Walnut Valley Puppies FAQs

We have a reservation list for those that are wanting puppies. The people on our reservation list get first chance at each new litter of puppies. Only after we went through the reservation list do any remaining puppies become available to other people.

See our Reservation List Details page for more details!

Our general goal is to produce approximately 8-10 litters of F1 Mini Bernedoodles, 4-6 litters of F1b Mini & Micro Bernedoodles, and 2-3 litters of Standard Bernedoodles on an annual basis.

‍‍At this point, the approximate wait time for each breed is,

• F1 Mini Bernedoodle = 0-6 months
• F1 Standard Bernedoodle = 3-6 months
• F1B Mini & Micro Bernedoodles = 3-6 months

These numbers are approximate and can vary significantly based on the many variables in our puppy's life. We only breed our females if they are healthy and ready for pregnancy. Even then, there is no guarantee that they will have puppies, or how many they will have if they do get pregnant.

Bernedoodles can have several different coat types. Bernedoodle hair styles are influenced by their Poodle and Bernese Mountain Dog heritage and primarily fall into three categories:

The Three Different Bernedoodle Coat Types

• Curly Coat: This coat type sheds the least and is considered the most hypoallergenic. It features tight curls with a soft texture, much like a Poodle's. If they shed, the hair tends to get trapped within the curls, requiring brushing and frequent trimming to prevent matting. This is often the best choice for owners with dog dander allergies.
• Wavy Coat: This is the most common Bernedoodle coat, offering low-to-non shedding qualities. It's free-flowing with a lightly kinked or wavy appearance. Most individuals with dog dander allergies tolerate this coat type well.
• Straight Coat: The least common and least hypoallergenic, straight haired bernedoodles typically shed the most. Despite the name, they can have a slight wave. Their length often depends on the parent dogs' hair length.

Remember, grooming significantly impacts a Bernedoodle's appearance, so consider this when viewing photos.

For a more in-depth look at bernedoodle hair styles, check out our blog post with photos and more details on each coat type.

Yes, Bernedoodles do shed. However, due to their often wavy or curly coats, the shedding is usually very minimal, making Bernedoodles hypoallergenic.

Bernedoodles generally shed far less than their Bernese Mountain Dog parent, thanks to the Poodle genetics. However, the amount of shedding can vary significantly depending on several factors:

• Coat Type:
  • Curly coats (more Poodle-like) tend to shed the least. These are often preferred by people with allergies.
  • Wavy coats shed minimally and are also often good for allergy sufferers.
  • Straight coats (more Bernese-like) will shed the most, but still less than their Bernese parents. Bernedoodles of this coat type are not as common.
• Generation:
  • F1 Bernedoodles (50% Bernese, 50% Poodle) have the most variable shedding, as they can inherit a mix of coat traits.
  • F1b Bernedoodles (F1 Bernedoodle bred back to a Poodle, making them 75% Poodle) typically shed less due to the increased Poodle influence.
• "Furnishings": This refers to the longer facial hair (eyebrows, mustache, beard) that comes from the Poodle. Dogs with furnishings generally shed less than those without.
• Grooming: Regular brushing (2-3 times a week) and professional grooming every 6-8 weeks are important to manage shedding and prevent matting, regardless of coat type.
• Health and Diet: A healthy diet and overall well-being can also impact coat health and shedding levels.

While no dog is truly 100% hypoallergenic, Bernedoodles with more Poodle-like, curly or wavy coats are often a good choice for individuals with allergies due to their low shedding.

After you successfully reserve your new family member, the next steps focus on getting your ready to bring your Bernedoodle puppy home, ensuring their health, and preparing for their future.

1. Bringing Your Puppy Home

You have several options for receiving your puppy: local pickup, ground delivery to your home or a meeting point, a flight nanny who personally escorts your puppy in-cabin, or airport pickup where you fly to meet us. As a reminder, final payment is due one week prior to pickup or delivery, and we'll send an invoice detailing the balance.

2. Thinking About Your Puppy's Health And Diet

We'll provide a small starter supply of pawTree dog food, which we highly recommend for your puppy's optimal health. Please schedule a vet visit within 72 hours of bringing your puppy home; remember to take their health records with you.

3. Preparing for Training Your Puppy

Consider your puppy's training needs. We recommend Baxter & Bella online puppy school for comprehensive virtual support or Milo's Puppy Boot Camp for in-person board and train services.

A Bernedoodle's life expectancy is typically between 10 and 18 years, with smaller sizes often living longer.

Due to the inbreeding that took place to bring the Bernese Mountain Dog back into population from the brink of extinction, Bernese Mountain Dogs are vulnerable to several genetic disorders and often have short lifespans.

F1 Standard Bernedoodles: 11-14 years

Because standard Bernedoodles are the offspring of cross-breeding a Bernese Mountain Dog with a poodle, the lifespan of an F1 Standard Bernedoodle is longer than that of a Bernese Mountain Dog, ranging from 11-14 years.

F1 Mini Bernedoodles: 13-17 years

F1 Mini Bernedoodles, however, often live a little longer since mini and toy poodles have a longer lifespan than standard poodles. The lifespan of F1 Mini Bernedoodles ranges from 13-17 years.

F1B Micro Bernedoodles: 14-18 years

F1B Micro and F1B Mini Bernedoodles have a lifespan of 14-18 years. This longer lifespan is due to the fact they have a higher percentage of poodle genetics and lower percentage of Bernese Mountain dog genetics.

Of course, other factors such as genetics, diet, and overall care influence the life expectancy of a Bernedoodle.

At Walnut Valley Puppies, all of our parent dogs are health-tested prior to breeding, enabling us to guarantee the genetic health of our puppies with our 5-Year Genetic Health Guarantee!

To learn more about how we test our dogs and about our 5-Year Genetic Health Guarantee, check our Health Guarantee page!

Puppies can go home at 8 weeks old. You should make arrangements in advance for your “Gotcha Day”.  

As important as the first 8 weeks are in a puppy's development, most of a puppy's training, and socialization happens after they leave us...when they go home with you!

The task of training a puppy can be an overwhelming thought to some people, especially when this is your first puppy, or it has been several years since you have had a puppy. This is one reason we were drawn to BAXTER & Bella! While most puppy training classes last for a few weeks or months, the BAXTER & Bella puppy school has lifetime access to 60+ online, step-by-step lessons that you can take at your own pace from your home. Plus, you have access to over 100 videos, printable checklists and charts, field trip activities with your puppy, and more! You can book a LIVE Zoom or Voice call anytime with a professional trainer anytime and as often as you want to at no additional charge!

Walnut Valley Puppies has partnered with BAXTER & Bella to give you a 25% discount on their lifetime membership.

Most puppies will need to eat 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The quantity varies, depending on the age and size of the puppy, and the quality of the food. If you aren't feeding a certain amount daily, we recommend giving them a generous bowl of food for 10-15 minutes, and once they lose interest in eating, take it away. Take your puppy out to the bathroom for the next 20 minutes. Don’t feed your puppy too late at night or your pup will need to go to the bathroom more often when you want to be sleeping!

There is an important period of time between 8-16 weeks when puppies learn many of their social skills, but it is also a time when fears and nervous behaviors can develop. We want our puppies to be kept safe from communicable diseases before they are fully immunized (which is typically under 16-18 weeks), but it is also important to have them meet new people, dogs, smells, sounds, and textures during this time. Having your puppy go with you to safe places - trusted family members and friends’ homes where you know that their dogs are healthy and fully immunized is a good compromise between keeping your puppy away from potential illnesses but also allowing them to experience new things to help them develop into confident, well-adjusted adults.

Taking them for car rides, having positive experiences is SO important, but also keep them away from places that carry high risks for Parvo and other illnesses. Keep your under-immunized puppy away from pet stores and high-traffic places like dog parks and sidewalks. When you go to the vet, hold your puppy off the ground. Puppies lick their paws, and so be aware in the first 2 months that they can pick things up at places like the vet from other sick dogs, but taking precautions like removing your shoes before entering your house and not letting the puppy lick shoes and other contaminated surfaces will help reduce the risk. Don’t let your puppy miss out on fun new experiences, but just be careful about how you do it.

Yes! Your puppy will be fully up-to-date on all de-worming and vaccinations! The puppies are typically de-wormed 3 times before they go home (e.g. at 3, 4, 7 weeks) and have their first sets of vaccinations. You will receive a health record with your puppy with the vaccination/deworming history. Your vet can discuss the best plan for follow up boosters at your first vet appointment when the puppy goes home.

Please note that puppies may pick up common parasites, such as giardia, coccidia, roundworm, etc. We do a lot to prevent and eliminate these parasites by putting dogs and pups on a strict deworming program, and more. However, mother dogs tend to be more vulnerable to parasites when they have puppies, and may pass parasites along to the pups. Depending on the life cycle of the particular parasite, it is possible that a few pups will go home with one.  If for any reason your puppy does not check through clear at the first vet visit and needs some sort of treatment or medication, we will reimburse you 100% for that cost. But only if you take your puppy to a Licensed Veterinary within 72 hours.

Learn more about how we ensure the full health of your puppy here.

To ensure the health of your new pet, we recommend pawTree dog food to all of our adoptive pet owners. In our opinion, pawTree sells the best dog food and supplements on the market. It’s what we feed our growing puppies before they’re adopted, and a key ingredient to our 5-Year Genetic Health Guarantee. And since we believe in pawTree foods and products so much, we’ve extended our Genetic Health Guarantee to 5 full years if you feed pawTree dog foods during that time.

Here’s a bit more of what you can expect by feeding pawTree:

• Your puppy fueled with the proper nutrition needed for optimal health and vitality
• No filler or by-products—just named-animal proteins and powerful antioxidants
• With proper nutrition, you can feed less food per day—saving money and digestive health
• Proper nutrition and exercise is the ultimate preventative against costly vet visits

Plus, pawTree stands behind their products with a 90 day money back (no return necessary) satisfaction guarantee and promise to make any issues right if you aren’t absolutely satisfied—making your first order a no-brainer.

Learn more about pawTree food and and get a 20% discount on your first order.

We talk with a lot of people who either got scammed or almost got scammed and are very nervous because they don't know how to avoid it happening again. Here are a few tips on how to steer clear of shady websites and scammers who are only out to get your money. We have done a bunch of research on scam websites and can now spot one easily without ever talking to the people who are running it.

We've put together a list of some of the most tell-tale signs and tips on how to avoid getting scammed. You can learn more by clicking the button below and going to the full page.

If you aren't sure if the person you are dealing with is a scam, feel free to call or text me (Javin) at 618-421-5246.

Walnut Valley Puppies is located at Flat Rock in southern Illinois, 4 hours south of Chicago and 2.5 hours east of St Louis, Missouri.

We are about 2 hours from the Indianapolis International Airport.

• F1 Standard: $3,950
• F1 Mini: $4,450
• F1 Micro: $4,450

There is a $1500 additional charge for breeding rights for your puppy!

*In the case of a price change, we are committed to honoring the Bernedoodle puppy's cost at the time of your deposit.*

While we do not have a binding contract, we do require our puppies to be spayed/neutered! If you wish to adopt a puppy to use for breeding purposes please contact us before joining the reservation list to talk about full registration and additional cost of adopting a puppy without a spay/neuter agreement!

We allow puppies to be adopted for breeding purposes (without a spay/neuter agreement) to qualifying breeders at an additional charge. Breeding rights are available for our F1 Mini Bernedoodles as well as our F1B Mini & Tiny Bernedoodles. Breeding rights are NOT available for our F1 Standard Bernedoodles!

Final payments (including any shipping costs) are due before the puppies are ready to go home at eight weeks (Unless paying cash at pickup/delivery). Final payments can be made via Check, Cash, Bank Transfer, or PayPal/Credit Card. Balance payments that are paid with PayPal or Credit Card will be subject to a 3% processing fee. (We personally pay the fee on all initial deposits made with Credit Card or PayPal.)

If paying by PayPal, you can make your final payment here.

Local pickup and ground shipping

Local pickup is welcome, but we do sell a lot of puppies that need to be transported. If you can't pick up locally, we have several ground shipping options available. We can (in most situations) deliver directly to your home for $1.50 per mile (One way). If we have more than one puppy going to the same area, we can often split the delivery fee and get a much better rate. We would be happy to discuss the options with you and help you decide which option is best for you.

‍
Flying Puppies

We do not hire outside flight nannies. Our puppies are personally delivered by one of the Walnut Valley Puppies team members. The puppies are flown with us in the cabin and are delivered to you at your local airport.  They are carried in a breathable, soft travel carrier, have a chance to go to the bathroom along the way, and get lots of love and snuggles as they travel. The price is $475 (this includes the $125 pet fee) plus the price of the airline ticket.

‍
Airport Pickup

If you want to fly the puppy yourself, we can meet you at the Indianapolis Airport for $175 within business hours. You will then be responsible for purchasing your own airline tickets.

Please note! Any puppies picked up in Illinois are subject to 6.25% state sales tax. Puppies that are flown or picked up/delivered outside of Illinois are not taxed.

Yes, all puppies have their dew claws removed at 3-5 days of age. They will be groomed and active dogs throughout their lives, and we feel that this gives them the best chance of not having the dew claw snagged while being groomed or out playing.

Yes! At Walnut Valley Puppies, we take the health of our dogs seriously. Our goal is not to just breed cute puppies and sell them as quickly as possible. Rather, we aim to provide you with a wonderful companion that brings you joy for the many years ahead. Because of this, our rigorous breeding practices, and a passion for caring for our customers, we confidently offer up to a 5-Year Genetic Health Guarantee on all of our puppies.

Puppies are live animals—not robots or pieces of furniture! As such, we cannot control the exact outcome of their health. That being said, there is a lot we can do to give them the best shot at a long, healthy life. We also want you to know that our care for you and your puppy does not end after bringing your new puppy home. In the case of any issue arising, we are here to support and see you through it. 

There are many things that can affect the long-term health of a dog including genetics. While genetic health is an issue of concern, an equal or greater factor is diet and exercise. Because of the importance of a dog's diet, if you feed your puppy pawTree food, we will extend the Genetic Health Guarantee to five years—covering your new puppy with the same reimbursement promise for as long as pawTree food is fed for a period of up to five years.

Check out our Health Guarantee page to learn more!

Deposits are 50% Refundable and can be refunded for any reason prior to being attached to a certain puppy. There is no way that you can know for sure that we will have a puppy for you in the future, and we understand that. We fully respect your decision if you find a puppy elsewhere or change your mind for any other reason. In such a case we would refund 50% of your deposit. ($250.00 on a $500.00 deposit)

Please Note! After you pick a puppy the deposit becomes completely non-refundable and goes towards the final price of the puppy. Reservations are honored in order of deposits placed.

All Bernedoodles are born with pink noses. As the puppies grow older, their black pigmentation sets in and the nose fully fills to a nice black nose that we all know and love. Most puppies have a full black nose by the time they are 8 weeks old. Some puppies will take longer and may not have a full black nose until they're 2-4 months of age.

Occasionally there is a puppy that never gets a fully black nose.

Our Bernedoodles come in three breed sizes - Standard, Miniature, and Tiny.

• An F1 Standard Bernedoodle is a cross between the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Standard Poodle. Our F1 Standard Bernedoodles will usually stand 23-29 inches at the shoulder and weigh 70-100 or more pounds. Most standard Bernedoodles are in the 70-90 pound range. Females are usually smaller than males.
• An F1 Miniature Bernedoodle is a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Miniature Poodle. Our F1 Mini Bernedoodles usually stand between 17 and 22 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 25 to 65 pounds with most of them weighing 35-45 lbs. Again females tend to be smaller than males.
• An F1B Tiny Bernedoodle is the result of breeding an F1 Mini Bernedoodle to a Miniature Poodle. F1B Tiny Bernedoodles usually stand between 12 and 17 inches tall and weigh between 15 and 25 pounds. Again, these puppies tend to be more hypoallergenic and usually less shedding than the F1 Bernedoodles.

Bernedoodles are like poodles in that they have hair, not fur. This means that they will require regular brushing to keep them free from matting. Because the hair of bernedoodles are prone to matting, you must brush their hair 2 to 3 times a week with a specialized dog brush. From the time they are puppies, it is a good idea to brush your dogs hair every day to get them used to regular grooming. Bernedoodles do well being clipped every 8-12 weeks. This is dependent on your preferences and your dog's activities. An active outdoor doodle will enjoy a shorter cut more frequently. Beginning the grooming process as soon as you bring your puppy home will go a long way to ensuring that grooming becomes a wonderful bonding experience between you and your pet!

The curlier the coat the more professional grooming they will need. Without grooming, the dog runs the risk of getting a matted coat and may need to be shaved to prevent further issues. A wavy or straight coat can be easily groomed by brushing when you bathe your dog (bi-weekly, monthly, etc).

• F1 refers to the cross between two purebred dogs- A Bernese Mountain Dog crossed to a Poodle. This generation cross gives a 50/50 mix. Genetically they will have a combination of attributes between the two parents. Coats in F1s can vary in terms of the percentage of hair shedding. Some will be nearly completely non-shedding and others will have a percentage of hair that still sheds. There can be variation within this generation in terms of coat but most will be a loose wavy coat through to a curly wave. The reason someone would choose this generation is that they have a more even combination of the genetics and personality of the parent breeds. In Bernedoodles the F1s typically have the most Bernese colors, blockiness and personality.‍
• F1B’s are a Bernedoodle crossed to a Poodle- with 75% poodle, their coats are usually fairly consistently, low to non-shedding. Typically, half of the litter will be have a curly coat and half will have a looser wavy coat. They are more suited to a family that may have mild allergies or that feel strongly about shedding in their dog. Their build will usually be a little less blocky and their colors can vary more than the F1’s.‍
• F2 or Multi-Generational refer to two Bernedoodle parents that are bred together to achieve a multi-generational cross. The attributes can vary, but the idea behind multi-gen breeding is to reach a consistent pairing between desirable attributes from both parents. All purebred dogs today come from many generations of breeding multi-gen crosses to achieve a consistent breed standard. There can be variation in the mix of genes that each multi-gen puppy gets, but with many generations, a predictable set of traits and looks will emerge.

Yes, Bernedoodles are considered a hypoallergenic breed. However, there is no such thing as a fully hypoallergenic dog, as people can also be allergic to dog saliva or urine, etc. For those with mild to medium pet allergies, doodles make a wonderful addition to the family, as they are usually low shed to no shed.  For a person with severe allergies we want to ensure that the puppy you take home has as curly a coat as possible. An F1B is usually recommended for people with more severe allergy problems. If you have concerns, we suggest that you get further allergy testing done as well as take some time to interact with doodles and their humans in your area before purchasing a puppy.