St Bernard Information and Tips
Description. Most people have probably come
across this dog, or at the least seen a picture of one.
Even as a puppy they would probably be described as
a medium to large dog, as adults, they are little short
of enormous. Normally standing 25 to 27 inches in height
and weighing between 110 and 200 pounds. However, the
largest recorded dog was apparently nearly 2 m in length
and weighing 140kgs. As with everything else the Saint
Bernard's head is massive and powerful, with a thick
muscular neck and heavyset muscular body. Being such
a large dog diet is very important, when first obtaining
one of these dogs you should find out the various supplements
and food types the dog is at present eating. If purchased
as a puppy, the breeder will give you a diet sheet upon
request. Inadequate diet or incorrect feeding may cause
problems for this dog, which as, given its size it can
not afford to have. They can come in a variety of colours,
and can have either rough or smooth coats, either of
which is very dense. These dogs can only be described
as looking like an enormous great teddy bear.
History. Saint Bernard DeMenthon is believed
to have founded this breed in 980A.D. and is most probably
the result of crossing or mixing the breeds of the great
Pyrenees, the great Dane, the Tibetan mastiff, and the
greater Swiss mountain dog. The original dogs were of
the shorthaired variety as it was soon noticed the longhaired
variety tended to form icicles in their coat. St Bernard
DeMenthon had formed a hospice, which could be used
by weary travellers. During the 17th century St Bernard's
were often used for rescuing people from avalanches,
or travellers who had collapsed in the snowy passes.
They have a very keen sense of smell and can actually
scent a person through several feet of snow, and even
dig them out. Believe it or believe it not, upon finding
a person buried in the snow a dog would lie alongside,
which provides the person with warmth. It would then
attract the attention of another dog, by barking, who
would then head back to the mission to collect a rescue
team. Along with their trademark small barrel hanging
under their neck, they were able to provide rescue and
fortification. Furthermore, because of their size they
were actually capable of pulling small sledges, or assisting
the weary traveller, which adds taking the casualties
of the weather to suitable refuge, to the list of tasks
this dog is capable of.
Temperament. As a breed they are tolerant and
obedient and loyal friendly and tolerate children very
well. It is important to socialise these animals as
young as possible, and also to commence training as
early as you can. One very important factor in training
is to discourage them from jumping up on humans. Obviously
given the size this animal grows to, if jumping up is
not stopped, it could be a major problem in the future,
and could cause serious injury to elderly relatives.
Another consideration in training is that they must
respond to your commands, again at this size you cannot
afford this dog to run wild and please itself. Although
very good and tolerant with children, and have been
known to allow children to hang in their hair, a certain
amount of care must be taken because at this weight
a simple accident could have serious results. The dogs
are not malicious at all, but accidents can happen,
just be aware.
Health issues. St Bernard's are prone to some
health problems, the obvious hip dysplasia, skin problems
a condition known as wobbler syndrome, some heart problems,
a condition of the eye where one of the eyelids folds
outwards, also twisted stomachs. They are also a little
prone to bloat. It is better to feed these dogs three
small meals rather than one large meal daily. It is
important to avoid the temptation to overfeed this dog,
their normal weight is enough of a strain on the skeleton,
they can ill afford to be overweight, it will only cause
them problems later. Overfeeding of a dog is neither
a treat nor a kindness of the owner.
Grooming. Shedding occurs twice a year, you
will notice when. Generally their coat is easy to look
after with brushing, using firm bristles, and combing.
Bathing should not be done frequently as it strips the
protective oils from their coat destroying the water
resistant properties. When bathing, use a very mild
shampoo. Special attention needs to be paid to the eyes,
keeping them free of grit, dust, or other things that
may irritate, being prone to eye problems this is obviously
an important part of the dogs care.
Living conditions. Whilst they prefer living
indoors, with the family, they are capable of living
outside in most weather conditions, as long as suitable
shelter is provided. They require a large amount of
exercise, but as long as it is provided, they are fairly
inactive inside, and they can, in fact, live in an apartment.
They do not do well in hot weather, cars, or warm rooms.
About the Author
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