The Bobtail Basics
Owning a bobtail bernard
size
Fast Learners
Grooming
Bobtail bernards are bred to be large enough to comfortably pull a wheelchair, but not so large that they can't maneuver in a crowd.
Having a dog that is a fast learner is a blessing and a curse. They quickly learn new skills, but if you are not consistent with boundaries and training, they will quickly learn that too.
Regular bathing and grooming are required to maintain a healthy coat. Bobtail Bernard's can be shaved down during warmer months, or kept short all year for easy maintenance.
80-140lbs, up to 30"
Free training with all adoptions
schedule our grooming class for all the basics
Early Care
Grooming
diet
training
Grooming habits should start young. Our dogs go home freshly bathed so you can spend time training them to enter and exit the bathtub or shower, turn around, and offer each foot on cue before ever turning on the water.
Building a relationship with a grooming salon when your dog is a puppy is advisable. The grooming salon is loud and busy, and if the first time they experience that is 9 months old, they will be overwhelmed and that's a lot harder to manage at 80 lbs than it is at 35lbs. Grooming for a 100lb dog can easily cost over $150, and regular combing and brushing help keep the self-cleaning coat free of tangles and debris.
Building a relationship with a grooming salon when your dog is a puppy is advisable. The grooming salon is loud and busy, and if the first time they experience that is 9 months old, they will be overwhelmed and that's a lot harder to manage at 80 lbs than it is at 35lbs. Grooming for a 100lb dog can easily cost over $150, and regular combing and brushing help keep the self-cleaning coat free of tangles and debris.
Multiple veterinarians and studies have advised that our dogs not be fed puppy food. Instead, they should be offered an all life stage food that is nutritionally complete for dogs and puppies. When reading the ingredient list, #1 should be a whole protein, no by products or meals which are low quality. of the next 4 ingredients, 2 should be protein. Feeding a higher quality of food will translate to feeding less food. Refer to the bag for feeding instructions. Larger puppies will eat up to 8 cups of food (2 full standard metal dog dish) and drink over a gallon of water per day at the peak of their growth. Care should be taken to not overfeed, staying lean is healthy for growing joints and bones.
When selecting our breeding dogs we look for biddability, or the desire to work together with humans to accomplish tasks. That means fun and exciting training opportunities like dog sports, scent detection training, therapy dog work, or service dog training.
Just as easily as they can be trained, they can be untrained, so early boundaries and consistency are key to maintaining a respectful relationship with your Bobtail Bernard. Part of responsible ownership of a giant breed dog is training. They are large enough to cause harm to someone even just during play, so teaching them how to behave early, and not letting it slide if they test your limits are incredibly important for successful handling during their puberty stage.
Just as easily as they can be trained, they can be untrained, so early boundaries and consistency are key to maintaining a respectful relationship with your Bobtail Bernard. Part of responsible ownership of a giant breed dog is training. They are large enough to cause harm to someone even just during play, so teaching them how to behave early, and not letting it slide if they test your limits are incredibly important for successful handling during their puberty stage.
advanced training available at
lighthousek9s.com
Exercise and play
Vaccination
Spay & Neuter
When our puppies go home at 12 weeks, they have been put on a routine of daily enrichment time -- 15 minutes of training and desensitization in the form of play. Letting your puppy experience something new every day will build a bond, and create a confident dog in the future.
By 6 months of age, they should be enjoying a brisk daily walk, no longer than 30 minutes. but avoid excessive stairs or running while carrying any weight until 18 months.
They should enjoy at least half of their meals from a puzzle feeder or during training throughout the day, and the other half should be fed and taken away at a set meal-time. This helps the dog have added respect for you, because they know they can rely on you to provide food for them.
By 6 months of age, they should be enjoying a brisk daily walk, no longer than 30 minutes. but avoid excessive stairs or running while carrying any weight until 18 months.
They should enjoy at least half of their meals from a puzzle feeder or during training throughout the day, and the other half should be fed and taken away at a set meal-time. This helps the dog have added respect for you, because they know they can rely on you to provide food for them.
Every puppy that leaves here has been on our modified vaccination schedule to prevent over-vaccination. We give Neo-Par (TM) vaccine to out puppies at 6, and 9 weeks, and we give a 7-in-1 Vaccine at 16 weeks of age. We use multiple methods of disinfection including the WysiWash System and Bi-Weekly Cleaning from P.A.W.S. Waste Removal and Sanitation. We have a 1-year guarantee against all communicable diseases and offer transportation to, and full and complete payment for vet suggested treatment for any vaccinated illness, at our vet located in Hesperia, CA.
Giant breed dogs should not be spay/neutered until they are 18-24 months old. This allows the body to fully develop before removing the hormones that regulate that growth. Dogs neutered early show increase in hip dysplasia and osteosarcoma.
2026 Training schedule
Basic obedience complimentary class
service dog and therapy dog classes
CGG (Training and Testing
Every adopter is invited to join us for our monthly training session. Join us for a 1 hour session. Rotating topics. Please RSVP by the 1st of each month.
Please contact us to be evaluated for acceptance into our service dog and/or therapy dog team(s).
AKC CGC Training and Testing available. 6-week courses starting at $800, testing included.
third saturday of every month
second and fourth wednesday evenings
New classes forming every 8 weeks.
community outings
tasking & trick work
Grooming class
Once a month we meet up at a dog-friendly location to practice all levels of obedience with distractions. Great for puppies and dogs training to be in service positions, sport and show dogs who need to work well under distraction, or pets who are in advanced stages of training.
Private classes with personalized goals and guaranteed results. Great for self-trained service dog handlers or dogs working on advanced skills.
Learn to keep your Bobtail Bernard looking fresh. Level 1: Dry Grooming Necessities (Nails, Brushing, Ear-care and necessary supplies) Appx 1.5 hoursLevel 2: Bath Basics (from beginning to end of the bath and blowdry process) Appx 3 hoursLevel 3: Basic "clean-up" (face, paws, sanitary area) Appx 4.5 hoursLevel 4: "Puppy Cut" groom Appx 6 hoursGrooming kit with tools for each level available for additional cost.Grooming is done on your dog, unless you request a second dog to be used.