Why “Furnishings” Matter in Your Bernedoodle (And What That Photo Really Tells You)
- Jennifer Moody
- Nov 2, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 31
Look at the image above. Beautiful, isn’t it? That pup’s fluffy muzzle, softly raised eyebrows, the slightly tousled beard-look… all classic features we call “furnishings” in the breeding world.
At The Bernedoodle Collective, we don’t just pick puppies because they look cute (though let’s admit that helps). We pick and breed according to genetics, health, and predictable coat and personality outcomes.
Furnishings are one of those genetics markers that matter for the look you expect and how your dog lives with you (grooming, shedding, allergy risk, those family dynamics).
What Are Furnishings, Really?
Out simply, it’s the moustache, the eyebrows, the fuller facial hair and the “classic teddy bear” coat look many doodle lovers adore.
But behind that is real science. The gene in focus? RSPO2 gene (R-spondin-2). Researchers have found a specific insertion in its 3′-UTR (a 167 base-pair segment) that strongly correlates with dogs displaying furnishings.
In short:
If a dog has the “furnishings” variant (let’s call it F) on at least one allele, it’s extremely likely to show those moustache/eyebrow features.
If the dog lacks that variant (allele n or wild-type), there’s a higher chance of improper coat — flatter face hair, less moustache, generally a different texture
For you as a puppy buyer, that means: if your breeder can show testing for RSPO2 = F, you’re more likely to get that furnished, curly/wavy, low-shedding look. If not? You might end up with something more like a retriever-face.
What This Means If You’re Buying a Bernedoodle
When you’re evaluating a breeder or a particular litter, ask these questions:
Have the parents been tested for RSPO2? What result?
What are the coat type expectations (based on the gene combo above)?
How will this puppy’s coat and furnishings affect grooming, shedding and allergies
Has the breeder paired dogs with the goal of furnished coats and low-shedding outcomes?
At The Bernedoodle Collective, part of our standard is to share these genetics details because clarity = trust and there’s nothing more important when trying to find your preferred Bernedoodle Breeder in Australia.
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