Saint Bernard (St. Bernhardshund, Bernhardiner) is a breed originating from the Swiss Alps and the north of Italy It is the most famous cattle dog and descends from the now extinct Mastiff of the Alps, from the Dogue del Tibet, the Newfoundland and the Great Dane. He is undoubtedly one of the most popular and beloved Molossoids, as his image is synonymous with loy alty, tranquility and courage.
The Saint Bernard begins his story on the Great Mount of Sant Bernhardwhere some monks created a hospice for pilgrims and travellers. This breed began to be used as a surveillance dog in addition to performing other functions such as shooting. Soon the skills of this wonderful dog became more and more evident and it began to be used as an escort dog or rescue dog in the fog and snow for lost pilgrims.
In this breed file on our site we explain everything about the Saint Bernard dog, also known as the Chien du Saint-Bernard or Saint Bernard Dog. Discover its history, character, characteristics or care below:
Origin of the Saint Bernard dog
The story of the Saint Bernard dog begins at the " Great St. Bernhard Mount", a pass between Switzerland and Italy of more 2,473 meters above sea level. A hospice for travelers and pilgrims was founded there in the 11th century, the same place where large and robust dogs began to be bred in the 17th century, with the intention of protecting and guarding the home.
Initially these dogs were guardians inside the hospice and protectors of the monks However, in a short time the monks realized the skills of their dogs to find people lost and buried under avalanches. So, they began to breed and train them to rescue people.
The history of the Saint Bernard has been documented since 1695 and in the hospice, specifically, in 1707, when chronicles were written about the dogs that managed to save the lives of those who had been lost and who believed they were facing "the white death". There are many stories that explain the exploits of the breed, however, it was Napoleon Bonaparte's soldiers, around 1800, who spread their fame throughout Europe. One of these dogs came to save so many lives that his taxidermized body is currently on display at the National Museum in Bern.
In 1887 the Saint Bernard dog was recognized as a Swiss breed and became the "Swiss national dog".
Physical Characteristics of the Saint Bernard
The Saint Bernard dog is large, robust, muscular and harmonic. There are two varieties of this breed, the short-haired Saint Bernard and the long-haired Saint Bernard. Apart from the coat, both have the same physical and psychological characteristics.
This dog's head is imposing, large and expressive. It is wide, strong, and has well-developed supraorbital arches. The naso-frontal depression (stop) is very pronounced. The muzzle is uniformly wide and with a straight nasal bridge. The nose must be black. The eyes of this large dog are medium-sized, moderately sunken, and friendly in expression. Their color can range from dark brown to hazelnut The ears are set high, wide, medium, triangular, hanging and with a rounded end.
The body is robust, well proportioned and muscular. It is rectangular in profile, since its length is slightly greater than the height at the withers. The top line is straight and it presents a wide, powerful and firm back. The chest is moderately deep and the flanks are barely retracted. The tail of the Saint Bernard has a wide and strong base. It should be long enough to reach the hock when hanging at rest.
The type of coat depends on whether it is the short-haired or the long-haired variety:
- Short-haired: they have a dense undercoat and a dense outer coat, smooth and close to the body.
- Long hair. They have a more abundant inner fleece and a smooth, medium-length outer coat. On the hip and rump it can be somewhat wavy and the face and ears show short hair.
The color for both varieties is white with spots of reddish-brownThe reddish color can range from more or less large spots to form a continuous mantle on the back and flanks. Yellowish-brown spots and some traces of black on the body are also tolerated. The forechest, the feet, the tip of the tail, the bridge of the nose, the frontal band and the nape should be white.
There is no ideal weight, however, we do find the height of the race:
- Machos: from 70 to 90 centimeters.
- Females: from 65 to 80 centimeters.
St. Bernard Character
The Saint Bernard is a dog that has a gentle, social and friendly character Despite their large size, these gentle giants are They are usually calm and are not as playful as many other breeds. However, they demand constant company and can be overprotective of their families.
It is a dog patient, obedient and loyal, dedicated to his relatives and especially kind. If they are left in the garden or left alone for long periods of time, they may develop aggressive behavior or separation-related behavior problems.
St. Bernard care
It is a dog that will need to live in a very large apartment or a house with a garden: it must have space to move freely. Contrary to what we might think, it does not require a high level of exercise, although it is convenient that exercise moderately and be active so as not to favor being overweight, a he alth problem that can seriously harm the breed. We will also take time to mentally stimulate him so that he responds more positively to training and to whatever techniques we want to teach him. For this, we can use intelligence toys, for example.
The feeding of the Saint Bernard will be very important to take into account, especially when it is a puppy, since its bones and joints They will support a much higher weight than other breeds. For this reason, we recommend looking for a specific feed for giant-sized puppies and continuing with a suitable diet according to their specific needs.
He will need a daily brushing to keep his coat clean and free of tangles and an occasional bath, which can be between a month and three months. It will also be necessary to clean the remains of slime and dirt from the lips, remove the legañas, generally check the presence of parasites, check the ear canal or clean the teeth.
Finally, it should be noted that the Saint Bernard has a high maintenance cost, not only because of the amount of food needed, but also because of the the consequences of having a giant-sized dog, such as your personal belongings, price of the groomer or space.
St. Bernard Education
The Saint Bernard is an intelligent dog that shows ease in training It is generally easy to socialize a Saint Bernard puppy, both with people as with other dogs and other pets. When well socialized, St. Bernards are excellent companions to children and, in fact, are known as "nanny dogs." It will also be important to start training them at an early age and introduce them to basic dog commands.
However, socialization should not be overlooked, as these are very large and powerful animals. If they are mistreated or not given adequate socialization, they can develop fearful or aggressive behaviors, which can pose a real danger given the size of these dogs.
These dogs respond very well to dog training when the trainer takes into account their abilities and possibilities. They are not as fast or agile dogs as Belgian Shepherds or Boxers, but they can learn many things and perform many tasks perfectly. We remember that the Saint Bernard is a dog that can also perform tasks such as rescue, in any case, all kinds of advanced training must be carried out by a professional.
Saint Bernard He alth
The Saint Bernard dog is susceptible to various he alth problems that should be kept in mind to prevent or detect them early. Below we explain the most frequent diseases of the Saint Bernard:
- Heat stroke: generally occurs in summer, when the dog is not able to regulate its body temperature correctly and can be caused by excessive heat, lack of water, intense exercise, etc.
- Overweight and obesity: the Saint Bernard is a dog that will gain weight easily if we neglect its rations. As a consequence, a considerable increase in his weight will affect bones and joints, weakening the dog and favoring other he alth problems
- Hip dysplasia: this is an inherited disease of large or giant breeds and can also be caused by calcium deficiency. In addition, being overweight, hormonal changes or intense physical exercise can favor its appearance.
- Elbow dysplasia: it has a genetic origin but can appear due to a poor diet. It consists of bone tissue that is altered and develops inadequately, causing osteoarthritis.
- Dilated cardiomyopathy: it consists of a degeneration of the heart muscles due to the contraction of the muscle fibres, which become progressively thinner and in turn cause the thickening of the ventricular and atrial cavities.
- Wobbler's syndrome: this ailment of the cervical area causes neurological deficits and disability.
- Gastric torsion: due to its morphology it is susceptible to this he alth problem, which if not treated urgently can be fatal. Although it is not possible to prevent torsion 100%, avoiding offering food before walking can be a good way to avoid it.
Going to the veterinary every 6 or 12 months, following the vaccination schedule and deworming our dog internally and externally will be some of the measures to take to avoid or detect any of these he alth problems. If we take proper care of our Saint Bernard we can enjoy a happy dog between 8 and 11 years old
Curiosities
- The St. Bernard became even more popular through the Beethoven movie starring a dog and his family
- The heaviest of this breed weighed 118 kilograms reaching a height of 90 centimeters.
- Although the Saint Bernard does not appear as a PPP on the official Spanish list, it does meet some of the requirements. For this reason we will need a license, civil liability insurance and to wear it tied and muzzled in public spaces.
