Grooming requirements
Bernese have a thick lucious double coat. And shed quite a bit. Most will blow their coat seasonally so be prepared to have a second dog in fur come from your Berner. This means for most people twice a year the need for a professional groomer or several hours of combing the dead undercoat out is neccesary.
I always advise a quick daily brush with a slicker brush to help keep a lot of the fuzz into the trash vs elswhere in the house. Berners live for attention so most adore these 5 min of daily pampering.
Toe nails need trimming, don't forget the front dewclaws. We leave them on since its a fifth functioning digit and stucies have shown removal of this causes unnecceasy joint issues.
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To be prepared have on hand:
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Slicker brush
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Metal comb
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Rake for undercoat
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Detangle spray for ears, britches and tail
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Ear cleaner
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Toe nail trimmers, dremel etc.
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DO NOT:
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SHAVE THE DOG
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Use a furminator
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Bathe more then needed, causing skin irritation due to lack of oils.
Training requirements
Most Bernese are incredibly smart but because most are goofy clowns who just want to cuddle we give their I.Q. level less credit then it deserves.
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Do's and Do NOT's of training a Berner:
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Above all....it's a puppy. A BLANK slate. It doesn't inherently do any behaviors to upset you. If it displays unwanted behaviors repeatedly it is because of a lack of communication from the HUMAN side. Puppies are not to blame! Same as newborns and toddlers aren't. They explore the world through their senses. Mouth/taste/texture, smell, hearing and vision.
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If you can't control a puppies environment, you can't control the puppies interaction and subsequent reaction/behavior. Meaning letting a puppy have the run of the house and then complaining its going bathroom everywhere is the humans fault. They don't know.
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Never assume a behavior to be present without having shaped or taught it first.
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Use positive reinforcement such as marker training. We offer Baxter and Bella which is an online training program extremely well suited for these lovable bears.
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We highly encourage continuation of the crate training. It isn't a punishment. It's your puppies safe haven same as a crib is for a young child. Naps are needed to help process everything they've learned and give their bodies the rest they need to sustain the rapid growth they undergo physically.
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And most importantly:
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Be consistent.
Give grace.
Smile.
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And try again!