Saint Bernard

The Saint Bernard is a giant breed that developed in the western Alps, on the Swiss and Italian border. Adults stand 26 to 30 inches at the shoulder, and males often weigh between 140 and 180 pounds. Despite its size, the breed has a placid, affectionate temperament shaped by centuries of work at the hospice on the Great St Bernard Pass.

Indoors, most Saint Bernards are settled and move at an unhurried pace. They form close bonds with their family and are generally patient with children. Given the dog's eventual size, consistent handling and early training from puppyhood make a real difference to how manageable the adult dog becomes.

This breed suits owners with a decent-sized garden, time to spare, and a tolerance for drool and heavy seasonal shedding. The Saint Bernard does not need vigorous daily exercise, but it does need room to move about and a household that has budgeted for the feeding and veterinary costs of a giant dog.

Who it suits

The Saint Bernard suits a settled home with enough space, indoors and out, for a very large dog. It works well for families with children who understand how to behave around a dog this size, and who supervise younger ones. Anyone considering the breed should plan for a relatively short lifespan, regular grooming, and the higher feed and vet bills that come with owning a giant dog.

The breed's name comes from the hospice on the Great St Bernard Pass, a high route through the western Alps linking Switzerland and Italy. Monks founded the hospice in the eleventh century as a refuge for travellers, and they kept large dogs there as working animals. The earliest written and pictorial records of these dogs date from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.

At the hospice, the dogs were put to several uses beyond guarding: they pulled carts, turned the kitchen spit and lay close to the fire for warmth. In time, the monks also set them to work finding travellers who had gone missing in deep snow along the pass. Working in groups, the dogs could locate a person buried by a storm, after which the monks dug them out and brought them in to shelter.

Harsh winters and outbreaks of disease thinned the hospice line badly in the early nineteenth century. To restore their numbers, the monks crossed their dogs with other large breeds, including some longhaired types. A longer coat held onto ice and snow on the mountain, so the smooth-coated dogs stayed the working type at the pass, while longhaired pups were more often placed with families down in the valleys.

The name Saint Bernard was settled on by the mid-nineteenth century, and a Swiss breed club followed in 1884. Barry, a rescue dog who worked the pass in the early 1800s, is the individual most closely tied to the breed's mountain-rescue reputation and still turns up in most accounts of its history. The breed is recognised today by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA), among other national registries.

The Saint Bernard is tall and solidly built, with a broad, deep chest and heavy bone. The head is large and wide, the muzzle short, and the stop clearly defined. Loose flews give the breed its characteristic drool. The eyes are dark, set fairly deep, and give the face a soft expression, while the ears are medium sized and hang close to the head.

Coat and colour

The two coat types share the same colour pattern: a white base combined with red or brown, and many dogs carry a dark mask over the eyes and ears. The shorthaired coat lies flat and feels dense under the hand. The longhaired coat runs longer over the body, legs and tail, though it is never curly. Both varieties shed heavily, with a marked blow-out at the change of season in spring and autumn.

The Saint Bernard has a steady, easygoing nature. Indoors it is usually quiet and happy to settle near whoever it considers its own. The breed attaches firmly to its family and will often trail a favourite person from room to room.

Most Saint Bernards are patient and gentle with children, though given the dog's sheer bulk, young children should always be watched around it. The breed tends to be calm and accepting of strangers rather than suspicious, so it is not a natural guard dog. Raised alongside other dogs and cats, a Saint Bernard usually settles in with them without friction.

This is not a high-energy or excitable breed. It matures slowly and can carry puppyish habits well past its first year. Early, consistent socialisation goes a long way towards shaping a giant puppy into a dog that is easy to live with as an adult.

Grooming

• Brush the coat several times a week, and daily once seasonal shedding sets in during spring and autumn.
• Wipe the flews and facial folds regularly to keep drool and moisture from irritating the skin.
• Check and clean the ears weekly, since hanging ears trap moisture easily.
• Trim the nails every few weeks and brush the teeth several times a week.
• Bath as needed, usually every four to eight weeks depending on how active the dog is.

Exercise

• Give moderate daily exercise, such as two walks of 20 to 30 minutes.
• Hold off on hard running, jumping and stairs while a puppy is still growing, to protect the developing joints.
• Keep activity light in warm weather, since the breed overheats easily.
• Let the dog set its own pace rather than pushing high-intensity sessions.

Environment

The Saint Bernard does best in a home with room to move indoors and a secure garden outside. It copes well with cold but struggles badly with heat, and South Africa's climate varies a good deal by region and altitude, from the cooler Highveld to hotter coastal summers, so a cool, shaded and well-ventilated spot matters wherever you live. Despite its size, this is an indoor dog at heart and should not be left outside on its own for long stretches.

A Saint Bernard needs a complete and balanced diet formulated for large or giant breeds. During growth, a large-breed puppy food with controlled calcium and energy levels supports slower, steadier growth, which protects the joints later on. Adult portions depend on weight, age and activity, so amounts need adjusting to keep the dog at a healthy body condition. Splitting food into two meals a day rather than one large one is standard practice for the breed.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to a small share of the daily calorie count, since extra weight puts real strain on a giant dog's joints. Fresh water should be available at all times. Check with a vet before adding any joint or other supplement, as a properly balanced complete food usually covers a healthy dog's needs already.

The Saint Bernard has an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years, in line with other giant breeds. Most of its health concerns trace back to size and fast growth, including joint disorders and the risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus, better known as bloat. Responsible breeders screen their breeding dogs for hip, elbow, heart and eye conditions before mating them.

Owners in South Africa should also stay alert to tick-borne biliary (canine babesiosis), a well-known regional risk for dogs that spend time outdoors, and should keep tick prevention up to date throughout the year.

Preventive care

• Keep the dog at a lean, healthy weight to ease strain on the joints and heart.
• Feed measured meals and avoid strenuous exercise straight after eating to lower the risk of bloat.
• Stay on top of vaccinations and parasite control, including tick prevention.
• Book regular vet checkups, with closer monitoring once the dog reaches its senior years.
• Ask the breeder for the parents' health screening results before buying a puppy.

The Saint Bernard is generally cooperative and responds well to calm, consistent handling. It matures more slowly than many breeds, so patience is needed through the first year or two. Because a full-grown dog is very large and strong, basic manners such as walking nicely on the lead and not jumping up are best taught while the puppy is still small enough to manage easily. Reward-based methods work best, since the breed does not respond well to harsh handling.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, introducing the puppy to different people, places and animals.
2. Teach name recognition and a solid recall.
3. Get loose-lead walking sorted before the dog reaches full weight.
4. Practise sit, down and stay in short, regular sessions.
5. Discourage jumping up and mouthing right from the start.
6. Build calm behaviour around doors, food and visitors.

Saint Bernards reach physical maturity later than smaller breeds, and responsible breeders wait until a dog is fully grown and health tested before using it for breeding. Pregnancy in dogs lasts around 63 days. The breed tends to whelp large litters, and giant-breed births can carry more risk than average, so having veterinary support on hand around the birth is worthwhile.

Puppies grow and gain weight fast from birth, so early nutrition and a clean, warm whelping area matter from day one. Breeding dogs should be screened for hip and elbow dysplasia, heart disease and eye conditions, and a breeder should be upfront about both parents' results. Given the breed's size and its relatively short lifespan, careful selection for health and temperament counts for a great deal.

Saint Bernard registration and microchips in South Africa

Load your Saint Bernard's details once and be done with it: name, date of birth, photo, your cell number, save. The profile is free for his whole life, and it takes a chip number the day the vet supplies one. Dog registration is the start of the paper trail.

The chip is a number; the registry entry is the story behind it. Capture your Saint Bernard's 15-digit number in a free United Pet Club account and the story reads: this dog has a home. Every brand is accepted, updates never cost a cent, and the record stays searchable here and abroad. Microchip registration plus a free account does it.