Saint Bernard Puppies Blog

The real ancestors of the St. Bernard were the herding dogs in Switzerland. These include the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, as well as other hunting dogs and watchdogs. Record of them, was first found at the hospice which is located at the Great St. Bernard Pass. First reports of the dogs’ presence at the pass date as far back as the 17th century. They were loyal companions monks living at the monastery. An avalanche killed of many of the dogs used for breeding in the late 18th century, and thus, the classic St. Bernard looked very different from today’s St. Bernies. To be able to further the breed, the remaining dogs were crossed with other dogs, however, in the process their usefullness as rescue dogs was pretty much lost. The St. Bernard is among the heaviest and largest dog breeds in the world and amongst its other canine breeds.

I recall as a child, that my dad used to listen to Beethoven’s classics. He was a great fan of the classical genius. Then in 1993, the family comedy came out and the main character – the four-legged hero- was named Beethoven. Being aware of the fact that Beethoven was a genius composer, I asked my father why a St. Bernard would be given that name? He shook his head sadly and said: ” Some weird person must have his facts wrong”. I think my dad believed that Beethoven would turn in his grave, if he knew that a large, slobbering dog was named after him, but I do believe, that much like with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Rennaissance artists like Raphaelo, Donatello, Michealangelo and Leonardo have been kept alive. The St. Bernard is even today …more than a decade later…synonymous with the name Beethoven. Or is it vice versa? And (sadly?) when someone asks if you have heard about Beethoven, more often than not, they ask: “The Saint Bernard dog?”

With great marketing, new “classics” seemed to have been born in the 20th century. Far from judging what a classic is or isn’t, I think that Beethoven will always be amongst us…..in maybe a furrier form than the original, but none the less loved, even if the audience may differ quite subsantially. I actually wonder how many people named their lovable St. Bernards after the deaf composer…..

But apart from sharing this little observation with you, I will give weekly postings about this mammoth breed, that you will hopefully enjoy. These will include characteristics of the breed and everything that needs to be known about the St. Bernard. So watch this space!

To all the Saint Bernard fans out there, who came upon my Blog: greetings and a warm welcome! I hope that you will find a few things about this Blog that will keep you coming back for more. I have been a fan of this large, slobbering dog for ages and I decided to start a Blog, where I share my thoughts and knowledge about this mammoth breed with other readers out there in the big virtual world! All your observations, opinions, comments and expertise is welcome, and I look forward to making this the St. Bernard Blog!