Bernese Mountain Dog

Brushing Routine

Brush 3-4 times per week with an undercoat rake to manage the thick double coat, followed by a slicker brush to smooth the long outer coat. Focus on the heavy feathering behind the ears, on the chest and belly, and on the hind legs where matting is worst. A wide-toothed comb works well for the tail and ruff.

Bathing Tips

Bathe every 6-8 weeks using a de-shedding shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner to help release the dense undercoat. This is a large dog with a lot of coat, so ensure thorough rinsing. Use warm water and dry completely with a high-velocity dryer, as the thick coat holds moisture for hours and can develop hot spots if left damp.

Common Issues

• Heavy year-round shedding with extreme seasonal blowouts
• Hot spots from moisture trapped in the dense undercoat
• Matting in the ear, chest, and leg feathering
• Heat sensitivity making summer grooming critical
• Elbow calluses from lying on hard surfaces

Extend Your Grooming Results

A professional de-shedding treatment with thorough blow-drying removes massive amounts of dead undercoat and significantly reduces home shedding for 2-3 weeks. Between grooms, focus undercoat raking on the chest, pants, and behind the ears. Keep the paw pads trimmed and the feathering between toes short to prevent ice balls in winter and debris collection in summer.

Seasonal Care

Bernese Mountain Dogs blow their undercoat heavily in spring and moderately in fall. In Houston heat, this breed is particularly vulnerable to overheating, so keeping the undercoat thoroughly raked out is essential for temperature regulation. Never shave this breed. In winter, the full double coat provides excellent insulation.

Maintenance Schedule

Professional grooming with de-shedding every 6-8 weeks. Brush 3-4 times weekly, daily during coat blowouts. Ear cleaning weekly. Nail trims every 3-4 weeks. Paw pad and feathering trims as needed.