The earliest written records of the St. Bernard breed are from monks at the hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass in 1707, with paintings and drawings of the dog dating even earlier.
The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was Barry (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to Barry in the Cimetière des Chiens, and his body was preserved in the Natural History Museum in Berne.
The name "St. Bernard" originates from the Great St. Bernard Hospice, a traveler's hospice on the often treacherous Great St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Switzerland and Italy. The pass, the lodge, and the dogs are named for Bernard of Menthon, the 11th century monk who established the station.
"St. Bernard" wasn't in widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs were called "Saint Dogs", "Noble Steeds", "Alpenmastiff", or "Barry Dogs" before that time.
The classic St. Bernard looked very different from the St. Bernard of today because of cross-breeding. Severe winters from 1816 to 1818 led to increased numbers of avalanches, killing many of the dogs used for breeding while they were performing rescues. In an attempt to preserve the breed, the remaining St. Bernards were crossed with Newfoundlands brought from the Colony of Newfoundland in the 1850s, and so lost much of their use as rescue dogs in the snowy climate of the alps because the long fur they inherited would freeze and weigh them down.
The Saint Bernard is a giant, strong, muscular dog. As long as the weight stays in proportion with the height, the taller the dog the more prized it is. The massive head is powerful. The muzzle is short, wider than it is long. The teeth meet in a scissors or level bite. The nose is broad, with wide open nostrils, and like the lips is black in color. The medium-sized eyes are set somewhat to the sides and are dark in color. The medium-sized ears are set high, dropping and standing slightly away from the head. The legs are muscular. The feet are large with strong, well-arched toes. The long tail is broad and powerful at the base held low when the dog is relaxed. Dewclaws are usually removed. There are two types of coat: rough and smooth, but both are very dense and come in white with markings in tan, red, mahogany, brindle and black, all in various combinations. The face and ears are usually black. In the rough-coated dogs, the hair is slightly longer and there is feathering on the thighs and legs.
The dogs never received any special training from the monks. Instead, younger dogs would learn how to perform search and rescue operations from older dogs.
The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded in Basel on 15 March 1884. The St. Bernard was the very first breed entered into the Swiss Stud Book in 1884, and the breed standard was finally approved in 1888. Since then, the breed has been a Swiss national dog.
The dogs at the St Bernard hospice were working dogs that were smaller than today's show St Bernard's dogs. Originally about the size of a German Shepherd Dog,
St Bernard grew to the size of today's dog as kennel clubs and dog shows emphasized appearance over the dog's working ability, along with a closed stud book.
An open stud book would have allowed breeders to correct such errors by breeding in Working dog of other dog breeds.
Temperament
Saint
Bernards are extremely gentle, friendly and very tolerant of children.
They are slow moving, patient, obedient, extremely loyal, eager and
willing to please. Be sure to socialize this breed very well at a young
age with people and other animals. It is highly intelligent and easy to
train; however, training should begin early, while the dog is still a
manageable size. Teach this dog not to jump on humans starting at
puppyhood. Bear in mind that an unruly dog of this size presents a
problem for even a strong adult if it is to be exercised in public areas
on a leash, so take control right from the start, teaching the dog to
heel. The Saint Bernard is a good watchdog. Even its size is a good
deterrent. They drool after they drink or eat. Be sure you remain the
dog's pack leader. Dogs want nothing more than to know what is expected
of them and the St Bernard is no exception. Allowing a dog of this size
and magnitude to be unruly can be dangerous and shows poor ownership
skills. Saint Bernards have a highly developed sense of smell and also
seem to have a sixth sense about impending danger from storms and
avalanches.
Health
Prone
to "wobbler" syndrome, heart problems, skin problems, hip dysplasia,
tumors and extropion—a folding outward of the eyelid rim, usually on the
lower lid. Twisted stomachs should be watched for. As these dogs are
prone to bloat, it is best to feed them two or three small meals a day
instead of one large meal.
Housing and Exercise
The
Saint Bernard will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently
exercised. These dogs are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard
is sufficient. They can live outdoors, but would much rather be with
their family. They have a low tolerance for hot weather, warm rooms and
cars. Can wheeze and snore. A long walk each day is needed to keep the
Saint Bernard in good mental and physical condition. Puppies should not
have too much exercise at one time until their bones are well formed and
strong. Short walks and brief play sessions are best until the dog is
about two years old.
Feeding
Recommended daily amount: 5 to 6 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Note:
How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build,
metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people,
and they don't all need the same amount of food. It almost goes without
saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog.
The quality of dog food you buy also makes a difference — the better the
dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog and the
less of it you'll need to shake into your dog's bowl.
Saint
Bernards like to eat and are prone to obesity. Keep your Saint in good
shape by measuring his food and feeding him twice a day rather than
leaving food out all the time.
If
you're unsure whether he's overweight, give him the eye test and the
hands-on test. First, look down at him. You should be able to see a
waist. Then place your hands on his back, thumbs along the spine, with
the fingers spread downward. You should be able to feel but not see his
ribs without having to press hard. If you can't, he needs less food and
more exercise.
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