How to Groom a St. Bernard
The name St. Bernard comes from the monastery and hospice in Switzerland with which these dogs are historically associated. People knew them as the "special dogs" of the monks. They were luckily equipped with very dense coats which kept them warm in the mountains of Switzerland. These lovely white and tan coats require a good bit of maintenance and you need to give your St. Bernard a full grooming every 8 to 10 weeks.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Slicker brush
- Pin brush
- Steel comb
- Whitening shampoo
- Cotton cloth and/or baby wipes
-
-
1
Brush and comb the dog twice per week with slicker brushes, pin brushes and steel combs. Saint Bernards have either a rough or a smooth coat. In both cases there is a thick undercoat (more so with a rough coat) that produces lots of woolly shed hair. Remove this shed hair regularly to avoid painful tangling and matting.
-
2
Bathe regularly using a whitening shampoo which makes the light areas of the coat appear even more pristine. Rinse out the shampoo very well and leave none in the coat.
-
3
Clean your St. Bernard's ears regularly to avoid infection and to prevent stray debris from becoming lodged inside them. Use baby wipes for a quick clean that leaves no excess liquid in the ears. Another option is a mixture of vinegar and alcohol which can be squirted into the ear. Massage the ear for a bit and then swab it out with a soft cloth or a piece of cotton wrapped around your finger.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Although their coats are generally white and tan to the naked eye, St. Bernards' coats are often also mixed with red, mahogany, brindle and black.
Despite their imposing stature and enormous, muscular build, the monks trained St. Bernards to be gentle towards people and other dogs. St. Bernards used to guide travelers to the monastery. This one of the reasons why this breed's temperament is so pleasant.
St. Bernards tend to bloat easily. Feed them several small meals a day rather than one large one.
They are susceptible to "wobbler" syndrome, heart problems, skin problems, hip dysplasia and extropion, which is a folding outward of the eyelid rim, usually on the lower lid. Twisted stomachs can also be a problem, so be on the lookout.
