• The common depiction of St. Bernards would be that they carry a small barrel of brandy around their necks. It was once believed that the alcohol is given to trap humans in the Alps to keep them warm. However, according to the monks who bred the dogs, this is false. The dogs would instead lie next to the humans and keep them warm through their body heat until rescuers arrived.

• The name of the breed was derived from an 11^th century monk, Bernard of Menthon, who established the pass where the dogs patrolled in the Alps. Prior to this, the breed was known as “Saint Dogs” or “Alpenmastiff.”

• The original appearance of the St. Bernard is that they have short hair, very different from how the dogs look in modern day. The change came about during the early 19^th century when several dogs died because of avalanches. The monks attempted to save the breed by crossing the remaining St. Bernards with Newfoundlands creating dogs with long coats. This made the dogs more resilient of the cold but lost their ability as rescue dogs because the cold temperature freeze their fur and weighs them down.

• A memorable role of St. Bernards in films would be the comedies “Beethoven” and “Beethoven’s 2^nd”. According to the filmmakers, during the sequel, the rapid growth of the breed made it difficult to shoot scenes involving puppies and made them cast over 100 puppies.

The most famous and longest appearance of the Saint Bernard breed is in the film serie Beethoven (1992), where the key character, Beethoven is a large and friendly, yet very mischievous dog that keeps making trouble in his family. He sneaks into the home of the Newton family after he was stolen by thieves from a pet shop. The father (Charles Grodin) does not want to own and take care of a dog, but his wife (Bonnie Hunt) and his 3 children convince him to keep the little puppy. Later the dog gets into serious trouble when the local veterinarian – who is involved in some unethical animal experimentation – tries to seize the dog, therefore tries to convince the family that their dog is mentally instabile and dangerous to the family.

The Saint Bernard breed in reality is very loyal and affectionate, but they require early socialization and obedience training to overtake later problems (like the family has in the film).

Do you know any other famous Saint Bernard dogs? Post a comment with your story!

This includes having it know where it should sleep, understanding commands such as SIT, STAY and COME through daily practice and most of all, the firm “NO” as to curb any unwanted actions that can develop in to bad habits. Potty training can start by having a regular feeding routine. Irregularity in schedules can make the digestive time unpredictable. The breed must also have a set time when it is to go outside. By doing this consistently, the dog will know that he can go out at a certain time to do his business.

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However, bringing a dog into the family is not always a smart thing to do. You need to make sure that both the children and the adult members of the family are ready for a furry friend, otherwise someone is likely to get disappointed over time. You also need to make sure that you are selecting the right breed and you are treating your dog in a way that guarantees your children’s safety.

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The coat of the Saint Bernard is either short and smooth, or long and rough to the touch. Both types are very dense and require daily brushing during the seasonal – two times a year – shedding. Special care must be provided to the ears to keep the dog healthy. These dogs are prone to health issues like heart and skin disorders or bloat.

Training of these dogs is relatively easy as the Saint Bernard is eager to be trained and always would like to please their owner. They need a consistent and gentle, patient trainer during socialization and obedience training during their early ages.

All in all, the Saint Bernard is ideal for families with older, considerate children who would like to be the proud owner of a ‘gentle giant’. The dog will do well with daily outdoor exercise and frequent, long walks with the family.

I hope this introduction about the Saint Bernard will help everyone decide whether this breed is the best for you.

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- Saint Bernies DO drool. It is a fact, there’s nothing to do with it.
- They shed pretty heavily, so they need regular grooming.
- Bernies require a lot of patience, because the tend to be stubborn sometimes
- They might be destructive when left alone for too long time
With proper training, attention and socialization, the undesired behavior can be avoided.

Source: Raining cats and dogs