Can a Bernese Mountain Dog be left alone?

Dog breeds differ in many ways. For many people, a crucial point is how long a dog can stay alone. A few hours are no problem for most breeds. If a Bernese Mountain Dog can be left alone, we try to clarify in this article..

The Bernese Mountain Dog is not a dog that likes to be alone. They have always lived closely with people. They accompany people everywhere they go. Be it to the fields, the meadows or in the stable. However, with the right training, even a Bernese Mountain Dog can be left alone between 3 and 5 hours – if it must be.

Can a Bernese Mountain Dog stay alone for 8 hours?

No! A Bernese Mountain Dog cannot stay alone for 8 hours. In any case not regularly. But this is basically true for all dog breeds.

You can often tell by the origin of different dog breeds if they are more used to living closely with their owners over the years, or if they may even be more independent.

The Bernese Mountain Dog comes from Switzerland and is a classic farm dog that was used for a wide variety of jobs.

They pulled heavy carts, herded the cattle and accompanied the farmer everywhere. These facts suggest that the Bernese Mountain Dog is simply accustomed to being near its owners.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is very people-oriented. Cuddles and contact with humans are extremely important for these sensitive giants. The Bernese Mountain Dog loves to cuddle and be petted. However, this does not work when he is alone.

How long can a Bernese Mountain Dog be left alone?

No dog likes to be left alone. But every now and then everyone comes into the situation where it is simply necessary to leave his dog alone.

Whether it’s because you have to go shopping, to the doctor’s office, or to a birthday party that you can’t take your big Bernese Mountain Dog to.

With the right and consistent training from the beginning, you should be able to leave your Bernese Mountain With proper and consistent training from the beginning, you should be able to leave your Bernese Mountain Dog alone for between 3 and 5 hours.

Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy Leave Alone

Basically, you should never leave a puppy alone. It is not normal for a puppy to be alone. In the wild, it is essential for survival that puppies are never alone.

When you get your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, it is usually between 8 and 10 weeks old. That is, 2 to 2.5 months.

Once your puppy is accustomed to the new environment, you should slowly get him used to being “alone”.

After at least 6 weeks, better 8 weeks, you can leave him alone for the first time, if you have trained him to stay alone properly. Then your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy is about 4 to 5 months.

Of course, these are only rough guidelines and can vary from dog to dog. It is important that you never leave your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy alone during the first weeks. With time you will notice if he is ready and can stay alone for 1 hour or so.

Train puppies to be left alone!

Once your puppy has settled in for a few days, you can start training in small increments. This does not require a lot of effort. Just integrate the following steps into your daily routine and watch how your puppy reacts.

• Leave the room where you are with your puppy. Close the door briefly. Wait a few seconds and go back. You can increase the time of absence step by step.

• Leave the house or apartment for a short time to get the mail or similar. Again, you can and should increase the duration of absence step by step. Don’t stay away too long. Start with 1 to 2 minutes and increase.

If your puppy whines or howls, ignore him. If you make the mistake of petting him now, he will feel encouraged in his behavior. Reduce the duration of absence and continue your training.

Provide distraction

During training, but also later, you can distract your Bernese Mountain Dog with toys. If you can find a great toy to play with during the time your dog is left alone, this can be a great tool to help your dog pass the time.

Leaving a Bernese Mountain Dog alone: Tips and tricks

Whether in training or later, when your Bernese Mountain Dog has been able to stay alone for a while, these tips and tricks can make your life easier:

Avoid effusive greetings and goodbyes. Your puppy and later your adult Bernese Mountain Dog need to see it as something normal when you leave the house and come back.

Make sure your Bernese Mountain Dog is tired before you leave the house. No matter how cozy it may seem, even a Bernese Mountain Dog needs enough activity.

After a long walk and some mental stimulation, your Bernese Mountain Dog will be exhausted and will probably lie down in his dog bed and sleep. Dogs sleep about 3/4 of the day. However, if your Bernese Mountain Dog is full of energy waiting for his walk, he will not like being alone.

As I write this article, we have a visit with my wife’s parents coming up tomorrow. So we are planning our morning so that our dogs can have a decent walk or probably a run or bike ride tomorrow morning and then snooze on the couch for 4 hours.

Make sure that before you leave your Bernese Mountain Dog alone for several hours, he has done everything.
If your dog has to go out during your absence and waits whimpering in front of the door because he has to go out but can’t, this can be the KO for the next time and all your training was for nothing.

Conclusion: How long can a Bernese Mountain Dog stay alone?

A Bernese Mountain Dog can, if trained properly, stay alone between 3 and 5 hours. However, this should not be the norm.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are very people-oriented and prefer to be near their owners – this is how they were kept for years.

So a Bernese Mountain Dog is not for full-time workers who need to leave their dog alone for 8 hours or more. Nor should you leave your Bernese Mountain Dog alone for 3 or 4 hours every day.

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