Saint Bernard

The St. Bernard is one of the world's largest and most lovable breeds. This dog originated in the region of the oldest route through the Alps between Italy and Switzerland. It is famous as a rescue dog for lost travelers on the treacherous paths through the high mountains. The average height of the St. Bernard is 27 ½ to 35 ½ inches, depending upon the sex. While the average weight of an adult is 150 to 180 pounds, 260 pounds is not unusual for a male. This breed has two different coat types: long and smooth. The long (sometimes called "medium"�) coat is dense and bushy, especially around neck and legs. The smooth coat is also very dense but lies flat, with some feathering around the legs and a ruff around the neck. The coat color is either brindle and white, or tan and white the tan ranging in hue from golden to red to mahogany. Both coat types are shed seasonally at least once a year. The St. Bernard is stocky and heavily muscled, and still maintains many of the mastiff features such as large jowls and drooping eyelids. It has a uniquely massive head with a broad, deep forehead and deep-set eyes. The average lifespan of the St. Bernard is 7 to 10 years. Historical documentation tells us that a hospice for travelers, maintained by local monks, existed at the Great St. Bernard Pass by the ninth century. The pass was later named for a 10th century monk, St. Bernard of Menthon. It is believed that when the Roman army had passed through the area it brought with it a dog that was the ancestor of the modern mastiff type: this large, powerful dog traveled with the army, guarding camps at night and hauling equipment by day. Likely, some of these dogs were left in the valley near the pass and were crossed with local dogs called the Sennenhund the Swiss Mountain Dog, a breed used for guarding livestock, hunting, rescue, and hauling. This new cross created a very large dog for guarding homestead and livestock and doing heavy farm work the birth of the St. Bernard. At some point in time these large working dogs were taken to the local monastery up on the pass; individual dogs would have been given as a donation to the monks for their services to the community, or were bought outright by monks visiting the market in the valley. And so the second job which the St. Bernard had was to guard the monastery. Eventually, the dogs at the monastery became renowned for their courageous rescues of stranded travelers. Historians believe that by the time the first such rescue was actually documented by a monk in 1707, the dogs had long been performing this service. During the first decade of the 19th century the monastery kept its most famous inhabitant, a St. Bernard called Barry. There are around forty documented stories of his rescues and it is believed that there may actually be near one hundred such incidents. Stories of these rescues were told around the Alps for decades after, and today a memorial to the courageous dog stands in the well-known dog cemetery Cimetiere des Chiens in Paris. The winters from 1816 to 1818 were particularly severe, and avalanches killed many of the monastery's dogs. Afterward, in an effort to rebuild the population, the Newfoundland was brought in to crossbreed with the few remaining individuals. The dog that resulted, although strong and willing and bigger than its predecessors, possessed a too-long coat which became weighted down by ice in the cold weather, hampering the dog's movement and thus its ability as a search and rescue animal. The former quality of the breed as a rescue dog was never recovered. The Saint Bernard has steadily grown in popularity since the early 20th century. Most recently, feature films have reintroduced the breed to an adoring public. The unfortunate by-product of this popularity is a proliferation of puppy mills and backyard breeders offering St. Bernard puppies who consistently show congenital issues and acquired illnesses, and behavioral problems which include aggression. The prospective owner should look to an established show dog breeder who has run health checks on the grandparents and parents and puppies, has bred for health and good temperament, and has begun socializing the pups to interaction with other pets and children prior to adoption. St. Bernards carry many of the same health issues that many of the large dog breeds do: hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, and inherited osteosarcoma (bone cancer). They also have a tendency toward entropion and ectropian, eye conditions that can usually be corrected by minor surgery. Skin conditions, especially eczema, are not uncommon in the breed. The Saint Bernard should be brushed regularly and thoroughly in order to remove dead hair and keep skin healthy. Baths may also be given as necessary. This dog lives well in a house and is generally well-mannered indoors; it has a moderate activity level. A fenced in yard is recommended for daily romps, and this breed needs three long walks per week. With these measures taken the St. Bernard will receive adequate exercise and it will avoid resorting to destructive behavior born of boredom. Coming from the proper breeding, the St. Bernard is known to be a very gentle dog. Although it has great value as a guard dog, its effectiveness lies in its intimidating size and and equally frightening bark. It is rarely aggressive. This breed can be a wonderful family dog, but the owner must begin its training while it is very young; the St. Bernard rapidly grows to a size that could become uncontrollable unless good habits are instilled early in life. Kind but firm and consistent training is a must for this breed. Saint Bernards no longer participate in search and rescue work. Owners may enjoy training them for cart-pulling competitions and obedience.

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