s lineage dates back to 1885 when the St. Bernard was first inducted into the American Kennel Club. Described as patient, friendly and outgoing, this wonderful family dog also shares some genes with the Standard Poodle, which joined the AKC in 1887 but has been around since the 17th century where he was used as a working dog in the military. Just like every other designer dog, the AKC sadly does not recognize the Saint Berdoodle.

Pedigree

The lovely Saint Berdoodle is a hybrid breed that originates from two purebred parents. To develop this adorable dog, breeders used purebred Saint Bernards and purebred Standard Poodles. This type of designer dog is the most common and it is known as a first generation hybrid. While many believe that these dogs are the healthiest mixes around, there are no guarantees. The best chance you’ll have is to choose the breeder carefully- avoid pet stores and dubious puppy mills (it’s truly tragic what goes on at some puppy mills and they should be avoided at all costs). Good breeding and upbringing will ensure your pooch is healthy, and not simply the fact that he’s a first generation designer dog. Of course, the direct result of crossbreeding is a certain degree of unpredictability. There is no uniformity with designer dogs. Each pooch is unique, even amongst puppies born to the same litter. That’s just one of the reasons why people adore these hybrids.

There are also the second generation Saint Berdoodles, which are the result of multigenerational crossbreeding. These litters come from crossing two unrelated Saint Berdoodles, and the goal is to create a more uniform standard of the breed, that would eventually lead to official breed status and recognition. We’re still many years and generations away from second generation Saint Berdoodles developing enough consistency to be given official breed status, but these dogs are available for owners looking for a slightly more predictable pooch.

Like many designer dogs, the Saint Berdoodle breed has grown tremendously in popularity over the last few years but he is not eligible to be registered with groups such as the American Kennel Club ( AKC) due to his mixed breed status. However, despite the inability to register Saint Berdoodle litters with AKC for pedigree papers, a reputable breeder will offer other assurances- such as health guarantee and insight into the purebred parents’ lineage and papers. If you find a Saint Berdoodle breeder who is unwilling to provide this documentation, then they should likely be avoided. Asking for papers a good way to checking to see how reputable any breeder may be. Sadly, there are far too many puppy mills out there operating with unsafe practices and they should not be encouraged with your business.

Food/Diet

Saint Berdoodles require a substantial calorie intake as they grow and to maintain energy and stamina as they reach adulthood. Typically, a large dog should be fed a high quality dry food twice daily with amounts totaling between 4 to 10 cups per day. The amount will depend on his age, size, build and activity level.

As always, if you have any concerns about establishing or altering your dog’s diet, it’s worth checking in with a veterinarian first. While pet blogs and pet food manufacturers provide useful feeding guidelines, they are still only guidelines and should never be treated as gospel. All dogs are different, each with their own dietary needs. The only person qualified to determine the specific diet of your personal pup is a vet. So, always defer to your vet’s expertise before making any changes to your pup’s diet for the best results.

His eager to please personality and heavier size means he loves to perform any task requested of him… then take a little nap.

Training

This is considered to be a highly intelligent pooch, so owners can expect their dog to be fairly easy to train. His eager-to-please personality and heavier size means he loves to perform any task requested of him…and then take a little nap. He will require early socialization and obedience training and requires a handler who can be a calm, consistent, yet dominant pack leader. As with most breeds, he does well with gentle, reward-focused training versus a heavy-handed approach. Anything less that positive reinforcement and reward-based training is close to abuse and should be avoided at all costs.

Weight

This is a big boy and he will typically weigh in at between 110 and 200 pounds. The substantial difference in size is down to whether his hybrid lineage is more reflective of the Standard poodle or the Saint Bernard. This is big boy and that should definitely be part of the decision to bring one of these pups into your home. Obviously they won’t do well in small apartments. They need space to thrive (and not damage everything in your home).

Temperament/Behavior

The Saint Berdoodle is an affectionate and loving dog who thrives on being the center of attention and getting involved in all family activities. Being such a social animal, it should come as no surprise that he doesn’t do well when left on his own and his strong sense of family can result in a dog that is destructive if he lacks proper supervision and interaction for extended periods. They are wary of strangers and are known to safeguard their territory, family and the property as they deem necessary.

Common Health Problems

As with most hybrids many of the serious health issues that plague the parent breeds can often by-pass their offspring. New pet parents can never assume this will be the case however, so should do their homework on any hybrid animal. For the Saint Berdoodle, this can include hip dysplasia, ear infections, Wobbler Syndrome, bloat, skin problems and Willebrand’s diseases – which impact his blood’s ability to clot. It’s always wise to maintain regular checkups with a vet (especially as your dog enters his senior years) to ensure that any potential health issues are identified and treated as early as possible.

Life Expectancy

The average life span of a Saint Berdoodle is 10-12 years.

Exercise Requirements

The Saint Berdoodle is a big boy and will require daily rigorous walks to keep him mentally and physically active. He will need an owner who is able to handle his large physique and early leash training is essential in order to make the most of outings. Note that his larger, bulky size means that he does not have limitless energy levels so don’t expect your new pooch to become your running or cycling buddy. He is social, so off-leash dog parks will provide him with a great outlet, as will a home with a fenced yard that offers him plenty of room to run, play and roam at will.

The Saint Berdoodle is an affectionate, loving dog who thrives on being the center of attention and getting involved in all family activities.

AKC

As a hybrid, the Saint Berdoodle does not qualify to be a member of the American Kennel Club however he is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, Dog Registry of America, Inc., International Designer Canine Registry, Designer Dogs Kennel Club, and the Designer Breed Registry

Coat

The Saint Berdoodle often inherits his size and stature from the Saint Bernard and his coat from the Standard poodle. While typically curly and comprised of both coarse and silky hair, he is a low- to moderate-shedder which makes him a great fit for owners with allergies. For those wanting to ensure their dog leans towards “low” shedding, choose one with a curlier coarse coat. Grooming of this big boy depends on the type of coat but daily brushing and combing is ideal and a regular check of his ears and eyes should be done to reduce the chance for infection. Bathing can be done as infrequently as once per month or as needed.

Puppies

New owners may be hoping to adopt the non-shedding variety of the Saint Berdoodle – the pup whose coat is curly and takes after the Poodle versus the Saint Bernard. Typically, a breeder can tell by about the 4-5 week mark when the hair on the pup’s muzzle is growing towards the eyes and the fur on his legs is getting fuller – in some instances the pup’s curly coat will be obvious, so dilemma solved! Their coat will typically lighten up as they grow, with their permanent coat color and texture presenting by the one year mark.

Photo credit: usestangerines/Flickr; Jennifer/Flickr; Tammy and Dozer/Flickr