St. Bernard’s come to us from Italy and Switzerland. There is a very dangerous area in the mountains there called the Great St. Bernard Pass. As long ago as the 1600’s St. Bernard’s were there. Their job was to rescue folks lost, or caught in avalanches, in the mountains. A St. Bernard named Berry saved up to 100 people through his life.

These guys are huge ! When they grow up they can weigh between 160 and 240 pounds and be 27 - 35 in tall. [The heaviest, and largest, dog in known history was a Saint Bernard named Benedictine … 357 pounds !]

St. Bernard’s not only have big bodies … they also have big hearts. They are gentle, friendly and have extreme loyalty to their humans. As with all our dog buddies you need to train your “Bernie” from when they are a pup. If you let them grow up untrained you’ll have a “whole lot of stubborn” to deal with later. They will bark at strangers and their bark, along with their size, means they are a good watchdog.

For Health Information about this breed please speak with your Veterinarian. If you do not have a Vet, or are moving to a new city, check out sarahs vetXchange.