Saint Bernard
A huge breed with the most magnificent head and expression giving the impression of benevolence and dignity. The breed famous as the star of the Beethoven films is very intelligent and easy to train with an especially caring nature, and particularly devoted to children.
Their thick coat requires daily grooming and a supply of bibs is no bad idea as they are slobber – a lot! The breed can be rough or smooth-coated.
Excessive wrinkling on the head and around the eyes is something to avoid, if buying a puppy it may not be obvious but always see the parents to gauge what to except as the dog matures.
The origins of the breed are from the Great St Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Switzerland and Italy where the breed was used by monks at a hospice to search and rescue travellers trying to navigate the treacherous pass. Therefore despite the breed’s size and substance they need to be able to do plenty of work.
One of the most famous St Bernard from the hospice was a dog called Barry who is believed to have saved between 40 and 100 lives as a rescue dog. Watch the video below to learn more about the breed’s history and background from a breed expert.
Height
The taller the better
Colour
Orange, mahogany-brindle, red-brindle, white with patches on the body of any of these colours
Grooming
Exercise
Availability
Kennel Club Group: Working