Dog
Group:
Working 
Saint Bernard Champions
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Pronunciation:
seynt bur-nahrd
Breed Description:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is a muscular and powerful giant sized dog that should be massive in size. They should have a well-balanced build with a slightly longer than tall body. They should be have the appearance of a strong dog with a large broad head and thick muzzle. The long ears should hang down the side of the head and they should be proportionately tall for the overall size of the dog. The top line should be level and the tail should be long and thick.
The Saint Bernard is found in two coat types:
Short: There should be two coats to this coat type with a short, dense undercoat and a slightly longer top coat. The top coat should lay flat against the dog and should create a smooth line. The hair on the heads should be slightly bushy and the overall texture of the coat should be hard.
Long: There should be two coats to this coat type with a short, dense undercoat and a longer top coat. The long top coat should be medium in length and it should be very abundant. The hair should have a slight wave to it and there should be feathering on the legs. The hair on the face, muzzle and ears should be short.
The Saint Bernard can be a found in a four colors with white on the chest, feet, collar, tip of the tail and nose band. The colors that are accepted by the breed standard are brindle, red, brown and yellow with or without a dark mask but always with white.
Temperament:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is a gentle giant of the dog world and is known for their sweet nature and patience. This is a breed that is alert without seeming to be and they are not ones that make quick decisions. They are excellent with children and can be very gentle and patient with even the smallest child. They are usually very loyal and while they can be friendly, they are protective of their owners and are not outwardly affectionate with just anyone. The breed does need a strong owner, despite their eagerness to please, and firm rules will need to be put in place for them. The Saint Bernard does well with other dogs and pets.
Height:
The average height for a Saint Bernard is between 20 to 30 inches.
Weight:
The average weight for a Saint Bernard is between 120 to 200 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is considered to have poor health and can suffer from a large number of health problems. Some health problems include Allergies, Cataracts, Hip Dysplasia, Entropion, Wobbler’s Syndrome, Cardiomyopathy, Epilepsy, Acute moist dermatitis, Gastric Torsion, which is also known as Bloat and Elbow Dysplasia.
Living Conditions:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is not recommended for apartments, however, some people have found them to be inactive and have had success with them in apartments. The ideal living condition for a Saint Bernard is a home with a large yard. They do enjoy the outdoors but are better with cooler climates and can suffer from heat exhaustion if owners are not careful with them.
Exercise:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is not as active as other dogs but they still require between 15 to 30 minutes per day. In addition, they need to be encouraged to exercise and they can become obese if they are allowed to.
Life Expectancy:
8 to 10 years
Grooming:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog is not for the faint of heart or for people who don't like mess. This is a breed that will bring in dirt and debris on their coats and in their large paws. In addition, they are average to heavy shedders so be prepared for a large amount of hair in your home. The Saint Bernard should be brushed on a daily basis to remove dead hair and the hair around the ears, hocks and feet should be trimmed regularly to prevent matting. Bathing only needs to be done when necessary and it is important not to over bathe your Saint Bernard since it can strip natural oils from your dog's coat.
Origin:
The Saint Bernard breed of dog was developed in Switzerland and was actually developed in the St. Bernard Hospice as rescue and "Hospice dogs" that were used to rescue wayward travelers in teh mountain pass. The breed has been traced to the early 1700's, although it is believed that they may have been developed as early as the mid 1600's. The breed was originally a short haired breed but in the 1830's, Newfoundlands were added to the lines to create a breed that was better equipped to deal with the cold weather. The results were less than satisfactory and the tradition of selling long haired variants of the Saint Bernard became a common practice. Because of this, the breed managed to branch out ot the rest of the world and by 1883, the Saint Bernard had found its way to the United States. The breed standard has accepted both the long haired and short haired variety but the dogs are still used for rescue work to this day and have saved over 2000 people throughout the history of the breed. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
