When it comes to training your Bernedoodle, it might be overwhelming to know where to start. But we are here to help!
If you are new to Bernedoodles, then read on to learn about your complete guide on how to train these wonderful dogs.
Characteristics Of The Bernedoodle
Bernedoodles inherit characteristics from both their Bernese parent and their Poodle parent. Making yourself familiar with these characteristics will drastically improve how successful you will be in training them.
Bernese Characteristics:
Highly Intelligent
Great Swimmers
Low-shedding coats
Alert Barkers
High Energy
Extremely Friendly
Playful
Poodle Characteristics:
Stubborn
Shedding Coats
Extremely Loyal
Laid-Back
Distant To Strangers
Good Around Children
How To Train A Bernedoodle
Now you know the different traits that come from the parents, you can study your dog to see which ones they have inherited.
Once you have a better idea of their personality, you can move to training your Bernedoodle.
There are a few different ways in which you can train your Bernedoodle. We are going to go over three popular methods here.
You may need to try more than one method depending on your dog’s personality, but once you get into a routine that works for you both, you will start to see results.
Relationship-Based Training
Relationship-based training is all about the bond between the owner/trainer and the dog.
This method relies heavily on you and your dog building a rapport, and over time, your Bernedoodle will grow to trust and respect you.
Rather than traditional training and drills, this method actually works every time you and your dog interact.
It’s all about building up the relationship, and then you can move on to another style of training once the mutual respect and understanding is there.
Relationship-based training can take a while. This is why it is recommended that you start when they are a puppy. The more familiar your Bernedoodle is with you, the easier this method will be.
Clicker Training
Clicker training involves familiarizing your dog with a specific sound.
Basically, toys, praise, treats, and everything else are replaced with this sound, and your Bernedoodle will associate the sound with a future reward.
It does take a bit of time for this method to work, and it is normal for your Bernedoodle to not respond or respond incorrectly for a little while.
The more familiar they become with the sound and the more they associate it with a positive interaction/future reward, the more they will respond to it.
When they get used to the sound, sometimes it’s enough for them to feel like they have done something right.
Positive Reinforcement Training
Positive Reinforcement training is similar to Clicker training, but it involves owners only responding to positive behavior in their dogs.
It’s better to avoid responding to negative behavior and actions and instead focus completely on the positives.
An example of this would be when you tell your Berendoodle to go outside to use the toilet, and when it does, you pet it, tell it ‘well done’, or give it a treat.
When dogs associate positive interactions with specific behaviors, they are more likely to repeat that behavior.
Items Needed In Order To Train Your Bernedoodle
Every dog needs its own set of tools and items in order to be successfully trained. If you go for the Clicker training method, you won’t need as many items, but other methods require more tools.
There are lots of different things you can use when it comes to training your Bernedoodle, but let’s just take a look at some of the most common and popular things you should look into.
Treats
Regardless of the dog breed, most trainers will use treats in order to train their dog.
It is important when choosing the treats to make sure it is a type your dog enjoys and one that is different from their other treats and food.
Toys
Similar to treats, toys act as positive reinforcements and rewards for your Bernedoodles.
Giving them a toy to play with when they have done something right or positive encourages them to repeat those behaviors.
Harnesses And Leashes
When you are training your Bernedoodle inside, you don’t really need to worry about harnesses and leashes.
These are important when you are doing outside training. Some Bernedoodles can get quite big, and a harness or leash can help them focus and stay in one place.
Should You Get Professional Help In Training?
For the most part, all the information we have provided should be enough to help you successfully train your Bernedoodle.
However, in some cases, your dog may not respond to the training or may still be quite aggressive and chaotic.
If you feel like the training process has gone on for too long with no changes, it might be in your best interest to hire a professional to help.
It could just be you have missed one specific thing, and a professional can help work out the problem so you can move forward.
It is important to make sure you have put in a good effort before you resort to professional dog help.
Remember, all Bernedoodles are different and inherit different traits from their parents, so they need time to learn how to behave and break negative habits.
Conclusion
Bernedoodles inherit a lot of great traits from their Bernese and Poodle parents, which make them very loyal and intelligent dogs.
Training a Bernedoodle for the first time might seem overwhelming at first, but if you use the guide we have provided for you here, you should see results.
Remember, be patient and start training your Bernedoodle as early as possible. They are very intelligent dogs and will pick up on what they should and shouldn’t do pretty quickly in most cases.
Hey everyone! My name is Sharon Isaacs, and I am one of the co-creators of PawPrintPets.com.
I knew from a young age that canines were the most interesting animals to me, and ever since I could study, read, and go to school I’ve been researching the best dog training practices.
I started PawPrintPets to provide in-depth guides and information to help you set up your canine companion for success, from the moment you have them.
