Kelsey with 1 week old puppies
My puppies are raised in my home and handled from the time they are born. Visitors are allowed to see them by 5 weeks of age. The pups have the opportunity to learn about horses, cats and other dogs. By the time they are ready to go to their new homes they have had their first set of shots and are microchipped. This helps to ensure that should a puppy get lost at some point in time either the owner or I can be notified to rescue them. I am of the opinion that these puppies are my responsibility for their entire life.
As with all dogs, Bernese need to be properly socialized and trained. Puppy socialization should begin at 10-12 weeks after the second set of puppy shots, if possible. Some facilities may insist on waiting until your puppy is older and that may be all right as long as some socialization occurs by taking your puppy out as much as possible to experience other places and people.
By 6 months your puppy is ready for obedience classes. If you are new to dogs this will not only teach your dog how to sit, stay, down, heel and come, but will teach you how to be the respected "master" of what may become an 80-120 pound dog, which if left untrained can develop bad habits and be difficult to live with. When looking for a training class you may want to observe the class to be sure that training is done humanely. Berners are large dogs but do not need to be handled harshly or yelled at to learn what is expected of them. They respond best to treats and praise from their people.
Ch. October's Eye on the Prize TD, learning to track at 10 weeks of age