Health

We believe that to improve the health of a BMD we must choose dogs for our breeding program with good health and longevity. We must also feed a fresh food diet, minimize vaccines, and avoid environmental toxins. We attempt to treat non-serious health issues with alternative healthcare first before using conventional methods. We use a holistic veterinarian who can treat our dogs with acupuncture, laser, and TCVM medicine. We also ask all puppy owners to delay spay/neutering until the growth plates are closed at the age of 18-24 months.

Diet

We feed a NRC nutritionally balanced raw diet to all of our Bernese. Each diet is personalized to the dog’s caloric needs and growth stages. Many dogs do just fine on kibble, but our dogs thrive on a fresh food diet with bright eyes, shiny coats, and healthy digestive systems. Our dogs eat a variety of foods including turkey, beef, pork, fish, tripe, organ meats, eggs, veggies, berries, medicinal mushrooms, and vitamins and minerals to balance their meals.

Minimal Vaccines

We follow a minimal vaccine protocol and titers to determine the protection from the disease. Our females have nomograph tests through the University of Wisconsin CAVIDS lab to determine the ideal time to vaccinate the puppies.

Exercise for Working Dogs

Our dogs live in our house as our companions and we have a 2 acre fully fenced property where our dogs have access to free play and exploration. Each of our dogs are involved in a variety of sports to engage their working dog brain. They frequently go on walks, hikes, swims, therapy visits, and social outings. Some Berners can be couch potatoes, but many need daily exercise appropriate for a farm dog.

Training

We train our dogs using science based positive reinforcement. We require our puppy owners to complete a puppy class during their critical socialization period and encourage owners to continue training classes for at least the first year of their dog’s life. We highly recommend that each puppy complete the AKC Star Puppy and AKC CGC Program. We ask that puppy owners choose a positive reinforcement trainer who is certified through a professional organization. In our experience, Berners need consistent training throughout their lives, but especially during the critical socialization periods and adolescence. Our goal is to help you have a dog that you can take anywhere!