Moonstruck Bernedoodles
Temperament
Temperament is a tricky subject in the dog world. It's not a "black and white" subject like a medical health test. It is very hard to prove that a dog has a genetically poor temperament. This is because temperament is affected by both genetics and by life experiences. Breeders, generally, will always blame the owner for behaviour issues, even when the dog's inherent temperament is unsound. If you spend time in the dog world long enough, you quickly realize that "it's never the breeder's problem" even if it is.
1. It is up to you, the puppy buyer, to ensure that you are obtaining a dog that is sound both in health and in mind. How do you do this? Well, you need to choose the right breeder. You need to be confident in the breeder's ability to identify personality traits and potential temperament flaws both in their breeding stock and in their young puppies. If you are not confident in the breeder's knowledge and skill-set in the temperament department, keep looking. This can be a difficult task. More breeders than you would think will not respond to pushy puppy buyer's questions because they don't want the hassle of proving their dogs are mentally sound. This is either laziness or underlying fear in the knowledge that their dogs may not live up to scrutiny. Breeders who are genuinely knowledgeable and proud of their dogs will be very forth coming. They will encourage puppy buyers to come and spend time with their dogs - ideally in a public setting to really show off the dog's true temperament. Many dogs do not show their weaknesses on their own turff. This is because they are in their comfort zone. Remove a dog from his comfort zone and see what he/she is really made of. This doesn't mean the dog has to be well behaved! Over excitement and lack of obedience training does not elude to poor temperament. No, what you are looking for in the adult dogs is nervous behaviour, skittish behaviour and an inability to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. If you can't see the dog in a foreign environment in person, ask for video of the dog interacting with life outside of a Walmart or a Starbucks. Video is very simple now. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece. Cell phone video of adult dogs should be sufficient enough for you to decide whether or not the dog looks comfortable or not. If the breeder refuses, you should wonder why. I certainly would. If the dog is clearly having a difficult time and the breeder makes excuses that he/she was not properly socialized, you should also ask yourself, "Why?" Why would a breeder, who claims to be a dog professional not adequately socialized their dog, especially their breeding stock? That's questionable practice to me.
2. Do not pick your puppy based on looks alone. I understand that you may have your heart set on a specific colour or coat-type or whatever, but choosing a puppy on looks alone is a recipe for disaster. Good breeders match their puppies to their families. They know the temperament of the puppies and can assist buyers on making and educated decision that incorporates both looks and personality into the decision making process. Having the dog look the way you want it to is not much compensation if the dog is not suitable for your lifestyle, training ability and/or activity level. Beware the breeder that allows puppies to be chosen before 6 weeks of age. Personality traits are not fully developed until 7 weeks.
To understand temperament a little better please read the following document that has been taken from the Moonstruck Bernedoodles "PUPPY 101" Handbook. All Moonstruck Bernedoodles come with extensive training and theory material as well as instructional video to help you achieve the best possible dog; the dog of your dreams!
1. It is up to you, the puppy buyer, to ensure that you are obtaining a dog that is sound both in health and in mind. How do you do this? Well, you need to choose the right breeder. You need to be confident in the breeder's ability to identify personality traits and potential temperament flaws both in their breeding stock and in their young puppies. If you are not confident in the breeder's knowledge and skill-set in the temperament department, keep looking. This can be a difficult task. More breeders than you would think will not respond to pushy puppy buyer's questions because they don't want the hassle of proving their dogs are mentally sound. This is either laziness or underlying fear in the knowledge that their dogs may not live up to scrutiny. Breeders who are genuinely knowledgeable and proud of their dogs will be very forth coming. They will encourage puppy buyers to come and spend time with their dogs - ideally in a public setting to really show off the dog's true temperament. Many dogs do not show their weaknesses on their own turff. This is because they are in their comfort zone. Remove a dog from his comfort zone and see what he/she is really made of. This doesn't mean the dog has to be well behaved! Over excitement and lack of obedience training does not elude to poor temperament. No, what you are looking for in the adult dogs is nervous behaviour, skittish behaviour and an inability to adapt to an unfamiliar environment. If you can't see the dog in a foreign environment in person, ask for video of the dog interacting with life outside of a Walmart or a Starbucks. Video is very simple now. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece. Cell phone video of adult dogs should be sufficient enough for you to decide whether or not the dog looks comfortable or not. If the breeder refuses, you should wonder why. I certainly would. If the dog is clearly having a difficult time and the breeder makes excuses that he/she was not properly socialized, you should also ask yourself, "Why?" Why would a breeder, who claims to be a dog professional not adequately socialized their dog, especially their breeding stock? That's questionable practice to me.
2. Do not pick your puppy based on looks alone. I understand that you may have your heart set on a specific colour or coat-type or whatever, but choosing a puppy on looks alone is a recipe for disaster. Good breeders match their puppies to their families. They know the temperament of the puppies and can assist buyers on making and educated decision that incorporates both looks and personality into the decision making process. Having the dog look the way you want it to is not much compensation if the dog is not suitable for your lifestyle, training ability and/or activity level. Beware the breeder that allows puppies to be chosen before 6 weeks of age. Personality traits are not fully developed until 7 weeks.
To understand temperament a little better please read the following document that has been taken from the Moonstruck Bernedoodles "PUPPY 101" Handbook. All Moonstruck Bernedoodles come with extensive training and theory material as well as instructional video to help you achieve the best possible dog; the dog of your dreams!
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