Bernese Mountain Dog Training: Leash, Recall & Manners

By the Riverside Berner Guide editorial team
Last updated November 7, 2026

The best Bernese Mountain Dog training starts early, keeps sessions short and uses rewards every time. Socialize your puppy in the first months, then teach a loose leash, a reliable recall and calm house manners before your Berner outgrows you. The breed’s national club says only positive methods should be used, because many Berners are sensitive and remember bad experiences.

This guide covers the three skills that matter most in daily life with a big dog: walking nicely, coming when called and behaving at home. It’s part of our Bernese care guide, and it pairs well with our page on Bernese puppies and the first year.

Are Bernese Mountain Dogs easy to train?

Most are, with the right approach. The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA) FAQ sheet says Berners generally like to please people they respect. Some are more challenging, and the club notes they are smart enough to manipulate their owners.

The same sheet describes most Bernese as very sensitive and impressionable, and some as “soft.” It says bad or scary experiences are hard to overcome and best avoided. That’s why the club states plainly that only positive training techniques should be used.

Expect a long puppyhood. The BMDCA says the breed can be slow to mature, young dogs can be very active, and many Berners’ bodies grow faster than their brains. Adult males generally weigh 80 to 115 pounds and females 70 to 95 pounds, so the time to teach manners is while your dog is still small.

Bernese Mountain Dog training: the ground rules

Use rewards, not force

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends that only reward-based methods be used for all dog training. Its position statement says reward-based training is more effective than aversive methods. It also links aversive methods to stress, fear and long-term behavior problems.

In practice, a reward-based trainer uses a cue to ask for a behavior, a clicker or marker word to mark it, and treats, toys or play to reward it. The AVSAB lists tools and techniques to avoid, including choke chains, prong collars, shock collars, leash jerks, shouting and forceful “alpha rolls.” Reward-based training still has rules and structure; it just teaches them without fear or pain.

Set your puppy up to succeed

Manage the environment so the wrong behavior is hard to practice. The AVSAB says common issues such as jumping, barking and housetraining can be handled by arranging the setting and rewarding the responses you want. Baby gates, a crate, and toys put away go a long way.

Mind growing joints

A Berner puppy is a large breed growing fast. The BMDCA’s puppy training sheet says young pups should not be expected or allowed to do activities that harm growing bodies. Its first-year guide adds that exercise should never be forced, such as jogging or long rough play, and that unsupervised play with bigger dogs can injure a puppy.

Keep training sessions low impact: sits, downs, short leash walks and recall games on soft ground. A Texas A&M veterinary article notes that growth plates close at different times in dogs of different sizes. Ask your vet when your Berner is ready for strenuous activity, and read about hip and elbow dysplasia in Bernese to understand why it matters.

Start with socialization and a puppy class

Socialization is the first lesson, and it has a deadline. The AVSAB puppy socialization statement calls the first three months of life the most important window. Poor socialization in that period can raise the risk of fear, avoidance or aggression later.

The BMDCA’s FAQ adds a breed-specific reason. Shyness is a tendency that runs in the breed, so the club stresses exposing Berners to many people, places and animals, especially in their first year.

Puppy class timing

The AVSAB says puppies can generally start socialization classes at 7 to 8 weeks of age. They should have at least one set of vaccines a week or more before the first class, plus a first deworming, and stay up to date throughout. Ask your vet how this fits your Bernese puppy vaccine and vet schedule.

The BMDCA training sheet says puppy kindergarten classes are typically for pups three to five months old. Ask about the class’s methods before you sign up, because the club warns that a soft Berner pup should never be put in a negative or heavy-handed class. Its FAQ recommends following puppy class with a basic obedience course, all taught with positive reinforcement.

Focused socialization at home

If there’s no class near you, the BMDCA suggests 15 minutes of focused socialization twice a day. Its sheet groups the work into five areas:

• People: short, pleasant meetings with all ages and looks, with treats on hand.
• Dogs and other animals: play with tolerant adult dogs and puppies of similar age, avoiding dog parks until your vet says your puppy is protected.
• Sounds: everyday kitchen noise paired with treats and play.
• Objects: vacuums, bikes, garbage cans and at least one weekly field trip to a new place.
• Surfaces: grass, gravel, tile, stairs and more, aiming for three to five new surfaces a week.

A calm, confident puppy starts with the litter you choose. Our guide on how to pick the right Bernese puppy covers what to look for in temperament.

Leash manners: teaching a loose leash

A full-grown Berner who pulls can take you off your feet, so start leash work early. AKC’s leash training guide recommends a well-fitted harness the puppy can’t slip out of. It suggests a front-clip harness for large puppies, a lightweight 6-foot leash, and no retractable leashes.

Build the skill in small steps:

1. Pick a walking cue. Say a phrase like “let’s go” as you move off together, and mark and reward every few steps at first.
2. Teach a look-back. When your puppy reaches the end of the leash, say their name, mark the moment they look back, and reward them for returning to you.
3. Pay for attention. Mark and reward eye contact, so staying near you becomes worth it.
4. Move outside slowly. Once your puppy gets the idea indoors or in the yard, add outdoor distractions and use higher-value treats.
5. Give sniff time. AKC says regular “sniffy” walks, where your puppy chooses the direction, can help reduce pulling.

Adolescence can bring a burst of energy. The Ohio State University veterinary center’s puppy behavior guide notes that a head collar can help manage an energetic teen on walks. Introduce any new gear slowly, with treats, so your dog is comfortable wearing it.

Recall: teaching your Berner to come

A reliable recall keeps your dog safe. AKC’s step-by-step recall guide starts in a quiet place with your dog on leash.

1. Start easy. Say your dog’s name, then “come,” and encourage them toward you. Mark the moment they arrive, then praise and reward with something they love.
2. Make it a game. Run backward as you call, since most dogs love to chase.
3. Practice the collar grab. Touch the collar while you hand over a treat, so being caught predicts good things.
4. Add distance and distractions. Outdoors, move from a 6-foot leash to a 20- or 30-foot long line, and step back if your dog stops responding.

AKC’s recall tips add a few rules. Never punish your dog for coming to you, even if they were slow. Don’t call your dog only when the fun is ending, and don’t repeat the cue over and over, because that can ruin its meaning.

Skip the shortcut of a shock collar. The AVSAB says recall is the most common reason owners use one, yet studies it cites found no advantage over reward-based training.

Keep your Berner on leash or a long line until the recall is solid. Train in the cool part of the day, since the BMDCA says the breed doesn’t do well in heat. Our page on keeping a Berner cool in hot weather has more.

Household manners

Jumping up

A jumping Berner can knock over a child or an older adult. The Ohio State guide says to teach your puppy to sit for greetings and reward it, and to ask guests not to reward jumping with attention. It warns that yelling or punishing jumping can make a dog anxious or fearful.

Mouthing

The BMDCA says many Berner puppies go through a mouthy stage that young children can accidentally encourage. Ohio State suggests avoiding play with hands, offering chew toys, pausing attention when teeth touch skin, and rewarding a sit instead. The BMDCA sheet also suggests letting small children put treats on the ground rather than feed from their fingers.

House training and the crate

Ohio State advises supervising your puppy, taking them outside about once an hour, and rewarding them right after they go. When you can’t watch, use a crate just big enough to stand and turn around in, and never use it as punishment. The BMDCA says that with consistent training, housebreaking should usually be done by 8 months at the latest.

Settling alone

Berners love company, and the BMDCA says they don’t do well when isolated from people. Still, the AVSAB suggests giving puppies short times to play alone with a stuffed food toy or nap in a crate or pen. This helps them learn to settle and may prevent over-attachment.

After the basics: CGC and dog sports

AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program is a 10-skill test of good manners that gives your training a goal. It’s open to purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and the BMDCA training sheet points to AKC’s S.T.A.R. Puppy program as a first step toward it.

Berners can also try obedience, rally, agility, tracking, herding, scent work, therapy work and carting, according to the BMDCA FAQ. Not every Berner will enjoy every sport. If your dog loves to pull, read about getting started in carting and drafting, which builds directly on leash manners and recall.

When to get help

Ask for help early rather than late. The BMDCA training sheet says to contact your dog’s breeder and a professional trainer or animal behaviorist if worrying behavior shows up. The AVSAB suggests choosing a trainer who uses reward-based methods and avoiding anyone who talks about “dominance” or being the “alpha.”

Fear, sudden changes in behavior or any aggression are medical questions too. The AVSAB says owners of fearful puppies should seek veterinary guidance, and a vet can check whether pain or illness is part of the problem. Ask your vet, and if needed, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.