Bernese grooming
Bernese Mountain Dog grooming in Gloucester, MA
The AKC puts the Bernese at the top of its shedding scale, and any Berner owner in April will agree. This page covers that coat, the two sheds, the July question every owner asks about shaving, and why drying a dog of 100 pounds takes longer than anything else in the groom.
The coat
A longer outer coat over a woolly undercoat, with shedding rated at the AKC's top level
The AKC describes the Bernese coat as double: a longer outer coat over a woolly undercoat. Berners shed a fair amount all year and more during the shedding season, which comes twice a year, and the AKC's shedding scale gives the breed its top mark, the one labeled hair everywhere. Males weigh 80 to 115 pounds and females 70 to 95, so this is a lot of coat on a lot of dog.
The coat mats where it rubs or stays damp: behind the ears, along the collar line, in the trousers on the back legs and in the feathering on the legs and tail. The feet grow tufts between the pads that pack with snow, salt and sand. The AKC recommends a weekly brush, daily in the shedding season, and a slicker brush or metal comb for any tangles.
- Outer coat: longer hair over a dense, woolly undercoat
- Two heavy sheds a year, and steady shedding in between
- Mats behind the ears, at the collar, in the trousers and the tail feathering
- Tufts between the pads that collect snow, salt and sand
The groom
A Bernese gets a bath and de-shed or a tidy, and shaving for July is the wrong fix
Most Bernese visits are the bath: a warm wash, blow-dry and brush-out. The full service is a bath plus a breed-specific or custom haircut, which on a Berner means a tidy rather than a body clip: the feet and the hair between the pads neatened, the ears and feathering evened, the sanitary area cleaned up. Shed Release, $10 on either, is the de-shedding treatment and brush-out for the heavy sheds.
The July question comes up every summer: would a shave keep a black-coated 100-pound dog cooler? The AKC's answer is no. Its article on summer shaving explains that the coat's insulating layer is working in summer too, that a shaved dog can be more open to heat stroke and sunburn, and that the undercoat grows back faster than the guard hairs, which can leave the coat patchy and changed. Removing the dead undercoat is what helps, along with shade, water and walks at the cool ends of the day.
Drying and timing
Drying a 100-pound coat to the skin is the longest part of the groom, so plan around it
The AKC's drying guide notes that double-coated breeds take longer to dry than short-coated dogs, and that drying is what prevents mats, tangles, bacteria growth and the wet-dog smell. On a Bernese the outer coat can feel dry while the undercoat is still damp at the skin, and a damp undercoat is where mats and odor start. Every bath on our menu ends with a blow-dry and brush-out. How long to allow depends on your dog's size and coat, so ask when you book.
Time the visits with the sheds. The AKC places the Bernese shedding season twice a year, and Shed Release booked as each one starts takes the loose undercoat out before it packs. Skip a shed and the undercoat felts behind the ears and in the trousers; dematting is $15 per 20 minutes, so an hour of work on a matted Berner adds $45 to the bath. Book the next visit at pick-up for $5 off.
- 01
Spring shed: the bath with Shed Release, booked as the undercoat starts lifting
- 02
Before the humid weeks: the full service to tidy the feet, ears and feathering
- 03
July and August: a cool-morning appointment, or a groom on a daycare day so the dog never waits in a car
- 04
Fall shed: the second Shed Release visit
- 05
Winter: a bath after salted sidewalks or a beach month, dried through to the skin
Price
$75 to $95 for a bath and $110 or $120 for the full service, set by weight
Weight sets the band. A Bernese of 51 to 90 pounds, which covers many females, is $75 for a bath and $110 for the full service. Over 90 pounds the bath is $85, or $95 in the extra-large long-hair tier, and the full service is $120. Which bath tier applies to a big Berner is confirmed by the groomer at check-in after a look at the coat, along with the final price.
Shed Release adds $10 to any of those. Nail clipping is $16, and on a heavy dog the nails matter: the AKC notes overly long nails can cause pain and structural problems. A sanitary trim is $10, dematting $15 per 20 minutes, and a big dog that needs extra hands or a slower pace carries the $20 behavior or handling surcharge, which you hear about first. Members on the unlimited daycare plan save 15 percent on grooming.
| Bernese weight | Bath | Bath with Shed Release | Full service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 to 90 lb | $75 | $85 | $110 |
| Over 90 lb | $85 | $95 | $120 |
| Over 90 lb, extra-large long-hair tier | $95 | $95 plus $10 | $120 |
At home
Between grooms, brush weekly, daily in a shed, and rinse the paws after salt
Weekly brushing, daily in the shedding season, is the AKC's rhythm for a Berner, with a slicker brush or metal comb for tangles. Brush in sections down to the skin, paying attention to behind the ears and the trousers, and check the tufts between the pads. Our how-to on de-shedding a double-coated dog at home takes you through a full session for the weeks when the coat is coming out in sheets.
Cape Ann gives a Bernese its best and worst months. Winter suits the coat, but salted Gloucester sidewalks leave salt in the feet and leg feathering, so rinse them with warm water after a walk. In summer the coat holds heat, so walk early and late and keep shade and water close. From April to November, tick season, the weekly brush through that thick coat after Dogtown Common or Halibut Point, where leashes are required, doubles as your tick check.
- Brush weekly, daily in the spring and fall sheds
- Work behind the ears and through the trousers to the skin
- Rinse salt from the feet and leg feathering after winter walks
- Walk early and late in the humid weeks
At Dogtown
Grooming a Berner at Dogtown
A bath or tidy on its own, or on a daycare day so a big dog plays, is groomed and goes home in one trip.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Which price tier is my Bernese in?
Should I shave my Bernese for a Cape Ann July?
How long does a Bernese groom take?
Is Shed Release worth adding for a Bernese?
When can a Bernese puppy have its first groom?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- AKC: Bernese Mountain Dog
- AKC: is it OK to shave your dog's coat in summer?
- AKC: how to dry your dog
- Halibut Point State Park
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Book your Berner's groom.
Choose the bath or full service for your dog's weight online or in the Dogtown app, and add Shed Release when the undercoat starts to lift.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
