Our Mission

A common interview question you hear across industries is “why did you get into this field?” Being a small, family run company, we never had to have this semi awkward conversation with a potential boss. But we want to have it here and now, with you.

Why? Because this is a high stakes business. We aren’t selling some disposable, or intangible, or robotic product. We are selling real life, albeit impossibly adorable, warm and cuddly puppies.

We have real mama dogs doing a lot of work to bring these little lives into the world, and they are trusting us to give them to loving, attentive, joyful homes. 

We have clients who are accepting a new member into their families and believing that we will help them make the right decision for this potentially life changing addition.

And not only do these new puppies that we are raising deserve to be loved, but we understand that by being chosen, there may be another dog out there who needs a home and isn’t getting the opportunity. 

So we want to tell you our “why”. Why are we raising puppies? Why take on all of this responsibility? Who are we hoping to help? And, perhaps most importantly, where do we have room to grow?

Why did we choose dog breeding?

We are a close family. Of course, we have our moments of bickering and annoyances, especially when my husband makes an exceptionally corny dad joke, but first and foremost, we are there to support each other. 

And sometimes, as in most families, that need for family assistance becomes more pronounced. 

In 2003, one of my daughters was admitted into the hospital. Her condition was undiagnosed, but the threat to her life was certain. We were terrified, feeling helpless by her side while the doctors attempted to work their magic.

One day, after no answers had come through the door, a therapy dog did instead. He was a golden retriever with a calm disposition and a kind look in his eyes. I hadn’t seen my daughter smile in over a week, but when she first saw him, I finally saw the happy expression that normally characterized her. She was too weak to do much else, so the dog simply came and laid his head on her bed. They sat there and enjoyed each other's presence for a while, until it was time for the retriever to bring some relief to the next patient in need.

Now I won’t go on and pretend my daughter was magically cured the next day. In fact, she was hospitalized multiple times during the next 15 years. But those weekly visits from the hospital’s therapy dog provided my daughter with a consistent reason to smile- something that our family, supportive as they were, just couldn’t give her on our own. 

On the days when she was strong enough to pet the dog, or even lift her head up to get a better look, I was reminded to have hope that she would recover soon and return to the happy childhood she deserved. I will forever be grateful for this golden retriever and his owner, but know that gratitude isn’t always enough.

From that day on, I knew I wanted to bring more of these incredible companions into the world. I wanted to do my absolute best to responsibly breed and raise puppies that could help others lift their heads up when life was forcing them down. Whether their body is letting them down, their mental health is taking a toll, or their family is in need of some new energy in their home, I wanted to provide them with the support they need in the form of four paws, a little slobber, and a lot of love.

What is our mission?

Raising future bernedoodle family members by breeding ethically, using an enriching and science based developmental program, and understanding family needs to match buyers with their perfect service, therapy, emotional support, or companion dog.

In order to achieve this, we have carefully curated our program to prepare our puppies for a life of service. From scent and noise exposure at a young age to raise confident and brave puppies, to manding exercises to teach puppy communication strategies, we work every day to bring out the best side of each and every one of our puppies.

We also place great value in our temperament testing, which occurs during the seventh week of our puppies’ lives. Temperament testing helps us understand some key characteristics of the puppies, like their desire to put in work for their human, and how sensitive they are to strong outbursts of emotion. 

These characteristics help us understand which puppies are right for different families. For instance, if someone has a home with young children, it would be difficult for both the family and puppy if the puppy they chose was sensitive to loud noises that result from temper tantrums. 

Similarly, a person who is blind and looking to raise a service dog would be paired well with a dog who is eager to please and put in the work to help their owner get around safely when needed. A timid or very independent dog would not enjoy serving in such a role.

On that note, temperament testing isn’t just to help our buyers- it also ensures our puppies get a say in their future. We want each and every puppy to have a voice, and by giving them an opportunity to show their innate personality characteristics during the test, we gain a full understanding of what kind of environment they will enjoy the most as their forever home.

By taking such care to support and understand our puppies, we hope that they can do the most amount of good in the world that they are capable of, and meet the unique needs of any family who wants to welcome them into their lives.

What are we still hoping to learn?

With every litter we learn something new, and we are constantly striving to find new ways to enrich our puppies’ growing minds, prepare them for future training, and incorporate the latest research into our program.

On the selling side of things, we are always looking for new ways to make an impact. We are growing our network in order to help find the families who need a puppy like ours in their lives most, as well as partnering with other professionals to reach the most diverse set of needs that we can. 

So, was dog breeding the right choice?

Unequivocally, undeniably, yes. We have found our way to serve in this world and will continue to spread the love of our puppies in every way we can. 

If there is someone in your life who could benefit from the love and support of a puppy, please consider filling out our puppy application form, sharing your contact information, or contacting Olive Branch Bernedoodles for more information.

Has your life already been impacted by a furry friend? We would love to hear your experiences in the comments section!