St. Bernard

The St. Bernard is a big powerful and muscular dog with a dark mask and large head. It is one of the largest dog breeds in the world. Even though this is a large dog, they are very friendly and gentle with children. These slow moving dogs are very social and they like to be around people.

From 1050 AD to 1100 AD, St. Bernards were first used in the Saint Bernard Monastery in Switzerland. Traders in Saint Bernard Pass brought several types of dogs with them on their journey to the Monastery. When the trading stopped, and no more dogs were brought to the Monastery, the St. Bernard dog was bred more widely and their popularity grew. These St. Bernards were kept at the monastery as the guard dogs.http://www.essortment.com/all/stbernardsdog_rfmt.htm

Writings, dating back to 1703, talk about the large size of the dogs and how they were used to run on an exercise wheel to spin the cooking spit. Soon, the dogs were used to rescue people who were trapped in the mountains, the dogs help the stranded people make it back home to safety. The is how most people recognise the St. Bernard, as the dogs who were lost in the wilderness.

St. Bernard dogs became famous for helping to nourish the weary travelers who were coming through Saint Bernard Pass. The first St. Bernards were not as large as those today. They have grown in size throughout the years.http://www.essortment.com/all/stbernardsdog_rfmt.htm

1. Hip Dysplasia
2. Elbow Dysplasia
3. Osteosarcoma
4. Entropion

The St. Bernard was originally bred as a herding dog for Swiss farmers. During the 17th century, monks at the monastery near the Great St. Bernard Pass in the Alps, began using the St. Bernard as a search and rescue dog to aid travelers who became lost or stranded. Saint Bernard Club of America: [1]

Barry was a famous St. Bernard who lived at the Great St. Bernard Pass monastery and saved over forty lives. He was born in 1800 and lived for fourteen years.Natural History Museum in Berne, Switerland: [1]

• Amazon.com: St. Bernard (Comprehensive Owner's Guide) | A New Owner's Guide to Saint Bernards

• Dog Shoppe: Saint Bernard

• CafePress.com: St. Bernard T-Shirts and Gifts

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