All About
Saint Bernard

Thanks to the Beethoven movie franchise, there was a boom of indiscriminate breeding of Saint Bernards in the last 20 years, and puppy mills cranked out many Saints with uneven temperaments. When searching for a Saint to adopt, it is crucial to do your homework on potential breeders to ensure your dog comes from an even-tempered line. It is not the Saint Bernard nature to be aggressive, so always ask to meet the parents of your potential puppy, in order to see how they behave around strangers.

Saint Bernards are not clean dogs. They slobber, shed 365 days a year, and have a tendency to make a mess of their food and water dishes. Neat freaks may want to avoid this breed.

The Saint Bernard should do well on a high-quality dog food that ideally is formulated for large breeds, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times. Like many large breeds, the Saint Bernard can experience bloat, a life-threatening condition where the stomach distends and twists. The causes of bloat aren’t fully understood, but experts agree that multiple, small meals per day and preventing vigorous exercise around mealtimes may help reduce the chances of it happening.

Saint Bernards come in long-haired and short-haired varieties, but both types of coats require the same care. Weekly brushing will help to remove dirt and loose hair and keep the dog looking his best. Any tangles can be worked out with a slicker brush or metal comb. During shedding season, which occurs twice a year, brushing will become a daily activity. The occasional bath will keep the Saint looking and smelling fresh. As with all breeds, the nails should be trimmed regularly, as overly long nails can be painful to the dog and cause problems walking and running.

Saint Bernards need only moderate amounts of exercise, but it's important that they get it to prevent obesity. Carrying too much weight is hard on their joints and can cause arthritis or orthopedic problems.Limit the amount of exercise you give your Saint Bernard puppy until he reaches mature size. Don't let him put on weight too quickly or run or jump on slick floors. That's just asking for hip problems.Saint Bernards are prone to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Avoid letting them exercise in the heat of the day, and be sure they always have access to shade and fresh water. Be aware of the signs of fatigue and heat exhaustion, which include heavy panting, dark-red gums, and weakness or collapse.An untrained Saint can wreak havoc in your home and drag you down the sidewalk in his eagerness to greet people, so early training is essential. Train your Saint Bernard using a happy and relaxed approach. Lay down ground rules and be consistent in requiring that he follow them.Saint Bernards are naturally friendly, but all puppies benefit from puppy socialization class to help them learn how to properly react to other dogs and strangers. Investing in puppy kindergarten and obedience classes, as well as spending 10 to 15 minutes per day practicing at home, will be well worth your time, effort, and money.Crate training is an important tool that breeders will recommend. It aids in housetraining, keeps your dog or puppy and your belongings safe, and is a safe haven where your Saint Bernard can retreat when he's feeling overwhelmed or tired. A crate should never be used as a punishment but instead should be viewed by your dog as a cozy refuge.The well-trained Saint Bernard is a wonderful family companion and can go on to do many fun activities, including conformation showing (dog shows), obedience trials, and cart pulling.

Major concerns: CHD, gastric torsion, entropion, ectropion, distichiasis, elbow dysplasia, osteosarcoma
Minor concerns: OCD, diabetes, heart conditions, cardiomyopathy, pyotraumatic dermatitis
Occasionally seen: epilepsy
Suggested tests: hip, elbow, cardiac, eye
Life span: 8-10 years
Note: The Saint Bernard does not tolerate heat well.

The Saint Bernard originated in Switzerland along with several other breeds, including the Bernese Mountain Dog, Entlebuch Cattle Dog, Appenzell Cattle Dog, and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.They probably were created when dogs native to the Alps were crossed with Mastiff-type dogs that came with the Roman army during the time of the emperor Augustus. By the first millennium CE, dogs in Switzerland and the Alps were grouped together and known simply as Talhund" (Valley Dog) or "Bauernhund" (Farm Dog).The Saint Bernard Pass is a well-known and treacherous alpine pass that lies roughly 8,000 feet above sea level and can only be traveled between July and September. Today remnants of the great Roman road can be seen, as well as evidence of Napoleon's crossing.Archdeacon Bernard de Menthon arrived at this pass, which would eventually be named after him, in 962 AD, and there he founded his hospice, which aided travelers who were overcome by crossing this treacherous pass. That's when the Saint Bernard's history began to branch out from the Talhund or Bauerhund.It is unclear when the dogs were first used by the Hospice, but a painting depicting well-built shorthaired dogs that greatly resembled Saint Bernards as they are today was painted in 1695. The first written mention of the breed in the monastery's records was in 1703.The dogs were probably originally used by the hospice monks to guard the grounds. When the monks went in search of lost travelers, they may have brought along the dogs for protection and discovered by accident that they were excellent pathfinders with an ability to locate helpless travelers. The isolation of the monastery probably contributed to the refinement of the dogs into a breed that could withstand harsh winters and had the physical characteristics needed for their search and rescue work.The Hospice's breeding stock was occasionally replenished by dogs from the lower valleys, many of which were puppies of the hospice dogs that weren't needed at the time of their birth. In 1830, the monks attempted to improve their dogs' coats by crossing them with the thick-coated Newfoundland. That was a mistake. The longhaired offspring were inferior because ice built up in their longer coats. After that time, the monks gave away or sold any longhaired puppies they produced.During the three centuries for which the Hospice has records, Saint Bernards were credited with saving more than 2,000 travelers. By the 1800s, the hospice dogs did not have a formal name, although they were well known. Between 1800 and 1810, a hospice dog named Barry was credited with 40 finds and became one of the most famous dogs to ever live. Often the dogs were referred to as Barryhunden in his honor.The English referred to them as Sacred Dogs and imported many of them into England in an effort to reinvigorate their own Mastiff breed. In Germany, the name Alpendog was suggested for the breed in the 1820s. In 1833, a man by the name of Daniel Wilson suggested that the breed be referred to as the Saint Bernard Dog, and that's eventually what they became when the Swiss Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1880.When the breed began to be known in other countries, the Saint Bernard's type started to change. The Saint Bernards in other countries became thinner and taller, the by-product of crossbreedings. In 1887, the International Congress of Zurich drew up the first breed standard and all countries, except England, accepted it.In the United States, a Saint Bernard named Plinlimmon became well known in 1883. Plinlimmon was owned by an actor and became the top-winning Saint Bernard show dog of his time. His owner took him across the country, exhibiting him at theaters. In 1888, the Saint Bernard Club of America (SBCA) was founded, and the club accepted the breed standard written by the Swiss. Saints rank 39th among the 155 breeds and varieties registered by the American Kennel Club.Today, Saint Bernards can be seen in homes, on the big screen, and at dog shows. There are still Saint Bernards at the Saint Bernard Hospice in Switzerland. They no longer seek out travelers in need but instead serve as living representatives of hospice history.