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Breed Characteristics
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Saint Bernard
| Other Names | St. Bernhardshund, Bernhardiner, Alpine Mastiff (archaic) |
| Nicknames | Saint |
| Country of Origin | Switzerland |
| Weight | 110 - 200 lbs. (50 - 91 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | 25.5 - 27.5 in. (61 - 70 cm) |
| Coat | St. Bernard's come in two coat varieties: the longhaired variety, often referred to as a "rough coat" and the short haired variety, typically called a "smooth coat". The long haired variety was most often used for rescue work, since their long hair gives them extra warmth. However, their long fur was prone to developing bothersome icicles in the snow. Both long and short haired varieties are dense, but soft. In longer haired dogs, there will be a bushier tail and some feathering of the wavy hair on the forelegs; their thighs are bushy. The hair should never be shaggy or curly, but just have a slight wave to it. Even the short haired variety can have some wave to their hair. |
| Colour | White with red markings or red with white markings. The red is in various shades and there are also often markings of brown and yellow. For show, the dog should have a white chest, white feet and the tip of the tail should be white. |
| Litter Size | 2 - 12 puppies |
| Life Span | 8 - 10 years |
| Origin & History | The ancestors of the St. Bernard share a history with the Sennenhunds, also called Swiss Mountain Dogs or Swiss Cattle Dogs, the large farm dogs of the farmers and dairymen of the livestock guardians, herding dogs, and draft dogs as well as hunting dogs, search and rescue dogs, and watchdogs. These dogs are thought to be descendants of molosser type dogs brought into the Alps by the ancient Romans, and the St. Bernard is recognized internationally today as one of the Molossoid breeds. The earliest written records of the St. Bernard breed are from monks at the hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass in 1707, with paintings and drawings of the dog dating even earlier. The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was Barry (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to Barry in the Cimetière des Chiens, and his body was preserved in the Natural History Museum in Berne. The classic St. Bernard looked very different from the St. Bernard of today because of cross-breeding. Severe winters from 1816 to 1818 led to increased numbers of avalanches, killing many of the dogs used for breeding while they were performing rescues. In an attempt to preserve the breed, the remaining St. Bernards were crossed with Newfoundlands brought from the Colony of Newfoundland in the 1850s, and so lost much of their use as rescue dogs in the snowy climate of the alps because the long fur they inherited would freeze and weigh them down. The dogs never received any special training from the monks. Instead, younger dogs would learn how to perform search and rescue operations from older dogs. The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded in Basel on March 15, 1884. The St. Bernard was the very first breed entered into the Swiss Stud Book in 1884, and the breed standard was finally approved in 1888. Since then, the breed has been a Swiss national dog. Naming; The name "St. Bernard" originates from the Great St. Bernard Hospice, a traveler's hospice on the often treacherous Great St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Switzerland and Italy. The pass, the lodge, and the dogs are named for Bernard of Menthon, the 11th century monk who established the station. "St. Bernard" wasn't in widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs were called "Saint Dogs", "Noble Steeds", "Alpenmastiff", or "Barry Dogs" before that time. Related breeds; The breed is strikingly similar to the English Mastiff and Newfoundland. This can be attributed to a common shared ancestry with the Alpine Mastiff and the Tibetan Mastiff. It is suspected that these breeds were used to redevelop each other to combat the threat of their extinction after World War II. The four Sennenhund breeds, the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund (Greater Swiss Mountain Dog), the Berner Sennenhund, (Bernese Mountain Dog), the Appenzeller Sennenhund, (Appenzeller), and the Entlebucher Sennenhund (Entlebucher Mountain Dog) are similar in appearance and share the same location and history, but are tricolour rather than red and white. St. Bernards have in common many characteristics of other Mountain dog breeds. |
| Personality | This is a sweet and gentle dog. Though they are one of the larger breeds of dog, they still make one of the best pets for families. Bred originally as a working rescue dog, they are patient and tolerant of children and they are not at all prissy. They also get along very well with other pets in the home. These dogs are very intelligent and very eager to please their masters, so they are typically quite easy to train. However, because of their size and strength, adequate training is a must. They are fiercely loyal and very protective of their owners, making them a great watchdog. In fact, even though they are so even tempered and sweet, many strangers will fear them simply because of their size. They are often quite slow moving but they are extremely strong and have a great sense of smell. Because the St. Bernard was bred for rescuing humans, this dog needs to be part of the family. He will be protective of children and inclined to watch after everyone during their daily activities. He will be happiest if he's included in his family's daily life. In fact, St. Bernards who are left alone too long or too often can actually develop a sort of depression brought on by loneliness. It's important that your dog have interaction with people or other animals on a regular basis. St. Bernards that get lonely can get destructive, too. So, it's recommended that if you must leave your dog alone for long periods of time, that he be kept confined to an area where he cannot do damage. The Saint Bernard has an incredible sense of direction; one of the characteristics that made them such good dogs for rescuing people. They will not likely ever wander far from home, and will always know their way back. If you ever get lost while walking with your dog, it's likely that he'll lead you happily back home. This breed of dog rarely barks unless there is some real reason to do so. This is one reason (accompanied with their size) that they make great guard dogs even though they are very gentle natured. If your St. Bernard barks, you should check out what he's barking at. |
Care Requirements
| Health | In general, the Saint Bernard is quite healthy. However, they can be prone to Wobblers Syndrome. The correct name for this problem is cervical vertebral instability. It is common in very large, fast growing dog breeds. Wobbler Syndrome causes the dog to wobble when they walk, particularly around the back end. They may also have difficulty with their front legs which may make them take short, choppy steps. If your dog has Wobbler Syndrome, your veterinarian may recommend kennel rest for a period of time and may prescribe pain medication as well as anti-inflammatory medications. St. Bernards are also more prone to bone cancer than many other dog breeds, and the tendency has been found to be hereditary. St. Bernards can also be prone to hip dysplasia, another problem in large, heavy dogs. Check with your breeder to find out about either of these problems in the lineage of any Saint Bernard you're considering St. Bernards have a tendency to experience Bloat. For this reason, it's better for him if you feed him two small meals each day rather than one large one. |
| Grooming | Both types of coat are easy to groom. Comb and brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. Shampoo may strip the coat of its oily, water-resistant properties, so use a mild soap. The eyes, which may be inclined to water, need special attention to keep them clean and free of irritants. This breed sheds twice a year. |
| Exercise | A long walk each day is needed to keep the Saint Bernard in good mental and physical condition. Puppies should not have too much exercise at one time until their bones are well formed and strong. Short walks and brief play sessions are best until the dog is about two years old. |
| Other Considerations | The Saint Bernard will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. These dogs are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard is sufficient. They can live outdoors, but would much rather be with their family. They have a low tolerance for hot weather, warm rooms and cars. Can wheeze and snore. Record size; St. Bernards were exported to England in the mid-19th century, where they were bred with mastiffs to create an even larger dog. Plinlimmon, a famous St. Bernard of the time, was measured at 95 kg (210 lbs) and 87.5 cm (341⁄2ins), and was sold to an American for $7000. Commercial pressure encouraged breeding ever larger dogs until "the dogs became so gross that they had difficulties in getting from one end of a show ring to another". An 1895 New York Times report mentions a St. Bernard named Major F. measuring 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m) in length, who, if the claims are true, would be the longest dog in history.[21] Another St. Bernard named Benedictine V Schwarzwald Hof (Pierson, Michigan - USA) also reached 315 lbs. (143 kg), which earned a place in the 1981 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. In media; St. Bernards are often portrayed, especially in old live action comedies such as Swiss Miss, the TV series Topper, and classic cartoons, wearing small barrels of brandy around their necks. Avalanche victims supposedly drank the brandy to stay warm while awaiting rescue, although this is medically unsound. The monks of the St. Bernard Hospice deny that any St. Bernard has ever carried casks or small barrels around their necks; they attribute the image to an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer, perhaps Alpine Mastiffs Reanimating a Distressed Traveler (which became a popular engraving in 1831 by Charles Landseer). The monks did keep casks around for photographs by tourists. A Punch magazine cartoon from 1949 depicts a man with a St. Bernard and several puppies, all of which are wearing neck casks. The man explains, "Of course, I only breed them for the brandy." A frequent joke in old MGM and Warner Brothers shorts is to depict the dogs as compulsive alcoholics who engage in frequent nips from their own casks. Famous St. Bernards Real dogs; Burtonswood (Bossy Boots). English and Irish Crufts Supreme Champion (1974), Breeder was the late Miss Marjorie Hinds. Bamse, a Norwegian dog honoured for exploits during World War II memorial statue in Montrose, Scotland where he died in 1944 Barry, famous Alpine rescue dog Bernie, mascot of the Colorado Avalanche Bernie "Saint" Bernard, mascot of the Siena Saints Bernie, mascot of the Northampton Saints Gumbo, team mascot for the New Orleans Saints Porthos, J.M. Barrie's dog Schnorbitz, on-stage partner of British comedian Bernie Winters during his later career Schotzie & Schotzie "02", beloved pets and mascots of Cincinnati Reds' owner Marge Schott Scipio Saint Bernard of Orville Wright Shirley Temple and a St. Bernard friend Wallace (currently Wallace VI), mascot of The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) Fictional dogs; Båtsman, a St. Bernard in Astrid Lindgren's story Vi på Saltkråkan Beethoven (from the movie series of the same name) The 1992 comedy film Beethoven features a large, friendly but troublesome St. Bernard and, in later sequels, his mate and their brood of unruly pups. According to the producers of the sequel Beethoven's 2nd, the St. Bernards used in the film grew so fast during filming that over 100 St. Bernard puppies were cast to portray the sequel's four puppies (Tchaikovsky, Chubby, Dolly, and Mo) and a mother St. Bernard named Missy. Bolivar a/k/a Bornworthy and Bernie, Donald Duck's non-anthropomorphic pet, and Bolivar's son, Behemoth Buck, from Jack London's novel, The Call of the Wild, is described as half St. Bernard and half "Scotch shepherd dog", but was rendered as full St. Bernard in at least one of the six movie versions. Cujo, a dog who contracts rabies and becomes crazed, terrorizing the residents of the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine from the 1981 Stephen King novel Cujo and the 1983 film of the same name. George, from the 1971 movie George! and its 1972–74 spinoff television series. Nana, in the Disney and Columbia Pictures Peter Pan movies (but a Newfoundland in J.M. Barrie's original play and novel) Neil, the martini-slurping St. Bernard of George and Marion Kerby in the 1950s television series Topper. This was a follow up to Topper, Topper Takes a Trip, and Topper Returns. Legends; The famous Barry found a small boy in the snow and persuaded the boy to climb on his back, and then carried the boy to safety. A St Bernard named Major is often credited with being the dog that helped save Manchester United, currently one of the world's largest football clubs, from financial ruin. The legend goes that in 1902 when the club owed sizable debts, the then captain Harry Stafford was showing off his prized St Bernard at a fund-raiser for the club when he was approached by a wealthy brewery owner, J.H.Davis, who enquired to buy the dog. Harry Stafford refused the offer but managed to convince him to buy the club thus saving Manchester United from going bankrupt. |
