Bernese Grooming & Shedding: Brushes, Baths & a De-Shedding Routine

By the Riverside Berner Guide editorial team
Last updated November 9, 2026

Yes, Bernese Mountain Dogs shed, and they shed a lot. If you’re asking “do Bernese Mountain Dogs shed?”, the breed’s national club answers with a firm yes and warns that a tidy home may need daily sweeping or vacuuming for much of the year. The good news is that the coat itself is fairly easy to keep: weekly brushing, an occasional bath and some basic care of nails, ears and teeth.

This guide walks you through that routine, the tool types to use and the one thing never to do: shave your Berner. It’s part of our Bernese Mountain Dog care guide.

Do Bernese Mountain Dogs shed? What to expect

The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America (BMDCA) is blunt. Its 2024 FAQ answers the shedding question with a firm yes and adds that you may even find fur in your food. It calls the Berner a double-coated breed with considerable shedding.

That has two practical results:

• Housekeeping: The same FAQ says people who keep a meticulous house may need to sweep or vacuum daily during much of the year.
• Allergies: The club says a Berner may not be the ideal breed for allergy-prone people. No source we checked calls the breed hypoallergenic.

Shedding is one of the trade-offs covered in our guide to Bernese Mountain Dog pros and cons. If it’s a deal breaker for your family, it’s better to know before you bring a puppy home.

Why the coat sheds: a double coat

The American Kennel Club (AKC) lists the Bernese among working breeds with long double coats. That means a flat, water-resistant topcoat over a thick undercoat. The AKC says the soft undercoat sheds more often, especially during seasonal coat changes, and that heavy seasonal shedding is commonly called “blowing coat.”

Texas A&M’s veterinary college adds that many double-coated breeds shed their thinner undercoat in warmer months. No source we found says how often a Berner blows its coat each year, so we won’t guess. Expect heavier shedding at times, and brush more when it happens.

A weekly Bernese Mountain Dog grooming routine

The BMDCA’s grooming sheet says a basic routine should care for four things: ears, nails, coat and teeth. It also says Berners need less grooming than many other coated breeds, because their coats shed dirt easily with a little brushing.

Here is a simple weekly plan built from that sheet:

1. Brush the whole coat. Weekly brushing is the club’s recommendation.
2. Check the ears. Look for dirt or odor and clean as needed.
3. Look at the nails. Trim if they’re getting long.
4. Brush the teeth. More often is better, as explained below.
5. Feel your dog all over. Note any sores, mats or lumps.

The club also says grooming takes patience, gentle hands and lots of praise, and that treats work well as rewards. Teaching a puppy to accept every part of grooming is an essential part of early training. Our Bernese puppy training guide covers those first weeks at home.

How to brush a Bernese: technique and tool types

Weekly brushing keeps more hair in the brush than around your home, says the BMDCA. When your dog is shedding, work all the way down to the skin to pull out the dead undercoat.

Some owners brush a dry coat with no trouble. Others lightly mist the coat with water first. Try both and see which your dog prefers.

Tool types for a Bernese Mountain Dog brush kit

We don’t recommend brands or rank products. Instead, here are the tool types the breed club and the AKC describe.

The AKC also suggests a wide-tooth steel comb for gently working out tangles and says to avoid combs with bent teeth.

So what is the best brush for a Bernese Mountain Dog? No source names one tool as best. The BMDCA’s list of tools Berner owners commonly use starts with a pin brush and a metal comb, plus a shedding blade or mat rake for the undercoat.

The BMDCA says setting up to groom at home might take a sizable one-time outlay. Over a fairly short time, though, it says this costs less than regular trips to a professional groomer. Our Bernese puppy supplies checklist lists grooming tools with the other day-one gear.

Trimming: does a Berner need a haircut?

The BMDCA grooming sheet points out that the AKC breed standard calls for a natural coat and discourages undue trimming. Outside of neatening the feet and ears, it says no trimming is needed. So a Bernese Mountain Dog haircut is mostly a small tidy-up, not a cut.

Feet

Many owners like a neat foot. Using electric clippers or straight scissors with care, you can remove the extra hair growing between the pads, so none sticks out past them. The club lists real benefits: better grip on slippery floors, no ice balls between the toes in winter, and less dirt tracked into the house.

Ears

Some owners trim the long, stringy hair on the ears, using thinning shears or by hand stripping. Others love those long ear “fuzzies,” and the BMDCA calls it a personal choice. If scissors make you nervous, it suggests getting one-on-one lessons from someone experienced, and reminds you that hair always grows back.

Should a Bernese Mountain Dog be shaved?

No. The BMDCA’s grooming sheet says it in capital letters: do not shave your dog. Other expert sources explain why a shaved double coat is a problem.

• It doesn’t cool your dog. The AKC says shaving does nothing to cool a dog, because dogs don’t cool off the way people do.
• The coat insulates. The AKC’s article on shaving says a double coat acts as insulation. Texas A&M’s vet college says the coat holds a layer of cool air near the skin, and that a fully shaved dog may handle high heat less well.
• Heat and sun risks rise. The AKC says shaving off that layer raises the risk of heatstroke, sunburn and skin cancer.
• It may not grow back right. Both the AKC and Texas A&M say the undercoat can regrow first and crowd out the guard hairs. The AKC says this can leave a patchy coat with a changed texture and color.

The AKC lists only two usual reasons to shave a double-coated dog: surgery, or as a last resort when mats are too severe to brush out safely. Both are decisions for you and your vet. Regular brushing is how you avoid severe mats in the first place.

If you’re worried about summer, the real fix is shade, water, air conditioning and smart timing. Our guide to Bernese Mountain Dog heat tolerance covers that in detail.

Baths: how often and how to do it

There’s no fixed schedule. The BMDCA says to bathe based on how quickly your dog gets dirty or develops a “doggy” odor. It warns that too many baths can cause as many problems as too few.

Tips from the club’s grooming sheet:

• Use a dog shampoo. Read the directions and cautions, since not every product is safe for puppies.
• Protect eyes and ears. Keep soap out of both. A cotton ball in each ear can help.
• Rinse very well. Leftover shampoo can irritate the skin and cause hot spots, which are oozing, irritated sores. Talk to your vet about skin problems that keep coming back.
• Pick a spot that works. Owners use dog tubs, a hose outside in good weather, self-serve dog washes, or the family tub with a hand-held sprayer.

Drying the coat

Some owners use a high-velocity, forced-air dog dryer that blows water out of the coat. Some let the dog air dry after toweling. The BMDCA says to be careful with human hair dryers, which run much hotter and could burn the skin.

The club notes that some dogs get hot spots if their coat stays damp for a long time, which is why owners in warm, humid places often prefer a blower. Many dogs fear a dryer’s noise at first. Start on low speed, go slowly and use lots of praise and treats.

Nails, ears and teeth

These small jobs matter as much as the coat. The BMDCA says every Berner’s nails should be kept short, whether it’s a show dog, a working dog or a family pet.

Nails

• Tools: Human nail clippers work on young puppies. Grown dogs need dog nail clippers or an electric grinder.
• The quick: Inside each nail is pink, tender tissue called the quick. You can see it in white nails but not in black ones. Cutting it hurts and bleeds, so trim a little at a time.
• If you nick it: The club says styptic powder, or drawing the nail across a bar of softened soap, usually stops the bleeding.
• Grinders: A grinder seals the quick if you go too far, but it’s noisy, so introduce it slowly.

Some dogs’ nails grow fast and some wear down naturally from daily activity. Many vets and groomers are glad to show you how to trim. Start handling your puppy’s feet early and gently.

Ears

The BMDCA says regular ear cleaning is very important to prevent infection and fungus. Keep water out of the ear canal, since moisture can quickly cause problems.

Use an ear cleaner from your vet or a pet store, and follow the directions. If your dog’s ears seem to bother it, ask your vet.

Teeth

The BMDCA says cleaning teeth is easy and must be done regularly. If you fall behind, your vet may need to clean them, and that could require anesthesia.

Cornell’s veterinary college advises brushing at least once a day for about 60 seconds, because plaque builds up within 12 hours of a cleaning. It says toothpaste must be made specifically for pets. For dogs that won’t accept brushing, ask your vet about other options before you change foods.

Grooming as a health check

Grooming is a good time to look your dog over. The BMDCA suggests regular cuddle and massage sessions where you feel your dog’s whole body for sores, mats, lumps and swelling. Finding problems early makes them easier to deal with.

The club’s geriatric care sheet goes further: in a Berner of any age, lumps and bumps should always be checked promptly by a vet. Your vet may decide a lump just needs watching. Our guide to cancer in Bernese Mountain Dogs explains why this matters so much in this breed.

Grooming an older Berner

Seniors need a gentler approach. The same geriatric sheet says older dogs need stable footing and shouldn’t be asked to stand for long. Let them sit or lie down for baths and brushing, and put a rubber mat in the tub.

Other points from the sheet:

• An older dog’s coat may dry out and need a moisturizer or canine cream rinse.
• Less active dogs wear their nails down less, so they may need trimming more often.
• Careful trimming of the “pants” or feathering can help keep the coat cleaner.
• Allow frequent potty breaks during long sessions.

See our guide to caring for a senior Bernese for more on the later years.

The bottom line

Berners shed heavily, so plan on weekly brushing down to the skin and a good vacuum. Keep trimming to the feet and ears, bathe only when needed, and never shave the coat.

Pair grooming with the rest of your dog’s routine: daily exercise, a good diet and steady training. If anything you find while grooming worries you, ask your vet.