Among the numerous giant-sized dog breeds, we find the affectionate and good-natured San Bernardo, a high mountain dog who loves to play and feel loved.
However, and mainly due to its size, this breed is not recommended for all family environments, since it requires very specific care and a large area where you can play and feel free.
If you are thinking of adopting a puppy or an adult Saint Bernard, do not miss all this complete information that we have collected for you. It will be of great help to take care of it and educate it.
Index of contents
- 1 Physical characteristics of the San Bernardo breed
- 2 Character and behavior of the dog San Bernardo
- 2.1 How does the San Bernardos get along with young children?
- 3 Recommended care for a Saint Bernard dog
- 4 How is the health of a San Bernardo breed dog?
- 5 San Bernardo education and training
- 6 Tips for future owners …
- 7 Is it true that they have whiskey in the neck barrel?
- 8 History of the Saint Bernard dog breed
Physical characteristics of the San Bernardo breed
The San Bernardo has an enviable physical appearance, with a height of more than seventy centimeters tall at the withers in males and 65 centimeters in females, it can be said that more than large, it is enormous.
Its weight can vary between seventy and ninety kilos, it is muscular and vigorous, with a somewhat more severe expression when it has a dark mask (dark-colored muzzle) although never evil. Features that make this breed a great dog.
The Saint Bernard dog’s coat is soft, medium in size and white and red or white and brownish yellow in color, sometimes with black smudges. San Bernardo puppies have fluffier, lighter fur, much like furry stuffed animals.
Its head is large, large even for its huge body, which highlights the great snout of this breed. Snout that will deter criminals since it has a large jaw and one of the strongest bites known.
|
|
Height of between 70 and 90 cm in males and between 65 and 80cm in females |
|
|
Weight of between 65 and 90 kg males and females (sometimes more) |
|
|
Long, fine, silky and abundant hair. White, brown, black, grayish and / or stained |
|
|
Calm, loyal, playful and very loving character |
|
|
Strong health but prone to joint problems |
|
|
Estimated life expectancy between 8 and 12 years |
Character and behavior of the dog San Bernardo
As big as his size is his heart, full of affection towards his family that he will always try to keep happy. Since integrating and occupying a place in the family, where feeling loved, is one of his priorities.
The character of the Saint Bernard is noble, affectionate, playful, respectful and good-natured. It would never harm a family member, although due to its large size it is possible that sometimes playing someone gets a little hurt.
Despite being a great friend to his loved ones, he is also a very intelligent, observant and with a high protective instinct. If you notice that someone is trying to harm your family, you will not hesitate for a moment to defend it.
With a good socialization from puppy and a basic education, our giant will be an irreplaceable member in our family, where he will win all our love. Do not hesitate, this breed is great.
How does the San Bernardos get along with young children?
His behavior with the smallest of the house is exemplary, always ready to play and have a good time with them. He would never intentionally harm a member of his family, so children and Saint Bernard will form a great team.
However, we must not forget that children are very naughty and mobile, and our furry friend is very, very big … We must always be vigilant to avoid involuntary accidents when they are playing.
Recommended care for a Saint Bernard dog
As we have indicated at the beginning, this breed is not recommended for any type of family environment since it requires a series of very specific care, which we summarize here:
- San Bernardo puppies grow very fast, going from being a small stuffed animal to a giant dog. Due to this it will be necessary to feed it with a very high quality feed and with chondroprotectors to take care of your joints.
- As an adult you can reach ninety kilos of weight, which supposes a very high cost only in food. We must be proactive since he needs to eat daily and also, always high quality food.
- All expenses go in proportion to their size, so if you go to the vet and he presc
ribes medication or if you must buy him a bed, everything will cost more than if your dog were small (much more). - Not a dog to live in the city or flat, he needs a very wide terrain where he can feel free and happy, play, run… .. On the mountain in a country house, he will be the happiest dog in the world.
- Several walks but no exercise, we cannot force the Saint Bernard to run or exercise because he could suffer a heatstroke. It is a breed that requires daily walks but always at its own pace.
- You need your relaxation time, and is that the San Bernardo is actually a calm dog that likes to take naps and rest peacefully.
- We should brush him daily, thus eliminating the dead remains of hair, dirt and possible parasites. Brushing a San Bernardo often is not an option, it is an obligation.
- Not a lover of heat It is a breed that loves cold climates, so in summer we must avoid bad times. For this, we will walk when the sun is not too strong (sunrise and sunset), in addition to preparing a comfortable and cool place at home.
How is the health of a San Bernardo breed dog?
At general levels it is a healthy and strong breed that hardly presents serious health problems, however it requires care to stay healthy.
Due to its rapid growth, from puppy we must provide vitamin supplements in addition to their diet. Generally calcium and chondroprotectors, so that both your bones and your joints grow healthy and stay well.
At a general level, it is a very gluttonous dog, so we must monitor its diet to prevent it from becoming overweight. An overweight Saint Bernard can have many health problems, from heart murmurs to elbow or hip dysplasia.
Their eyes and ears are the weak points of this breed, although it will be enough with clean your ears once a week and monitor your eyes to prevent infections such as conjunctivitis.
Following a vaccination schedule supervised by the veterinaryn and the corresponding internal and external deworming, our San Bernardo will maintain good health at general levels.
San Bernardo education and training
The San Bernardo is a respectful and friendly dog, although due to its large size it will be totally necessary to properly educate it and give some training classes, in emergencies.
If we have adopted our Saint Bernard as a puppy, the ideal is to socialize daily so that you get used to being and playing with other dogs, people and animals. If we have adopted it as an adult, we will do the same but with the dog on a leash until we know its temperament.
Basic education consists of letting him know his place in the family, that is, not letting him enter or leave the house before humans, not allowing him to climb on the sofa or our bed, ordering him to sit down before putting food on him , etc…
They are small customs that actually mean a lot to them, just as we must train them thoroughly, especially before the order of “No” and “Quiet”.
Imagine that a 90-pound dog gets into a puddle and comes out full of mud with the intention of jumping on you to play. Don’t you think it is necessary for him to know how to obey a “No”? On the other hand, imagine that someone enters the house (postman, plumber …) and he goes into defensive plan. Isn’t it necessary that he control the “Quiet”?
Forget the nonsense of teaching the dog to give birth or make the croquette and focus on what is really important, that always respect a “No” and a “Quiet”, those two simple orders will get you out of many, many, possible problems.
Tips for future owners …
The San bernardo is a very familiar and loving dog that needs a large green space where he can feel free and happy. Give him a lot of affection, congratulate him and give him a prize when he does something good, such as sitting down or answering the call.
Make him feel loved in the family environment Take him out for a walk in landscaped areas, mountains, etc … and he will feel like the happiest dog in the world.
It is not a breed to use as a guardian or to have it tied to a house, nor is it a city breed. Its size requires a large place to live and its maintenance will be high.
Despite being a relaxed character dog, think that it can weigh much more than you. So you must be strong enough to hold your strap in an emergency or stress case.
Is it true that they have whiskey in the neck barrel?
Hahahaha, that’s what cinema has. No, it is only a barrel with a little water that was put to high mountain rescue dogs. There is no alcoholic beverage inside, that is just a myth.
Due to its resistance to cold climates, it is an ideal breed for search and help work in the high mountains, grazing, etc …
History of the Saint Bernard dog breed
This giant of attractive fur comes from the Assyrian Mastiff, an ancestor more than two thousand five hundred years old, so it could be said that its origins are possibly one of the oldest known.
In ancient times it was used by the Greek and Roman armies, given its incredible resistance and capacity for work in very unfavorable climates.
Years later, it spread through the Swiss mountains and the Alpine passes, where the monks used it as a defense against bandits and thugs.
Today it is a breed well known for having starred in several famous films such as the well-known “Beethoven” and for its exploits as a rescue dog, with the classic barrel around its neck.