7 Things to Know Before Getting a Saint Berdoodle
If you know even a bit about dog breeding, you know that the mantra of every breeder who wants to make a crossbreed that sheds less than its purebred parent – “Mix it with a Poodle and hope for the best.” And that’s certainly what led to the Saint Berdoodle as well.
Joking aside, the Saint Berdoodle is certainly one of the more unique mixes between a Poodle and another breed – in this case, the Saint Bernard. If you’re curious as to what makes this dog so awesome, here are the 7 things to know about the Saint Berdoodle.
The 7 main facts about the Saint Berdoodle
Are you a betting man? If so, get a young Saint Berdoodle puppy. These dogs can quite literally grow into anything from a mid-sized cutie to an absolute heavyweight. Everything else can be quite different too – their coat, health, personality, energy levels, and more.
Fortunately, puppies are usually adopted or purchased at or beyond the 8-week mark when at least a few of those features are already becoming clear. So, if you just wait a bit, you should have a bit more insight into what you’re getting into. Still, this is a crossbreed that laughs at the concept of a “breed standard”.
1. The Berdie’s size can range anywhere from Medium to Giant
If you’re wondering what happens when you cross a giant dog with a mid-sized one, the answer is – anything and everything. A Saint Berdoodle can be as lightweight as a female Standard Poodle, i.e. 40 pounds (18 kg), or as heavy as a giant male Saint Bernard – 180+ pounds (82+ kg).
So, if you live in a relatively small apartment and you think that this Poodle cross will be about as big as a Poodle – you may be setting yourself up for trouble.
The exact size of the puppy will give you some indication as to how big it’s going to grow up to be as an adult, of course. If you see a Saint Berdoodle litter and pick the largest pup, chances are that you’re basically getting a Saint Bernard-sized dog. Still, puppies grow at different rates so no prediction about their adult size can be certain.
As an interesting aside – Saint Berdoodles are obviously only made by crossing a Saint Bernard with a Standard Poodle as trying to them Miniature Poodles would be too ridiculous and impractical. However, there have been attempts at creating a “Miniature Saint Berdoodle” by adding a Cocker Spaniel to the mix as well. That’s a wholly different crossbreed as it involves three purebred dogs.
2. For its varying size, the Saint Berdoodle has a relatively moderate exercise needs in most cases
On average, a Saint Berdoodle should be a good option for people who want the motivation for good and lengthy daily walks but who don’t want an overactive dynamo that needs to spend as much time outdoors as indoors. There is still going to be some variation of course, based on two main factors:
- Which parent breed does your Berdie look more like? Saint Bernards are relatively calm and settled while Poodles are quite active due to their gun dog history
- How big is your dog – even the most energetic small dog gets exhausted after a while whereas one that’s both large and energetic can go on for a bit
Still, overall, most Saint Berdoodles shouldn’t be as hyperactive as a Labrador or a German Shepherd.
3. The Saint Berdoodle’s coat and grooming needs can also be all over the place – figuratively and literally
One of the big reasons why almost every breed in existence has a crossbreed with a Poodle is the Poodle’s excellent low-shedding and near-hypoallergenic coat. And this is something a Saint Bernard can definitely benefit from as well – purebred Saint Bernards can feel like they are shedding half a Poodle a day.
So, was the mix successful in this regard?
Yes and no. As with most other 1st-generation crossbreeds, whether the mix gets the coat of its male or female parent is a matter of a 50/50 chance. So, some Saint Berdoodles will have the Poodle’s single-coat, light, low-shedding, and hypoallergenic coat while others will have a heavy-duty double coat that sheds a ton of hair every day.
Most will be somewhere in between, however – usually double-coated but with the signature curly texture of the Poodle, and moderate shedding and hypoallergenic characteristics.
In terms of color, most Saint Berdoodles will be either black & white or brown & white. Some can be mostly white with a tinge of red and others – mostly red with a bit of white.
Whatever coat your dog has, it will need brushing and grooming, however. That’s done both to minimize the shedding but also to keep your dog’s coat tangle-free and its skin healthy.
As for the extra question of drooling – that’s a matter of a 50/50 chance. It will either have the Saint Bernard’s hanging and dripping lips or not.
4. Whichever way your dog’s looks swing, it will always have a very gentle, smart, and trainable personality
The great thing about this cross is that both its parents are very laid-back, loving, gentle, and smart. After all, both are work breeds that have been bred and trained to live and work alongside their people for centuries. So, regardless of their size or energy levels, you can very much expect this cross to be a very lovable and fun family companion.
In addition to being smart, these dogs should also be very cooperative and easy to train. This is no terrier or scent hound after all – both Saint Bernards and Poodles have strong instincts for respecting their humans’ authority and wanting to please. Obedience training is still a must, of course, but it should go much easier and smoother than with most other breeds.
Do be warned, however, that this lovable nature also means that these dogs are susceptible to separation anxiety. Keep that in mind if you live alone and have to work away from home.
5. Unsurprisingly, these dogs are incredibly social as well
Gong off from the above point, Saint Berdoodles should get along swimmingly with other people outside of their family too. Guests, strangers, random folks at the dog park – as long as you’ve socialized your dog even just a little bit, it should have no trouble being amenable to everyone.
The same goes for other dogs and pets too – a bit of socialization early on and your Saint Berdoodle should be fine with other dogs, cats, and most pets.
6. The Saint Berdoodle is good with kids personality-wise but the large size merits supervision
The high sociability and protective instincts of this crossbreed make it a great choice for families with kids too. And, as these are not dedicated guard dogs, they should be tolerating of your child’s other kid friends too – something that’s often a risk with guard dog breeds like the Doberman or Rottweiler.
The only note to keep in mind here is that an extra-large Saint Berdoodle can pose a physical risk to a toddler or a very small child regardless of how well the two get along. Accidents can simply happen when you have a 180-pound canine playing with a baby so supervision is recommended early in your child’s life.
7. These dogs are surprisingly healthy but there are still a few potential risks to watch out for
When crossing a giant and a medium-sized dog breed, you’d usually expect a lot of potential health issues. As long as the breeding was done adequately and with healthy parents, however, that shouldn’t be that much of an issue. So, most Saint Berdoodles should have a nice and stable lifespan of 8 to 12 years on average.
Still, some health issues to keep an eye for include:
- Bloating (Gastric Dilatation Volvulus)
- Ear infections
- Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
- Skin problems
- Willebrand's disease
- Wobbler Syndrome
Good food, adequate exercise, and routine vet visits should keep such risks to a minimum and give your Saint Berdoodles a relatively long and happy life.
As you can see, the Saint Berdoodle is about as diverse and weird as you’d expect from just hearing about it. With this crossbreed, you can literally have one Berdie dog be 4x times larger and heavier than the other, with a completely different coat, and a largely dissimilar personality too.
In essence, this is one of those crossbreeds that exemplify how much of a lottery getting a crossbreed can be and why. This doesn’t make the Saint Berdoodle a “bad” pet breed, of course. As long as the mix has been bred properly and from healthy parents, this dog is all but guaranteed to be a great family pet. The reason is quite obvious – both Poodles and Saint Bernards are fantastic pets already anyway.
So, as long as you’re up for a little doggy lottery, you can definitely get a Saint Berdoodle and be satisfied with the result. Besides, you can also adopt or purchase a pup that’s a little grown and be more or less aware of how big the dog is going to grow to be and what features it’s going to have.
