St. Bernard

The St. Bernard is a gentle dog, very attached to its owners, and will always protect them. He is affectionate but not overly clingy, he knows how to be vigilant if needed, he is extremely loyal, and he would give his life for his close ones.

Naturally playful, especially with children, whom this large dog adores accompanying in all sorts of adventures, even if it is mainly to keep an eye on them.

Rather conscious of their hefty size, this mountain molossian knows how to keep discreet, calm and composed when needed. It is not one to be hyperactive and turn the household topsy turvy.

Of exceptional intelligence, this native mount Saint Bernard knows how to observe and scrupulously assess the various situations he might come across. 

Its capacity to observe and adapt are traits that make this a particularly intelligent dog. 

Its intelligence is actually what allows him to assess the danger someone might find themselves in, and rescue them without hesitation.

This big dog shows no interest for hunting.

Extremely protective of its own, the Saint Bernard is very cautious towards strangers and those who enter their home turf. It requires time to assess any given situation and to give their trust.

The Bernhardiner, as it has also come to be known, is a well-balanced dog that is neither too clingy nor distant towards its master.

This dog is not made for being alone for hours on end. It will suffer the absence of its masters, especially if it is recurring and if it hasn’t been gradually conditioned to handle loneliness well.

The large constitution of this mountain molossian requires an early-onset, firm education, upon its arrival within the family. 

The Saint Bernard puppy must rapidly absord the rules and limitations of life at home. If those basic principles are not integrated as soon as possible, this big dog could quickly become a burden on account of its size. 

You can also forget about lagging behind this dog on walks- teaching it to walk on a leash, without pulling, will have to be initiated early on, in a positive and consistent manner.

It is very important to work on the leash walking because, weighing up to 200 pounds, the St. Bernard can quickly overpower its master, which could potentially be dangerous. 

At times, this big dog can be stubborn, even boar-headed, but a firm and coherent training, fair and respectful of the principles of positive training, will give way to a beautiful master-dog relationship and easy cooperation. 

Socialisation will also have to be a part of the young dog’s training. Over the course of its first months, it will have to be made familiar with various, more or less stimulating environments, and make various positive, congeneric and inter-specific encounters.

Barking is this dog’s effective way of deterring anyone from encroaching on its territory if they are not welcome.

Too much of a loyal guardian to its masters, the ‘Langhaariger Saint Bernardshund’ (its name of origin) does not run away and does not distance itself from its familiar/habitual environment unless it is accompanied by one of the members of its group.

This dog grows docile with age, but it is true that the Saint Bernard pup can prove to be somewhat destructive, especially if it is left alone all day in a confined space, for example.

This dog eats huge amounts, proportionately to its large constitution, that’s a fact. And it doesn’t stop at that- this is indeed a big gourmand who could use and abuse the generosity (and sometimes naivety) of its masters to beg all sorts of treats out of them.

In spite of its gentle nature, the Saint Bernard is a good guardian on account of its significant territorial instinct. Still, it doesn’t know the meaning of the word “aggressivity”, unless it finds that its master or possessions have come under threat. 

Because of its large size, this mountain type molossian dissuades intruders by its rather imposing presence. Don’t be fooled by the teddy-bear aspect as it can transition to attack mode if he considers it necessary.

Obviously, given its bulk, the Saint Bernard needs a lot of space in order to develop harmoniously, and thus needs a garden at the very least (even if it loves living inside, at its master’s feet).

It is not made for flat life and its guardian instinct could prove difficult in the shared space of an apartment building. 

Its gentle personality could come to adapt to city life, but its physical constitution remains unsuited for it. 

In addition to this, even with a garden, this big molossian will require daily outdoor walks to strengthen its socialisation, stimulate its sense of smell and expend its energy.

The St Bernard is not the most sporty of its category but he nevertheless does require long walks to keep its physical and mental health in check. 

Intense physical workouts, such as agility training for example, are not recommended for this large-bodied dog though. Its growth is fast and fragile, which means that it shouldn’t be overly stimulated until it reaches 18 months at the very least. 

Traction sports could appeal to it but you must wait until it is fully grown.

This giant dog loves spending time with its masters and discovering new environments by their side, however, its large size does not allow it to follow his closes ones everywhere. 

In public transportation, its size can be a nuisance to other travellers and in a car, the trunk would have to be big enough to accommodate this colossus in decent conditions. 

Again- these are important factors to consider before adopting a dog of such a large size.

The St Bernard can tolerate the presence of cats in its habitat if it has been accustomed to them since a young age.

This dog is naturally sociable but if it is not exposed to a quality socialisation from his first months, it can prove to be somewhat savage when it comes in contact with its congenerates. 

If it has been exposed to a quality socialisation, this dog will be a very pleasant playmate, even if a little rough at times. You will have to choose the dogs it plays with carefully, as they will have to be able to handle the significant mass of this molossian.

Being very docile, this dog poses absolutely no threat to children. It is actually considered to be the ideal babysitter, among the very best of the canine world. 

Having said that, and in spite of its great qualities, it still remains a dog! Some rules of conduct will have to be implemented for the St Bernard to be respected and for the children to be able to communicate with it, and to let it be when necessary.

The strength and large size of this dog are incompatible with a sedentary life at the side of potentially fragile people.

Neophyte masters can adopt a Saint Bernard but must be conscious of the significant time investment that they will have to be ready to make to mold this giant into a pleasant companion to everyday life. 

This dog is not recommended to people who tend to be too permissive our lax in terms of training. You have to be aware of its capacities but also of its limitations because with a dog such as this one, weighing up to a possible 200 pounds, misconduct cannot be tolerated.