The Saint Bernard is a gentle, friendly giant famed for its alpine-rescue heritage and its calm, affectionate devotion to family.
How the Saint Bernard coat is built, and what that means when you groom it.
Critical: A Saint Bernard should not be shaved.
The undercoat keeps heat out as well as in, and the outer coat shields the skin from sun and insect bites. Clipping the whole coat off removes both. It often grows back patchy, soft or a different colour, and in some animals the guard hairs never return properly. Brush the undercoat out instead of cutting it off.
Information: A Saint Bernard drops its undercoat in heavy bursts.
The undercoat comes out in heavy bursts over a few weeks. An undercoat rake, or a bath followed by a proper blow-dry, clears it far faster than daily brushing. Clipping the coat down is not a shortcut for this.
A few of the Saint Bernard profiles members have added to United Pet Club.
The Saint Bernard is a giant working dog from the Swiss Alps, known for its calm temperament and gentle attachment to family.
The Saint Bernard is a giant breed that originated in the western Alps of Switzerland and northern Italy. Adults typically stand 66 to 76 centimetres at the shoulder, and males often weigh between 64 and 82 kilograms. The breed is calm, friendly, and patient, and it carries a long history of work at the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass.
Most Saint Bernards are even-tempered indoors and move at a slow, deliberate pace. They tend to bond closely with the people they live with and are usually tolerant of children. The dog's size means that early training and steady handling matter from the first weeks at home.
This is a breed that suits owners who have room, time, and a tolerance for drool and heavy seasonal shedding. The Saint Bernard does not need a large amount of vigorous exercise, but it does need space to move and a household prepared for the cost of feeding and caring for a giant dog.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Size | Giant (typically 64 to 82 kg for males) |
| Lifespan | 8 to 10 years |
| Group / role | Working dog; historic alpine rescue and draft work |
| Good with | Children and family members; usually tolerant of other pets when socialised |
The Saint Bernard fits a settled home with enough indoor and outdoor space for a very large dog. It works well for families with children who can supervise interactions, given the dog's weight. Prospective owners should plan for a relatively short lifespan, regular grooming, and the higher food and veterinary costs that come with a giant breed.
The Saint Bernard developed at a hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps, where the dogs were used for companionship, draft work, and mountain rescue.
The breed takes its name from the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass, a high crossing in the western Alps between Switzerland and Italy. The hospice was founded in the 11th century as a refuge for travellers, and dogs were kept there as working animals. Written and pictorial records of large hospice dogs date from the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The monks used the dogs for several tasks: guarding, pulling carts, turning kitchen spits, and providing warmth. Over time the dogs were also used to locate travellers lost in deep snow along the pass. The dogs worked in groups and could find people buried after storms, and handlers then dug the travellers out and guided them to shelter.
During the early 19th century the hospice line suffered losses from harsh winters and disease. To rebuild numbers, hospice dogs were crossed with other large breeds, including longhaired types. The longer coat held ice and snow, so the shorthaired variety remained the preferred working dog at the pass while longhaired dogs were placed in the valleys.
The breed was given the name Saint Bernard in the middle of the 19th century, and a Swiss breed club was established in 1884. The famous rescue dog Barry, who worked at the hospice in the early 1800s, became the best known individual of the line and is often cited in accounts of the breed's rescue heritage.
The Saint Bernard is a powerful, large-headed dog with a deep body, available in short and long coats marked in white with red or brown.
The Saint Bernard is tall and heavily built, with a broad, deep chest and strong bone. The head is large and wide, with a short muzzle, a clear stop, and loose flews that contribute to the breed's tendency to drool. The eyes are dark and set fairly deep, and the expression is soft. The ears are medium in size and hang close to the head.
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Height | Males about 71 to 76 cm; females about 66 to 71 cm at the shoulder |
| Weight | Males about 64 to 82 kg; females about 54 to 64 kg |
| Coat | Two varieties: shorthaired (smooth, dense) and longhaired (medium length, slightly wavy) |
| Colours | White with red or brown markings, or red and brown with white markings; common shadings include brindle |
| Eyes | Dark, medium size, with a gentle expression |
Both coat types share the same colour pattern. The base is white combined with red or brown, and many dogs have a dark mask over the eyes and ears. The shorthaired coat lies flat and is dense to the touch. The longhaired coat is longer over the body, legs, and tail, but is not curly. Both varieties shed heavily, with marked seasonal coat changes in spring and autumn.
The Saint Bernard is calm, friendly, and devoted, generally gentle with children and tolerant of other animals when raised with them.
The Saint Bernard is known for a steady, easygoing nature. Indoors it is usually quiet and content to rest near its family. The breed forms strong attachments to the people it lives with and often follows them from room to room.
With children, most Saint Bernards are patient and gentle, though the dog's size means that young children should always be supervised around it. Towards strangers the breed is typically calm and accepting rather than aggressive, and it is not a strong guard dog by temperament. With other pets, a Saint Bernard raised alongside dogs and cats generally lives with them without trouble.
The breed is not highly active or excitable. It can be slow to mature and may keep some puppy behaviour past its first year. Early, consistent socialisation helps a giant dog grow into a manageable adult.
| Trait | Rating |
|---|---|
| Affection | 5 |
| Energy | 2 |
| Trainability | 3 |
| Vocalness | 2 |
| Shedding | 4 |
The Saint Bernard needs regular brushing, moderate daily exercise, and a cool living space, with extra attention to its heavy coat and drool.
The Saint Bernard is best suited to a home with room indoors and access to a secure outdoor area. The breed tolerates cold well but struggles in heat, so a cool, shaded, and well-ventilated space is important during summer. Despite its size it is an indoor companion and should not be left outside alone for long periods.
The Saint Bernard needs a complete diet sized for a giant breed, fed in measured meals to support steady growth and prevent excess weight.
A Saint Bernard needs a complete and balanced diet formulated for large or giant breeds. During growth, a large-breed puppy formula with controlled calcium and energy supports a slower, steadier growth rate, which helps protect the joints. Adult portions depend on weight, age, and activity, so amounts should be adjusted to keep the dog at a healthy body condition. Feeding two meals a day rather than one large meal is the common practice for the breed.
| Life stage | Amount per day | Meals |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy (2 to 6 months) | Per large-breed puppy formula, divided | 3 to 4 |
| Puppy (6 to 12 months) | Per large-breed puppy formula | 2 to 3 |
| Adult | Per product guidelines adjusted to body condition and activity | 2 |
| Senior | Reduced to maintain condition | 2 |
Keep treats to a small share of daily calories to avoid weight gain, which adds stress to the joints of a giant dog. Fresh water should always be available. Discuss any joint supplement or other addition with a vet before introducing it, since a balanced complete food usually meets a healthy dog's needs.
The Saint Bernard typically lives 8 to 10 years and is prone to joint problems, bloat, and certain heart and eye conditions common in giant breeds.
The Saint Bernard has an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years, which is typical for a giant breed. The main health concerns relate to size and rapid growth, including joint disorders and the risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus, commonly called bloat. Responsible breeders screen breeding dogs for hip, elbow, heart, and eye conditions. The Kennel Club encourages health testing of breeding stock through its assured breeder scheme.
| Condition | Signs | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hip and elbow dysplasia | Limping, stiffness, reluctance to rise | Screened in breeding stock; weight control helps |
| Gastric dilatation and volvulus (bloat) | Swollen abdomen, retching, restlessness | A medical emergency; seek care immediately |
| Dilated cardiomyopathy | Tiring easily, cough, fainting | Heart screening recommended |
| Eye conditions (entropion, ectropion) | Eye irritation, discharge, drooping lids | May need veterinary correction |
| Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) | Lameness, swelling on a limb | More common in giant breeds |
The Saint Bernard is willing and food motivated but slow to mature, so early, consistent, reward-based training is important given its size.
The Saint Bernard is generally cooperative and responds well to calm, consistent handling. It can be slower to mature than many breeds, so patience is needed during the first year or two. Because an adult is very large and strong, basic manners such as walking on a loose lead and not jumping up should be taught while the dog is young and easy to control. Reward-based methods work best, as the breed does not respond well to harsh handling.
Saint Bernards mature slowly, produce large litters, and need careful health screening of breeding stock due to giant-breed risks.
Saint Bernards reach physical maturity later than smaller breeds, and responsible breeders wait until dogs are fully grown and health tested before breeding. Gestation in dogs lasts about 63 days. The breed tends to have large litters, and giant-breed whelping can carry higher risk, so veterinary support around the birth is advisable.
Newborn puppies grow quickly and gain weight fast, which makes early nutrition and a clean, warm whelping area important. Breeding dogs should be screened for hip and elbow dysplasia, heart disease, and eye conditions, and breeders should be open about the parents' results. The Kennel Club's health-testing recommendations provide a useful reference for UK breeders. Given the breed's size and relatively short lifespan, careful selection for health and temperament matters.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Sexual maturity | Later than small breeds; breed only when fully grown |
| Gestation | About 63 days |
| Average litter size | Commonly 6 to 10 puppies, sometimes more |
| Weaning age | About 6 to 8 weeks |
| Recommended health screening | Hips, elbows, heart, eyes |
Your Saint Bernard's details on a record that satisfies UK microchip law: free with United Pet Club, for life, with nothing to renew.
Give your Saint Bernard five minutes of paperwork before it needs rescuing. The free profile takes a name, a date of birth, a photo and your contact details, and it lives on a registry that never charges for the privilege. Dog registration works whether the chip is already in or still on the to-do list.
A chip without a registration is a serial number and nothing more. File your Saint Bernard's fifteen digit number with United Pet Club and it becomes a route back to you: free for life, open to every chip brand sold in Britain, and searchable whenever a scanner finds it. Microchip registration takes less time than the kettle, and a free account covers the profile too.
Set up a free United Pet Club account, add your Saint Bernard's details and a photo, and save. The profile stays live for the whole of the dog's life at no charge, and the chip number can be added the moment you have it.
Key the fifteen digit number into your free United Pet Club account with your current address and phone number. The lifetime plan accepts any brand a British vet implants, and amendments after a house move are free.
Yes. Dogs in England, Scotland and Wales have had to be chipped since 2016, with the keeper's details kept current. The law covers the chip; keeping the record pointing at a live phone number is what United Pet Club handles, free.
Nothing at all. The United Pet Club lifetime plan covers the profile, the microchip record and every amendment without a fee, so there is no renewal to remember.
Common questions about the Saint Bernard, including its size, temperament, care needs, lifespan, and suitability as a family dog.
It is a giant breed. Males usually stand 71 to 76 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh about 64 to 82 kilograms, with females somewhat smaller.
Most are calm and gentle with children. Because of the dog's weight, young children should always be supervised during interactions.
Care is moderate but demanding in scale. The breed needs regular brushing, drool management, moderate exercise, a cool space in summer, and the higher food and veterinary costs of a giant dog.
The average lifespan is 8 to 10 years, which is typical for a giant breed.
Yes. The loose flews lead to noticeable drool, and both coat types shed heavily, especially during seasonal coat changes in spring and autumn.
It suits families with enough space, time for grooming, and a budget for a large dog. Its calm, devoted nature makes it a good companion in the right home.
No. Moderate daily walks are enough. Hard running and stairs should be limited while a puppy is growing, and activity should be kept light in hot weather.
