At Berry Patch Puppies, we believe responsible breeding should never stop at “good enough.” The Berry Patch Standard is our commitment to go beyond the basics — beyond licensing, beyond minimum care, and beyond what most people expect.
Yes, we meet every state requirement. But to us, that’s only the starting point.
Our program is built around what matters most: health, structure, long-term care, and raising puppies who are truly prepared for their forever home.
Behind every Berry Patch puppy is a team that truly cares — not just about raising healthy puppies, but about supporting families every step of the way. From daily care to communication to socialization, every role in our program is designed with one goal in mind: giving each puppy the best possible start.
Aaron is the heart of our day-to-day puppy care, and he brings over a decade of hands-on experience with Bernedoodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs.
He is deeply involved in every stage of puppy development, including:
Daily hands-on care for our puppies
Monitoring growth, temperament, and development
Supporting families after pickup with follow-up and guidance
Being present during visits to answer any and all questions
Aaron’s experience, consistency, and calm leadership are a big part of what makes the Berry Patch Standard possible.
Every great program needs someone who keeps communication easy, clear, and stress-free — and that’s exactly what this role is all about.
This team member:
Answers all calls and texts so Aaron can stay focused on the puppies (because they deserve that time and attention)
Helps schedule and coordinate visits
Assists with photos, transport details, and follow-up questions
Supports families through the entire process so everything feels smooth and simple
Socialization is one of our biggest core values, and we don’t treat it like a side task.
Our socialization team member is dedicated to:
Spending hands-on time playing with the puppies daily
Guiding puppies through our step-by-step socialization process
Creating enriched playtime experiences that support confidence and development
Helping puppies learn how to interact with people and adjust to new experiences
This role is a big part of why Berry Patch puppies transition so smoothly into their forever homes.
Socialization is one of the biggest reasons Berry Patch puppies transition so smoothly into family life. We don’t treat it like a “nice extra.” It’s built into our program from the beginning. Our goal is simple: to raise puppies who feel safe, stable, and ready to thrive in their new home.
Life isn’t quiet — and we don’t raise puppies in a bubble.
Our puppies are introduced to a wide range of normal household sounds, including:
Vacuums
Music
TV and general household noise
Doors opening and closing
The everyday chaos of what we call life
By exposing puppies early in a calm and consistent way, we help them learn that new sounds aren’t scary — they’re just part of normal life.
Confidence isn’t just mental — it’s physical too. Puppies who explore different surfaces early often grow into dogs who handle new environments with less hesitation.
Our puppies experience a variety of textures, including:
Hardwood floors
Carpet
Grass
Other safe indoor and outdoor surfaces
This helps them build stability, curiosity, and comfort as they grow.
We are intentional about raising puppies who are comfortable around children — because for many families, kids are a big part of everyday life.
Aaron has three young boys who spend time interacting with the puppies in safe, supervised ways. This helps puppies get used to:
The natural energy of kids
Gentle play
Movement, laughter, and unpredictable “kid moments”
In addition, our photographer frequently visits with her daughters as well, giving the puppies even more opportunities for positive, age-appropriate interaction.
We don’t just let puppies “play and hope for the best.” We use guided play as a tool to help puppies develop important life skills.
Guided play helps puppies learn:
How to interact gently with people
How to explore new things with curiosity instead of fear
How to build confidence in new environments
How to recover quickly from small surprises
How to handle being held, touched, and handled appropriately
This type of play is structured, positive, and age-appropriate — designed to help each puppy grow into a calm, stable companion, not just a playful puppy.
A truly responsible program begins with health. At Berry Patch Puppies, we take a proactive, structured approach to wellness — not just for our puppies, but for every adult dog in our program. From genetic testing to routine veterinary oversight, we focus on doing things the right way so each puppy has the healthiest start possible and every family has peace of mind.
We prioritize genetic testing as a foundational part of what we do. This allows us to make responsible pairing decisions and reduce the risk of preventable hereditary conditions.
Genetic testing helps us:
Make informed breeding decisions based on health, not guesswork
Reduce the risk of inherited issues
Support healthier outcomes for both puppies and parents
Our goal is simple: to set each puppy up for a strong, healthy future.
Our dogs are regularly seen by veterinarians to ensure they are thriving — not just “passing a check.”
This includes:
Routine wellness exams for adult dogs
Physical evaluations to monitor overall health and condition
Ongoing veterinary oversight as part of our program standards
We believe that consistent veterinary care is one of the most important parts of responsible breeding and long-term wellbeing.
Protecting puppies starts long before they ever go home. That’s why we follow a dedicated, veterinary-guided wellness plan designed to support strong development and reduce health risks early in life.
Our program includes:
A thorough vaccination schedule to protect against serious risks such as parvovirus and kennel cough
A consistent deworming process to support healthy growth and development
Clear, organized records for every family to take home
We want every puppy to go home with a strong foundation and a clear medical history.
We take biosecurity seriously because prevention is one of the biggest parts of protecting young puppies.
Our approach includes:
Maintaining a clean, controlled environment
Minimizing unnecessary exposure to outside risks
Following strict cleaning and sanitation routines
Being intentional about how puppies interact with new people and environments during their earliest weeks
This is one of the most important ways we protect puppies during the most vulnerable stage of life.
Our adult dogs are not just part of our program — they are the heart of it. We believe a truly responsible program is built on long-term care, daily enrichment, and a lifestyle that supports both physical and emotional wellbeing.
That’s why we prioritize adult socialization and quality of life just as much as puppy care.
Our adult dogs receive guided socialization and consistent human interaction so they remain confident, happy, and emotionally balanced.
This includes:
Regular interaction with our team and dedicated play time
Positive, calm handling and attention
A lifestyle built around comfort, stability, and trust
We believe adult dogs should enjoy their life — not just live in a program.
Our adult dogs have access to dedicated play yards where they can run, explore, and enjoy daily movement and enrichment.
These spaces allow our dogs to:
Burn energy in a healthy way
Play and socialize safely
Stay active and mentally engaged
Daily outdoor time is a key part of maintaining happy, well-adjusted dogs.
We prioritize both freedom and comfort by ensuring our adult dogs have access to indoor and outdoor areas.
Our indoor spaces are climate controlled to support:
Comfort in every season
Clean, stable living conditions
A calm environment for rest and relaxation
This balance helps our dogs thrive year-round.
We continue expanding our guardian home program each year because we believe adult dogs deserve individualized attention and a true family lifestyle.
Guardian homes allow us to:
Provide adult dogs with a home environment and personal bonding
Support long-term quality of life
Keep our program focused on care, not volume
It’s one more way we protect the wellbeing of our dogs at every stage of life.
We believe nutrition matters deeply — especially during the early weeks when puppies are growing quickly and developing their immune systems. What puppies eat early on plays a major role in long-term health, energy, coat quality, and overall development.
That’s why we take a thoughtful, intentional approach to nutrition and early-life care.
We use high-quality, carefully selected foods to support healthy growth and proper development.
Our focus is always on providing puppies with:
Strong nutritional foundations
Consistency during early development
Support for steady growth and healthy body condition
We believe puppies deserve more than just “filler food” — they deserve nutrition that truly supports their future.
Gut health plays a major role in overall wellbeing, especially for young puppies. A strong digestive system supports:
Nutrient absorption
Healthy growth
Immune system development
More consistent transitions during weaning and going home
That’s why we prioritize nutrition choices that support digestion and overall gut balance during the most important growth stages.
We incorporate raw diets as part of our program because we believe it can be a valuable tool for supporting digestion, development, and overall wellness.
Raw feeding can help support:
Gut health and nutrient density
Healthy skin and coat
Strong energy levels and development
We are careful and intentional in how we incorporate raw, and we focus on quality and safety as part of our nutrition standards.
We believe one of the most important parts of early development is allowing puppies the time they need with their mother.
Time with mom supports:
Emotional development and confidence
Natural early social learning
Healthy weaning and transitions
Comfort, stability, and security during early growth
This early foundation matters — and we prioritize raising puppies in a way that supports both physical health and emotional wellbeing.
