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The St. Bernard Dog is a large breed of dog originally bred for rescue and as a working dog. A full-grown male can weigh between 150 and 200 lb (68 and 90 kg). There are two varieties of the breed: the short-haired or smooth-coat variety and the long-haired or rough-coat variety.
The St. Bernard is known for its loyalty and vigilance and is
tolerant of both children and animals. Because of these
traits, it has become a family dog. They also make good
watchdogs, as their size can be intimidating to strangers,
though their temperament is gentle.
History: The ancestors of the St. Bernard were the
herding dogs of Swiss farmers as well as hunting dogs and
watchdogs. Their history has also been connected with the
hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass. First reports of the
dogs' presence at the pass date to the 17th century, and they
remained loyal companions to the monks there until 2004, when
the monks began to divest themselves of the dogs and focus the
time they spent on the dogs to minister to people.[1]
The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was
Barry (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved
somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to
Barry in the Cimetière des Chiens and his body was preserved
in the Natural History Museum in Berne.
Varieties: The St. Bernard originally was a
smooth-coated dog developed to rescue travellers from the
snow. In the 1830s the monks who owned and bred the dogs
introduced Newfoundland blood to strengthen the breed, and
this gave rise to the rough-coat St. Bernard. Although more
popular, the rough-coat variety proved to be unsuitable for
mountain work because the long hair tended to collect icicles.
For this reason the monks kept the smooth coat variety for
rescue work.
Temperament: St. Bernards are very gentle giants. They
are often fond of children and are loyal to their family, but,
as with any dog, should not be left unsupervised with young
children. It is highly recommended that owners be very patient
because this breed of dog can be very stubborn. It is
imperative that St. Bernards should also remain very
socialized because they can become overly protective of their
territory.
They are also very prone to anxiety if left alone for long
periods of time and may destroy their owner's belongings. It
is recommended that a suitable safe environment be made
available during times that the owner can not be home. This
could range anywhere from a fenced yard to a suitably sized
crate (normally Extra Large). They commonly get along very
well with other dogs and love high amounts of attention.
Health: The very fast growth rate and the weight of a
St Bernard can lead to very serious deterioration of the bones
if the dog does not get proper food and exercise. Many dogs
are affected by hip dysplasia. You can research the dogs that
have clear hips at http://www.offa.org/
St Bernards are prone to an eye disorder called entropion and
ectropion. The breed is also susceptible to epilepsy and
seizures, a heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy, and
to eczema.
Naming: The name "St. Bernard" was not in
widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs
were called "Saint Dogs", "Alpenmastiff",
or "Barry Dogs" before, and in parts of North
America, they're still called "Saints".
Movies: In 1977, Wonderful World of Disney played a TV
movie about St. Bernard rescue dogs, Barry of the Great St.
Bernard. Other movies about St. Bernards include
Beethoven,1st,2nd,and 3rd, Cujo and George.
Media portrayal: Painting portraying St. Bernards as
rescue dogs with brandy barrels around their neckSt. Bernards
are often portrayed, especially in comics and cartoons, with
small barrels of brandy worn around their necks. This was
supposedly used to warm the victims that the dogs found.
However, the monks deny that any St. Bernard has ever carried
casks or small barrels around their necks; they believe that
the origin of the image is an early painting. The monks did
keep casks around for photographs by tourists.
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