Taking Care of Your Dog

Your Bernedoodle is going to need a room or at least a place she/he can call their own, and a cage or crate will fill this bill. You are better off getting one that is big enough for them to use as an adult so that they can grow into it.

If at all possible place their crate near your bedroom or a place they hear you or others in your home. This helps them to feel less isolated from their new family and allows them to cope with being away for the first couple of weeks. Make sure there is some sort of noise in the area, it cannot be silent. They have grown up with their siblings who all make a lot of noise so moving to a silent home can be unnerving for them.

The pup will need food and water bowls, high-quality puppy food, toys to chew on and play with, and lots of love and attention.

Most puppies will need to eat 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The quantity varies, depending on the age and size of the puppy, and the quality of the food. I like to give them a generous bowl of food for 10-15 minutes, and once they lose interest in eating, take it away, take your puppy out to the bathroom for the next 20 minutes. Don’t feed your puppy too late at night or your pup will need to go to the bathroom more often when you want to be sleeping. If you are worried that your puppy is hypoglycemic, seek veterinary help- it can be life threatening in little puppies.

We use several methods, depending on the time of year and weather. We use litter training for our puppies- that means that at 3 weeks we start introducing a puppy litter area that they learn to separate their sleeping, playing and food area from. When we start training them, just as they first start to walk around, they naturally learn to go in the designated area and keep the other areas clean. With consistency and patience, they will be given more room to play, as they get bigger. By the time they are weaning from mom they typically have it down! We also take our puppies outside on the grass (depending on the weather!) and begin outdoor potty training as early as possible. In Winter, when there is a lot of snow on the ground it is not safe to have them outside, so they may have limited outside time but we keep them busy with toys and socialization. Some litters will also learn to use the doggy door as well.

There is an important period of time between 8-16 weeks where puppies learn many of their social skills but also it is a time that fears and nervous behaviours can develop. We want our puppies to be kept safe from communicable diseases before they are fully immunised (which is typically under 16-18 weeks) but it is also important to have them meet new people, dogs, smells, sounds and textures during this time. Having your puppy go with you to safe places - trusted family members and friend’s homes where you know that their dogs are healthy and fully immunised is a good compromise between keeping your puppy away from potential illnesses but also allowing them to experience new things to help them develop into confident, well adjusted adults. Taking them for car rides, having positive experiences is SO important, but also keep them away from places that carry high risks for Parvo or other illnesses. Keep your under-immunised puppy away from pet stores, high foot traffic places like dog parks, sidewalks, or public transportation and when you go to the vet, hold your puppy off the ground. Puppies lick their paws, so be aware in the first 2 months that they can pick things up at places like the vet from other sick dogs, but taking precautions like removing your shoes before entering your house, not letting the puppy lick shoes and other contaminated surfaces will help reduce the risk. Don’t let your puppy miss out on fun new experiences, but just be careful about how you do it.

Like Poodles, Bernedoodles have hair, not fur, and shedding is minimal or non-existent. That’s the upside. The downside is that it does need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting, and clipped every 8-12 weeks, or so, depending on your preferences and the dog’s activities. If your Bernedoodle is very active outdoors, you will likely find a shorter clip easier to maintain. But many owners enjoy the bonding time of regular brushing and choose to keep their Bernedoodle in a fuller coat.

Generally speaking, a curly coat is less likely to shed but more likely to become matted if not brushed regularly. Daily brushing will probably be required, as well as professional grooming every 8-12 weeks.

Make sure to be very specific with the groomer as to how you want your dog groomed. Often times showing them pictures of what you are looking for and sharing what previous groomers have told you about your puppy can be helpful.

You should take your pup to the groomer only after its full set of vaccines (at around 14- 16 weeks). To get them used to the process, ask the groomer not to use clippers. Just have the pup bathed, clean the ears and cut the nails. The next time you visit, you can have the pup clipped.

Avoid bathing your Bernedoodle too often, as it strips essential oils from the coat

The puppies are typically de-wormed 3 times before they go home (e.g. at 3, 5, 7 weeks) and have their vet health check up and first set of vaccinations at 6-7 weeks. The next set of shots will be due around 3 weeks from then. That usually falls at around 9-10 weeks. Your puppy will likely come home at 8 weeks, so the first set will be due 1-2 weeks after the puppy comes home. It is important to keep your puppy on schedule for their puppy vaccinations. Your vet can discuss the best plan at your first vet appointment when the puppy goes home.