Stornum Kennels - Is the St. Bernard Right for You

The adult St Bernard is a large dog and although a puppy at birth weighs about 1 ½ lbs it quickly grows to 150 - 200 lbs with some exceeding this weight, bitches slightly less than dogs. Dogs are generally taller, 30" plus with bitches from about 27" upwards. St Bernards are known as gentle giants and their imposing size is one of the attractions of Saint ownership.

The Kennel Club Breed Standard calls for the temperament to be steady, kindly, intelligent, courageous, trustworthy and benevolent. These characteristics make the St Bernard an ideal family companion, good with children and other animals with size and bark to discourage intruders.

The St Bernard originated in Switzerland and was a smooth haired dog developed to rescue travellers from the snow. Around 1830 the monks at the Hospice of the Great St Bernard Pass who owned and bred the dogs introduced Newfoundland blood to strengthen the breed. This resulted in the long or rough coated Saint which although more popular today, requires regular grooming to ensure knots do not occur in the coat. The smooth also has a devoted following and a brush keeps the coat in good condition although both coats moult.

Should you decide the Saint is the dog for you, we suggest you purchase a puppy from a dedicated breeder, names can be obtained from the Kennel Club or St Bernard breed clubs. Make an appointment to visit the kennels to see the dam (mother) and the sire (father) if available. Seeing the parents will give an indication as to how the puppies will look when they are adult. Do not rush in and purchase the first puppy you see, remember the puppy is your responsibility for life. It is important that the whole family are in agreement that they wish to share their home and life with a Saint and in particular with the one chosen.

It is advisable to discuss whether you want a dog or bitch and rough or smooth coat. Dogs in general are larger and more imposing and are not subject to coming in season but either sex will respond to your love and affection and repay with loyalty.

When you visit a breeder be prepared for some searching questions as to your suitability to own one of their puppies. Although you are buying a puppy the breeder will be concerned for it’s future well being and will wish to ensure you can provide the right environment and have the necessary knowledge to look after it.

With a puppy you should receive a diet sheet, advice on worming and vaccination, a registration form and a copy of the pedigree. Some breeders provide temporary insurance cover and a starter food pack but you will need to know this before collection of the puppy. If you are unsure of anything please ask the breeder.

When your puppy arrives at the new home you must provide an are where the puppy can rest without disturbance. Children must be taught to be gentle with the puppy and respect the requirement for rest. Stairs should be out of bounds because joints in the growing puppy are easily damaged causing suffering in later life.

Saints are easy to house train provided they are encouraged to go out when they awake and after feeding. A puppy requires training in order to become an acceptable member of society. You may think a boisterous puppy jumping up or claiming the sofa is acceptable behaviour but an adult attempting the same behaviour can easily injure somebody. To control a dog that can out-weigh and be stronger than it’s owner takes firm and patient training but this need not be heavy handed. A course at the local canine training club will aid you in achieving a trained Saint. Exercise can be limited to play in the garden until the joints have strengthened.

Growing dogs require a diet providing all the nutrients to build a sound animal. If a meat and biscuit diet is used you may have to add supplements but you must stick to the recommended dosage as too much can harm the puppy’s health. There are many complete foods on the market which provide a balanced diet without the need to add supplements. These are often convenient for the owner but as they are “complete” anything added to them can upset the balance of the diet. There are several large breed diets available formulated for the requirements of the quick growing St Bernard puppy. Puppies deserve the best you can give as this will pay dividends in later life. The adult Saint although a giant dog, does not need as much food as you would imagine but a supply of fresh water is a must.

Potential owners should be aware that dogs are susceptible to certain medical conditions and St Bernards are no exception. Hip Dysplasia, the heart disease Cardiomyopathy, eye conditions Entropion and Ectropion are known inherited conditions in the breed. Gastric Torsion known as bloat is said to be familial. Further information about inherited conditions in St Bernards can be found on the website www.stornum.com under Health.

The Beethoven films certainly showed both sides to owning a St Bernard. Dogs that slobber then shake their heads, moult, go out and roll in mud, certainly keep the houseproud hard at work. Saints love people and if they can be with their family you will all enjoy life that much more.

TNM 2002

Books on the breed: