The Saint Bernard
 Broxburn Saint Bernards |
The lonely Monks took the dogs along on their trips of mercy. They soon discovered that they were excellent pathfinders in the drifting snow, and the dogs had a highly developed sense of smell which made them invaluable in locating persons overcome during storms.
In addition to their pathfinding capabilities, the dogs are reputed to possess an uncanny sixth sense which warns them of approaching avalanches. Instances have been reported where a dog would suddenly change position for no apparent reason for a few seconds before an avalanche came down across the spot where he had stood.
The English, who as early as 1810 imported some of the dogs to replenish their Mastiff blood, referred to the breed for a number of years as "Sacred Dogs."
During the last half of the 1800s, breeding of both the longhaired and shorthaired Saint Bernards continued in the valleys of Switzerland, and eventually the breed spread across Germany and other continental European countries and England.
Males should be no less than 27 and a half inches, females 25 and a half inches tall. Their coat is red and white and very dense. Both parents should have OFA certificates (hips and elbows), as dysplasia is a big problem in this breed. Other concerns are bloat, heart problems, eyelid problems, seizures, OCD and bone cancer.
