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Both Bernedoodles and Sheepadoodles can make AMAZING family dogs, but their personalities can feel pretty different. Of course, every puppy is an individual, but after raising both breeds over the years, there are definitely some traits we tend to see again and again.

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Bernedoodles tend to be a little more opinionated, loyal, and very connected to THEIR people. They’re smart and trainable, but they can also be what some people call stubborn. I prefer “opinionated.” If you call your Bernedoodle into the next room, they may look at you, think about it for a second and decide, “Nah…I’m good right here.” A Sheepadoodle is much more likely to jump up immediately like, “WHERE ARE WE GOING?”

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Bernedoodles are social, but they don’t necessarily need to be the life of the party. If you have friends over, they’ll probably greet everyone, wag their tail, accept a few pets and then go find THEIR person and settle nearby. If your guests love on them, great. If they don’t, that’s okay too.

Sheepadoodles tend to be more playful, silly, social, and ready for whatever is happening next. I joke that they have a serious case of FOMO. If something is happening, they would very much like to be included.

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One of our Sheepadoodles, Finn, is the perfect example. He’ll be sitting innocently in the living room when Dad suddenly asks, “Where’s the remote?” Everyone looks at Finn…and his big white beard starts glowing RED. There he sits with the remote gently tucked in his mouth like, “Remote? Haven’t seen it.” THAT is a Sheepadoodle. They’re incredibly smart, affectionate and people-pleasing. They tend to be a little more “up and go” than Bernedoodles and love being involved in whatever their family is doing. When guests come over, your Sheepadoodle is more likely to play host—checking everyone out, enjoying some attention and making sure they aren’t missing anything before eventually settling down with the group.

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Both breeds are affectionate, but even that can look a little different. A Bernedoodle may want to be lying right beside you. A Sheepadoodle may prefer to be lying ON you. Personal space is sometimes just a suggestion.

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So, if you’re drawn to a loyal, affectionate, slightly opinionated companion, you may love the Bernedoodle personality. If you’re looking for a more adventurous, affectionate, playful and wonderfully goofy sidekick, the Sheepadoodle personality may speak to you.  Neither breed is “better.” It really comes down to which personality fits YOUR family and lifestyle best. And remember, these are general tendencies, not guarantees. Genetics matter, individual temperament matters, and what you put INTO your puppy plays a huge role in what you ultimately get OUT of your dog.

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That’s also why we spend so much time getting to know each puppy and temperament testing before our puppies are matched with their families. Choosing the right breed matters…but choosing the right puppy within that breed matters just as much.