Can I Get a Bernedoodle If I Work Full Time?

If you're still deciding whether this breed is right for you, start with What Should I Know Before Getting a Bernedoodle?

One of the most common questions future puppy families have is whether they can responsibly bring home a Bernedoodle while working full time.

The short answer is yes, but bringing home a young puppy while working full time takes planning.

You don't have to stay home all day to be a wonderful dog owner. Many Bernedoodles live happy, well-adjusted lives with working families. What matters is having realistic expectations about what a young puppy needs and creating a routine that meets those needs.

A puppy is very different from an adult dog, especially during those first few months.

Here are some things to think about before bringing your Bernedoodle puppy home.

A Young Puppy Can't Handle a Full Workday Alone

An eight-week-old puppy shouldn't be expected to spend an entire workday alone without potty breaks, interaction, food, water, and opportunities to move around.

Young puppies have small bladders and are still learning where they're supposed to go potty.

They're also adjusting to an enormous life change.

They've just left their mother, littermates, breeder, and the environment they've known since birth.

Expecting them to immediately adjust to eight or nine hours alone is unrealistic.

If everyone in your household works outside the home, you'll need a plan for those early weeks.

That might include a family member, trusted friend, pet sitter, dog walker, or someone who can stop by during the day.

If you're preparing for those first few days together, our Bringing Home a Bernedoodle Puppy guide explains what to expect during the transition.

Your Work Schedule Matters, but So Does Your Support System

When I'm helping a family decide whether a puppy fits their lifestyle, I'm not simply asking, "Do you work?"

I'm more interested in:

• How long will the puppy actually be alone?

• Can someone provide potty breaks?

• Is your schedule consistent?

• Do you have help during the first few weeks?

• What happens if you have an unusually long workday?

• Who will care for the puppy if your schedule changes?

  
  

Working full time isn't automatically a problem.

Having no plan for a very young puppy during a long workday is where difficulties can begin.

Crate Training Doesn't Mean Crating a Puppy All Day

I strongly believe crate training is an important skill.

A crate can become a safe, comfortable place for sleeping, resting, traveling, and settling down. It can also be extremely helpful during potty training.

But a crate shouldn't be used as a way to make a puppy fit into an unrealistic schedule.

Young puppies need movement, play, training, human interaction, potty opportunities, and mental stimulation throughout the day.

For longer periods, some families use a safely configured puppy area or exercise pen along with appropriate supervision and scheduled visits rather than expecting a puppy to remain confined to a crate for an entire workday.

For more help building those early habits, read our How to Train a Bernedoodle Puppy guide.

Start Building a Routine Immediately

Bernedoodle puppies tend to do well when life becomes predictable.

Your routine doesn't have to be perfect, but puppies benefit from learning a general rhythm:

wake up → potty → eat → potty → play/train → rest.

Then repeat.

A consistent routine helps your puppy begin understanding when it's time to eat, sleep, play, train, and go outside.

This can make life considerably easier for working families.

Mornings Matter

If you're going to work, don't expect your puppy to wake up and immediately settle back down for hours.

Give yourself enough time in the morning for your puppy.

That means potty time, breakfast, another potty opportunity, some interaction, and appropriate physical and mental activity before you leave.

Even a short training session can be valuable.

You don't need to exhaust your puppy. Young puppies need plenty of sleep.

The goal is to meet their needs before asking them to settle.

Mental Exercise Matters Too

Bernedoodles are often bright, people-oriented dogs.

Physical exercise is important, but mental stimulation can be just as valuable.

Simple activities can include:

• short training sessions

• food puzzles

• stuffable toys

• age-appropriate chews

• sniffing games

• basic obedience

• practicing recall

• exploring new surfaces and environments

You don't need to entertain your dog every waking minute.

In fact, puppies also need to learn how to relax.

The goal is a healthy balance between activity, learning, interaction, and rest.

You can find many of the crates, training tools, enrichment toys, grooming supplies, and other products we recommend on our Puppy Essentials page.

Don't Forget About the Time After Work

Having someone stop by during the day solves only part of the problem.

Your puppy will still need you.

After work, plan for potty breaks, interaction, training, grooming, play, and simply spending time together.

Bernedoodles are companion dogs. If your puppy spends much of the day waiting for you to come home, your evenings should include meaningful time together.

That doesn't mean every evening has to revolve around your dog forever.

The puppy stage is temporary.

The work you put in during those early months helps create the adult dog you'll live with for years.

Working From Home Doesn't Automatically Make Puppy Raising Easy

Working from home can make potty breaks and supervision much easier, but it creates a different challenge.

Your puppy still needs to learn that you won't always be available.

If your puppy follows you every second of every day and never practices being safely separated from you, being alone later can become much harder.

Even families who work from home should intentionally teach their puppy to settle independently.

A puppy can learn:

My person is nearby, but I don't need their attention every minute.

That's a valuable life skill.

Your Long-Term Schedule Will Usually Get Easier

The schedule required for an eight- or nine-week-old puppy isn't the schedule you'll have forever.

As puppies mature, they generally develop better bladder control, become more comfortable with routines, learn household expectations, and require less constant supervision.

That's why I encourage families to think about two different questions:

Can I manage the first few months?

and

Does a dog fit my normal long-term lifestyle?

Those aren't necessarily the same thing.

You might need extra help during puppyhood even though an adult Bernedoodle will fit your lifestyle beautifully.

Be Honest With Your Breeder About Your Schedule

Don't tell a breeder someone is home all day because you think that's what they want to hear.

Tell them what your life actually looks like.

A responsible breeder isn't looking for families who have perfect lives and unlimited free time.

We're trying to determine whether the puppy and family can be successful together.

Knowing your real work schedule, children, other pets, activity level, support system, and expectations can also help when considering which puppy temperament may fit your home best.

That's much more useful than pretending your schedule is something it isn't.

So, Can You Have a Bernedoodle and Work Full Time?

Absolutely.

Working full time doesn't mean you can't provide an excellent home for a Bernedoodle.

But if you're bringing home a young puppy, go into it with a plan.

Arrange help when necessary. Build a consistent routine. Continue crate and potty training.

Provide appropriate physical and mental enrichment. Make time for your puppy when you're home.

And remember that the intense puppy stage doesn't last forever.

The goal isn't to structure your entire life around your dog.

It's to give your puppy the support they need while they're learning how to become part of yours.

If you've decided a Bernedoodle fits your lifestyle, you can meet our Available Bernedoodle Puppies currently looking for their forever families.

When you're ready, complete our Puppy Application and tell us about your family, schedule, lifestyle, and what you're hoping for in your future puppy.

Preparing for Your Bernedoodle Puppy

At O'Hearon's Amazing Puppies, we begin introducing our puppies to important foundations before they leave us, including crate introduction, potty-training foundations, handling, grooming, socialization, and everyday experiences.

But puppy development doesn't end at eight weeks.

The breeder starts the foundation. The family continues it.

If you're considering a Bernedoodle but aren't sure how a puppy would fit your work schedule, we're happy to talk honestly about your lifestyle and what you'll need to prepare before bringing your puppy home.