Dog Training and Dog Care advice from UK Professionals

Saint Bernard Breed Profile


Saint Bernard
An ecclesiastic monk, Bernard de Mentos built two hospices in the Alpine passes to help lost travellers. They used large dogs to search for and rescue people caught in avalanches and these dogs were the famous Saint Bernards.

Other Names:
Alpine Mastiff, St. Barnhardshund, Bernhardiner, St. Bernard

Dog Breed Profile     Share this K9Obedience page

Origin: Switzerland

Breed Purpose: To guard, detect avalanches and for search and rescue.

Kennel Club Dog Group: Working

Height: Bitch 65-91cm., Dog 70-91cm.

Weight: Bitch 68-91kg., Dog 75-91kg.

Lifespan: 8-10 years

Exercise Needs: St. Bernard puppies should not be encouraged to jump or run around too much until their bones are well formed. Short walks on lead and playing gentle games in the garden are all that is needed during the growth stage. Adult dogs need one long walk daily and a large garden to move around in. Never exercise the dog 30 minutes before and 2-3 hours after eating to avoid GDV (Bloat).

Feeding Needs: If the St. Bernard puppy does not get the correctly balanced diet it may result in a serious deterioration of the bones in later life. This dog has an appetite to match its size and thrives on a natural home prepared diet. Be sure to seek veterinary or breeder’s advice on the dietary requirements. Food and water bowls should be raised to avoid the dog developing bloat.

Common Ailments: The St. Bernard is prone to hip dysplasia. This can be avoided by only buying puppies from breeders whose stock has been hip-scored. They are also prone to skin conditions, such as eczema and Extropion, (folding outwards of the eyelids). In general the St. Bernard is a healthy and robust breed of dog.

Physical Description: The overall appearance of the St. Bernard is one of a giant dog that is muscular and powerful. The skull is broad and massive with conspicuous eyebrows, flat cheeks and a well-defined stop. The eyes are medium sized with a gentle expression. The ears drop and are set close to the cheeks and the muzzle is short and strong. The neck is slightly arched, long and thick going down to a broad muscular body with a big deep chest and well-arched ribs. The legs are straight and strong-boned and the hind legs are muscular, heavily-boned with well-bent hocks. The feet are large with well arched digits to provide good movement in snow. The tail is wide and large and is set high but never carried above the topline. There are two types of coat, rough and smooth. The rough coat is thick, flat and heavy around the neck. The smooth coat is close rather like a hound’s coat and there is slight feathering on the thighs and tail. The coat colours are red/mahogany brindle with a white blaze on the face, white on the neck, chest, forelegs, feet and end of the tail. All in all a magnificent dog that looks sturdy, powerful and gentle.


Saint Bernard K9 Obedience Dog Breed Summary:

The St. Bernard is brave, faithful, calm, intelligent and sensitive. This dog suits a calm, loving family with enough space in their home to house this gentle giant. This dog’s sense of hearing is so highly developed that it can hear the faint sound wave that precedes an avalanche from several miles away. A loud noisy family can be a bit intimidating for this dog’s acute hearing. One thing is for sure, the family will never get lost with this dog beside them as the dog also has a strong sense of direction. Training a Saint Bernard must be based on calmness and understanding combined with firmness and consistency. An adult St. Bernard can be quite spirited and has enormous strength so the owner must be able to control the dog in public. These dogs are great companions for children and will naturally exercise extreme care when amongst them. They have strong guarding instincts when around children and will not let them come to harm. The St. Bernard is not a demanding dog to care for apart from its diet and huge appetite. A four month old puppy can weigh as much as an adult German Shepherd! During the growing stage the puppy needs a quality diet that is adapted to the puppy’s rapid growth as they can gain up to 2lbs per day. This dog cannot live in an apartment and is really best suited to a country life. They need a large garden to enjoy the fresh air and move freely. Autumn and winter months suit this outdoor dog but they can tolerate heat and tend to lie and snooze during the day. The St. Bernard will suit anybody that has enough space in their home to house this gentle giant and enough room in their hearts to give him the affection this phenomenal creature needs.
K9 Shop... View Cart

Dog Breeds

-

Share this K9Obedience page

Free Email Tips
Today's 2 FREE Gifts...

Free Dog EbookGet our
most popular
Dog eBook
FREE!

Free 'Your Dogs' pageClaim a
'Your Dogs'
page FREE!

Just sign up for our FREE Dog Training Tips below...
(More Information)

Your Name:
Your Email:
Dog's Name:
Hot Products
Doberman Guide Doberman Owner's Guide
Border Collie Guide Border Collie Owner's Guide
Best Selling Dog Training Course Best Selling
Dog Training
Course
Ultimate Dog House Training Guide Ultimate Dog
House Training
Guide
Dog Health Home Guide
To Dog Health
Secret Deadly Ingredients of Dog Food Secret Deadly
Ingredients
of Dog Food
Get a FREE Webpage for your dog! Get a FREE
Webpage for
your dog!
K9Obedience.co.uk Your Dogs Page Vet Secrets -
Home Vet Care
Extra Features
About Us
Tell A Friend
Bookmark Us
Submit Articles
Terms of Use
Dogs Start Page
Dog Insurance
Related Sites
Search
Get our Most Popular Dog eBook FREE Today!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
-
Copyright ©2009 K9Obedience.co.uk
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Site by FAD