Saint Bernard Breed Description

An Owner's Saint Bernard Description
If you thought having a Saint Bernard would be a handful, you're right! Personally, I've never given it a second thought; they have always been a part of our family. Bernie here goes where we go and watches us when we play. I say 'watch' because he prefers that over too much action. In fact, there are times that Bernie is downright lazy. Usually it takes some real effort to motivate him to join in the fun. And almost always, it takes a lot of encouragement from the kids to get him to play with them for any length of time.

But when it comes to being lovable and a protector of the family, I can't think of another dog that I'd rather have. It is very noticeable that Bernie is always on the watch for any perceived threats and he will always put himself between that threat and us. But he would never be the aggressor. And even with an immediate threat, he will back away when we give the okay. After the 'threat' is neutralized and all is well, Bernie usually comes back and gives one of us a big nudge as if to say, "there, I took care of it."

He has his endearing qualities, that's for sure. Since he grew up with the kids, he has always been willing to let them play around on him as if he were some sort of big pillow or bedroll. He has plenty of patience and tolerance, which I attribute to his growing up with young ones always around. They and Bernie are a perfect complement to each other. And even now, though the kids are much older, they all are still inseparable.

 

 

Introduction

This breed is well known throughout the world as a life-saving dog. Native to Switzerland, these dogs were bred by monks in the alpine region. Saint Bernards can measure up to 28 inches at the shoulders. Their thick coat comes in colors of white and red. Regular grooming is required for these dogs and they can be house pets in a roomy home.

History

The Saint Bernard was original developed by St. Bernard de Menthon in 980 AD and was used as a guide for those traveling through the alpine pass. The breed is a descendant of the Tibetan Mastiff and was a cross breed of the Great Dane and Great Pyrenees. They detect the onset of avalanches and storms thanks to their ability to hear sounds at low frequency. Saint Bernard comes in two coat types: long haired and short haired. The short haired dog is used by mountain climbers because it can endure cold temperatures.

Description

The Saint Bernard is known as a strong, well-muscled, and large dog with an imposing presence. This characteristic portrays their size, power and strength. They have a broad and large head with loosely hanging skin. Its ears are highly set on the skull. Although the breed is tall, imposing and muscular, they are not ill-natured or offensive in appearance. When at attention, the dog’s neck is sturdy, high-set and erect while it hangs slightly downwards when the dog is relaxed. The dog’s shoulders are sloping and broad and they have well-defined withers. The dog’s chest and back are powerful and well-muscled as are the hind and forequarters. They have broad feet that are extremely well adapted at slogging through snow. The dog’s teeth are powerful and strong and close in an even or scissor bite. They have medium-sized dark brown eyes. The Saint Bernard has both long and short coat that is tough and dense and comes in a variety of colors including white with red markings or red with white markings.

Temperament

The Saint Bernard is friendly and gentle. The dog is obedient, patient and slow moving. Although the dogs are not playful or energetic they are extremely devoted and loyal to their owners and are willing to please. The breed is also very intelligent and learns quickly making it easily trainable. Due to its huge size the dog should be socialized at a tender age for it to be comfortable with people. Training the dog will also make them more manageable as adults. The dog’s massive size acts as a deterrent making the breed an excellent watch dog.

Health and Care

The breed generally displays good health. A small number however, are susceptible to heart problems, entropion, ectropion, gastric torsion and hip dysplasia. Other heath complications include diabetes, seizures and osteochondritis dissecans. This breed is very active outdoors but will adapt to living indoors if it receives adequate exercise. A daily brisk or long walk or jog is sufficient for keeping it in great shape. Though the dogs are able to live outdoors, they prefer being close to the family. They find it difficult to cope with hot conditions, including cars or warm rooms. The dog does best in homes with yards and to keep them cool in warm weather they should be given plenty of water and a shady place to get out of the sun.

Grooming

Both the dog’s soft and rough coat is easy to clean. The coat should be brushed using a soft bristle brush and washed only if it is necessary. Take proper attention to the dog’s eyes when they are exposed to water.
 

Colors

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.

Living Area

In spite of their size, these dogs do quite well in an apartment if they are sufficiently exercised. They tend to be fairly inactive indoors, anyway. They enjoy being near their owners and would prefer an apartment where their owner is nearby to a large outdoor area where they would be left alone. They are not very tolerant of heat and should not be left outdoors or in a car during hot weather.Because the St. Bernard is a good jumper and a good digger, it's important that he be kept in a very secure area when left outdoors. A bored St. Bernard is definitely a threat to escape his backyard.

Recognized By

CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR

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