Puppy Acclimation
Here are some pointers to get you started with acclimating your puppy to your home. NOTE: I am not a certified trainer. These are only things that have helped me train my own puppies.
Potty Training
People are shocked when I tell them that you can potty train a puppy in a matter of days to weeks. It takes patience and consistency, but it can be done. They will have mishaps, of course, but, in general, they can get the concept of going outside. Here’s my strategy:
The key here is to be consistent with EVERYTHING: timing, reminder alarm, door used, wording, place in the yard, affirmation - whether words or treat. Here is what I do:
Set a phone alarm every 15 minutes for potty times
When the alarm goes off, say let’s go “potty” or whatever the word you choose
Guide them to the door (same one every time) constantly saying “potty”
Put a leash or lead on and take them to the spot to potty
Stand in one spot and make them go in circles around you until they go potty or at least try. It’s NOT play time or time for a walk. Stand your ground! I feel like I say “potty” a million times a day for the first few days.
Once they potty, praise them verbally and physically
Give a treat if you want. However, you don’t have to give a treat. Praise goes a long way. (Cheerios are cheap and preferred treat)
Eventually lengthen the time between trips outside. Before you know it, you are up to every hour, then two and more! Oh, and you do not need to buy puppy pee pads…they are expensive! Just train them to go outside.
Nighttime:
I use a crate but be sure that the crate is only big enough for the puppy to be comfortable. He/she should be able to move around and change positions for sleeping and have a comfortable place with a blanket/stuffed animal to lay with. If your crate is large, make it smaller by adding a box or some sort of partition. We allow the puppy in the crate in our bedroom for the first few weeks/months. Remember, dogs are pack animals. They sleep with their littermates from birth, so going to sleep alone can be hard. Your puppy will NOT want to urinate or defecate where they sleep, so they may whine to go out during the night.
It’s important to respond to this request. You may have to do this for the first couple of nights, but they will learn quickly to sleep through the night. If they whine and you take them out to go and you know that they have gone, and they whine again, they may be lonely. You may have to allow puppy to whine for a bit to learn to just go back to sleep through the night. My progression has been: crate near me for a few weeks - sleeping through the night - making the crate bigger as they grow. Next, sleeping in the mudroom that is cleared of things they won’t destroy. Lastly, by 9 mos old they are sleeping alone in the house or in our bedroom. At this point, if he/she is not destroying things, they also have free range of their areas when we leave the house.
Alone time/crate training:
It is good for your puppy to be alone for periods of time. Use your crate or a fenced area to teach them to be alone. You can leave the crate in the busy area of the house or put them in a nearby area where they can still hear you. Give them toys/things to keep themselves busy. They may cry for the first few times, but they’ll learn that they are ok to be alone.
I would recommend three hours of alone time every twenty-four hours.
Leash training:
Introduce the leash/lead to the puppy early. They will want to chew on it while trying to walk. Try to just distract them with treats. You want to get them to pay attention to you when they have the leash on. Just start in the grassy yard or your living room. The pads of their feet are still soft and tender. You can talk to your vet about recommended lengths of walks. One rule of thumb is 5 minutes for every month old. So, when you bring your puppy home, they are only ready for a 10 minute walk. If you go for a 10 minute walk in the morning, you are probably safe to do it again in the evening. Otherwise, while they are young, yard play/walks are best. I also let my puppy walk in the grass while I walk on the sidewalk/road. This will help with the pads of their feet. Keep an eye on their pads!
Here is a great video on leash training. It’s super helpful. Beware: When walking your dog in a heavy bird location, be sure they are not eating any bird feces! Birds carry so many diseases. (Anything by Zac George is helpful)
Free Feed vs. Scheduled Feeding:
This is a highly debated topic for dog trainers. I don’t have a strong opinion. Do what works for you and your dog. Bernedoodles aren’t typically overeaters but scheduled eating times can help establish a poop schedule. That way you can be sure to get the poop out before you leave for work or wherever. I started Stella on a schedule and then went to free feeding as she got older. She actually eats, when not pregnant or nursing, at 6pm and 9pm…weird, I know. I would start with 3 feeding times a day and then eventually back it down to 2. Your vet may have an opinion about this. Oh, always have water available to the puppy; except while in crate and unless puppy will be in there for several hours.
Biting and Chewing:
WARNING: This is the hardest part if you have kids in the house. They feel disappointed that the cute puppy they so badly wanted won’t stop hurting them. Puppies see kids as littermates so they bite them even worse. Help your kids learn how to handle it. Your kids MUST be on board with ALL of the training in order for it to work. Having a puppy to train is amazing child training as well. Learning how to train a puppy and deal with disappointment is an invaluable life skill. Your kids will learn that the hard work WILL pay off… an amazing friend in their dog.
I’m sorry but this is just going to happen..a lot! They are used to biting and chewing on one another from birth, so they are used to being able to do it. You are going to have to put up things that they want to chew but can’t and replace it with toys and things they are allowed to chew. Puppy toys are going to be everywhere puppy is allowed to go. They have to be taught not to bite/chew on people. I say “ouch, No” loudly and distract them with something they can chew on. If they persist, I stick my thumb in their mouth and grab their lower jaw (think: how you would hold a caught fish), look them in the eye and say “ouch, No” loudly with a stern face. Bernedoodles are so relational; they don’t want you to be upset with them. When their teeth fall out around age 3-6 months, this will lessen but they will ALWAYS need something to chew on from time to time. Stella loves large beef bones with marrow and a deer antler.
Products:
Crate: You need a crate that your full-size dog can fit into. Your dog will be 30-60 lbs. You can buy these on Amazon or even find them on FB Marketplace or Goodwill. Do not use the crate for punishment. It needs to be viewed as a positive place to go. Use treats/rewards for going in.
Leash: you will need to buy a collar/leash for puppy size and later for full size. My best guess is that an x-small will be good for a couple months and then eventually you will want a medium. Many people try to get something they can use all the way through the puppy stage and it is too big for an 8 week old puppy. Keep puppy collar light and simple. Save the bling for later.
Food and water dish: I prefer ceramic.
Toys: A lot of options for chewing including bones and deer antler.
Grooming: Slicker brush to help with any matting. I love a good comb!
Shampoo: I prefer one that doesn’t have a lot, if any, soap in it. Soap strips their coat of the oils that their skin/hair needs. Try to not get anything overly fragrant while they are pups.
Food: Your puppy will come home with Purina Pro Plan 30/20 Sports Salmon and Rice. Feel free to change to whatever brand you want. This is a top shelf food for breeding and puppy health.
Puppy Packet:
All information pertaining to birth date/parents, health guarantee, vaccination, deworming schedule and temperament; including the temperament evaluation by the professional trainer.
Microchip information
Beef bone with marrow
Toy
Any toys/blankets that you bring me for mom and littermate scent
Small amount of dog food for transition
