Every Question, Answered Honestly.

Yes. Because our litters are small and in high demand, we cannot hold a puppy without a reservation deposit. The deposit is applied directly toward your puppy's total adoption fee, with the remaining balance due once your puppy passes their final 8-week veterinary checkup prior to pickup or delivery. Every term is spelled out in writing before you place a deposit.

Yes! You are welcome to select a specific puppy from our available litter, and Sarah guides you closely with insights from our daily observations and Week 7 Volhard Puppy Aptitude Testing. Whether you want a laid-back cuddle bug for young children or an outgoing trail partner, we help make sure your puppy's energy and temperament match your lifestyle.

Every single week! Once your puppy is reserved, Sarah sends weekly high-resolution photos, videos, weight milestones, and personality notes so your family can watch your puppy grow from a tiny tri-color bundle into a confident 8-week-old companion.

We never breed untested dogs. Both Sire and Dam hold official OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or FCI Hip & Elbow clearances, OFA Cardiac clearances, ACVO Eye certifications, and full genetic DNA panels screening for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM Exon 1 & Exon 2 / SOD1-A & SOD1-B) and von Willebrand's Disease (vWD). We also maintain lineage records in the open Berner-Garde database.

Every puppy leaves with a signed 24-month written contract covering debilitating hereditary hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, congenital cardiac defects, and inherited genetic conditions. You also get a 72-hour window after arrival to have your puppy independently examined by your own licensed veterinarian. Read full details on our Care & Health Guarantee page.

Yes. Every puppy receives preventative deworming at Weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8, their age-appropriate 8-week DHPP vaccination, a permanently implanted ISO microchip, and a 12-point physical examination by our licensed veterinarian—all documented in your take-home medical folder.

While the broader breed average is often quoted at 8 to 10 years, we selectively pair low-COI (Coefficient of Inbreeding) European and North American lines with documented ancestors reaching 10 to 12+ years. Pairing genetic longevity with lean weight management gives your puppy the strongest foundation for a long life.

You have three safe options: (1) Complimentary pickup at our family home by appointment, (2) our popular VIP In-Cabin Flight Nanny who flies with your puppy in the passenger cabin to your nearest major airport, or (3) private, climate-controlled Door-to-Door Ground Courier. Compare all three on our Delivery & Shipping page.

Never under any circumstances. We strictly forbid unaccompanied cargo shipping. When flying, your puppy rides inside the main passenger cabin right at the Flight Nanny's feet between 8 and 10 weeks of age (while they weigh 14–20 lbs and fit comfortably in an under-seat carrier).

Puppies are ready for their forever homes at 8 weeks of age (56 days)—never earlier. Those full eight weeks with their mother and littermates are essential for bite inhibition, emotional security, weaning, and completing our Early Neurological Stimulation curriculum.

Every puppy departs with a plush blanket carrying the scent of their mother and littermates, a starter bag of our Large-Breed Puppy food, a favorite teething toy, collar and leash, their official veterinary CVI health certificate, vaccination and deworming records, microchip registration, and Sarah's first-week transition guide.

Keep your puppy on the exact Large-Breed Puppy formula we send home with you for at least the first two weeks. Large-breed formulas have a carefully controlled Calcium-to-Phosphorus ratio ($1.2:1$ to $1.4:1$) and moderate calories so bones grow slowly and steadily, protecting open hip and elbow growth plates.

Berners have a thick, weather-resistant double coat that sheds moderately year-round and "blows" its soft undercoat twice a year (spring and fall). Brushing 2–3 times a week keeps their coat silky and tangle-free. Never shave a Bernese—their double coat insulates against summer heat and sunburn as well as winter snow.

Because a Berner's skeletal growth plates do not fully close until 14 to 18 months of age, avoid forced running on pavement, steep stairs, or jumping out of SUVs. Follow the 5-Minute Rule for structured leash walks (5 minutes per month of age, twice daily) paired with gentle, self-paced play on soft grass and mental puzzle games.

Exceptionally so. Berners are famous for their patient, non-predatory, gentle-giant demeanor. Because our puppies are handled daily by the Johnson kids inside our living room, they leave our home already accustomed to children's voices, gentle hugs, and household pets.

100% inside our home. We do not own outdoor kennel runs or barn stalls. Our litters are born in our climate-controlled bedroom nursery and graduate to our main living room, where they grow up hearing the vacuum, kitchen clatter, TV, and family conversation every day.

Yes! Once puppies have received their initial immunity protection, we welcome approved families for scheduled in-person visits—and we are always happy to hop on a live FaceTime or Zoom video call so you can see the puppies, their mother, and our living room setup in real time.

Every Johnson Family Bernese contract includes our Lifetime Safe-Harbor Clause. No dog we bring into the world is ever permitted to enter a shelter or rescue system. Whether your dog is 6 months or 8 years old, if you ever cannot care for them, they come straight back to our family home.

For the entire life of your dog. When you adopt from us, you have Sarah and Mark's personal phone number and email. Whether you want crate-training advice on night two or nutrition advice five years down the road, we are always in your corner.