Saint Bernard

Saint Bernards live 8 to 10 years. Hip and elbow dysplasia are significant concerns given their massive size. Bloat strikes this deep chested breed quickly, so feed two meals daily and keep exercise away from mealtimes. Heart conditions and certain cancers occur more often than in smaller breeds. Keep your dog lean and schedule twice yearly vet visits.

Shorthaired Saints need brushing twice a week. Longhaired Saints need daily brushing to prevent serious mats. Both types shed heavily during seasonal coat blows. The jowls and facial folds drool constantly and need daily wiping to prevent skin infections. Bathe monthly. Trim nails every three to four weeks.

Your Saint Bernard needs 30 to 45 minutes of gentle exercise daily. Long slow walks suit their steady nature far better than intense activity. Avoid exercise in heat entirely since their size and bulk make overheating a real danger. Control exercise carefully in puppies because rapid growth makes their joints vulnerable for the first two years.

Saint Bernards are gentle and trainable with positive reinforcement. Start training from day one because their size makes untrained behavior genuinely dangerous as adults. They respond well to calm, patient guidance. Socialize your puppy widely so their natural wariness toward strangers develops into polite, confident behavior rather than anxiety.

Feed a controlled growth large breed formula to your Saint Bernard puppy to prevent rapid bone development that damages joints. Adults need a large breed diet twice daily. Two meals per day reduces bloat risk significantly. Add joint supplements from an early age. Avoid overfeeding since obesity cuts this breed life short.

Monks at the Great St Bernard Hospice in the Swiss Alps developed this breed over centuries to rescue travelers lost in mountain snowstorms. The hospice sits at 8,000 feet and the monks began using large dogs for rescue work around the 1660s. The most famous Saint Bernard, Barry, reportedly saved over 40 lives before his death in 1814. Swiss breeders standardized the breed in the late 1800s. The Saint Bernard has since become one of the most recognized dog breeds in the world.