Saint Bernard Puppies Blog

Most people who may be asked what they think of the Saint Bernard will remember the time they watched a Woody Woodpecker cartoon or TV wherein they have seen a big fluffy hair dog, running about in the snow, with a mini-barrel attached to its collar. It is said that these barrels contained spirits or alcohol that gave weary travelers the boost needed to return home in times of peril in the snow.

The Saint Bernard has always been depicted as a rescuer of lost people trapped by blizzards and avalanches in comics as well as adventure stories. But an important note is that alcohol would caused more harm to a person experiencing hypothermia. However in reality, Saint Bernards do not carry these barrels. But it would be cool if they did, wouldn’t it?

What a misconception!!

Did you know that brandy would kill a person suffering hypothermia??? It can help with oversoming shock, but if given when one is near death, it can kill.

St. Bernards are often portrayed, especially in comics, cartoons and old live action comedies with small barrels of brandy worn around their necks. This was supposedly used to warm the victims that the dogs found. However, the monks that origianlly bred them in Switzerland deny that any St. Bernard has ever carried casks or small barrels around their necks. It is believed that the origin of the image is an early painting. The monks did keep casks around for photographs that tourists took, but that was purely for marketing’s sake.

However, the St. Bernard was indeed used for search and rescue.

The heaviest and largest dog in known history was a Saint Bernard named Benedictine. He weighed 152.5kg (336 lbs), how a number of further studies bring to light the fact that Benedictine actually weighed: 162 kg (357 lbs). Pretty awesome by any standard!