Helpful Tips and Training Advice:
(Scroll down for links to helpful guides from a professional dog trainer!)
Before bringing home your puppy, we highly recommend that all future forever homes brush up on potty training, crate training, and obedience training. The puppy stage is such a wonderful time, but for many new owners, it can be confusing and frustrating. Knowledge is power, and we want you to have all the resources in advance to be fully prepared and equipped to care for your Beloved Bernedoodle!
When this critical training period is ignored or gone about haphazardly, what can result is an adolescent or adult dog that frustrates his or her owner. This is why many dogs end up being re-homed or given to animal shelters. That’s not what we want for you or for any of our Beloved Bernedoodles. So, here is some helpful information on potty training, crate training, and acclimating your puppy to their new home and new family members.
We HIGHLY recommend that you read the book Puppy Brain before you bring your puppy home, enroll your puppy in puppy classes, and even continue into obedience school or utilize a professional trainer who can observe your pup firsthand and any issues you may be struggling with. He or she will give you customized advice. With a trainer’s insight, oftentimes things just “click” and will change for the better!
Some Things to Remember:
- According to Puppy Culture, the first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life is critical in shaping the kind of dog they will be. Make sure they are getting lots of love, consistency in training, with as few stressors as possible.
- Just 10 minutes of one-on-one training with your puppy every day will make a world of a difference for you and your Beloved Bernedoodle in the future!
- You don’t have to be an expert. There are tons of free resources available to you online, such as videos and articles and support groups.
- Set a timer or make a calendar appointment for your daily training time — whatever you need to do to make this a priority.
- Use kibble as treats for the first couple of months, since your puppy’s stomach may be sensitive to treats. Having kibble on hand, in a pouch or pocket or various counters of your home within reach, will be your best friend for training and will highly motivate your pup to listen to you.
- An Important Note About Treats and Food: Chicken allergy is very common with bernedoodles for some reason. Unfortunately, this seems to come to light after expensive vet bills and weeks or even months of confusion. No one really knows why some (not all) bernedoodles tend to have sensitive stomachs to chicken, but I thought I would save you the headache in advance by making you aware of it. My dogs are not on any poultry products of any kind. We stick with lamb, beef, and salmon. I also do not buy into the grain-free hype unless a vet has diagnosed one’s dog with a gluten intolerance. Grain-free has been linked a type of heart disease in dogs and cats.
Now, onto the essential guides that have been put together for you by Nathalie of Les Pawtounes Dog Training*! Click on the links below to explore by topic:
*We recommend Nathalie Schlemer of Les Pawtounes Dog Training to all of our puppy families. Nathalie is a behavioral dog trainer serving Los Angeles, from the South Bay and Westside to Beverly Hills and West Hollywood with over 8 years of experience, more than 1,500 dogs trained, and many of them bernedoodles. She works with puppies from the very beginning setting up crate routines, building confidence, and giving families the foundation they need before problems start. We trust her with our puppies and so do our clients. Visit her at: https://www.lespawtounesdogtraining.com/
The Importance of Puppy Culture in the first 12 Weeks of Your Puppy’s Life
Safe Socialization before your Puppy is Fully Vaccinated – 1
Safe Socialization before your Puppy is Fully Vaccinated – 2
