Breed Description

The Saint Bernard is a gigantic breed of dog that comes from the Swiss Alps, bred for rescue. These working dogs have been popularized by the tales of alpine rescues, and for their enormous size as well. These huge dogs reach between 160-260 pounds or more, and will approximately grow around 27.5-35.5 inches tall at the withers.

Coat

The Saint Bernard comes in two coat varieties: the long-haired also known as the rough-coat, and the short-haired, often referred as the smooth-coat. Both varieties have dense but soft texture. In the long-haired type, there is a bushier tail and thighs, with feathering of hair on the forelegs. They typically come in various shades of red, with markings of yellow and brown.

Activity

The Saint Bernard requires a great deal of space where they can exercise themselves. These dogs have exceptional endurance, but they are not built for speed. So, chasing, retrieving games, and free-running are not for these dogs. As puppies, they should be given the chance to do their own activities without forcing them to exercise to avoid damage in their developing joints, bones, and ligaments.

Temperament

Ever benevolent and tranquil, the Saint Bernard have happy disposition, enabling them to be friendly to almost everybody. They get along great with children and other pets. These dogs are known to have separation anxiety, and will get unstable if left isolated for extended periods of time. These social dogs should be with someone almost all the time, and given something to do if left alone. Otherwise, they tend to become destructive. These intelligent and playful dogs are highly affectionate, giving slobbery smooches to their families. These fun-loving dogs make poor guards. But they are excellent watchdogs, alerting their owners if anything unusual is seen.

Overview

The Saint Bernard is an ancient breed found in 980 AD. These gentle giants are most popular in search and rescue. With keen capability to sense danger and their skilled ability of smell and direction, they make efficient and trustworthy companion and worker.

Care

The gigantic Saint Bernard requires care and grooming weekly to keep them looking at their best. Grooming doesn't only require brushing and bathing, but also caring for the eyes, ears, teeth, feet, and nails. Regular routine ensure that potential health issues are diagnosed as early as possible, particularly to the younger and older dogs of this breed.

Training

The Saint Bernard is typically easy to train due to their intelligence and eagerness to please. But it is still very important to start training these dogs while they are still young. Since they grow to be gigantic, they can be hard to handle when fully grown but not properly trained.

Character

As with the other gentle giants, the Saint Bernard has a gentle, placid, and non-aggressive disposition. These dogs know their sizes, and only make use of it if pushed hard. They are known to be a people dog, and thrive in a loving environment.