The Bernese Mountain Dog is an affectionate dog, and can be attached to their owners.
Leaving them at home can be daunting and because they experience separation anxiety and also you would want to come back to a house that has not been destroyed!
We outline whether a Bernese Mountain Dog can indeed be left alone and what to do when you have to be away from them.
Can Bernese Mountain Dogs Be Left Alone?
The Bernese Mountain Dog can be left alone after taking them through adequate training and preparation to enable them to be comfortable and calm while you are away.
They love to be close to people and can experience separation anxiety when they are not close to their owners, however, they can be conditioned and trained to stay alone until their owner comes back home.
Will my Bernese Mountain Dog destroy my house?
Consistent training and preparation teach a Bernese Mountain Dog to learn to be alone and this enables them not to destroy your house. An untrained dog has the tendency of wreaking havoc in the house but with proper training and preparation, they can stay safely in the house alone while you’re away.
What to do with a Bernese Mountain Dog while at work
The following includes what you can do with a Bernese Mountain Dog while you’re at work or away from your home for some time.
You need to ensure they will be safe, comfortable, as well as find your house intact, just the way you left it.
Below are ways to prepare and train your Bernese Mountain Dog to be alone at home:
Section off a space they will stay in
Section of space in your house that your Bernese Mountain Dog will spend their time in while you are away.
This can be a crate for a puppy or if they are adults you can leave them in a room in your house.
Prepare the room to make sure it does not contain anything valuable that can break or be destroyed in case your dog bumps into them. This also ensures safety for your dog by not having items that can injure them.
Don’t let your Bernese Mountain Dog be able to roam everywhere in your home, to ensure their safety and also to prevent the destruction of your items which can be knocked over.
Gradually train them on the length of separation time
Before completely leaving your dog for a prolonged time, train them to learn how to be alone without your presence.
This can be done by having them in a separate room from you for a set period before releasing them to be with you.
Start with a small timeline, like 15 minutes at first,30minutes, then 1 hour, and so on as you gradually increase the length of time.
They will at first whine and be uncomfortable for not being next to you but keep up with the consistency until they understand that they can be left alone and after some time you still come back to them.
Have an activity to before you leave
Before leaving the house, have an activity with your Bernese Mountain Dog to release pent-up energy.
Suppressed energy can drive a dog to engage in destructive behavior as a way of finding a way to release their energy.
Remember not to over exercise a Bernese Mountain Dog below the age of 2 years because it is harmful for their developing bones and can cause skeletal health problems.
Take a short walk or play with them for release of energy which will help them to calm down and be able to stay alone without the need for an activity to engage them.
After this activity, they will need rest and by providing the KONG toy, they will have something to occupy them throughout the time that you will be away.
Bernese Mountain Dogs also sleep most of the day therefore they will not engage in mischief when alone.
Invest in toys to entertain them
When your Bernese Mountain Dog is alone they need something to entertain and keep them occupied.
This is in the form of toys that they can play with.
The best toy to engage a Bernese Mountain Dog is a treat dispenser toy, and a KONG toy is best suited for this. The KONG toy is an indestructible toy that can withstand the bite pressure from the powerful Bernese Mountain Dog jaws, making it a very durable toy.
Stuff a KONG toy with peanut butter and freeze it before giving it to your dog.
Bernese Mountain Dogs love peanut butter and they will enjoy licking it and because it will be frozen, it will take time for your dog to reach the bottom of the toy.
Have several of these toys in your freezer that you can take out every day and give your dog when you are about to leave the house and when you come back refill the used one and freeze it again.
The KONG toy comes in different sizes so select one that is suitable for your Bernese Mountain Dog’s age, for example, for a puppy choose a medium size toy while for an adult dog choose a large size.
Create a routine for goodbyes
Create a routine for saying goodbye to your Bernese Mountain Dog which will help them become calm as well as understand this is the cue for you to leave the house.
You can pet them or talk to them which will show that you are saying goodbye.
Make sure that you also give off relaxed energy so that your dog also picks this up to remain calm and not overstimulated to trigger separation anxiety. Also when you come back home, greet them in the same manner.
This will teach your Bernese Mountain Dog that leaving is a normal occurrence and you do come back to them eventually after some time. This helps to calm them down.
Open curtains and blinds
Open the curtains or blinds in the room that you leave your Bernese Mountain Dog in while you are away.
This will enable them to see you leaving and coming back which also reinforces the understanding that it is ok and normal for you to leave and come back to them after some time.
This is possible if the room window faces the direction that they can see this. However, if it is not possible to have a room with a window facing your exit and arrival, it is still ok for the other methods mentioned above to help you in training your Bernese Mountain Dog to learn to be alone at home.
Talk to your vet about extreme anxiety
Some Bernese Mountain Dogs suffer from extreme anxiety which requires intervention from your vet. Talk to your vet about your Bernese Mountain Dog’s separation anxiety and coping methods.
The vet may prescribe medication for calming them down when they are separated from you.
Takeaway
The Bernese Mountain Dog can have separation anxiety when they are away from their owners. They are dogs that love being close to their owners but in reality, you may need to be away from them because of work or other errands.
The good thing is there are ways you can implement to train your dog to get used to being left alone.
These methods help to calm them down, ensure that they will be safe in the house alone, and teach them that it’s ok for you to leave and come back.
By using these methods, you will be able to comfortably leave them at home alone.
For more information on the Bernese Mountain Dog, breed information, health, behavior and care, feel free to check out the Bernese Mountain Dog guide for owners.