The Saint Bernard is a very large dog. His body is powerful and muscular.

Poil : There are two varieties of Saint-Bernard, short-haired and long-haired.

Size (height at the withers): 70-90 cm for males and 65-80 cm for females.

Weight : from 60 kg to more than 100 kg.

Classification FCI : N°61.

This breed owes its name to the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard between Switzerland and Italy and the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard between France and Italy. At these two passes there was a hospice where monks gave hospitality to pilgrims and travelers. It was to the first of them that Barry, the famous dog who saved the lives of forty people during his life at the beginning of the 1884th century, officiated. He was an Alpine Spaniel, considered the ancestor of the Saint-Bernard. The primary functions of these dogs were to protect the canons who lived in the hospices in trying conditions and to find and guide travelers lost in snowstorms. Since the foundation of the Swiss Saint-Bernard Club, founded in Basel in XNUMX, the Saint-Bernard has been considered the national dog of Switzerland.

Such a history has forged a strong character at Saint-Bernard. ” Nobility, dedication and sacrifice Is the motto which has been attributed to him. The intelligence and softness of her expression contrast with her massive build and powerful body. He is intelligent and very adept at rescue training, which makes him a good avalanche search dog and a good watchdog. However, the Saint Bernard is no longer used today as an avalanche rescue dog, replaced by other breeds such as the German Shepherd and the Malinois. His masters also say he is faithful, affectionate and obedient. He is particularly kind to children and the elderly. Brave in an emergency in the mountains if he has been trained for it, he also knows how to be peaceful and even lazy when living in an apartment.

The pathologies to which the Saint Bernard is particularly exposed are the diseases which frequently concern large breed dogs (German Mastiff, Belgian Shepherd…) and giant breed (Doberman, Irish setter…). The Saint-Bernard thus presents predispositions to the syndrome of dilatation torsion of the stomach (SDTE), to the dysplasias of the hip and the elbow, to the syndrome of Wobbler.

Wobbler syndrome – Malformations of the caudal cervical vertebrae cause compression of the spinal cord and its progressive degeneration. The affected animal suffers from pain and experiences increasing difficulties in coordination and movement until paresis (loss of part of motor skills). (1)

It has been proven that the Ostéosarcome is hereditary in the Saint-Bernard. It is the most common bone cancer in dogs. It is manifested by a lameness which can occur suddenly or gradually and is combated by means of anti-inflammatory drugs, then by amputation sometimes accompanied by chemotherapy. (2)

The numerous studies carried out on the Saint-Bernard have also led to prove the hereditary character of l’entropion in this breed. This disease results in the eyelid rolling inward.

The Saint Bernard is also subject to other diseases such as epilepsy, eczema and heart problems (cardiomyopathy). Its life expectancy is modest, 8 to 10 years, according to various studies carried out in Denmark, Great Britain and the United States.

Living in an apartment is not ideal, but it is not to be avoided, if the dog can go out for a sufficiently long walk every day, even in bad weather. This means paying the consequences when the wet dog returns… and you have to be aware of this before adoption. Moreover, the thick coat of the Saint Bernard must be brushed daily and, given its size, regular recourse to a professional groomer may be necessary. Weighing roughly the weight of an adult human being, it requires an education from an early age that makes it obedient once its stoutness is acquired. It is also advisable to be particularly vigilant with its food.