If you want to keep your house clean with a Bernese Mountain dog, you need to stay on top of their grooming. When it comes to maintaining your gentle giant’s coat, you have two options – take them to a professional groomer or do it yourself. But what does a Bernese Mountain Dog’s grooming regime entail?
In this article, we’ll guide you through all the grooming essentials of the Bernese Mountain dog breed. Follow along for easy-to-do grooming tips and styles for your Bernese Mountain dog.
At first, you might think Bernese Mountain dogs need a regular haircut because of their thick hair, but they actually don’t! Berners shed throughout the year, so they lose their hair daily. This is because of their double coats: long hair makes up the top coat, and short, woolly hair makes up the undercoat.
Even though these hairy pups don’t need haircuts, they do require a lot of brushing to get rid of the loose hair they shed.
Not often at all! The Bernese only needs a quick trim around the ears and paws to get that neat look, and the double coat should not be cut short because it is used to regulate their temperature. Their regular shedding also prevents the hair from getting too long.
These dogs’ coats do not need a haircut and typically stay in the same style throughout their life. This hairstyle is natural to the direction in which their hair grows.
The grooming process for this dog is very straightforward but will require that you have specific grooming tools. Learning to groom your dog at home saves money because it’s not necessary to send them to a professional groomer.
Grooming can be fun and gives you some extra bonding time with your Bernese Mountain dog. Although your pup may take some time to get used to some of the tools, these moments also give you a chance to inspect them for any abnormalities.
The easiest way to tell if your Berner needs bathing is when their coat is visibly dull or when they’ve been rolling in the dirt, of course! This dog’s coat naturally repels moisture and dirt, but they still need a regular bath to keep them looking and smelling clean.
An essential part of grooming for most dogs is brushing, especially when it comes to shedding season!
For this step, you will need very specific brushing tools, as the Bernese dog has loads of fur. Use a shedding rake to help thin out your dog’s coat. This will be especially handy for when your dog is shedding.
Use a pin brush for regular brushing (every week) to even out the long hairs on top, while a rake comb and slicker brush can be used for the undercoat.
If it gets to the unfortunate point of them being matted, you may want to use a mat rake to brush out the knots and tangles.
Bathing and brushing are the easy steps in your Bernese Mountain dog’s grooming routine. Here are some additional grooming requirements that require you to be more careful and gentle.
Nail clipping is essential for the health and maintenance of your dog’s paws. When their nails get too long, it makes it easier to damage the quick – a sensitive part of the cuticle that contains blood vessels and nerves. Clipping their nails helps the quick recede and lessens the chances of your Berner being in a lot of pain.
Use a doggy nail clipper to trim your dog’s nails. Do not go too close to the paw as this can cause bleeding and pain if you accidentally knick the quick —use styptic powder if this happens.
Trimming their nails only needs to be done when their nails are too long. If you can hear them clicking against the floor as they walk, they need to be cut!
Your dog’s ears are incredibly sensitive and require you to be as gentle as possible. A regular ear cleaning will help prevent ear infections and smells and allow you to inspect your dog closely for any abnormalities.
Use either a damp cloth or a cotton ball to clean the inside of the ears. Keep your dog’s ears dry at all times during this process. Please consult your vet before you use any products inside their ear canal. Cleaning their ears helps with foul smells and prevents infection.
It’s best to clean your Bernese Mountain dog’s ears every time you do their entire grooming routine. This is usually every 4 – 8 weeks.
Bernese Mountain dogs are susceptible to eye issues like entropion and ectropion, so it’s important to inspect and clean their eyes as regularly as you groom them. Use a dog-safe eye wash to flush out debris and keep their eyes moist.
Your dog’s teeth need to be cleaned on a regular basis, too. Brushing their teeth gets rid of tartar and reduces the risk of gum disease. Always use a dog-safe toothpaste and toothbrush.
Add this extra step to your Berners grooming routine for good measure. Apply paw balm to their paw pads to keep them from drying.
The general rule is that no puppy should be groomed before it is 16 weeks old. Or at least not before they have had all of their vaccinations.
Due to their naturally cleaning coat, they only need to be bathed when their coat looks visibly dull or when they have been playing outside in the dirt.
As soon as their coat looks like it is starting to lose its natural sheen, it is time for a bath!
Unless competing in shows, your dog does not need to be groomed by a professional. If, however, you are not up for the job of grooming your dog at home and you can afford to take your pup to the groomers every 4 – 8 weeks, go ahead and do it!
Absolutely not! The Bernese Mountain dog should not be fully shaven, even if it’s for the summer. Their double coat has a very specific purpose: to protect them from skin disease, fleas, mites and tick bites, and sun damage.
Their coat also helps them regulate their body temperature, so there is absolutely no need to shave them for the Summer.
Grooming is all part of raising a happy and healthy dog. The process may seem like work, especially with a huge dog like the Bernese Mountain Dog, but that does not mean it should not be fun.
Grooming is also a chance for you to spend quality time with your pup, so make it a fun routine!
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