Saint Bernard

For hundreds of years, Saint Bernards have been renowned for their bravery in rescue work, saving thousands of lives in the treacherous mountains of the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. At the same time, Saint Bernards have been just as well known for their big, loving personalities.

St Bernard breed facts

The origin of the Saint Bernard is subject to many theories. It seems most probable that the Saint Bernard developed from stock that resulted from the breeding of heavy Asian "Molosser" (Canis molossus), brought to Helvetia (Switzerland) by Roman armies during the first two centuries A.D., with native dogs which undoubtedly existed in the region at the time of the Roman invasions.

These dogs were widely used in the valley farms and Alpine dairies for a variety of guarding, herding, and drafting duties. Referred to as Talhund (Valley Dog) or Bauernhund (Farm Dog), they were apparently well established by A.D. 1050, when Archdeacon Bernard de Menthon founded the famous Hospice in the Swiss Alps as a refuge for travelers crossing the treacherous passes between Switzerland and Italy.

Information you should know before owning a St Bernard

The Saint Bernard is a hard worker known for his loyalty and dedication.

The Saint Bernard loves children, but be careful the dogs great size could lead to an unintentional accident when playing.

Saint Bernards need lots of room and exercise, if you have the space and have the time to exercise your dog Saint Bernards make good house dogs and companions.

Shrouded in legend and the mists of time, the origin of the Saint Bernard is subject to many theories.

It seems most probable that the Saint Bernard developed from stock that resulted from the breeding of heavy Asian "Molosser" (Canis molossus), brought to Helvetia (Switzerland) by Roman armies during the first two centuries A.D., with native dogs which undoubtedly existed in the region at the time of the Roman invasions.

During the following centuries, these dogs were widely used in the valley farms and Alpine dairies for a variety of guarding, herding, and drafting duties. Referred to as Talhund (Valley Dog) or Bauernhund (Farm Dog), they were apparently well established by A.D. 1050, when Archdeacon Bernard de Menthon founded the famous Hospice in the Swiss Alps as a refuge for travelers crossing the treacherous passes between Switzerland and Italy.

Just when dogs were first brought to the Hospice is debatable, since the Hospice was destroyed by fire in the late 16th century, and, soon after, a large part of the Hospice archives were lost. The first notation concerning the dogs was not until 1707. This, however, was merely a casual reference to dogs at the Hospice and carried the implication that their rescue work at the Saint Bernard Pass was a fact well known at the time. From a digest of early references, it appears that the dogs were first brought to the Hospice sometime between 1660 and 1670. It is likely that large dogs were recruited from the valley areas below to serve as watchdogs for the Hospice and companions for the Monks during the long winter months when the Hospice was almost completely isolated.

This isolation of the Hospice no doubt resulted in inbreeding of the original stock which soon produced the distinctive strain of "Hospice Dog." It also follows that only those animals with the strongest instincts for survival in the extremely adverse conditions at the Hospice were to leave their genetic imprint upon the breed during those early years.

The lonely Monks, who took the dogs along on their trips of mercy, soon discovered the animals were excellent pathfinders in the drifting snow, and the dogs' highly developed sense of smell made them invaluable in locating helpless persons overcome during storms. Thus began this working together of Monk and dog which made many of the world's most romantic pages of canine history.

During the three centuries that Saint Bernards have been used in rescue work at the Hospice, it is estimated that they have been responsible for the saving of well over 2,000 human lives. Although the building of railroad tunnels through the Alps has lessened foot and vehicular travel across the Saint Bernard Pass, the Monks have continued to maintain these fine dogs for companionship and in the honor of the Hospice tradition.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Extra Large
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	1 hour a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Short
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Either
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Small garden

	General Appearance Well proportioned and of great substance.
	Characteristics Distinctly marked, large-sized, mountain-rescue dog.
	Temperament Steady, kindly, intelligent, courageous, trustworthy and benevolent.
	Eyes Of medium size, neither deep set nor prominent, eyelids should be reasonably tight, without any excessive haw. Dark in colour and not staring. There should be no excessive loose wrinkle on brow which would detract from a healthy eye.
	Mouth Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
	Neck Long, thick, muscular, slightly arched, dewlap well developed.
	Forequarters Shoulders broad and sloping, well up at withers. Legs straight, strong in bone, of good length.
	Body Back broad, straight, ribs well rounded. Loin wide, very muscular. Chest wide and deep, but never projecting below elbows.
	Hindquarters Legs heavy in bone, hocks well bent, thighs very muscular.
	Feet Large, compact with well arched toes. Dewclaws removed.
	Tail Set on rather high, long, carried low when in repose, when excited or in motion should not curl over back.
	Gait / Movement Well proportioned and of great substance.
	Coat Roughs: dense and flat, rather fuller round neck, thighs and tail well feathered. Smooths: close and hound-like, slight feathering on thighs and tail. Colour Orange, mahogany-brindle, red-brindle, white with patches on body of any of the above named colours. Markings as follows: White muzzle, white blaze on face, white collar, white chest, white forelegs, feet and end of tail, black shadings on face and ears.