Teaching a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy to have a new behavior and avoid making messes in the house can be frustrating. This does not need to be a pain because there are methods you can implement to effectively have a well-mannered pup.
If you are tired of not making any progress in potty training your puppy or you are unaware of how to train them as a new puppy and sick of all the mess made in your house, worry no more, we are going to show you how to house train a Bernese Mountain Dog.
House-training can be started between 12 to 16 weeks of age which is the time puppies have control of their bladder.
In this article, we have 9 effective ways that will help minimize and stop your puppy from relieving himself inside your house. Method 9 is very important in this whole process to ensure that the result is achieved.
Remember accidents are normal so be patient with their pup until they are well house-trained.
Read on and learn how to stop this mess!
How To Potty Train A Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy
1. Create a feeding schedule
Create a regular feeding schedule for your puppy and be consistent with it. Meal serving at the same time every day also means your puppy will relieve themselves at the same time after a meal.
This can be between 30 minutes to 1 hour after having a meal. By having this schedule, you can know exactly when they will feel like going to the “bathroom” so that you can take them outside to do it.
This will prevent them from messing up your house. Bernese Mountain Dog puppies eat 2 to 3 times a day depending on their age therefore plan the feeding schedule around this.
2. Schedule “bathroom” times
Create a schedule as well around the times when your puppy should be taken out to relieve themselves. This prevents “accidents” from happening in the house.
“Accidents” here means your puppy urinating or defecating inside the house. A bathroom schedule should be set at the following times:
- After taking daytime naps
- After training sessions
- Before bedtime and also remove their drinking water 2 hours before bedtime
- In the morning after they have woken up
- Before they are left alone when you need to leave the house
3. Select a consistent bathroom area outside
Select a designated area outside your home where your puppy can constantly relieve themselves. Take them out on a leash to the same spot every time they need to go to the bathroom.
This teaches your puppy to know the only place they are allowed to relieve themselves and they will learn not to do it anywhere else, especially inside your house.
Dogs also consistently relieve themselves at the spot where they smell the scent of their urine or feces. Your puppy will also associate this one place as the area they can go to because of this scent and having gone to the bathroom consistently in the same area.
4.Provide immediate positive reinforcement
Every time your puppy relieves themselves at their spot outside, reward them by praising them and giving them a treat.
This acts as a positive reinforcement to teach them that they have done well, which will encourage them to continue the good behavior.
It is important to do this immediately when they finish relieving themselves while still outside and not after entering the house. Immediate positive reinforcement will help your puppy remember the initial action they had done and what behavior is being rewarded.
They will get to understand what is expected of them as well as associate the reward to the behavior. They will be more likely to remember this and repeat it.
The Blue Buffalo training treat is our best pick to use during the training process to reward your pup.
5.Watch out for signs for bathroom breaks
As a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy owner, be alert and have awareness around your puppy’s behavior which may indicate that they want to relieve themselves. These signs include:
- Scratching and whining at the door showing the need to be let out
- Barking
- Restlessness
- Spinning around
- Licking and sniffing the groin area
- If they have made a little accident, they will constantly return to the area
6. Use a crate for training
A crate can also be used for potty training for a short period. The purpose of it is to train your puppy to be able to hold themselves before they are released to go out and relieve themselves.
Also, a crate will allow you to see their behavior that indicates the need to go for a bathroom break. You will notice behavior such as whining, sniffing, or licking their groin.
Avoid placing a pee pad in the crate or newspapers. This will only encourage your puppy to help themselves inside the crate.
Get a crate suitable for their size where they can be comfortable by being able to stand, sleep and turn around. The Midwest Ginormous Double Door dog crate is a great crate designed for large dogs such as the Bernese Mountain Dog to comfortably accommodate them.
Recommended Reading: How to leash train a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy
7. Teach them simple command words
Teach your puppy simple command words such as “Stop” or “Outside” which will signal your puppy to stop continuing urinating or defecating when you get them in the act.
Interrupt them when you catch them by using a sound like a click when using the command words to indicate to them to stop and show them they have done the wrong thing.
Immediately take them out to the bathroom spot outside the house to finish off and reward them after they relieve themselves.
8. Use the right cleaner to clean up “accidents”
If an accident happens in the house, clean the area thoroughly so as not to have a scent of urine or feces. If a scent is left, your puppy will come back again to the same spot to relieve itself.
Use an enzymatic cleaner instead of an ammonia-based cleaner which will effectively clean the area and remove the odor.
The best enzymatic cleaner for cleaning dog and pet odor is the Rocco and Roxie cleaner which is effective in removing all odors. It can be used on all floors and surfaces including carpets and furniture.
9. Keep the routine consistent even when away
If you happen to be away from your puppy or home, arrange to have your puppy taken care of by a family member, friend, or neighbor. The main point is to have the potty training schedule consistent even if you are not around.
Consistency to the schedule enforces good behavior and will shorten the duration of the learning time compared to having inconsistent training. Consistency is key to success in training.
Mistakes to avoid during potty training of a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy
Yelling or shouting
Don’t yell at your puppy in anger when you find they have made a mess in the house. Your puppy will not be able to associate this with the mistake.
Also, don’t take them to the crime area to have them sniff out the mess while yelling at them. What you can do in this situation is to clean the mess up and intend to continue with their training.
Punishment
Don’t punish your puppy. Punishing your puppy for making a mess will only make them fear you and create anxiety in them.
They will not truly understand the association between punishment and the need for having good behavior.
Instead, they’ll just do it again but not in your presence. Punishment does not lead to good outcomes.
Summary
Bernese Mountain Dog puppies are like newborn human babies. They eat, play, and poop a lot! To have a clean home and avoid frequent clean-up after your puppy, you need to have them house-trained.
potty training involves teaching them the good behavior of relieving themselves outside the home, especially knowing where their bathroom area is and not anywhere inside the house.
The success and duration of the potty training process is dependent on your consistency, patience, and commitment. Continue with the training until you see results.
Remember accidents happen so expect this occasionally during this period until they are well house trained.
In this post, we showed you how to house train a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy. By following these methods you are well on track to having a well-mannered and behaved pup as well as a clean home.