Things You'll Need
- Firm-bristled brush
- Comb
- Short-bladed scissors
- Oil-based conditioner spray
- Mat brush and splitter
- Slicker brush
- Cloth or paper towel
- Cotton balls
- Ear solution
- Nail clippers
- Kwik-Stop or similar product
- Emery board
- Non-slip mat
- Leash
- Hose
- Pet shampoo
- Towels
Instructions
Brushing
Brush your dog at least once per week, more often during peak shedding season. Use a comb for a long-haired dog and a firm-bristled brush for a short-haired Bernese. Brush in the direction of the hair growth.
Separate small sections of hair and hold it away from your dog's body. Insert the brush or comb close to the skin and gently pull outward. Work up and down or side to side, whichever you prefer, brushing every section of the coat.
Work a comb through any knots. Press down on the dog's skin with your free hand to prevent painful tugging if the comb snags the knotted hair. Comb out knots as gently and thoroughly as possible. Untreated knots can turn into thick knots called mats.
Spray mats thoroughly with oil-based conditioner to loosen the hair. Use a mat comb, mat splitter or sharp scissors to break each mat apart. Brush through the mat with a slicker brush. Do not try to brush matted fur without first spraying individual mats and cutting each one apart.
Ear and Eyes
Examine your dog's ears and eyes during weekly brushing sessions. Check for dirt, injuries or abnormalities.
Use a soft, damp cloth or paper towel to clean debris out of the corners of your dog's eyes. Check each eye for discoloration or cloudiness that indicates possible health problems.
Look at the inside and outside of your dog's ears for mites, dirt and growths. Speak to a vet if the interior of the ear is not pink and healthy or you find any anomalies. Do not clean a Bernese's ears until the vet examines the dog and rules out health problems.
Clean dirty ears by wetting a cotton ball with several drops of ear solution. Rub it inside your dog's ears to loosen the debris. Take a clean cotton ball and gently wipe to remove the dirt and wax.
Paws
Prevent ingrown nails and difficulty walking by trimming your dog's nails and the hair on its paws twice a month. Check the paw pads for stones and other obstructions every day.
Use dog nail clippers to trim the dog's nails. Avoid the bundle of blood vessels and nerves called the quick that is inside every nail. Pinching the quick hurts, and your dog will tell you if you get too close. Cutting the quick requires a product to stop the bleeding. Keep Kwik-Stop, or a similar product, on hand every time you clip your dog's nails.
Cut dark nails in small intervals to avoid cutting the quick, which is not visible. Trim clear nails as close to the quick as possible without pinching or cutting it. Buff the dog's nails with an emery board to shorten them further. Trimmed nails should not reach the ground when your dog is standing.
Check up the dog's leg for a dewclaw, and cut it every time you trim its nails. Consider removing this extra claw to limit hip problems or if you plan to show your Bernese.
Trim the hair on your Bernese's paws with short-bladed scissors. Cut it until the fur is even with the dog's pad when it is standing.
Bathing
Tie one end of your dog's leash to a sturdy post at a point above its head. Clip the other end to your dog's collar, adjusting the leash until it is tight enough to keep it standing on the non-slip mat. Consider getting a friend to help if you have never bathed your dog or it is skittish.
Run a hose from an indoor faucet and wet the dog with warm water. Make sure you get the undercoat wet. Do not get water in its ears, eyes or nose.
Lather the fur with pet shampoo. Do not substitute human shampoo because the dog may get sick ingesting it when grooming itself.
Rinse all the shampoo out. Take handfuls of fur and squeeze the excess water out. Re-rinse your dog if you see any soap residue. Pat dry with towels. Be ready for your dog to shake itself vigorously, no matter how well you dry it.
Take your dog for a walk or use a dog salon's blow-dryer to make sure the dog's undercoat gets completely dry. Leave your dog tied up so that it cannot lie down, if the other options are not feasible.