Best Brush for Saint Bernards | Rough and Smooth Coats

The best brush for a Saint Bernard is a large slicker brush with long, fine stainless steel pins, worked in sections from the skin outward. Rough coated Saints do better with a curved head that follows the body and gets into the feathering, while smooth coated Saints suit a flat head for even contact over a short, dense coat.

Saint Bernards come in two coat types and the difference matters more than most breed guides admit. The smooth coated Saint has a short, dense outer coat that lies flat against the body. The rough coated Saint has a longer, slightly wavy coat with feathering on the thighs and forelegs and a bushy tail. Both are double coated, both shed heavily, and only one of them mats.

That distinction decides your tool, your routine and where you look for trouble. It also explains why two Saint owners can give completely contradictory advice in perfectly good faith.

If you want a head start on the tools, our brushes for double-coated breeds cover both coat types, and the giant breed thinking is the same as in our Best Brush for Great Pyrenees | Heavy Double Coat Guide.

Why Rough and Smooth Saint Bernard Coats Need Different Brushes

Both coats are double coats, so both have a soft insulating undercoat beneath a weather-resistant outer layer. The undercoat is where the shedding happens and where the trouble starts. What differs is how much outer coat sits on top of it, and how much that outer coat moves.

• Smooth coat. Short and dense, lying close to the body. Shed undercoat works its way out reasonably well on its own, so the job is mostly about speeding that up and getting even contact across a very large dog.
• Rough coat. Longer, often slightly wavy, with real feathering behind the legs and a plumed tail. Shed undercoat gets trapped by that longer outer hair and felts, particularly where the coat moves against itself.

A rough coated Saint is genuinely a matting breed. Owners are often caught out because the dog looks so sleek across the back, where the coat is shortest, while the trousers and the ruff quietly pack down. The back tells you nothing about the legs on this breed.

The second factor, and it is a Saint Bernard speciality, is drool. Saints have loose flews and they drool, sometimes a great deal. That moisture runs down onto the chest and the ruff, collects in the coat, and dries there. Damp coat plus friction is how mats form, so on a rough coated Saint the chest and neck need checking every single day.

Where Saint Bernard Mats and Packed Undercoat Actually Form

Trouble spots on a Saint are specific and they are worth knowing by name, because they are not the areas owners tend to brush.

• The chest and lower neck. The drool zone. On a rough coat this is where damp hair mats fastest, and the skin underneath can get sore if it stays wet.
• Behind and under the ears. Fine coat over constantly moving ear leather. Small mats form here on rough coats within days.
• The ruff and shoulders. Deep coat that looks immaculate from the top while packed undercoat sits underneath.
• The trousers and rear feathering. The most movement anywhere on the dog and the longest hair on a rough coat.
• Armpits and the fold behind the elbows. Friction, thin skin, no airflow. Mats here hurt.
• The tail, on rough coats. The plume and the tail base both hold shed undercoat that rarely gets combed out.

On a smooth coated Saint the picture is simpler. You will not usually be fighting mats at all. What you will be fighting is volume, because a smooth Saint sheds a startling amount of undercoat twice a year and it goes everywhere.

Either way, the mechanics of working a double coat are the same, and How to Brush a Double-Coated Dog Properly (Reduce Shedding & Mats) is the best place to start if the technique is new to you.

What a Realistic Saint Bernard Grooming Routine Looks Like

A Saint Bernard is a big surface area and a big time commitment, so the routine has to be something you will still be doing in six months.

For a rough coated Saint:

• Daily. Wipe and dry the chest and lower neck after drooling. Two minutes with the comb through the chest, ears and trousers.
• Two or three times a week. Twenty to thirty minutes of line brushing, rotating through the body so the whole dog gets covered weekly.
• During coat blow. Daily sessions for three to six weeks, spring and autumn.

For a smooth coated Saint:

• Twice a week. Fifteen to twenty minutes with the slicker, working against and then with the lie of the coat to lift out loose undercoat.
• Daily during coat blow. Ten to fifteen minutes is usually enough, but skipping days during a blow undoes the work fast.
• Daily drool care regardless. A smooth coat still holds moisture against the skin on the chest.

Most Saints are happy to lie down for grooming, which makes the underside and the armpits far easier than on a breed that insists on standing. Build that habit early, because rolling a 160 pound dog who has not agreed to it is not an option.

Recommended Tools for a Saint Bernard's Dense Double Coat

Three tools cover both coat types. A large slicker as the primary brush, a shampoo that does not strip the coat, and a long tooth comb for checking and for the drool zone.

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Flying Pawfect Large Curved Slicker Brush

For a rough coated Saint Bernard, the large curved slicker is the one to reach for first. The curved head follows the shape of a barrel chest, a heavy shoulder and a thigh, which means the pins stay in contact through the stroke instead of losing the middle of the pad every time the body curves away.

That matters most in the feathering. Trousers, the backs of the forelegs and the tail plume are not flat surfaces, and a curved pad works through them with far less fighting than a flat one.

The pins are fine bent stainless steel, densely set and long enough to pass through a rough Saint's outer coat and reach the undercoat underneath. Fine pins slide between guard hairs rather than pushing them aside, and the bent tips lift loose undercoat out instead of pressing it back down.

Size is not optional on a giant breed. The large head is what makes a full session take forty minutes rather than two hours, and a session that takes two hours is a session that stops happening.

If your Saint is smooth coated, choose the large flat slicker instead. A flat pad gives even contact across a short coat lying close to the body, which is exactly what a smooth Saint needs, and it is the better tool for bulk undercoat removal during a blow.

Whichever head you use, keep the pressure light. These pins are long and fine, and they work under their own weight. Leaning on a slicker is uncomfortable for the dog and does nothing useful for the coat.

• Best for: Rough coated Saints, especially the ruff, trousers, feathering and tail plume.
• Why it works: The curved pad keeps fine bent steel pins in contact over the curves of a giant frame, so the undercoat actually comes out.
• Context: Smooth coated Saints are better served by the large flat head.

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Flying Pawfect Pawfect Potion 4-in-1 Shampoo

Saint Bernards are a breed where bath day needs planning, and where the drool means the chest and neck get washed far more often than the rest of the dog. The Pawfect Potion cleans, conditions, detangles and moisturises in one step, which keeps that routine short.

The conditioning and detangling side earns its place on a rough coat. Hair that has been washed and conditioned is slippery, and slippery hair lets the slicker pins pass through the trousers and ruff with much less friction.

It is pH balanced, built on plant-derived cleansers with organic ingredients, and free of dyes, SLS, parabens, phthalates and alcohol. It is made in the USA and is suitable for all animals.

For the drool zone specifically, a damp cloth and a proper dry is the daily answer, with a wash when it needs one rather than every day. Over-washing the same patch of skin is not helpful, and the important half of the job is the drying.

Full baths are a bigger production. Most Saints do well on one every six to eight weeks, and the coat has to be dried right down to the skin afterwards. A damp undercoat under a dry outer coat is the fastest route to mats on a rough coated Saint.

• Best for: Full baths, and washing the chest and neck when the drool zone needs more than a wipe.
• Why it works: Cleans, conditions, detangles and moisturises in one step, which cuts brushing friction on a rough coat.
• Context: Always dry to the skin. Shampoo supports the routine, it does not replace brushing or drying.

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Flying Pawfect Long Tooth Comb

On a rough coated Saint the comb does two jobs, and both are daily. The first is the drool zone. Drawing the comb through the chest and lower neck finds damp, tacky hair before it becomes a mat, and it takes about a minute.

The second job is checking your brushing. A slicker can leave a Saint looking perfect while packed undercoat sits against the skin in the ruff and trousers. The comb is the only honest test: if it reaches skin and travels out cleanly, that section is done.

The long dual density teeth are what make that possible through a deep ruff. A short toothed comb glides through the top layer and tells you nothing.

On a smooth coated Saint the comb is used less, but it still earns its keep on the chest and behind the ears, and it is the quickest way to tell whether a coat blow is actually finished.

Never force it. A comb that stops against something solid has found a formed mat, and the right answer is gentle work with the slicker from the outer edge, or a groomer, not more pressure.

• Best for: Daily checks on the drool zone, and testing whether a brushed section is genuinely clear.
• Why it works: Long dual density steel teeth reach the skin through a deep ruff, so a clean pass is evidence rather than a guess.
• Context: A stalled comb means go back to the brush, never pull harder.

Step by Step: Brushing a Rough Coated Saint Bernard

This is line brushing, adapted for a giant breed with feathering and a drool problem. A smooth coated Saint can skip the sectioning and simply work the slicker over the whole body in overlapping passes.

• 1. Deal with the chest first. Wipe and dry any damp hair, then comb it through. Doing this first means you are not working drool deeper into the coat later.
• 2. Settle the dog on its side. On a mat on the floor, unhurried, not straight after a walk.
• 3. Start at the bottom of the hind leg. Working bottom to top keeps finished coat falling over unfinished coat, so your parting line stays visible.
• 4. Part a horizontal line. Push the coat up with your free hand until you can see skin along the parting.
• 5. Brush only that strip. Short light strokes from the roots outward, two or three passes.
• 6. Comb the strip. Skin to tip. Clean pass means move on, a stall means brush it again.
• 7. Work up an inch at a time. Release, part a new line, repeat up the body.
• 8. Leave the awkward areas until last. Armpits, ears and tail base, once the dog has settled.

Rotating the body over three sessions a week is usually more realistic than one long session. Hindquarters on Monday, middle and ruff on Wednesday, front, chest and head on Friday works well for a lot of owners.

Prevention Tips for Saint Bernard Shedding and Drool Mats

Prevention on this breed is mostly about moisture and about staying ahead of the seasonal blow.

• Dry the drool zone every day. A microfibre cloth by the door costs nothing and prevents more chest mats than any brush.
• Never let a wet Saint air dry. After a bath, a swim or a wet walk, dry properly. Damp undercoat is where mats begin.
• Step brushing up before coat blow. If your dog blows in March, go daily in late February. Catching undercoat as it releases is far easier than digging it out later.
• Brush before a bath, not only after. Water tightens any tangle that is already there.
• Check under harnesses and collars. Constant friction on a deep ruff is a reliable way to make a mat.
• Keep an eye on the skin, not just the coat. Redness, a smell, or hair that comes away easily in the drool zone is worth a vet visit rather than more brushing.

Sudden coat change, unusual shedding outside the normal seasonal pattern, bald patches, broken hair or persistent scratching are all reasons to speak to your vet. On a giant breed the coat is often the first place a health problem shows.

Common Mistakes Saint Bernard Owners Make

• Treating both coat types the same. A rough coated Saint needs sectioned line brushing. A smooth coated one does not, and will resent being fussed over as if it did.
• Judging the coat by the back. The back is the shortest, tidiest coat on the dog. The trousers and ruff are where the problem is.
• Ignoring the drool. The single most breed-specific mistake. Wet chest hair mats within days.
• Using a brush that is too small. A medium slicker on a 160 pound dog turns a manageable job into one nobody finishes.
• Pressing hard to reach the undercoat. Pin length reaches the undercoat, pressure does not. Leaning on the brush just irritates the skin.
• Scissoring out a mat. Skin lifts into a mat much further than owners expect, and scissor wounds on matted dogs are common.
• Shaving to reduce shedding. It does not reduce shedding and it can change how a double coat regrows. Our guide on Should You Shave a Double-Coated Dog? covers what actually happens.

FAQs

What is the best brush for a Saint Bernard?

A large slicker brush with long, fine, bent stainless steel pins. Choose the curved head for a rough coated Saint, because it follows the body and works through feathering, and the flat head for a smooth coated Saint, where even contact over a short coat matters more.

Do Saint Bernards need daily brushing?

A rough coated Saint needs a daily check of the chest, ears and trousers plus two or three proper brushing sessions a week. A smooth coated Saint can usually manage with two sessions a week, though both need daily attention to the drool zone.

Do Saint Bernards shed a lot?

Yes, heavily. Both coat types shed year round and blow their undercoat twice a year, usually in spring and autumn. Smooth coated Saints often seem to shed more visibly because the short hairs work their way into fabric.

Which Saint Bernard coat is harder to groom?

The rough coat, without much doubt. It mats in the ruff, trousers and feathering, and it holds drool against the chest. A smooth coated Saint sheds just as much but rarely mats, so the work is volume rather than detangling.

How do you stop a Saint Bernard's chest from matting?

Dry the drool rather than letting it sit. Wipe the chest and lower neck with a cloth after drooling, dry it, and run a long tooth comb through once a day. Mats there come from moisture and friction, not from lack of brushing alone.

Should you shave a Saint Bernard in summer?

No. The double coat insulates against heat and protects the skin from sun, and shaving can permanently affect regrowth. Removing packed undercoat with a slicker is what genuinely helps a Saint stay cooler.

How often should you bathe a Saint Bernard?

A full bath every six to eight weeks suits most Saints, with more frequent washing of the chest and neck as the drool demands. Always brush before the bath and dry thoroughly to the skin afterwards.

Can you use a slicker brush on a Saint Bernard puppy?

Yes, and it is worth starting early. Puppy coat is quick to work through, so short gentle sessions build the habit before the adult coat arrives. A Saint that has always enjoyed grooming is far easier to handle at full size.

Final Thoughts

Saint Bernard grooming is not complicated once you know which coat you have. A rough coat needs sectioned line brushing with a curved slicker and daily attention to the drool zone. A smooth coat needs a flat slicker and consistency through the twice yearly blow.

The comb is what ties both together, because it is the only tool that tells you the truth about what is going on near the skin. Get those three things in place and a Saint Bernard's coat stays in good condition without either of you dreading the sessions.