Saint Bernard’s
Why do Saint Bernard’s have such an amazing reputation? I think it is because they saved so many people. The Saint Bernard’s average weight is 110 pounds to 200 pounds. They can reach a shoulder height of 28 inches. The Saint Bernard has a brownish coat with white spots on its nose, chest and legs. They have long sturdy legs and most of them have shorter hair. Although the Saint Bernard’s we see today have longer hair which helps in the cold.
The Saint Bernard was first used as a watchdog by monks for many years. They were then used as rescue dogs. The monks would train them and then take big packs of Saint Bernard’s and go look for lost travelers in the Alps. Saint Bernard’s are mostly used today for companionship. In the early days, Saint Bernard’s where sometimes seen pulling carts at the market full of milk and cheese.
The Saint Bernard is the national dog of Switzerland. Where it is from. It started out looking like a mastiff, and slowly got bigger and longer hair. The reason for this was that they mixed the Saint Bernard with Newfoundland’s and great Danes. The Saint Bernard has many names including, Alpine mastiff, Good Samaritan dog, holy dog, and berry dog. After one of its ancestors. The name Saint Bernard came in 1880 and stuck. The Saint Bernard is originally from the European wolf and is mixed with the Newfoundland, Great Dane, and the mastiff.
Saint Bernard’s need a lot of exercise, because they are such a big dog. They need about three walks a day. And occasionally need to run off the leash. Saint Bernard’s need to be brushed once a day, and their toenails need to be cut regularly. The training of the Saint Bernard is a big part of how they act when they get older. You especially need to teach your Saint Bernard not to pull on the leash, and should often be in contact with other dogs and children.
One rather well known Saint Bernard is Barry. He was one of the first Saint Bernard’s. So he had short hair and was smaller. Barry is well known for saving at least 40 human lives, in the ice cold alpine mountains. He is now kept in a glass case in the Berne Museum of natural history in Switzerland. Where many people go to visit him still today.
There are many stories and myths about Saint Bernard’s. Did this dog really save hundreds of people? Did they wear and use a keg full of brandy to help the lost travelers? The answer to these questions very. Although most say that they really did save hundreds of lost travelers. The part about the kegs is a myth. The Saint Bernard’s did not wear nor use them. The idea came from Sir Edwin Landseer an English painter, who put this in for a finishing touch. And everyone just thought it belonged, so the keg stuck.
The Saint Bernard is truly an amazing dog, and because of this their reputation keeps growing.
