Still managing serious heat for a giant, cold-built breed as August gets underway
Otto was never meant for anything above 75 degrees really, that heavy double coat is built for Alps winters, not Wisconsin August. Morning-only exertion continues, cooling mats stay out, and the coat itself means tick checks take real time since there's so much fur to work through after any yard time. No signs of this easing up yet this year, so the routine's just becoming the new normal for the month.
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Sounds like a well thought out routine for a breed that really does need the extra accommodation. Good luck through the rest of August with him.
Heavy coat plus giant size is a whole combination of its own, Moose deals with similar though for different reasons. Listing page here for anyone considering a Bernese: https://allinpets.com/pets/dogs/bernese-mountain-dog/
Giant cold-climate breeds really do struggle the most through a full summer, good on you for staying consistent into August instead of assuming it's almost over. There's a solid resource on proper coat checking technique: https://allinpets.com/blog/dogs/tick-prevention-for-dogs-62/