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Bernedoodle grooming
Bernedoodle grooming: a poodle coat on a big dog.
A bernedoodle needs a salon haircut every 6 to 8 weeks. Between those cuts, a curly coat on a 70 to 90 lb dog is a lot of hair to keep brushed, cleaned, and fully dried, and that is where the mats come from. We do the between-cut bath, brush-out, and full blow-dry. We do not do the haircut.
Size changes the job
Mini, standard, or big standard.
Mini bernedoodleMedium, $95
About 25 to 49 lbs. A home brushing routine is very doable. Home drying is the hard part.
Standard bernedoodleLarge, $115
About 70 to 90 lbs. Brushing out the whole dog takes real time. Towels will not finish the dry.
Big standardsXL, $155
100+ lbs. Same coat, more of it. Book the bath before the coat gets away from you.
Our price is flat by weight, not by breed or coat condition. Cadence details are on the bernedoodle bathing guide.
Why this coat mats
Owners expect a Bernese. They get a poodle's maintenance.
A Bernese mountain dog sheds heavily and gets by on occasional baths and a lot of brushing. The poodle side turns a bernedoodle's coat wavy to curly and low-shed, so the loose hair stays in the coat and felts at the friction points: the chest and armpits under a harness, behind the ears, the backs of the legs, and the side the dog sleeps on.
Size makes every lapse bigger. A few weeks of skipped brushing on a mini is a fixable afternoon. On a standard bernedoodle it can be a whole side of the dog, and mats that go unnoticed under that much coat are often past saving by the time they show.
At home, 2 to 3 times a week
Brushing a bernedoodle without it taking your whole evening.
- 1Budget the time by size.
A mini can be line brushed in a short session. A standard bernedoodle is a lot of coat: split it across the week, legs one day, body and chest the next, so it actually gets done 2 to 3 times a week.
- 2Slicker in layers, then the metal comb.
Part the coat, brush from the skin outward, drop the next layer, repeat. Then run the comb from skin to tip. Anywhere it catches is where the next mat is forming.
- 3Go after the harness and the legs.
The chest, armpits, and anywhere the harness sits, plus the backs of the legs, where a big dog's feathering tangles first.
- 4Watch for undercoat.
Some bernedoodles inherit a Bernese-style undercoat under the curl. If the comb pulls out soft, fluffy undercoat, your dog sheds and mats, and brushing matters even more.
Between baths
How to clean a bernedoodle between baths.
The white bib and white feet
Tri-color and white-marked bernedoodles show every bit of dirt on the chest and paws. Spot clean those areas with a damp cloth or a quick rinse, then dry with a dryer on cool and comb out. There is no need to wash the whole dog for a dirty bib.
After a hike or a rainy walk
A big curly coat holds a lot of water and dries slowly. Towel hard, then finish the legs and chest with a dryer. A damp bernedoodle sleeping on its side overnight felts the side it lies on.
Burrs and foxtails
The long leg and ear hair collects them. Check the feet, between the toes, and inside the ears after every trail walk and pick them out before they work in.
The tools and brushing basics that apply to every doodle are in our doodle grooming between cuts guide.
Our visit
What our bernedoodle bath and brush-out covers.
- Brush-out before the water, so no tangle goes into the tub.
- Warm bath and conditioner from heated water on board.
- Forced-air dry worked to the skin, brushed straight, all the way through.
- Nail trim and ear cleaning, included in every wash.
- One dog at a time, in the van at your driveway. No water in your house.
$95 for minis, $115 for most standards, $155 over 100 lbs. See the doodle bath and brush-out service for how we handle curly coats.
Where we stop
When bernedoodle mats are a groomer's job, not ours.
Loose tangles come out in our brush-out. Felted mats tight to the skin do not, and on a big dog they can cover a lot of ground. Water tightens them and brushing them out hurts, so we check before the bath and tell you honestly if it needs a clipper shave-down at your groomer first.
To judge it yourself, use the pinch test in our dematting guide.
A schedule sized for your bernedoodle.
Tell the builder your dog's coat and lifestyle and it sets the bath interval, curly-coat and outdoor-dog adjustments included, as real dates.
Build the schedule, freeFrequently asked
Bernedoodle grooming questions.
A haircut every 6 to 8 weeks at your groomer, a bath with a full brush-out every 4 to 6 weeks (every 3 to 4 for a tight curly coat or an outdoor dog), and brushing at home 2 to 3 times a week. The bath at the halfway point between haircuts is what keeps the coat from matting before the next cut.
No. We are wash-only: brush-out, bath, conditioner, full forced-air dry, nail trim, and ear cleaning. The haircut stays with your groomer.
Because there is so much coat. A standard bernedoodle holds a lot of water, and a curly coat that air-dries slowly sets the curl around every small tangle. The forced-air dry, brushed straight to the skin, is the part of the bath that prevents new mats, and on a big dog it is the part most home baths cannot finish.
Curlier coats shed almost nothing visibly. Looser coats, and dogs that carry a Bernese-style undercoat, shed a bit more. Either way the coat can mat if brushing lapses, because the loose hair that does come out gets caught in the curl first.
Not safely. Bathing over tight mats makes them shrink tighter as they dry, and brushing out a coat matted to the skin hurts the dog. We will tell you before we start. The right first step is a shave-down at your groomer; we can keep the regrowth mat-free after that.
Compare intervals across breeds on the bathing schedule page.
A lot of coat. We bring the dryer.
Brush-out, bath, and a full forced-air dry with nails and ears included, $95 to $155 by size, at your driveway.
or text us at (408) 599-8317
Owner-operated · Local service
Hi, I’m Ace.
I run Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash myself — I’m the one who shows up at your door. Every visit is one dog at a time in the van at your curb: warm water, a full brush-out and a proper dry, with no salon drive and no cage waiting. Big dogs, heavy shedders and nervous seniors are the reason this service exists.
Owner-OperatedLarge-Dog FriendlyDe-SheddingSenior & Anxious Dogs
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★★★★★
SUCH a great - and easy! - experience! Asa was immediately responsive (I love when businesses actually answer their phone!), worked Moose in within 24 hours, was communicative throughout, bought unscented products specifically for us, did a great job with my 12 year old doodle … all in all: amazing service!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age — I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash.
★★★★☆
Ace was great with my 3 small dogs. They got washed and towel dried, their ears checked, their nails trimmed. One star off because he trimmed one nail too far and it bled for a long time, plus distressed my already anxious dog. Important to know that this service isn't van-based (yet). Ace brings a portable wash station to set up outside. He brings his own water and supplies. He doesn't do any hair cuts, just basic wash and towel dry. I'll call him again in the future!
★★★★★
Ace did a great job with our little old chihuahua mix. Our appointment was for the evening and he came prepared with warm water, and made our sure our dog was comfortable the entire time. Don't let the lack of reviews on yelp scare you away, his prices are good, and he takes time to ensure that good work is done.
★★★★★
He did such an amazing job with my dog! He came out looking so nice, clean, and well-groomed, but what stood out to me most was how happy and comfortable he seemed afterward. You can really tell he was treated with care throughout the entire process. I'm extremely pleased with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend him!
★★★★★
Ace at Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash was absolutely wonderful with my senior dog. He was so gentle and patient with him, which meant everything to me given his age -- I could tell he genuinely cared about his comfort throughout the whole process. Beyond the excellent care, Ace was warm, loving, and clearly an animal lover at heart, while also being completely professional from start to finish. It's rare to find someone who balances that kind of tenderness with real expertise, and my dog came out looking and smelling great without a hint of stress. Highly recommend Ace and Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash. Price is great!
★★★★★
We booked Bay Area Mobile Dog Wash for our 90-lb German Shepherd, Koda, who hates the groomer. Ace parked the van right in our driveway in Willow Glen, walked her up the ramp himself — no lifting, no cage, no other dogs — and I watched the whole wash from my doorstep. Bath, nails, ears, and she came back inside dry and calm. Flat $95 exactly as the website said, no surprise charges. We've already booked next month. 😊❤️
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