Being in heat, for one dog can be a rather challenging period. Your Bernese Mountain dog will go through a variety of physical and behavioral changes so it will be good for you to know what to expect and how to provide the best care for your Bernie girl during her season.
The things you should do during your Bernie’s period :
- Provide extra attention
- Never walk her off-leash
- Keep a close eye on your Bernie, don’t let her go outside alone
- Keep any male dogs away from her
- Don’t go to dog parks, shows
- Try to mask her scent
- Provide GPS tracker
- Offer her more appealing food
- Let her rest more, don’t insist on usual exercises
Table of Contents
Provide Extra Attention For Your Bernese Mountain Dog While In Heat
Although being in heat doesn’t mean your Bernie girl is ill nor requires some therapy or treatment, still she might need extra attention from your side.
Dogs in heat tend to become clingy, to crave more love and attention so you should set aside extra time for extra cuddles.
Can I Walk My Bernese Mountain Dog While In Heat?
Yes, you should walk normally your Bernie girl even when she is in her season. Although everyday outside activity is recommended, you should follow certain rules and take some precautions to avoid any unpleasant situation.
First of all, you should never walk your dog off-leash. No matter how well trained you think your Bernie is, obedience training and your rules cannot compete with the natural instinct. Don’t push your luck, always keep your dog on a leash when you are outside.
Avoid Dog Parks, Dog Shows and Other Group Events
Dog parks, dog shows, or any other event where you can find a lot of dogs in one place are high-risk locations for your Bernie in heat.
It’s even recommended to walk your dog in less sociable hours, very early in the morning or late at night, use less crowded areas to reduce the chance of meeting other dogs.
Keep Male Dogs Away From Your Bernie
This is very basic but very important. You must not allow your Bernie to come into the contact with any male dog. Don’t rely on your fence, keep her away from your neighbor’s dog, don’t let any of your friends come to your home with a male dog while your dog is in her season.
Stray dogs are especially dangerous, so you really need to be careful. They can be especially annoying when you take a walk with your dog since they don’t have an owner who will pull them back.
If you have several dogs in your household and one or more of them are males, you definitely need to separate them from the female in heat. You should ask the vet for advice or contact your breeder. In some cases, breeders are willing to take the dog back for a couple of days while the season is finished, for some fee of course. Another alternative could be a local pet/dog facility that can welcome your male dog and keep him safe and entertained until your Bernie’s girl heat is over.
Try To Mask The Scent Of Your Bernese Mountain Dog In Heat
Logically, the scent is that attracts all male dogs in the vicinity to come and mate with your Bernie girl. So if you mask or make the scent disappear you are going to set your dog free of prospective mating buddies.
Even it sounds simple, it’s not. First of all, you cannot make that scent disappear but you can make it less noticeable.
When you are inside, try to keep all windows closed so the smell cannot attract stray dogs to come and hang around your house.
You can also apply a tiny amount of Vick’s VapoRub cream on the tip of your dog’s tail. Dogs dislike the menthol smell very much so this should keep them away from your female.
On the other hand, note that some ingredients of this cream like menthol and camphor are toxic to dogs so discourage your dog to lick the area where you applied the product.
Another way to keep males from your Bernie girl is to trick them. Put her in the car and drive to the place where the two of you are going to walk. After the walk, put her in the car again and drive to your home. This way, the dogs that you met during the walk won’t be able to track your dog’s scent back to your home.
Get GPS Tracker
GPS tracker can be a good investment since your dog in heat can have a strong urge to run away and find some male to mate. If this happens, with a GPS tracker you will be able to find her quickly.
Also bear in mind that ID tag and microchip information should be up to date, especially if you don’t have a GPS tracker.
Never Leave Your Bernese Mountain Dog Outside Alone During Heat Cycle
You might think that your spacious backyard with a good fence is a safe to place for your Bernie in heat. Instead of going for walk with her, you may consider leaving her to play in the yard as a better idea.
Well, it’s not! Never ever leave a dog in heat outside without supervision. You wouldn’t believe how creative and aggressive males can be when they smell a female in heat. Your solid fence won’t be an obstacle for them. Another thing is that your dog also has a strong urge to vanish and find some mating mates ( especially during the Estrus phase) .
How To Distract My Bernese Mountain Dog in Heat?
Since her mind is occupied with only one thought and that is to mate, you should try to distract your dog a little bit.
Besides cuddling sessions, you should offer her some interesting interactive, food releasing toys like Kong or puzzles. Chewing toys are also a hit, as gnawing can help her relax a little bit and focus on something else.
Allow Your Bernese Mountain Dog to Rest More While in Heat
Some Bernie dogs in heat feel a lack of energy and like to rest more than usual. Don’t insist on regular physical activity and let your dog nap whenever she feels like it. Make sure she has a nice and calm spot where she can snuggle and rest.
On the other hand, your Bernie might be more vigorous than usual so additional physical activity and play could help her release all that pent-up energy she has. By paying close attention to her in those days you will figure out what’s best for your Bernie, letting her rest or playing with her more.
My Bernese Mountain Dog Won’t Eat While In Heat, What To Do?
It’s very common for Bernie dogs in heat to have a poor appetite. This is simple to explain – your dog cannot think about food since she has more important things to do. She is obsessed with potential breeding and food is not high on her priority list.
Bernese Mountain dogs are large dogs so losing a few pounds during the season won’t hurt them much.
Allow yourself to spoil your Bernie a little bit. Offer her favorite treats more than usual. You can put some tasty topping to enrich her food flavor. Offer her baby food ( without any garlic or onion) to make her meals more appealing. Feed her with tastier cuts of meat, delicious fats like coconut or fish oil, and some nice fruits like banana, blueberry, or strawberry. If you soak dry kibble in lukewarm water, you might prepare a very tasty and different meal your Bernie will love.
You can practice hand-feeding because many dogs in heat become fussy eaters.
Should I Bathe My Bernese Mountain Dog While In Heat
There is no reason to skip bathing your dog because she is in heat. You should make an extra effort when it comes to your dog’s hygiene and wipe her private parts at least once or even twice daily during the first two phases of her heat cycle. This way you will keep her clean and reduce the odor she emits.
If you would like to learn more about Bernie dogs heat cycle, symptoms and frequency do read our article ”Bernese Mountain Dog Heat Cycle ( First heat, Frequency, Symptoms)’‘
