Should You Start Bernedoodle Training Early?
Are you a proud owner of a Bernedoodle puppy? Congratulations! As you start your exciting new journey with your furry companion, you may find yourself wondering “Should I start Bernedoodle training early?”
We put together a comprehensive guide, that dives into the benefits of puppy training for your Bernedoodle. Find out how early training can shape your puppy’s behavior, enhance their development, and strengthen the bond between you and your canine pal.
Understanding the Significance of Puppy Trainings
Cutting to the chase; Should I start Bernedoodle training early? The answer is yes, absolutely! We’ll discuss why, cover some approaches to Bernedoodle training, and then give you some anecdotal experiences with our pal Cooper.
Puppy training lays the foundation for a well-behaved Bernedoodle. From basic obedience commands to proper socialization, early training will provide your pup with the skills and behaviors that will benefit them throughout their life.
Firstly, early puppy training introduces and reinforces basic obedience commands. Teaching your Bernedoodle commands such as sit, stay, lay down, and come provides a line of communication between you and your furry friend and sets the stage for future training and behaviors. Good manners, discipline, and control, which are very important not just for your Bernedoodle, but for you as well as their owner.
Secondly, Bernedoodle training provides your puppy with socialization. Early exposure to different locations, people, animals, sights, and sounds helps your Bernedoodle develop the skills necessary as they explore their world. With socialization, your puppy learns to interact appropriately with other dogs and humans. By learning the rights way to interact, it reduces the likelihood your Bernedoodle will act out with fear-based aggression or anxiety. Positive experiences early and often in your Bernedoodle’s life to a wide range of stimuli, enable them to handle new situations easily as they encounter them throughout their life.
Both basic obedience training and socialization work hand in hand to create a well-rounded Bernedoodle. The skills your Bernedoodle learns as a puppy will be the foundation for a lifetime of positive interactions, good behavior, and a stronger bond between you and your furry companion. We recommend you invest the time and effort in puppy training for a smoother and more enjoyable life for your Bernedoodle.
Strengthen the Bond
Puppy training is a good way to strengthen the bond between you and your puppy. Training your Bernedoodle helps trust, communication, and mutual respect. And we believe that leads to a relationship built on love and understanding.
As you guide your puppy through various commands and behaviors, you are building a foundation of trust. Your Bernedoodle learns to rely on you for guidance, support, and consistency. We make sure to consistently reward and reinforce Cooper’s positive behavior in order to improve his obedience and trust between us and him.
Consistent training establishes a common language and understanding between you and your pup. It allows you to properly interpret your dog’s body language, signals, and cues, while your Bernedoodle learns to recognize your verbal and non-verbal commands.
We came to find that puppy training enables mutual respect between us and Cooper. As you establish boundaries, set expectations, and provide consistent guidance, your Bernedoodle learns to respect your authority and the rules you’ve put in place. We always say, consistency is key!
Benefits of Early Bernedoodle Training
Instilling Good Behavior
Instilling good behavior early in your puppy’s life shapes positive behavior and prevents common issues down the road in life. We’ll take a look at housebreaking, crate training and teaching chewing habits.
Housebreaking is probably the first and most important part of puppy training. Obviously you don’t want your puppy going potty in the house, so getting them house broken early, is key. Housebreaking training allows your puppy to learn to associate specific cues or designated areas with going potty. Doing so overtime will help them avoid accidents inside the house. Our other article provides more information on house training your puppy.
Crate training
Introducing your Bernedoodle to a crate as a safe and comfortable space helps teach them boundaries, promotes a sense of security, and prevents destructive behaviors when unsupervised. Crate training also aids in housebreaking, as dogs instinctively avoid going potty where they sleep. As your puppy gets use to their crate, it can be used as a reliable tool for managing their behavior.
Imagine coming home to see your favorite slippers or a couch cushion destroyed. Teaching your Bernedoodle the right chewing habits is important to stop destructive chewing and protect furniture and other items in your house. Puppy training lets you redirect your Bernedoodle’s chewing instinct towards appropriate chew toys while discouraging them from chewing on things they shouldn’t chew. We ensured we provided Cooper with engaging and safe chew toys, offering praise and rewards when he used those toys. If he wasn’t using his toys, we would redirect him back to them in order to stop future destructive tendencies.
By focusing on these areas of training, you are instilling good behavior patterns in your Bernedoodle from an early age. Consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience are key in shaping your puppy’s behavior. Addressing these common issues through early training, prevents potential challenges down the road, which leads to a happier and more well-adjusted Bernedoodle.
Obedience
Teaching your Bernedoodle obedience at an early age is essential for shaping their development later in life. Mastering basic commands like sit, stay, and come, are the skills that are essential for a Bernedoodle that’s well behaved in a public setting with new people or animals.
Teaching essential obedience skills to your Bernedoodle pup provides many benefits for the both of you. Commands such as sit, stay, and come, establish a line of communication and control. These commands form the foundation of obedience training giving you the ability to help manage your Bernedoodle in various situations. In addition, these skills help create structure, prevent undesirable behavior, and promote a sense of discipline and respect between you and your Bernedoodle.
Mastering these essential obedience skills gives your Bernedoodle with a solid foundation as a well-behaved and safe companion. IYou will have better control over their behavior, both at home and in public settings. Having that control will make daily activities, like walks and going out in public, more enjoyable and stress-free for both of you.
Consistency, positive reinforcement, and patience are key in teaching these obedience skills to your Bernedoodle puppy. As your Bernedoodle learns these skills, you can gradually build on these foundational commands and behaviors, setting up your puppy for long term success positive interactions.
Mental Stimulation
Puppy training also provides the benefit of mental stimulation and problem solving abilities with your Bernedoodle. Your puppy’s mind becomes engaged with interactive training sessions. It keeps them mentally sharp, which prevents boredom and destructive behaviors. Some of those destructive behaviors that will be prevented include excessive barking, chewing, or digging.
During training sessions, your puppy is challenged to learn and understand new commands, tasks, and behaviors. This mental engagement keeps their mind active and sharp, and gives them an outlet for their natural curiosity.
Puppy training lets them learn to analyze situations, understand cues, and figure out how to respond correctly to those new commands they’re learning. Problem-solving will strengthen your Bernedoodle’s cognitive skills and helps them become more adaptable and quick-thinking.
Consistency and positive reinforcement play a crucial role in enhancing mental stimulation and problem-solving abilities through puppy training. Making training sessions enjoyable, rewarding, and mentally engaging, create an environment that encourages your Bernedoodle’s mental growth.
Physical Fitness
A natural part of Bernedoodle training is improving and maintaining physical fitness and overall health. Just by teaching essential obedience skills to your Bernedoodle allows them the opportunity to run around and get exercise. Playing fetch, for example, lets your Bernedoodle run to get a ball or a toy and bring it back to you. If your puppy doesn’t drop the ball right away, you can teach him or her to “give” the toy.
As they engage in fetch, they’re getting cardio exercise that they very much need. Don’t over do it though as they’re still a puppy. Make sure you have plenty of water available and watch for cues when your puppy gets too tired
Socialization
As we mentioned earlier, puppy training gives your Bernedoodle positive interactions with other dogs, animals, and people. We left this part until the end because we wanted to save what we consider the most important part for the end. Exposing your Bernedoodle to various environments and experiences, promotes confidence, reduce anxiety, which helps them become well-adjusted when out in public places.
Puppy training allows for a structured and controlled environment to facilitate positive social interactions. This can be done through obedience classes, group training sessions, or supervised playdates. Those types of activities provide your Bernedoodle with opportunities to learn appropriate social behaviors, such as greeting other dogs politely, sharing toys, and understanding boundaries. Those skills they learn teach them how to communicate and interact well with other animals and humans.
Exposing your Bernedoodle to various situations and positively reinforcing calm and relaxed behavior in new environments, you’ll build up their self-assurance. Confidence enables them to navigate their world and new experiences with ease. It also reduces the likelihood of fear-based aggression or anxiety-driven reactions. Ultimately, your Bernedoodle’s overall quality of life is improved through proper socialization. It makes everyday experiences, like walks or encounters with new people, more enjoyable for both you and your Bernedoodle.
Choosing the Right Puppy Training Approach
There are two approaches you can take to training your Bernedoodle puppy as you consider “should you bring your Bernedoodle for puppy training?”. There is the professional training approach or the do-it-yourself approach.
Professional training provides a structured program with personalized advice along with the opportunity to socialize with other puppies. DIY training gives you full control and provide training where and when it’s most convenient for you. We’ll take a closer look at each option to help you better decide which approach is best for you.
Professional Training
Professional puppy training classes offer several advantages that can greatly benefit both you and your Bernedoodle. Here are some key advantages to consider:
Expert Guidance:
Professional trainers have the knowledge and experience to guide you through the training process. These trainers understand the unique needs and characteristics of different breeds, including Bernedoodles, and can tailor the training program appropriately. Expertise offered from a trainer lets them address specific challenges or behavior issues that your Bernedoodle pup might show. That ensures your pup will get accurate guidance and solutions to those challenges.
Structured Programs:
Puppy training classes provide a structured and organized approach to training. Trainers typically follow a curriculum that covers essential obedience skills, socialization, and behavior management; all things we discussed in this article. A structured course allows for gradual progression and education for your Bernedoodle. The step-by-step nature of the program will set your Bernedoodle puppy up for long-term success.
Personalized Advice:
Professional trainers can offer personalized advice based on your Bernedoodle’s individual needs. They will assess your puppy’s temperament, behavior, and learning style, and provide guidance that can be tailored to address any specific challenges or areas of needed improvement. The personalized attention ensures that your Bernedoodle gets targeted training and techniques that align with their unique personality and training needs.
Socialization Opportunities:
Puppy training classes often provide socialization opportunities for your Bernedoodle, which we feel is possibly the most important aspect of puppy training. Interacting with other puppies in a controlled and supervised environment allows your Bernedoodle to learn the right social skills, practice polite greetings, and engage in positive play with the other pups in the class. Socialization is really important for your pup’s development and helps them become well-adjusted, confident, and friendly dogs especially in new and/or public settings.
Community and Support:
Enrolling in puppy training classes creates a sense of community and support among fellow dog owners. Sharing experiences, challenges, and successes with others who are going through similar training journeys can be really helpful and motivating. And you may even make a new friend! Both trainers and classmates can provide support, encouragement, and advice, which allows for a positive learning environment for both you and your Bernedoodle.
All that said, not all trainers are created equal. make sure you consider potential trainer’s credentials, methods used, class size, and the overall atmosphere of the training facility. Please be sure to choose a reputable and positive learning environment for your Bernedoodle puppy so they get the most out of the sessions they’ll be a part of. Lastly, you’ll also want to consider the cost for a puppy trainer program as it could be rather expensive depending on your location and the popularity of the trainer you want to bring your Bernedoodle to.
DIY
Do-it-yourself or DIY allows you to train your Bernedoodle puppy right from the comfort of your own home. From positive reinforcement and reward-based training to consistency and patience, we’ll give you some ideas on how to effectively train your Bernedoodle on your own.
Positive Reinforcement:
Positive reinforcement is the basis of success for puppy training. It involves rewarding good behaviors with praise, treats, or other rewards. For example, when your Bernedoodle performs the behavior you want, such as sitting or coming when called, immediately provide positive reinforcement for the behavior. This approach helps your puppy associate the behavior with positive outcomes, which makes them more likely to repeat that behavior in the future. Repetition, consistency and patience are the keys to positive reinforcement.
Reward-Based Training:
Reward-based training goes hand in hand with positive reinforcement. Instead of focusing on punishment or correction for unwanted behaviors, redirect your Bernedoodle’s attention to a desired behavior and reward them when they perform that action. For example, if your puppy starts chewing on furniture, redirect their attention to a chew toy and reward them for chewing on that toy. This method helps your Bernedoodle understand what behaviors are acceptable while building a positive relationship with you.
Consistency:
Consistency is very important in DIY puppy training. If you live with other people, make sure to discuss the “rules and expectations” for your puppy so that everyone in your household follows them consistently. Make sure everyone is consistent with cues or commands for desired behaviors. As an example, make sure to use the same word or hand signal for “sit” or “stay.” Consistency helps your Bernedoodle understand what is expected of them and reduces confusion or mixed signals.
Patience:
Training takes time and patience. Puppies are learning and developing, so it’s important to be patient throughout the process. Please understand that your Bernedoodle may not grasp a command or behavior immediately and that repetition and reinforcement are necessary. Stay calm and positive! Do not get frustrated or resort to punishment. Training should be a positive and enjoyable experience for both you and your puppy.
Basic Commands:
Start with teaching your Bernedoodle basic commands such as sit, stay, come, and lie down. Break the training sessions into short, but frequent sessions to maintain your puppy’s attention span. Use treats, praise, and rewards to motivate and reinforce desired behaviors. As your Bernedoodle becomes better at basic commands, slowly introduce more advanced training like roll-over or shake.
Socialization:
Once again, socialization is a major component to puppy training. If you plan to do DIY training, you’ll need to expose your Bernedoodle to different environments, people, animals, and experiences to help them become well-rounded and comfortable in different situations. Try to plan playdates with other friendly dogs, take them to dog-friendly parks, and introduce them to new people gradually. For rainy days, you could even take your pup to Lowes, Home Depot or Bass Pro Shops for a little indoor adventure. For all of those experiences, you’ll want to supervise in order to provide positive reinforcement when your puppy displays good social behavior.
While DIY training can be extremely effective, you need to know what you’re doing and stick with the process. For those with a little less experience with Bernedoodles, we recommend a trainer. But for those with past experience in successfully training a puppy, DIY could be a great alternative.
Cooper’s Socialization
In the case of our Cooper, he’s a COVID puppy. What does that mean? He came home to us during the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such there were no socialization classes available to us. Everything was shut down to group activities. As a result, for almost an entire two years, Cooper only knew his immediate family.
We only have Cooper so there were no other pets to socialize with our pal. Similarly, the only people he was able to socialize with was us and the kids.
What was the result of only knowing a small circle for over a year? Unfortunately for us and Cooper, he’s very timid around other dogs and other people. Skittishness, barking and sometimes growling was the norm when introduced to new people.
Introducing Friends
We were able to get some patient friends to come over to eventually get Cooper to warm up to them. Some of those efforts were across multiple days. They were a bit stressful because Cooper was nervous and anxious during the process.
The good news is that eventually he came around and made friends with the people we had over. He was a bit barky but by giving them treats to give him and providing him praise and encouragement he let our friends pet him.
And that’s all it really took. We like to say that he has somewhat of a bubble around him and once it’s popped through petting, he’ll be your best friend. It’s really sweet and encouraging to see.
Public Places
After we were able to get Cooper comfortable around some of our friends, we brought him out to a few breweries. While he was generally okay, he was extremely nervous at first. He was literally shaking when he got into the brewery and saw all the people.
We ended up taking him to an area of the brewery away from other people and gave him some treats to calm down. A waiter ended up coming over to say hi to the new Berne Doodle in his brewery but Cooper wasn’t having it. He was barking and hiding behind us despite the waiter’s best efforts to make Cooper feel at ease.
We took him to a few more breweries with similar results but fortunately saw some steady improvements. He wasn’t really shaking anymore when getting into the breweries and he was barking less. But still, he was very timid when anyone came over to say hello.
Dog Walker
Our next step was to hire a dog walker to get Cooper aquatinted with new people. It took a few visits but eventually Cooper warmed up to the dog walker. So much so that he started to get super excited when the dog walker got to the house. He would happily trot and bark as he was getting ready for the walk. This was a happy bark and a lot different than the barks when he was nervous when out in public.
The walks were initially done in the local neighborhood and evolved to hikes, and visits to dog friendly stores like Lowes and Bass Pro Shops. The dog walker reported that Cooper was extremely calm and allowed people to come up to pet him.
A Work In Progress
While we were really happy to hear that he was being more social, we were concerned that he would be a bit more protective of us. The next time we took him to Lowes, our concerns were somewhat confirmed. Cooper is definitely more protective of us than the dog walker, but the good news is that he showed a lot of improvement.
When he was out with us, the barking was a lot less and he’s more willing to sniff around other pups rather than hiding away. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely getting better!
Unfortunately, Cooper is too old for puppy training now. The good news, though, is that he’s making awesome progress. He’s still a little timid but with some treats and active encouragement, he’s much more social both with people and other animals. His bubble still needs to be popped but it takes a whole lot less effort for that to happen.
Bottom Line
While we’re extremely happy with our good boy’s progression, we would absolutely go back in time and send him to puppy training, if we could. Puppy training offers socialization at a young age so they get used to other humans and pets early and often. So should you bring your Berne Doodle for puppy training? 100%, yes!
The bottom line is that there’s no doubt about it, you should bring your Bernedoodle for puppy training as soon as practical. You’ll be glad you did!
In Closing:
In conclusion, Bernedoodle training plays a pivotal role in shaping your pupp’s behavior, development, and overall well-being. From instilling good behavior patterns to promoting socialization, confidence, and obedience skills, early training sets the stage for a well-rounded and happy companion. Whether you choose professional training classes or embrace DIY techniques, the benefits of puppy training are undeniable. So, should you bring your Bernedoodle for puppy training? Absolutely! Embrace the journey of training your Bernedoodle and witness the remarkable transformation that it brings to both you and your furry friend.