A New Dog and Surprise Litter
About two months ago, we received an unexpected call from one of our past Bernese Mountain Dog families. Unfortunately, the owner could no longer care for her three dogs: Beau (originally “Peter” from our Nala and Conley “Narnia” litter), a female Bernese named Bonnie from another breeder, and a Great Pyrenees. While we weren’t able to take in the Great Pyrenees, we agreed to welcome the two Bernese Mountain Dogs back home.
Bonnie (I haven’t taken pictures of Beau yet).
Initially, our plan was simple: quarantine Beau and Bonnie for a few weeks, then slowly integrate them into the rest of our pack. However, just a few days after we brought them in, we realized Bonnie was in heat. She and Beau were only about 10 months old. Because Beau showed no particular interest, we delayed separating them and focused on getting them both settled.
As time went on and we integrated them into our existing group of dogs, it became clear how sweet and compatible they both were. We began to wonder if we should keep them as part of our breeding program or find new homes for them. We already knew Beau came from excellent lines, but we wanted more information about Bonnie. We took both dogs for preliminary hip x-rays and did Embark DNA tests to learn more about their genetics. Once the results started coming in with good news, it felt right to keep them as part of our Bernese family.
Then came our biggest surprise: Bonnie began gaining weight at an unmistakable pace. Her normally trim figure started to fill out around her midsection, and our experience told us exactly what that meant—Bonnie was expecting! Because she had only been around Beau, we knew immediately who the father was. While this wasn’t a planned litter, we’re thankful we’d already done some basic health testing for both dogs and knew they were a good match. Although they’re on the younger side, Bonnie will be one year old by the time the puppies arrive—just on the early edge of what’s considered acceptable for a first litter.
Since we aren’t entirely sure of Bonnie’s due date, we’ve been keeping her indoors and monitoring her closely. We expect her to deliver sometime this week, and if all goes well, these puppies should be ready to go to their new homes in mid-May—right in time to enjoy the spring sunshine.
We don’t have a waiting list for this litter yet, so if you’ve been thinking of adding a Bernese Mountain Dog to your family, now is a wonderful opportunity. Please reach out if you’re interested or have any questions. We’re excited to welcome these unexpected bundles of joy and can’t wait to share their journey with you!
