Groom Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy – Tips and Tricks

As any proud Bernese Mountain Dog puppy owner knows, this breed is famous for its lush long coat. Unfortunately, with great beauty comes great responsibility–grooming your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy requires proper attention as its health depends on it being well-groomed to maintain shiny locks without mats and tangles forming in its coat. Here we provide you with an in-depth guide for properly grooming a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s coat to maintain health, and shine, and free from mats or tangles/mats formation in its coat.

Understanding Bernese Mountain Dog Coat

Bernese Mountain Dogs boast thick, soft fur that ranges in length from medium-long. With two distinct layers – a soft undercoat for insulation and a thick outer coat for protection – their coat comes in various shades from black, white, and brown with distinguishable white markings on the chest, paws, and face; all require regular grooming sessions to stay healthy and avoid tangles and mats in their long coats.

Tools and Supplies Needed for Grooming

Before beginning grooming your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, you must gather all of the appropriate tools and supplies. Here are a few items to get you started:

• A slicker brush
• A pin brush
• A comb
• Scissors or clippers (depending on how short you want to trim your puppy’s coat)
• Dog shampoo
• Towels
• Cotton balls
• Styptic powder (to stop bleeding if you accidentally cut your puppy’s nails too short)
• Dog ear cleaner
• Dog toothpaste and toothbrush

Bathing Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy

Bathing a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy should form part of their grooming routine. Here’s how:

1. Brush your puppy’s coat to remove any tangles or mats before bathing.
2. Fill a bathtub or large sink with lukewarm water.
3. Wet your puppy’s coat with water using a handheld showerhead or a pitcher.
4. Apply dog shampoo to your puppy’s coat, starting from the neck and working your way down to the tail. Avoid getting shampoo in your puppy’s eyes and ears.
5. Rinse your puppy’s coat thoroughly with water.
6. Repeat the shampoo and rinse steps as needed.
7. Gently squeeze excess water from your puppy’s coat.
8. Wrap your puppy in a towel and dry them off as much as possible.
9. Use a blow dryer on a low heat setting to dry your puppy’s coat completely.

Drying and Brushing Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy

After bathing your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy, it is vitally important that its coat be dried and brushed appropriately. Here is how:

1. Use a slicker brush to remove any tangles or mats from your puppy’s coat.
2. Use a pin brush to brush your puppy’s coat from the skin outwards to remove loose fur.

3. Use a comb to go over your puppy’s coat to ensure that there are no tangles or mats left.
4. Use scissors or clippers to trim your puppy’s coat as needed. Be sure to follow the natural contours of your puppy’s body and avoid cutting too short.
5. Use a slicker brush to brush your puppy’s coat again after trimming.

Trimming Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy’s Coat

Trimming a Bernese Mountain Dog pup’s coat may seem daunting at first, but it’s essential for keeping their coat neat. Here are a few helpful hints:

1. Use scissors or clippers to trim your puppy’s coat. Clippers are best for trimming large areas, while scissors are better for precise trimming around the face and paws.
2. Use a guard attachment to avoid cutting your puppy’s fur too short.
3. Be gentle and patient while trimming your puppy’s coat, and take breaks as needed to avoid stressing your puppy out.
4. Use a slicker brush to brush your puppy’s coat after trimming to remove any loose fur.

Grooming Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy’s Nails

Maintaining your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s nails should be part of their grooming regimen; here is how:

1. Use a clipper designed for dog nails to trim your puppy’s nails. Be sure to avoid cutting the quick (the pink part of the nail that contains blood vessels and nerves).
2. If you accidentally cut the quick, use styptic powder to stop the bleeding.
3. Trim your puppy’s nails every 2-3 weeks, or as needed.

Cleaning Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy’s Ears

Cleansing your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s ears regularly is essential to prevent infections and maintain good ear health. Here is how it should be done:

1. Apply a few drops of dog ear cleaner to a cotton ball.
2. Gently clean the inside of your puppy’s ear flap and the ear canal with the cotton ball.
3. Use a fresh cotton ball to clean the other ear.
4. Clean your puppy’s ears every 1-2 weeks, or as needed.

Brushing Your Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy’s Teeth

Brushing a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s teeth regularly is crucial to prevent dental issues like gum disease and tooth decay, here’s how it should be done:

1. Use a dog toothbrush and toothpaste to brush your puppy’s teeth.
2. Start by letting your puppy lick the toothpaste off your finger to get them used to the taste.
3. Once your puppy is comfortable with the toothpaste, introduce the toothbrush and start brushing their teeth.
4. Brush your puppy’s teeth every day, or as recommended by your vet.

Dealing with Shedding

Bernese Mountain Dogs are well known to shed heavily during shedding season. Here are a few strategies for dealing with their Shedden:

1. Brush your puppy’s coat regularly to remove loose fur.
2. Use a deshedding tool to remove excess fur.
3. Consider using a shedding shampoo to help reduce shedding.
4. Keep your home clean and vacuumed regularly to remove shed fur.

Grooming Frequency for Bernese Mountain Puppy

How often you should groom a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy will depend on its coat type and your personal preferences; here are some general guidelines:

1. Brush your puppy’s coat every day or every other day to prevent tangles and mats.
2. Bathe your puppy every 4-8 weeks, or as needed.
3. Trim your puppy’s coat every 4-6 weeks, or as needed.
4. Trim your puppy’s nails every 2-3 weeks, or as needed.
5. Clean your puppy’s ears every week.

Summary

Grooming your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy regularly is essential to their care. Regular grooming helps maintain their coat health and shine, prevents matting/tangling/shedding issues, and keeps their ears fresh and smelling fresh! Regular grooming also allows you to check for signs of skin problems/infections; plus keep their ears looking great too!

Be careful and patient while grooming your puppy, using tools designed specifically for dogs. Take your time, taking breaks as necessary so as not to stress out or overwhelm him/her!

By following the advice in this article, you can ensure your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy remains healthy, happy, and looking their absolute best.

FAQs

1. How often should I groom my Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?
   Depending on their coat type and your personal preferences, brushing every day or every other day, bathing every four to eight weeks, and trimming every 4-6 weeks may be recommended as appropriate.
2. Can I use human shampoo on my Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?
   No. Human-grade soap may irritate their skin. For optimal results use dog-specific products instead.
3. How can I trim the nails of my Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?
   A nail clipper specifically designed to cut dog nails should be used, being careful to not cut into the quick area which contains blood vessels and nerves.
4. How often should I clean the ears of my Bernese Mountain Dog puppy?
   In general, your Bernese Mountain Dog puppy’s ears should be checked every 1-2 weeks or as needed.
5. Can I Groom my Bernese Mountain Dog Puppy Myself, or Should I Take them to a Professional Groomer?
   Both options may work; though if it feels uncomfortable or your puppy has difficult fur, a professional groomer could be preferable.