St. Bernard

The St. Bernard is a giant working breed from the western Alps, famous as the rescue dog of the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass.

History

It was bred by the monks of the Great St. Bernard Hospice on the Swiss-Italian border to find and dig out travellers lost in the snow, work it did for generations along one of the most dangerous Alpine routes. The little barrel of brandy is a myth; the search-and-rescue record is not.

Temperament

The breed is known for being gentle, patient and friendly — a calm giant that is good with children and slow to anger. Its sheer size still makes early, gentle training a necessity.

Care and training

It needs moderate exercise and room to move, with care not to over-exercise a heavy youngster whose joints are still growing. Both the short and long-coated varieties shed and drool, and the coat needs regular brushing.

Health

Great size comes with real costs: hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat and heart conditions are known tendencies, and giant breeds live shorter lives on average. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.