Heavy Panting

[WiggyMagPye]

Good Morning,

   I have a Bernese Mountain Dog who is 5 months old today.  She is panting very hard lately.  The temperature is in the 80s but she is inside where there is air movement and constant fans.  She has access to all the water she wants.  Is the heavy panting common to this breed? 

Many thanks,

Maggie's Mama

[mama23+pyrs2]

I can't comment on the Bernese breed but I can tell you my Pyr pups do the same thing. It seems they are constantly panting. Even if they've been in the house for hours, if they are awake, they pant. They shared a crate up until a couple weeks ago and I thought they were too hot together but nope they still do it seperate and outside the crate (their crates are wire so get all the airflow too. We also have the a/c on and a ceiling fan blowing right above them.

Maybe someone else can you a reason as to why. It seems to be normal with mine though!

[People Whisperer]

What is the temperature in the house? My Pyr is always hot and panting. For her 68F in the house is hot! Does your dog still have plenty on undercoat left? If yes, try to get it out and it will get much better 

[dohertyswissy]

I have a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the larger short-hair cousin to the Bernese.  I live in NC and it is 84 degrees here.  I keep the house air-conditioned and with plenty of fans and he still pants like a wild man.  It's that whole undercoat deal.  Unless her breathing gets labored or she seems  massively uncomfortable, I think she's probably a-okay..just hot!    

[WiggyMagPye]

How do you get the undercoat out?  She is not shedding and loses no hair when I brush her.  Anyone know if it's okay to shave a Bernese Mountain Dog?  I hate for her to be so uncomfortable!!!

Also, several fans going, ceiling fans too.  Direct fan into her "house" for when we go out.

Thanks!

Maggie's Mama

[Nicole]

How do you get the undercoat out?  She is not shedding and loses no hair when I brush her.  Anyone know if it's okay to shave a Bernese Mountain Dog?  I hate for her to be so uncomfortable!!!

Also, several fans going, ceiling fans too.  Direct fan into her "house" for when we go out.

Thanks!

Maggie's Mama

Buy an undercoat rake! They are AWESOME! My boy is a Chow/Newf mix, so the man has HAIR. I mean...HAIR! hahha...we use the undercoat rake and it makes him MUCH cooler! We've never had to shave him. They look like this:


This is actually the exact model we have and we LOOOOOVE it!

[mama23+pyrs2]

I need to try one of those rakes. I got a metal comb and in one brush it just got stuck in the fur haha. Another waste of money!

[Nicole]

I need to try one of those rakes. I got a metal comb and in one brush it just got stuck in the fur haha. Another waste of money!

The rake rules, man!

[GoldenPyrs]

Yep, our best grooming tool yet has been the rake with two rows of teeth.  Our's is made by "Evolution" and it's wonderful!  I haven't tried a Furminator yet, but I'm going to soon.

Modified to add:

Here's a link:
 http://www.petsafewarehouse.com/Pet_care_grooming/brushes.htm

Our's is item #W-6110 and it's down the page a bit.  It's $9.99.

[People Whisperer]

Yep, our best grooming tool yet has been the rake with two rows of teeth.  Our's is made by "Evolution" and it's wonderful!  I haven't tried a Furminator yet, but I'm going to soon.

Modified to add:

Here's a link:
 http://www.petsafewarehouse.com/Pet_care_grooming/brushes.htm

Our's is item #W-6110 and it's down the page a bit.  It's $9.99.

It says NOT FOUND

By the way I have the rake Nicole pointed at and it does nothing to us. The only thing that works  is a plain metal comb used after 35 mm pin brush

[GoldenPyrs]

Hmmmm, I see that and it won't let me copy & paste a photo from that web site, so let's try this link:

http://www.copperboppers.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16276&cat=313&page=1

The two rows have the teeth staggered, so it does a really good job.  I also like the rotating teeth, they do seem to be gentler on our dogs.

[People Whisperer]

Hmmmm, I see that and it won't let me copy & paste a photo from that web site, so let's try this link:

http://www.copperboppers.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16276&cat=313&page=1

The two rows have the teeth staggered, so it does a really good job.  I also like the rotating teeth, they do seem to be gentler on our dogs.

Thanks, I have never seen this one before. Looks good!

[mama23+pyrs2]

Hmmmm, I see that and it won't let me copy & paste a photo from that web site, so let's try this link:

http://www.copperboppers.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16276&cat=313&page=1

The two rows have the teeth staggered, so it does a really good job.  I also like the rotating teeth, they do seem to be gentler on our dogs.

I saw one like this at the pet store but I just couldn't tell if it would work or not. I really didn't think the pups hair was that thick yet, I thought wrong. I did get a metal comb, for shedding or something it said but as I said, the first attempt at using it, it didn't go more than an inch before it was stuck, there was no combing action going to happen at all. So, that made me weary of buying something else to try. I may have to get this exact one though if this one works for yours.

[Bernertomboi]

My guy does this too.  It really does help to brush him, we purchased the furminator on Amazon and absolutley love it.  It would have been cheaper on ebay, but I am still an ebay coward.  We also put a fan on the floor right next to the tile by our front door.  That is his favorite spot in the house now.

Have you had him for a while?  When we first brought him home he would sit in front of the fan and still breath hard, even on days when it was 50 degrees out.  He doesn't do it as bad anymore, we think that it is because of the altitude change

We have thought about shaving him for the summer but are worried about doing it to early(he is 10 weeks old). 

This is after we furminatored him.

[mama23+pyrs2]

Wow, we could never keep our house 68 degrees here! We'd never be able to afford that power bill lol..not to mention we'd freeze! Ours has been running 75-76 and they adjust. They never lay on anything but the tile floors if they want to sleep, but they've always done that. Even in the winter time which isn't terrible in FL obviously but on chilly days, still on the tile. They've only laid on the carpet to chew bones haha.