My dog from Bainbridge Berners is a beautiful 5.5 month old girl. She is a Bernese Mountain Dog with a wonderful personality and is the family pet we always wanted...except that she has had a sequence of health problems, at least one of which is genetic and warranted a refund from the breeder. In our dealings with the breeder, she has been polite and responsible (others have had less positive things to say, but I am sticking to just my own experience). We have maintained contact with three other families who have dogs from this breeder, they have all experienced health problems with their dogs, but I leave it to them to post their own experience. I am not a doctor and I can only describe our experience.
Our dog has been diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), which is a genetic condition. According to her doctors at Northstar Animal Hospital also has early onset arthritis, and has had a bout of hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD). The HOD is an extremely painful problem with the growth plates, but it is something dogs grow out of, and is not necessarily hereditary. The arthritis will likely worsen with age, but is treatable and is not genetic. Our dog has responded very well to treatment (treatment that cost more than the dog herself, by a long shot; I wish we'd gotten insurance the day we brought her home!), and we are hopeful for her long term health, but two months ago we were faced with the prospect of possibly having to put her down because she had an unrelenting fever, fluid in all her joints, and the conditions previously mentioned. It seems the fever may have been related to a tick borne illness, but she tested negative for all of them.
I offer this perspective solely so others have knowledge if they are thinking of purchasing a Bernese puppy. read more