The Bergamasco Coat
The Bergamasco coat is one of the things that makes this breed so unique, and it's also something people have a lot of questions about. It's unlike any other dog's coat, and understanding how it develops and changes over time is important.
From the soft puppy coat to the formation of flocks and their care throughout the dog's life, there's a lot to learn. And while the traditional flocked coat is part of what defines the breed, keeping a Bergamasco clipped is also a great option.
This page covers what to expect, how to care for the coat, and the different ways you can maintain it.
Stages of Coat Development
Puppies to around 8 months:
Bergamasco puppies have a soft, easy-to-maintain coat for approximately the first year of life. During this stage, regular brushing and occasional bathing are usually all that's needed. Puppies can be towel-dried and allowed to air-dry.Although the coat doesn't require much maintenance yet, this is an important time to establish good grooming habits. Brush and comb your puppy's entire body regularly, paying particular attention to areas that will need more care as the coat matures.We like to introduce our puppies to the grooming table early so they're comfortable being on it when grooming sessions become longer and more involved. This is also the perfect time to get them used to being handled all over their bodies, having their feet touched, and having their nails trimmed.A little time spent establishing these routines during puppyhood will make coat care much easier as your Bergamasco grows.
8 months to around 1.5 years:
As your Bergamasco's coat begins to mature, matting will develop, often starting around the chest, flanks, rear, and chin. This is a normal part of the coat's development, but it's important to understand the difference between brushing and separating.
The developing mats on the body should be separated by hand into individual flocks, rather than brushed out. The head, face, and neck, however, should continue to be brushed regularly, particularly in woolly-coated dogs, to prevent unwanted matting in these areas.
This stage requires the most attention and is often called the "lumpy mattress" phase. The coat may look perfectly normal on the outside, but you can feel mats forming underneath. During this period, the coat should be checked almost daily, with plenty of hand separation to guide the developing flocks and prevent large mats from forming together.
1.5 years to adult:
With continued separation by hand, the mats will gradually become more defined and begin to resemble small, individual flocks. This stage still requires regular attention, as newly formed flocks can easily join back together and need to be separated again.
While the body coat is developing into flocks, the face, head, ears, neck, and tail should continue to be brushed regularly to prevent unwanted matting. Keeping the face free of mats is especially important for hygiene and comfort.
Your breeder should remain a valuable source of guidance throughout this process, particularly as the coat changes and develops.
Clipped Coats
Bergamascos can also be kept in clipped coats, and there are plenty of good reasons to choose this option. We clip our older dogs to make bathing and grooming easier on them and to relieve some of the weight of a full coat. Dogs that spend a lot of time in the water or are actively working may also benefit from having less coat to manage.
Traditionally, Bergamascos in Europe were shorn annually along with the sheep. Their coats provided protection from the sun, weather, and predators, but excessive length and weight, particularly over the front of the body, could interfere with movement and efficiency in mountainous terrain. The goal was a functional coat that protected the dog without getting in the way of its work.
If you're not showing your Bergamasco, how you choose to maintain the coat is entirely up to you. A full flocked coat is beautiful and part of the breed's heritage, but a clipped coat is a perfectly good option, too.
Ideal Coat
A truly correct Bergamasco coat is something even we, as breeders, don't see very often. Because the breed is so rare, breeding priorities such as health, temperament, and sound structure have often taken precedence over coat quality. Over the past five years, we've been able to focus more on improving coats, having already made significant progress in addressing some of the soundness issues that existed in the breed twenty years ago.
In an ideal Bergamasco coat, the entire front of the dog, up to the withers and excluding the forelegs, should consist of smoother goat hair without wool. The wool should begin primarily behind the withers, becoming more abundant toward the rear of the dog.
Most puppies develop some degree of temporary woolly coat, even in areas where wool isn't desirable. This wool will eventually molt as the dog matures, particularly during adolescence. If it isn't brushed out as it loosens, it can become trapped in the developing flocks, leaving wool in areas where it shouldn't be. This is why brushing during the early stages of coat development is so important. Removing that temporary wool allows the correct coat underneath to become more apparent as the dog matures.
This adolescent coat change is also the only time a Bergamasco experiences any significant shedding. Once the adult coat is established, Bergamascos don't shed in the traditional sense, although they do still lose hair. You may occasionally find little tumbleweeds of loose hair rolling around the house!
Our dogs have a wide range of coat types, but we're especially pleased with the progress we've made over the last few generations. Their coats are increasingly reflecting the more traditional European coat that we strive for.
A correct coat isn't just something we appreciate as breeders. It's also a real benefit to owners. Less unnecessary wool means easier maintenance, faster drying, and a beautiful, functional coat that is much easier to live with.
Alp Angel's Ozora is an example of correct coat