Bernese Mountain Dog Shedding: Tips To Help You And Your Puppy

A Bernese Mountain Dog sheds a lot. The American Kennel Club scores the breed 5 out of 5 for shedding, the top of its scale, and says Berners "shed a fair amount, even more so during shedding season, which occurs twice a year." This page covers the double coat behind that, how the shedding compares with a golden retriever's, what the AKC and Cornell's veterinary school say about brushing, and when hair loss is a reason to call a vet.

Bernese Mountain Dogs, also called Berners, are large farm dogs from the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The breed club's standard puts adult males at 25 to 27.5 inches at the withers and females at 23 to 26 inches, and the AKC lists weights of 80 to 115 pounds for males and 70 to 95 pounds for females. The AKC says they earned their keep by droving cattle, guarding farmyards from predators, and serving as gentle companions, and The Spruce Pets says they typically have a good-natured personality. Our guide to Bernese Mountain Dog history covers the farm work in more detail.

How much does a Bernese Mountain Dog shed?

The AKC's shedding scale runs from 1, "No Shedding," through 3, "Moderate," to 5, "Hair Everywhere." The Bernese Mountain Dog scores a 5. The AKC's description of the scale says "Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling." Canine Journal calls the breed a year-round shedder.

The Bernese coat and why it sheds

The AKC lists the coat as double and medium in length: "a longer outer coat and a wooly undercoat." The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America's breed standard says the coat "is thick, moderately long and slightly wavy or straight" with "a bright natural sheen," and that extremely curly or extremely dull-looking coats are undesirable.

The standard describes a tricolor dog. The ground color is "jet black" and the markings are "rich rust and clear white." Rust appears over each eye, on the cheeks, on each side of the chest, on all four legs, and under the tail, and the tip of the tail is white. The standard also says the breed "is shown in natural coat and undue trimming is to be discouraged."

Shedding is how any dog's coat renews. The Merck Veterinary Manual says "the natural development and growth of new hair is accompanied by the shedding of old hair."

How to brush a Bernese Mountain Dog

Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center says regular brushing "is especially important for double-coated dogs. It helps prevent painful matting, reduces shedding and supports healthy skin by distributing natural oils." For this breed the AKC gives the schedule as weekly, and daily during shedding season. Pet stores sell many kinds of dog brush. For tangles, the AKC names a slicker brush or a metal comb.

Cornell lists the signs of stress to watch for during grooming: lip licking, yawning when not tired, freezing, pulling away, and showing the whites of the eyes. If a dog shows them, Cornell says to pause, offer a break, and plan the next session with even smaller steps. For grooming beyond what you can comfortably do at home, it suggests looking for a Fear Free certified groomer.

Bathing a Bernese Mountain Dog

Bathing is a must, and DogTime's bathing guide says dogs "do need regular baths," and that bathing "plays an important role in the health of their coat and skin." The guide says how regular a dog's baths should be "depends on several factors, such as the dog's environment and type of coat," and that your vet can advise on how much bathing your individual dog needs.

Keeping the house clear of shed hair

Loose Bernese hair ends up on floors, sofas, and bedding. A vacuum and a lint roller pick up the hair, and the dog's bed and your own bedding can go through the wash. Storing a lint remover is also a great dog hack, both for its versatility and relatively small size. You won't have to worry about those loose fur strands on your cute dog shirts when picking up your pup.

When shedding is a sign of a health problem

The Merck Veterinary Manual entry on hair loss in dogs was written by Karen A. Moriello, DVM, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine. It says shedding "may be abnormal (excessive) if it results in obvious loss of the hair coat and bald spots," and that if shedding "is not accompanied by bald patches or symmetric hair loss, it is likely the shedding is just a stage in the natural replacement of the hair coat."

The manual lists bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections among the diseases that can damage a hair shaft or follicle. It says itching or pain is a common cause of acquired inflammatory hair loss, and that the diseases that commonly cause itching or pain include infections, parasites, and allergies. It also says friction can cause local hair loss, and gives poorly fitted collars as an example.

To find a cause, the manual says a vet takes a history, examines the skin and the dog's general health, looks at the hairs to see whether they are being shed from the follicle or broken off, and checks for secondary skin infections and parasites. The vet may do skin scrapings and comb the coat for fleas, mites, and lice. The manual says the cause of hair loss "must be determined for the condition to be successfully treated."

FAQ

Do Bernese Mountain Dogs shed more than golden retrievers?

The AKC gives the Bernese Mountain Dog a 5 on its shedding scale and the golden retriever a 4. It lists both as double-coated with a medium-length coat. Of golden retrievers, the AKC says they "heavily shed their thick, water-repellant double coat once or twice a year, and they also shed more moderately on a continuous basis," and that during heavy shedding brushing sessions "turn into daily affairs." Our post with a video of 21 golden retrievers playing in a field is a look at the other breed.

When do Bernese Mountain Dogs shed the most?

The AKC says shedding season occurs twice a year. Pet sites name different times. The Spruce Pets says Berners shed a lot "especially when the weather changes in the spring and fall," while Canine Journal says shedding "intensity grows during the summer and winter."

Should I start brushing a Bernese puppy early?

Yes. Cornell says grooming skills "are best learned when a dog is a puppy or before they've had negative experiences." Its starting steps are gentle handling of the paws, nails, and ears while the dog is relaxed, pairing grooming tools with treats before the dog is ever brushed, and letting the dog look over brushes and clippers at its own pace. Cornell adds that sessions should be short and predictable, and should always end on a positive note.

Sources

• American Kennel Club. Bernese Mountain Dog breed page, accessed October 3, 2026: grooming text, shedding level, history.
• American Kennel Club. Golden Retriever breed page, accessed October 3, 2026: grooming text, shedding level.
• Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America. Breed standard, accessed October 3, 2026: size, coat, color and markings.
• Moriello, K. A. Hair Loss (Alopecia) in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual, last updated May 2025.
• Cornell University Riney Canine Health Center. Grooming - Cooperative Care, February 2026.
• The Spruce Pets. Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner): Characteristics and Care, archived copy of December 25, 2024.
• Canine Journal. Bernese Mountain Dog Shedding: How Much Do They Actually Shed?
• DogTime. Dogs 101: Everything You Should Know About Bathing Your Dog, archived copy of December 25, 2024.