Characteristics Physical Characteristics: Height: 26-35” Weight: 140-260 lbs. Energy Level: Low Colors: The American Kennel Club recognizes the Saint Bernard in the following colors:. Brindle grizzle. Brown and white. Mahogany and white. Orange and white. Red and white.
Rust and white. White and brown. White and orange. White and red Health & Longevity Average Life Span: 8-10 years One of the most popular large dog breeds, the Saint Bernard is a giant pup with generally positive health. These pups are prone to the usual ailments that can have an effect on any canine, such as heartworms and cancer, but their genetic health conditions consist of the illnesses of a big pup. They may have problems with their bones and muscles as they grow, because their bodies grow at such a quick rate. It takes a lot of energy and tissue to accommodate that kind of growth.
Two health complications that your Saint Bernard might face include: Elbow Dysplasia Common at birth in large breeds, this condition occurs when the joint and socket are malformed, resulting in random dislocation. If left untreated, it could result in arthritis, nerve damage, cartilage deterioration, and a permanent limp. Surgery is required to permanently correct this condition.
Heart Disease While all dogs can develop heart disease, Saint Bernards are especially prone to heart valve blockages due to their size and limited genetic generations. This condition, while incurable, can be helped with surgery to clear blockages. Unfortunately, vet-prescribed medication is a lifelong must to manage the disease.
Other health problems that your Saint Bernard may encounter are hip dysplasia, skin allergies, and cherry eyes. The average lifespan of a Saint Bernard is between 8 to 10 years. You can ensure your Saint Bernard lives the entirety of that lifespan with routine vet visits, a nutritious diet, and tons of regular exercise. Temperament & Train-ability Saint Bernards are normally sweet, affectionate, gentle giants who crave human attention and regular companionship. These pups, albeit large, require only moderate exercise, so a few walks would suffice throughout the morning and afternoon. Or, take her to the dog park to commune and romp with other large dogs. She might be the biggest there, but she is sure to be the gentlest and most considerate.
These big pups are good with older children, but they may accidentally knock down younger children with their overall size. They are also great with other dogs, especially ones they’ve grown up with. Rare barkers, the Saint Bernard will instead alert you to suspicious activities with a nudge while you sleep. Her big head is strong and powerful, so you will definitely feel the force behind her nudge if she senses something threatening.
It is in a Saint Bernard’s nature to please her owners, so training should be a cinch. She loves attention and praise; so, positive encouragement is the best method for training your Saint Bernard. Use the occasional meaty morsel to reward her for good behavior, but keep most of the positive reinforcement to head rubs and belly pats. Grooming Gigantic and shaggy, Saint Bernards can be difficult to groom alone. Many pet owners opt to take their Saint Bernard to a professional groomer for the usual bath, brush, and trim. However, if you prefer to brave the grooming regimen yourself, here’s what you should know. Saint Bernards have an abundance of thick, sometimes unruly, and lengthy hair, so she needs to be brushed once a day.
Sometimes, she will need to be brushed twice if she happens to spend tons of time outdoors. Use a huge, firm-bristled brush to detangle any knots and break up any kinks.
Smooth out her hair as you go, making it easier to manage between brush strokes. You will definitely need to take your Saint Bernard to a professional groomer for a bath every 2-3 months, or whenever she gets dirty and smelly – whichever comes first. You could also opt for a dry shampoo to keep her fur soft, pleasant, and manageable.
On nice summer days, take her outdoors to give her a good scrub-down with a garden hose and gentle dog shampoo. In terms of basic care, the following are important aspects that of hygiene that need to take place regularly.
You should clip toenails every 2-3 weeks, especially if you can hear her nails clicking when walking. Brushing teeth every other day promotes healthy gums and teeth. It is also important to check and clean ears once a week to prevent infection. Diet Saint Bernard puppies are born with giant, hearty appetites to match their large stature. Because of their varying sizes and needs, it is best to ask your vet what is the recommended amount of food your Saint Bernard needs to meet her nutritional goals. Most Saint Bernards eat twice a day, but the amount of food varies between 4 to 8 cups of dry, high-quality kibble divided into two meals. These pups need plenty of nutrient-rich dog food to maintain a good overall health.
When it comes to high-quality kibble, ingredients make a huge difference. Again, you should ask your vet what they recommend.
But bear in mind that nutritious dog food begins with whole grains, lean meats, and vegetables. These should be the first three ingredients on any dog food label. Sure, it might cost a bit more, but the nutrition and overall health of your Saint Bernard are far more important. Looking for a Saint Bernard? Cost Saint Bernards are some of the most challenging pups to find in a local animal shelter or rescue group, but you should check anyway. You might get lucky, in which case the adoption fee could be upwards of $250. Most adoption costs depend on county and state regulations, so call around before you go.
Adoptions usually mean an older, more mature Saint Bernard. You should consider it a good thing since you are offering a happy forever home to an abandoned, sweet pup. If you go to a breeder, expect to pay around $1,000 for a Saint Bernard puppy.
Ask for purebred documentation and health records when you invest in a new companion canine. Reputable breeders will be able to provide what you ask without problem or incident. Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better. Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. Because of their overall size and space requirements, the Saint Bernard is a solid 2.5 on the Paws ‘N’ Pups scale. These pups are sweet and gentle, but their large stature might make it a challenge to live with them if they are clumsy, awkward, or unaware of how big they are. Saint Bernards also drool a ton, need a high-quality of grooming care, and must have an air-conditioned space in the summertime.
For an accommodating pet owner, a Saint Bernard would be an awesome, cuddly, affectionate companion.
Bernard Other names St. Bernhardshund Bernhardiner Alpine Mastiff (archaic) Common nicknames Saint Origin (standard held in Switzerland ) Classification / standards Group, Section 2.2 Molossian: Mountain type #61 Utility ( Canis lupus familiaris) The St. Bernard or St Bernard (:,: ) is a of very large from the. They were originally bred for at the on the - border, and in the Italian- border, located close to one another.
The two hospices were built and run by the same monk brotherhood. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its enormous size. Painting by portraying St. Bernards as rescue dogs The St. Bernard is a.
The average weight of the breed is between 65 and 120 kg (140 and 260 lb) or more, and the approximate height at the is 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in). The can be either smooth or rough; the smooth coat being close and flat while the rough is dense, flat, and more profuse around the neck and legs. The colour is typically a red shade with white, or a mahogany brindle with white. Black shading is usually found on the face and ears. The is long and heavy, hanging low. Eyes are usually brown, but sometimes can be icy blue, and should have naturally tight lids, with only slightly visible. Study guide for nfpa 921. History The ancestors of the St.
Bernard share a history with the. Bernard, also called Alpine Mountain Dogs or Alpine Cattle Dogs, are the large of the farmers and dairymen of most notably the French Alps, livestock guardians, and as well as,. These dogs are thought to be descendants of 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 at the in 1707, with paintings and drawings of the dog dating even earlier. The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to Barry in the, and his body was preserved in the in. Another famous dog was Rutor, the faithful companion of the priest, who was named after the peak located above the Little St Bernard pass. 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 brought from the 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 on 15 March 1884. 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. The dogs at the St Bernard hospice were working dogs that were smaller than today's show St Bernard's dogs. Originally about the size of a, the St Bernard grew to the size of today's dog as kennel clubs and dog shows emphasized appearance over the dog's working ability, along with a closed stud book. An open stud book would have allowed breeders to correct such errors by breeding in of other dog breeds.
Naming The name 'St. Bernard' originates from the passes of Great and Little St Bernard. The two traveler's and passes are located only few miles away in the between and, near the. The passes, the lodges, and the dogs are named for, the 11th century who established the stations.
Bernard' was not 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, with which it shares a common ancestor known as the.
The modern St. Bernard breed is radically different than the original dogs kept at the St. Bernard hospice, most notably by being much larger in size and build. Since the late 1800s, the St. Bernard breed has been ever refined and improved using many different large breeds, including the, and possibly the.
Other breeds such as the, and may have contributed to the St. Bernard's bloodline as well. It is suspected that many of these large breeds were used to redevelop each other to combat the threat of their extinction after World War II, which may explain why all of them played a part in the creation of the St. Bernard as seen today. The four Sennenhund breeds, the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund , the Berner Sennenhund, , the, (Appenzeller), and the are similar in appearance and share the same location and history, but are tricolor rather than red and white.
The Russian army kennels crossbreed St Bernards with to produce the that are still used as military service dogs in Russia today. St Bernards have in common many characteristics of other breeds.
Main articles:, and St. Bernard dogs are no longer used for Alpine rescues, the last recorded instance of which was in 1955. As late as 2004, the still retained 18 of the dogs for reasons of tradition and sentiment. In that year the Barry Foundation created breeding kennels for the breed at the town of Martigny down the Great Saint Bernard Pass, and purchased the remaining dogs from the Hospice. During the summer months each year a number of the animals are temporarily relocated from Martigny to the Hospice for viewing by tourists. An annual celebration of the breed takes place on the Little Saint Bernard Pass and at the town of on the French side. Saint Bernard dog enthusiasts and breeders gather for a dog show and parades.
The animals bred by the Foundation are trained to participate in a variety of including. The dogs at the Barry Foundation are reportedly smaller than the average St Bernard. Health The very fast growth rate and the weight of a St. Bernard can lead to very serious deterioration of the bones if the dog does not get proper food and exercise. Many dogs are genetically affected. (bone cancer) has been shown to be in the breed.
They are susceptible to eye disorders called entropion and ectropion, in which the eyelid turns in or out. The breed standard indicates that this is a major fault. The breed is also susceptible to and seizures, a heart disease called,. US and UK breed clubs put the average lifespan for a St. Bernard at 8–10 years. A 2003 Danish breed survey (35 dogs) puts the median lifespan at 9.5 years while a UK breed survey in 2004 (53 dogs) puts the median lifespan at 7 years.
In the UK survey about one in five lived to 10 years with the longest lived dog at 12 years and 9 months. A study of genetically related in the breed was conducted.
Temperament Known as a classic example of a Gentle Giant, the Saint Bernard is calm, patient and sweet with adults, and especially children. Bernards, like all very large dogs, must be well socialized with people and other dogs in order to prevent fearfulness and any possible aggression or territoriality. The biggest threat to small children is being knocked over by this breed's larger size.
Overall they are a sweet, gentle, calm, loyal and affectionate breed, and if socialized are very friendly. Because of its large adult size, it is essential that proper training and socialization begin while the St. Bernard is still a puppy, so as to avoid the difficulties that normally accompany training large dogs. An unruly St. Bernard may present problems for even a strong adult, so control needs to be asserted from the beginning of the dog's training. While generally not instinctively protective, a St. Bernard may bark at strangers, and their size makes them good deterrents against possible intruders.
The Saint Bernard was bred to be a working companion and to this day the St.Bernard lives to please its master and is an amiable yet hard worker. St.Bernards have retained their natural ability for scent work and depending on the skill of the trainer and the talents of the dog, St. Bernards can participate in tracking events or even become involved in search and rescue work. Notability Record size. A female Saint Bernard Dog 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 (34 1⁄ 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 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.
Bernard named Benedictine V Schwarzwald Hof (Pierson, Michigan - USA) also reached 315 lb (143 kg), which earned a place in the 1981 edition of the. In media. Bernard puppy St. Bernards are often portrayed, especially in old live action comedies such as, the TV series, and classic, wearing small barrels of 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, perhaps Alpine Mastiffs Reanimating a Distressed Traveler (which became a popular engraving in 1831 by ). The monks did keep casks around for photographs by tourists. There was apparently at least one dog that really did carry brandy. In The Percy Anecdotes, by, published in 1823, the following anecdote appears, and was often quoted in other books in the 19th century: The breed of dogs kept by the monks to assist them.
Has been long celebrated for its sagacity and fidelity. All the oldest and most tried of them were lately buried, along with some unfortunate travellers, under a valanche sic; but three or four hopeful puppies were left at home in the convent, and still survive. The most celebrated of those who are no more, was a dog called Barry. This animal served the hospital for the space of twelve years, during which time he saved the lives of forty individuals. His zeal was indefatigable. Whenever the mountain was enveloped in fogs and snow, he set out in search of lost travellers. He was accustomed to run barking until he lost breath, and would frequently venture on the most perilous places.
When he found his strength was insufficient to draw from the snow a traveller benumbed with cold, he would run back to the hospital in search of the monks. When old age deprived him of strength, the Prior of the Convent pensioned him at Berney, by way of reward. After his death, his hide was stuffed and deposited in the museum of that town. The little phial, in which he carried a reviving liquor for the distressed travellers whom he found among the mountains, is still suspended from his neck. A 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 and shorts is to depict the dogs as compulsive who engage in frequent nips from their own casks. Bernards. Drawing of rescuing a small child.
Bachelor, Resident Dog,. Burtonswood (Bossy Boots). English and Irish Crufts Supreme Champion (1974), Breeder was the late Miss Marjorie Hinds., a Norwegian dog honoured for exploits during World War II memorial statue in Montrose, Scotland where he died in 1944., famous Alpine rescue dog. Bernie, mascot of the. Bernie 'Saint' Bernard, mascot of the saints in. Bernie, mascot of the. Gumbo, team mascot for the.
Porthos, 's dog. Schnorbitz, on-stage partner of British comedian during his later career. Schotzie & Schotzie '02', beloved pets and mascots of ' owner. (Wayback Machine). and a St. Bernard.
Wallace (currently Wallace VI), mascot of Fictional dogs. Buck in 'Call of the Wild' is described thus: 'His (Buck's) father, Elmo, a huge St Bernard, had been the Judge's inseparable companion, and Buck bid fair to follow in the J way of his father.
He was not so large,—he weighed only one hundred and forty pounds,—for his mother, Shep, had been a Scotch shepherd dog. Nevertheless, one hundred and forty pounds, to which was added the dignity that comes of good living and universal respect, enabled him to carry himself in right royal fashion.' Call of the Wild (novel). The use of the term 'Scotch shepherd dog' is an archaic Victorian phrase which probably refers to, or, but might refer to.
Old-Time Farm Shepherd. Retrieved 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012. Bernard was used in the version,.
Three 'actors' (one was a female, and two males) played the starring dog 'Buck' in (1997),. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
A Canadian rendition of 's starring as John Thornton (narrated by ). Retrieved 8 October 2012. Nevertheless, films and television renditions have varied the dog breed.
The book was also adapted in by (1908); a second silent film (1923) by; and (2009). It has also been the subject of three television programs or films: The Call of the Wild, a 1976 American TV film starring, with a screenplay by; The Call of the Wild, a 1993 American TV film starring; and, a 2000 adventure series on Animal Planet. References.