ComplaintsforMassachusetts Bernedoodles LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On Monday, August 23rd, 2021 I purchased a Bernedoodle (BD) puppy from Massachusetts Bernedoodles, LLC (MBD). Puppy is from the ************ June 28th, 2021 litter and given the name Ares at birth but is now called *******. In February 2021 and at ******** *******s recommendation and based on our personal preferences, we put a $**0 deposit down for an F2 mini BD. *****s litter was presented as F2 mini BD with an expected weight to be ***** pounds. ***** is in truth an F2 (#**) I have evidence where in early 2021, MBDs website presented ***** from ***** and *****s 1st litter in 2018. She weighs ** pounds. ***** and *****s previous litters were presented as Medium F2 BD. ***** weighs 85 pounds and I dont know Rosies weight because her profile has since been removed from the website. Becketts sire is Ringo (F1, 45#) but his birth certificate lists 2 different mothers, Ladka and *****. Based on these findings, ******* is an F3 or multigenerational BD with a questionable genome. An EMBARK test shows that three grandparents were mixes. In order to be a true F2 BD he should have had two purebred BMD and two purebred toy or small poodle grandparents. That would result in two F1 BD parents with **/** genomes. You will see from my evidence that Becketts ancestry is a mess. I emailed ******* several times with my concerns about the size of and parentage of my puppy. She has never responded. I sent a certified letter to the corporation and her personally. No one at the business would sign for it. I paid $6,000.00 for an F2 BD and an extra $**0.00 for a smaller version of this breed. Currently, ******* is 11 months old, 26 inches at the shoulder and 65#. MBD is nothing more than a puppy mill. At this point we dont know what the result of *******s reckless breeding practices will be. That is why I am asking for a full refund. This corporation and owner should know that she is causing a great deal of harm to the puppies she breeds and the families she scams.

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I purchased a puppy from Massachusetts Bernedoodles (MBD) for approximately $6500. MBD promised that the parents they were breeding had undergone genetic health screenings to produce high quality puppies. I asked for the genetic health screening before purchasing the puppy and was told they would get it to me. 7 months later, they still have not been able to provide that. The puppy I purchased from them has serious GI issues, likely genetic. I have spent over $1000 trying to treat and diagnose his issues. My vet wants the genetic background but MBD still hasn't provided it despite my repeated requests and their repeated promises. I finally asked for a partial refund on the puppy. I paid such a high amount for the puppy because it was supposed to come with genetic screening. While I love my puppy regardless, this is not what I paid for. I have not heard anything back from MBD since requesting a partial refund.

• Initial Complaint

  12/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I've been emailing MBD since August to obtain (1) the OFA/PennHIP certifications for my pup's father and (2) current health & weight records for my pup's parents. I have not heard back from MBD after multiple outreach attempts. I am also concerned that MBD is misrepresenting the anticipated size of their dogs. Suspicions stem from incongruencies between MBD emails, info on the MBD website, and other gathered data. The MBD website says minis will be 30-35lbs fully grown. Standards will be 55-70 lbs. Pricing is $500 different between the two sizes. My "mini" is 60 lbs - well over the mini size and within standard range. Most of my dog's siblings have been confirmed to be ~60lbs by their owners, so my dog is not a fluke of the litter. Notably, MBD kept a male littermate for breeding and lists his size to be in the mini range on their website; this seems doubtful given others from this litter are 60+ lbs. My doubts were substantiated by 2 instances: (1) the guardian for the pup kept from my litter stated he was ~50-60 lbs vs. the weight listed on the website and (2) Another MBD guardian who's female pup was bread with the littermate of my dog confirmed the male was larger than her pup (who was in the 50-60 lb range). With these points in mind, there seems to be inaccuracies re: parent sizing on the MBD website and calls into question the size of my own pup's parents. All this said, I think that MBD raised a great pup. I am lucky to have such a wonderful dog and I'm sure the MBD team is a large reason for why my dog has such a fabulous temperament. Fortunately, I also love his larger size; it was a very pleasant surprise. This is why I felt compelled to reach out to ask that MBD either provide information to quell my (hopefully unfounded) doubts, or update the information on their website should there be inaccuracies. The unresponsiveness of MBD to my inquires raises concerns that are hopefully groundless; I love my dog and would like to consider MBD for future pups.

  Business response

  01/19/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/12/15) */ We are so glad that you are happy with your MBD. bernedoodle! This was a one time pairing with **** and ***** for mini F1 Bernedodles. The website does list weights but they are all listed as approximate weights as nothing is 100% in reproductive medicine. The approximate weight range listed was *approximately* 35-45lbs. "Approximately" is usually +\- 10lbs due to various diet and exercise routines with your dog at home. A dog can be 45 lbs but if over fed or not exercised enough, they would easily go over the approximate weigh listed on website. There have been a few customers recently with similar complaints, however, If you could submit your most recent vet records indicating your dogs weight and that he/she is not overweight, I will refund you the $500 difference between standard sized and mini sized bernedoodles. I will forward *****'s PennHip/OFA results to the. BBB so they can be added to the records for this complaint. Business Response /* (1000, 11, 2021/12/15) */ ***Document Attached*** *********************************** application Business Response /* (1000, 12, 2021/12/15) */ ***Document Attached*** $500 difference between mini and standard bernedoodle pricing refunded to ***************** via *************** PayPal Business Response /* (1000, 13, 2021/12/15) */ ***Document Attached*** May I request from the customer screen shots of the other customers who state their dog from **** and ***** (specifically) and their current weights please? Upon researching our private Facebook page, several customers who replied about current weights for puppies from **** and ***** were not from this specific litter. There's also a comment from Ms. ********* that her bernedoodle weighs "just under 60 lbs" which is why I'd like to see the most recent vet physical and any notes about being overweight, if applicable. Many people "quesstimate" how much their dogs weigh and don't submit any concrete data to support it. Further, a vet may guess how much a puppy will weigh fully grown but this is also not concrete and varies based on diet and exercise. Business Response /* (1000, 14, 2021/12/15) */ ***Document Attached*** *****'s PennHip results and weight. Asking breeder for updated records as I don't own ***** but occasionally contract with the breeder Consumer Response /* (3000, 16, 2021/12/18) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) While I greatly appreciate the refund for the difference between a mini and standard bernedoodle, there is still some outstanding information that I am waiting on from MBD. Specifically, a current health record of both my pup's parents has not yet been provided. I understand the records have been requested for the father, but until these are provided for both mom and dad there is still outstanding information that we are waiting on. Moreover, the documentation that has been shared to date is inconsistent with historical records that were provided which leads to even greater confusion: (1) Dates of Birth are different on most recent rabies certificate (12/1/13) and PennHip (12/5/13) information provided as part of this complaint and this is different from the (2) Date of birth from the prior records that were provided us re: our dog (i.e., Paw Print genetic information states dad's DOB as June 2015). In addition, we were told this father was a miniature poodle; the records that were just provided as a response to this BBB complaint state that the dog in question is a Standard Poodle. Lastly, the PennHip that was provided clearly states that the PennHip DI is a measure of hip join laxity, it does not allude to a "passing" or "failing" hip score. Yet, on the MBD website it states that "In order to be parents in my breeding program and either "good" or "excellent" with their OFA certifications or "pass" the PennHip criteria". We still do not have any sort of certification to back up the claim that the dog "passes". That said, it is good to know that the animal does have an above median DI ranking. In terms of MBD's request for a recent record for our dog, I am happy to provide a medical record our dog's weight; he has not been labeled as overweight. Lastly, I do not feel comfortable providing screenshots from other customers as that is their own private information and I do not have permission to share it. That said, I do believe that other owners from this litter have reached out to MDB directly with the weights, so the business should already have this information on file. Consumer Response /* (3000, 19, 2021/12/18) */ ***Document Attached*** Consumer Response /* (3000, 22, 2021/12/20) */ ***Document Attached*** Attached is additional documentation recently obtained from my vet stating my dog is not overweight and has a normal body condition. Business Response /* (1000, 28, 2022/01/03) */ ***Document Attached*** It has been requested by to see vet/medical records stating ****** weight and diet and vet comments, we will wait until this is received in order to comment further. As requested, attached is ****'s current vaccination and weight records. *****'s (the dad) OFA and most up-to-date information had previously been uploaded as requested. *****'s current weight is 29lbs. $500 refund was sent for difference between mini and standard. The initial deposit was paid via PayPal via ******, which is where the refund was sent. Consumer Response /* (3000, 30, 2022/01/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) The requested medical / vet records for my dog were previously provided on 12/18/21. Moreover, a follow-up email was sent on 12/20/21 specifically stating that my dog is not overweight is considered a normal body condition. While we greatly appreciate the refund for the difference between a mini and standard bernedoodle, and it shows a good faith effort of the business owner to try to make this right, the main concern is around ensuring that we have accurate records for my dog's parents. As previously stated, and has not been addressed by the business, the documentation that has been shared to date is inconsistent with historical records that were provided to us; this leads to even greater confusion. Dates of Birth for my dog's father are different on every record that has been provided to us - the rabies certificate states 12/1/13 and the PennHip states 12/5/13. While these are fairly close and could be considered a potential oversight, the Date of birth from the prior records that were provided us re: our dog's father (i.e., Paw Print genetic information) states dad's DOB as June 2015 (see uploaded documentation). This is over two years difference. Therefore, it is unclear if we're being provided accurate information for the same dog and calls into question the lineage for my dog. Moreover, the documentation that was provided does not confirm if the father (or mother for that matter) is absent of any specific medical conditions (e.g., Hip issues, IBD, etc.). Can this be addressed? If not, we'll assume that we won't be able to obtain the requested records and we can just close the case.

• Initial Complaint

  11/12/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 8/16/21 we purchased a Mini Bernedoodle puppy from *********** of Massachusetts Bernedoodles, LLC. Immediately upon taking the puppy home we noticed she was leaking urine down her legs. Concerned she had a urinary tract infection, we took her to our Vet on 8/25/21 and were told our puppy most likely has a condition called Ectopic Ureter, along with a luxating patella & a concern about her heart & eyes. The vet also diagnosed a positive result for a UTI. After finishing the first round of week-long antibiotics we noticed our puppy was still leaking large amounts of urine, which would indicate that our puppy does have a Congenital issue. We then reached out to *********** on September 9th, 2021 explaining that our puppy was seriously ill and asking for help with resolving her medical issues. *** completely ignored our questions and concerns at that time. Per her contract and guarantee *********** was supposed to take the puppy back and get a third-party evaluation. This did not occur. Instead, *********** ignored me until I sent another email on October 14th, 2021 stating that since she didn't respond to our requests for help, she was not a reputable breeder and simply took our money in exchange for a seriously ill dog. *********** finally responded and told me to email her assistant ***** with ALL of MY vet's findings/pet's records who would then show them to their vet. I sent my puppy's records to ***** and have been given the run around ever since. I have requested an independent third-party review on 3 different occasions without results or follow-up. My family has now been in possession and caring for an ill puppy for 3 months with NO action on ***** part. Her guarantee clearly states that she will take the dog back and get a third-party evaluation and then either replace the puppy or help pay veterinary bills up to the price of the dog. None of this has taken place except repeated emails on our end that go unanswered and resolve nothing.

  Business response

  12/17/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2021/11/19) */ Good Afternoon, ************ and I have been actively working to resolve her concerns and we have been communicating via email for documentation purposes. Per the adoption contract, the first step is having our licensed veterinarian review her vet records which she has done and made recommendations including switching her food to include grains and having her vet clinic collect a clean urine sample for lab analysis. Since then, according to her vet records, the leaking urine, which started at 8 weeks old, has resolved and was likely due to her age as indicated in her vet records as well. A puppy is not old enough to be house trained by 8 weeks old or even 12 weeks old yet that is when her complaints began. Grain free kibble has been studied and linked to many medical problems in dogs. The adoption contract includes feeding the puppy a kibble that includes grains and ************ has not been feeding her puppy grain free food. The puppy was sent home on purina proplan salmon and rice puppy formula but was switched immediately to another kibble without grains. This grain free kibble, in an of itself, could be the cause of her pups urine issues. However, because she did not abide by the adoption contract, which we both signed, the health guarantee is void. Regardless of the adoption contract not being followed, I have still been in touch with ***** each week to work on a resolution. Since ***** ****** believes this may be a genetic condition, we agreed I would look for a genetic testing company who offers this test as this would provide the clearest result. Embark and Pawprint genetics are the labs we typically use and they do not test for this condition. I am currently waiting for Gensol and one other lab to reply to my inquiry as wait times in every industry have increased in time due to covid and the supply chain issues which includes workers. Despite my weekly communication and genuine efforts to come to a resolution, our agreed upon plan to start with a genetic test, despite that she voided the health Guarantee due to the grain free kibble and despite the fact that no other puppies from these dog parents have had any problems whatsoever, ***** proceeded with the BBB complaint. If I am unable to find a company that tests for this specific genetic condition by the end of November, per the adoption contract, the next step is a 3rd party neutral evaluation. We have not reached this point yet, however, I have requested an appointment at Wachusett Animal Hospital for a specialist to evaluate her puppy. I am, at present, waiting to hear from them as they are also experiencing staffing problems and are no longer open 24 hours as a result. Their Specialists are there on specific days and they are booking out 2 months. I am waiting to see if they can squeeze her in sooner. When I communicated this via email to *****, she then stated that her puppy now has many other health concerns but did not provide any details or vet records for documentation. I have requested for those to be forwarded as well (even though she voided her contract). As you can see, I have been following the contract and outlined steps but ***** has been unwilling to follow the adoption contract or my veterinarians guidance. We would appreciate it greatly if the ******** would follow the puppy adoption contract and allow sufficient time to come to a resolution based on the findings from a genetic test or a 3rd party neutral evaluation. We have no control over the schedules of any vet offices and can only move as fast as they will allow for. Had I found a genetic testing company already, the results would not be back yet as they take about 6 weeks to process not including the time it takes for the kit to arrive and get sent back to the lab. We work very hard to ensure every puppy is healthy and well socialized. We rarely have complaints and when we have (this is the 4th in 4 years), they have all been resolved in a timely manner. We ask the BBB for the time it takes to follow the outlined steps in the adoption contract, should a situation like this arise, and consideration regarding the customers unwillingness to follow said contract, thereby voiding the health guarantee within days of signing it. In the meantime, I will follow up on the genetic test option, if any, and the appointment with the 3rd party neutral. Thank You, *********** Owner, Massachusetts Bernedoodles LLC Consumer Response /* (3000, 13, 2021/11/28) */ ***Document Attached*** Hello, There are many facts and statements in ***** response that are incorrect and/or taken out of context. We ask the BBB to fully read all of our attached documents stating the real facts that support our complaint. First of all, Sophie was diagnosed to have 4 serious issues at her first vet visit as can be seen in the vet records and in a letter from our vet (attachment01). All of these issues were reported to *** and/or ***** at MA Bernedoodles in our vet's notes that were shared and responded to in an email reply from *****. We reject ***** claims to not have known about all of Sophie's issues. Secondly, we strongly disagree with ***** claim that grain free kibble voids the health guarantee & contract. Please note that any references in the contract about grain free food are specifically listed under the section for hip/elbow dysplasia, and not under the general guarantee of health. As we previously stated Sophie was never switched solely to grain free diet, and we stopped introducing it as soon as recommendations against it were received (see purchases of proPlan from Chewy attachment02). Also, the diagnosis of all Sophie's issues were made before Sophie ever had any grain free kibble. How could the food be the cause of anything when all of her issues were diagnosed by a vet before she ever had any of this food?, This was noted on Sep. 15th which WAS NOT IMMEDIATE (med history notes attachment03). Thirdly, our vet's note about the urine problems being resolved are taken out of context. Dr. T only referred to the fact that at the time the second round of antibiotics seemed to be resolving her UTI, and the next note states "Dribbling of urine - Rec UA once finished with abx. Let us know if signs recur" After the antibiotics were finished, Sophie's urine problems persisted (see notes in attachment03 & attachment08). Sophie is currently on a 3rd round of antibiotics after a clean catch via needle (UA Urine MIC FIRSTract testing) to identify active bacteria. Antibiotic resistant bacteria was still found in her bladder after all this time(attachment05). If her urine problems continue after this round of antibiotics we also have an appointment scheduled for an ultrasound at Tufts to see if an Ectopic Ureter is truly causing Sophie's urine problems. In addition Sophie's luxating patella has worsened and she has had to go on an anti-inflammatory. We now have an appointment with a specialist to see if surgery will be required. (also noted in attachment08) As you, can see we have a 6 month old puppy that has multiple health problems from the beginning and a contract that has a guarantee: This puppy has been checked by my vet and has been found to be healthy at the time of the sale. If your vet finds a serious illness or congenital defect we will take the puppy back and have him/her rechecked by a third party. If the puppy is found to have a defect, we will exchange the puppy for the next available (not reserved) puppy or I will help with the cost of the vet bills up to the original cost of the puppy. Your pup will come with his/her first set of shots & physical which will have occurred between 6-7 weeks of age. New owner agrees to contact Massachusetts Bernedoodles, LLC for any concerns about the health of the puppy at any time during the life of your puppy as this information impacts the breeding program. All puppies are nonrefundable. We contacted MA Bernedoodles about Sophie's problems less than a month after purchase and we were dismissed and ignored and received no communication back for over a month(attachments05 & 06). We comprehend the contract to state: that ***** vet checking Sophie and finding her to be healthy at the time of sale is the first evaluation. Our vet then found 4 serious issues NINE days after bringing Sophie home, is the second evaluation. WE ask the BBB to reconsider putting our case on hold for genetic testing since *** should not get a second evaluation per her own contract. Genetic testing will not even diagnose the presence of current disease. She should have taken Sophie directly back on Sept 9th, 2021 for a third evaluation. Which we have been asking for now for months. Our vet believes that waiting for genetic testing is a complete waste of time and will not provide accurate diagnosis and/or presence of Ectopic Ureter (attachment07). Lastly, we received no email communication from *** saying that she was looking into getting Sophie an evaluation at WAH and they were booked out for months. We called them ourselves before booking the ultrasound with Tufts and they told us if Sophie did in fact have Ectopic Ureter, their specialist could not perform that type of surgery at WAH and we would have to seek out another facility anyway. In our opinion, we feel *** and MA Bernedoodles are only concerned with what is best for her business while we spend hundreds of dollars of our own money on tests, urine samples, and antibiotics/anti-inflammatory meds after paying a premium for Sophie to begin with. It has now been two and a half months since we originally reached out to MA Bernedoodles asking for help. We can't express enough the amount of stress this has put on our family and wallet. After waiting 10 months to bring Sophie home, we never expected her to have so many serious medical issues from day one. We have been completely willing to work with *** and follow recommendations from our vet and ***s as you can see from our continued testing and retesting with our vet. Since *** has't followed her OWN outlined protocols, We the owners have sought out evaluations of both her Urinary Tract(Tufts/Grafton) and her Luxating Patella(Performance Canine/Harvard). Neither of which took long to appoint despite ***** claims about "staffing problems, over bookings." We again ask the BBB to read ALL the attached files and contract. We respectfully do not believe we should have to wait for genetic testing or anything any longer before *** actually steps forward and follows through with what is outlined in the contract regarding reimbursement of current and future health bills relating to all of Sophie's medical issues. Business Response /* (4000, 18, 2021/12/13) */ ***** requested via e-mail on 12/9/21 to surrender Sophie back to MBD which she did on 12/10/2021. I volunteered to reimburse ***** in full for the cost of her puppy and according to the amount she paid in the adoption contract. This was paid with a check made out to ***** which was cashed immediately upon leaving the area. See attached photo of surrender form. I did not have to reimburse ***** as the adoption contract protocol had not yet been completed. The specialist appointments are this week and next week so we are still waiting for the appointments to take place. However, I did not offer to exchange Sophie for another puppy because, after examining Sophie's hygiene alone, it's clear she was not well taken care of. We plan to follow up with her vet appointments which were scheduled by ***** and were to supposed to serve as the 3rd party neutral opinion. However, we will have the 3rd party evaluate her need for surgery and any other problems that are considered and normal for her age of <6 months and condition when returned to MBD (see attached photos). We have her wearing a diaper in the meantime to record any urine leaking. The diaper is photographed prior to potty breaks to see if she is leaking urine and felt to see if it's damp. So far, she has had a clean diaper every time. The most recent lab report results, read by our veterinarian, indicate a standard urinary tract infection. This is normal from time to time but can be more frequent if grooming is not maintained properly. She is being treated now for her UTI (with 3.5 ml amoxicillin liquid twice a day for 10 days) under Dr. ********************. On puppy pick days, we spend about 20 minutes with each customer going over basic grooming for their bernedoodle, a non shedding breed with hair. Customers are encouraged to come In person so they may learn how to brush their hair and trim nails, around their eyes and hygiene area. We send out specific instructions and ask every customer to acknowledge the maintenance required by a professional groomer which includes at minimum grooming every 6-8 weeks and daily brushing at home to prevent matting. Upon Sophie's arrival on 12/10/21, we (myself and the director of animal care) observed several visible concerns. Specifically the length of her nails which were long enough to cause abnormal bone growth during one of the fastest growth periods. The length of her rear nails made it impossible for her hind legs not to slide out from underneath her body when on any smooth or semi smooth surface. Specifically hardwood floors laminate wood floor, grooming tub and epoxy flooring all of which we tried her on. Her muscles are under developed for her age and she is slightly underweight compared to her siblings. Her appearance was very unkept and she still had all of her baby "whispy" hair (see attached before/after photos) which indicates she had never been groomed. Our groomer saw her the following day on 12/11/21 and noticed several grooming problems including extensive matting, nails long enough to touch the floor on all four paws which may have caused her orthopedic problems (photos attached) long term We also noted her gait may now be abnormal where it was not abnormal at her well puppy visit prior to going home. We are awaiting her appointments for their professional opinion. Honestly, I believe Sophie may have been neglected by being crates for too long and in a crate too small. Groomer Notes: "Miss Sophie is all groomed though! She clearly had never been groomed since she left here so I had to go very slow and take my time, especially with how bad her knees were. She was very bitey with the dryer and clippers at first, but I took it slow and gave her tons of rewards and by the end she was kissing me and doing her best to be a brave little girl. Her anal glands were clogged which is VERY out of the ordinary for a puppy her age. I don't know what kind of situation she came from, but it's likely she spent a lot of time crated and not allowed to use the bathroom. She's all super clean now and had her first haircut to get rid of her scraggly puppy coat so she's looking like a very regal little black fox. She's such a sweet good girl." We look forward to rehabilitating Sophie and placing her with a loving family. I would like to submit photographs, a groomers statement and veterinary exam notes once available. Please advise on how to submit this information. Thank You, *********** Consumer Response /* (2000, 25, 2021/12/15) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) She did refund us for the cost of the dog after we repeatedly tried to contact her to surrender Sophie. My complaint was actually never resolved because she NEVER followed through with her end of the contract. She owes me the fee I paid for Sophie's evaluation and blood work pertaining to her knee surgery and also the fee from her cystocentesis at our vet's office, both of which were 3rd party evaluations we kept asking for. Instead, we chose to surrender Sophie and walk away because we were doing all the leg work and funding all of the appointments and evaluations. It looks like she posted pictures of Sophie pre and post grooming in order to look like she is the hero in this case, but let me remind you that this case is about THE HEALTH of the dog not her appearance. WE know who the real monster is in this case, and it isn't us. We may have been refunded the cost of the dog, but we had to surrender our precious puppy in order to stop the madness. If you find that to be a resolution, then fine. *** prefers to pay customers off and deflect rather than face facts and truths. Karma will get her in the end.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩