How to Groom St. Bernards

Saint Bernards can have short or long coats, both of which need thorough grooming.

Saint Bernards can be as mellow as they are massive. These sizable canines earned a benevolent reputation for rescuing travelers in the midst of avalanches of the Grand Saint Bernard Pass, a perilous region connecting Switzerland to Italy. These powerful dogs can be short-coated or long-coated, but both varieties require grooming. One helpful step is to keep a rag on hand, because Saint Bernards tend to drool. Grooming the large breed can prove challenging, but the maintenance routine improves with practice.

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Slicker brush
Bristle brush
Pin brush
Shampoo formulated for white fur
Shampoo suitable for all coat colors
High-velocity dryer

Instructions

- 1
  
  Brush your Saint Bernard daily. This is especially important to facilitate the grooming for dogs with long coats. Use a slicker brush to remove dead fur from the undercoat and to keep matting to a minimum. Brush the coat in the opposite direction of its growth; this will stimulate the skin and extract more dead hair. Then brush the coat again in the direction of its natural growth.
  
  Use a hard bristle brush as well, particularly for the short-coated Saint Bernards.
  
  This process should take only five minutes per day and can stave off serious grooming dilemmas.
- 2
  
  Bathe your Saint Bernard when its coat is dirty, or about every 8-10 weeks. Use multiple shampoos: a special brand that is formulated specifically for white fur, and also a type that can be used for any coat color. Lather your Bernard's white areas with the special shampoo. Apply standard shampoo elsewhere.
  
  Put shampoo into a squeezable bottle to ease application.
  
  Shampoo the dog's head last. Once the head is wet, your Saint Bernard will want to shake. And when a drenched Saint Bernard shakes, take caution: water will get everywhere.
  
  Rinse your dog at least once, more if time allows. Removing all the shampoo from the coat makes drying much easier.
- 3
  
  Use a high-velocity dryer designed specifically for canines, which blows excess water off the dog's coat in sheets. This type of dryer can dramatically reduce grooming time.
  
  For long-coated Saint Bernards, go through the coat when a pin brush after drying. This can result in a fluffier dog.