Best brush for a Bernese Mountain Dog
The best brush for a Bernese Mountain Dog is a slicker brush for the everyday top coat, paired with an undercoat rake or de-shedding tool for the heavy seasonal shed underneath. One brush alone rarely covers both jobs on a coat this dense, which is why most Bernese owners end up using two tools rather than searching for a single perfect one.
What this coat actually needs
A Bernese Mountain Dog carries a thick double coat: a longer, slightly wavy outer layer and a dense woolly undercoat beneath it that blows out heavily twice a year. The outer coat needs regular brushing to stop it matting, particularly behind the ears, under the legs and around the collar line where friction and moisture build up.
During a seasonal coat blow, the undercoat can come out in genuinely large amounts over a couple of weeks, and a brush that only skims the surface will leave the loose undercoat trapped against the skin, where it mats and can eventually cause irritation.
Slicker brush for the everyday routine
A slicker brush, with its fine, slightly angled pins, is the right tool for two to three sessions a week on the outer coat, working through tangles before they tighten and picking up surface debris. Go gently around the ears and legs, where the coat is finer and the skin more sensitive to a firm brush.
Used little and often, a slicker brush also gives you an early look at any mats forming, which are far easier to work loose while small than once they've tightened against the skin.
An undercoat rake for the heavy shed
During spring and autumn coat changes, an undercoat rake or a de-shedding comb reaches down through the top coat to pull out the loose woolly undercoat that a slicker brush mostly misses. Several short sessions rather than one long one keep this more comfortable for a dog that may already find the shedding process a little itchy.
A wide-toothed comb is also worth keeping to hand for working through the feathering on the legs, tail and chest, where mats tend to form first and are easiest to catch early.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Ancol Ergo Grooming Glove
A rubber grooming glove for dogs, for removing loose hair on wet or dry coats
£9.79
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Ancol Ergo Palm Pin Pad
A palm-strapped pin grooming pad for dogs, for silky, long, wiry and curly coats
£8.49
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Self-Cleaning Deshedding Slicker Brush
A deshedding grooming tool for dogs and cats that lifts loose undercoat and eases out tangles, with a self-cleaning button that releases the trapped fur in one press.
£25.99
Common questions
- How often should I brush a Bernese Mountain Dog?
- Two to three times a week is a reasonable baseline for most of the year, increasing to daily short sessions during the spring and autumn coat blow, when the undercoat sheds heavily over a fairly short period.
- Do Bernese Mountain Dogs need professional grooming?
- Many owners manage the coat themselves with regular brushing at home, though a professional groom every few months can help during a heavy shed or if mats have already formed, particularly in the feathering on the legs and tail.
- Why does my Bernese Mountain Dog's coat smell even after brushing?
- A persistent odour is often trapped moisture or loose undercoat sitting close to the skin rather than a grooming failure as such. If regular brushing and the occasional bath don't resolve it, it's worth mentioning to your vet in case a skin issue is contributing.
- Is a de-shedding tool safe to use on a Bernese Mountain Dog?
- Yes, when used as directed and not pressed too firmly against the skin. It's designed to lift loose undercoat rather than cut the topcoat, but go gently over bony areas and stop if your dog seems uncomfortable.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.