About Us

Why do Bernese Mountain Dogs have a shorter average lifespan than many breeds?
Bernese Mountain Dogs are a beloved breed, but they face unique health challenges due in part to a limited genetic pool and a higher incidence of certain inherited diseases, including some cancers. Responsible breeders work to improve the future of the breed by carefully selecting breeding dogs based on health, structure, temperament, and pedigree analysis.
What is genetic diversity, and why does it matter?
Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes within a breed. Greater diversity can help reduce the likelihood of inherited health problems becoming widespread. Because Bernese Mountain Dogs have a relatively small genetic population compared to many breeds, preserving genetic diversity is an important consideration when planning breedings.

Why do you import European bloodlines?

Importing dogs from carefully selected European breeding programs can help increase genetic diversity and provide access to bloodlines that are less common in North America.

Because Bernese Mountain Dogs have a relatively small global gene pool, maintaining genetic diversity is an ongoing challenge for the breed. Higher levels of inbreeding can increase the likelihood of inherited health problems becoming more concentrated within a population.

Before importing a dog, we research health testing, pedigree information, longevity trends, family health histories, and Berner-Garde coefficient of inbreeding (COI) data. Lower COI percentages generally indicate greater genetic diversity, which is an important consideration when planning breedings.

Imported dogs are not automatically better than North American dogs, but they can provide valuable breeding options and help broaden the genetic pool when thoughtfully incorporated into a breeding program.

Does health testing guarantee a healthy puppy?
No. No breeder can guarantee that a dog will never develop a health condition. Health testing helps identify known risks and allows breeders to make more informed breeding decisions. While testing cannot eliminate every possibility, it significantly improves the information available when selecting breeding pairs.
What health testing do you perform on your breeding dogs?
Our breeding dogs undergo:
• OFA evaluations for hips, elbows, cardiac health and other recommended screenings
• PennHIP evaluations to assess hip quality and estimate lifetime hip dysplasia risk
• Comprehensive genetic testing for inherited conditions including Histiocytic Sarcoma
• AKC conformation evaluations to assess breed structure and adherence to the breed standard
These evaluations provide valuable information that helps guide breeding decisions.
Why do you test for Histiocytic Sarcoma (cancer) risk?
Histiocytic Sarcoma is one of the most devastating diseases affecting Bernese Mountain Dogs and is unfortunately a significant contributor to the breed’s shortened lifespan. While there is currently no genetic test that can predict whether a dog will develop Histiocytic Sarcoma, available research tools can help guide breeding decisions.
We utilize Histiocytic Sarcoma risk assessments when planning breedings. These specialized evaluations are currently available only through European laboratories and require DNA samples to be submitted internationally for analysis. While the testing is costly, we believe the information it provides is valuable when making breeding decisions.
These assessments analyze the health histories of related dogs and assign a risk category based on currently available data. While these scores cannot guarantee that a dog will or will not develop cancer, they provide another important piece of information when evaluating potential breeding dogs.  Because cancer is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, no breeder can eliminate the risk entirely. However, utilizing available health data and pedigree information allows for more informed breeding decisions.
Why do you use fenbendazole in your breeding program?
As part of our routine parasite-control program, our dogs are regularly dewormed with fenbendazole.
Cancer remains one of the greatest health challenges facing Bernese Mountain Dogs, and while fenbendazole has not been proven to prevent or treat cancer, some emerging research and anecdotal reports have sparked interest in its potential role. Because of this, we choose to incorporate fenbendazole into our health management program while continuing to follow developments in canine cancer research.
We believe that when it comes to the health of our dogs, an ounce of prevention is worth pursuing when it can be done safely and responsibly. Fenbendazole is already widely used as a deworming medication, and we view its routine use as one small part of a broader commitment to proactive care.
What is PennHIP, and why do you use it?
PennHIP is an advanced method of evaluating hip quality that measures joint laxity and estimates a dog’s risk for developing hip dysplasia later in life. Unlike traditional hip evaluations alone, PennHIP provides additional data that can help breeders identify dogs with stronger hip structure and make more informed breeding decisions, this measurement helps improve the breed.
What is OFA testing?
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals evaluates various health traits, including hips, elbows, cardiac health, and other breed-specific concerns. OFA certifications are widely recognized and provide an important benchmark for responsible breeding programs.
Why do you participate in hip dysplasia research?
Hip dysplasia is influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. While health testing and selective breeding remain the foundation of reducing hip dysplasia risk, we believe it is important to support research that may further improve our understanding of canine hip development. Our puppies participate in an early traction research program designed to study whether specific footing and environmental conditions during early development can influence hip health. The program begins shortly after birth and continues through the first several weeks of life, requiring daily participation and data collection.
Participation in this research required a significant investment of both resources and time.  Most people don't realize that participation in research is a financial investment, the cost to join the program was approximately $1,200, in addition to the ongoing time commitment required to implement the protocol and collect data.
Most breeders are not participating in this type of early developmental research. While no program can guarantee a puppy will be free from hip dysplasia, we believe contributing to research and advancing our understanding of canine orthopedic health is important.
How do you select dogs and breeders choice puppies for your breeding program?
Not every puppy, even from an exceptional litter, is suitable for a breeding program. At approximately seven weeks of age, each litter undergoes a paid professional conformation evaluation performed by an experienced AKC handler with extensive knowledge of breed standards and canine structure. The evaluation assesses each puppy’s conformation, structure, movement, balance, proportions, and angulation according to AKC breed standards. These assessments help identify strengths and weaknesses that may not be obvious to the untrained eye and provide valuable insight into a puppy’s potential as a future show or breeding prospect. The vast majority of puppies are placed in companion homes. Only a small number possess the combination of traits sought for future show and breeding prospects.
The evaluation is one piece of the puzzle and is considered alongside health testing, pedigree research, temperament, and long-term developmental observations. 

 When adding to our program outside of puppies, such as consideration for a stud prospect or a new dam, we  research to view the complete dog as pairing selection decisions consider health testing, pedigree analysis, temperament, conformation movement and  structure, genetic compatibility, and each dog’s overall contribution to the breed. Berner-Garde coefficient of inbreeding (COI) data. Lower COI percentages generally indicate greater genetic diversity, which is an important consideration when planning breedings.
Why is conformation important?
Conformation is more than appearance. Proper structure affects movement, durability, and overall soundness throughout a dog’s life. Evaluating breeding dogs against the breed standard helps preserve the traits that allow Bernese Mountain Dogs to perform the work they were originally bred to do.
Can responsible breeding improve longevity?
While no breeder can promise lifespan, responsible breeding can help reduce known risks by selecting breeding dogs with strong health clearances, sound structure, good temperament, and carefully researched pedigrees. Over time, these decisions contribute to the overall health and preservation of the breed.
Pedigree research is important for setting puppies up for longer life, which is why Berner-Garde is such an important tool. It tracks the health of dogs all over the world, provided breeders contribute.
This information is invaluable for tracing causes of death, health trends, and conformation histories.

 What is your health warranty?

Health is one of the most important considerations in our breeding program. Before a breeding takes place, parent dogs complete the health testing and genetic screening recommended for Bernese Mountain Dogs. We also utilize pedigree analysis, BernerGarde data, longevity information, and other breed-specific research to make informed breeding decisions.

For hereditary diseases that can be reliably prevented through parentage-based DNA testing, we stand behind our health testing program and breeding decisions.

It is important to understand that no breeder can guarantee a dog will never develop a health condition. Many conditions seen in Bernese Mountain Dogs—including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, histiocytic sarcoma and other cancers, autoimmune diseases, epilepsy, bloat, and other complex health conditions—cannot currently be eliminated through genetic testing alone and may be influenced by multiple factors.

Our goal is not simply to produce puppies, but to thoughtfully preserve and improve the breed by reducing risk through careful health testing, research, and responsible breeding practices. We are committed to transparency and are always happy to discuss the health testing and pedigree information behind our dogs.

 How long does your health warranty last?

Our puppies are examined by a veterinarian before going home and are expected to be healthy at the time of placement.

For hereditary diseases that can be reliably prevented through parentage-based DNA testing, we stand behind our health testing program and breeding decisions. These conditions are addressed in our puppy contract.

We encourage prospective families to review our health testing, pedigree information, and breeding philosophy and are always happy to discuss the specific health clearances of a puppy’s parents.
Why are Daybreak Acres puppies priced the way they are?
Producing healthy, well-bred Bernese Mountain Dogs requires a significant investment long before puppies are born. We invest in imported bloodlines, comprehensive genetic testing, OFA and PennHIP evaluations, pedigree research, conformation assessments, dysplasia research, veterinary care, puppy enrichment programs, and ongoing breeder education.
Importing dogs from carefully selected breeding programs helps expand breeding options and provides access to bloodlines that support our priorities for health, temperament, structure, diversity and longevity.
We invest heavily in health testing, pedigree research, conformation evaluations, puppy enrichment, and ongoing education. These investments begin long before a litter is born and reflect the level of care and planning that goes into every breeding.
Why is your waitlist so long?
Our waitlist is often longer than some breeders because we intentionally keep our program small and focus on quality over quantity. Each breeding is carefully planned with health, temperament, structure, and long-term breed preservation in mind.
We do not breed simply to produce more puppies or shorten wait times. Instead, we prioritize thoughtful pairings, extensive health testing, and giving every puppy the individual attention it deserves.
We know litter size can vary significantly, so we typically accept only five deposits per planned litter. This helps ensure that we can responsibly match puppies with families while accounting for the fact that we never know exactly how many puppies—or what genders—will be born.
While families are often given an estimated timeline when they join our waitlist, puppies can sometimes become available sooner than expected if a litter is larger than anticipated or if another family chooses to defer their puppy to a future litter.
Wait times can shorten, so please don’t be discouraged.
Because we raise our puppies in a home environment and remain actively involved in their care and development from birth through placement, there is a natural limit to how many puppies we can responsibly raise at one time.
We understand that waiting for a puppy can be difficult. However, maintaining a small program allows us to give each litter the time, attention, and individual care it deserves.