Saint Bernese Dog Breed

The Saint Bernese is a hybrid dog whose purebred parents are categorized by the AKC as Working Group Dogs and which are known worldwide as Mountain Dogs. Like their parents, they can be working dogs. They are more often than not adopted as companion dogs. These hybrids are good for first-time families, households with kids, and very big homes. They don't do well in apartments, small houses or homes without yards. These dogs need a lot of room to run about in order to make their somewhat unavoidably short life span as healthy and enjoyable as possible.

If you are serious about adopting a St. Bernese, you should be aware of these traits:

PROS

• Very smart
• Good watchdog
• Easy to train
• Great playmate
• Extremely friendly
• Fine with other pets
• Plays well with children
• Perfect for active families
• Can be a remarkable work dog
• Perfect for farms and ranches
• High tolerance to very cold weather

CONS

• Drools a lot
• Can be stubborn
• Not hypoallergenic
• Sheds a great amount
• Not a good guard dog
• Needs a large outdoor space
• Many serious health concerns
• Can have a very short life span
• Must be exercised at length and daily
• Size requires supervision around toddlers and very small children

These huge and lovable hybrid dogs are one of the more predictable ones, as their purebred parents are somewhat similar. You should be able to find ample St. Bernese Mountain Dog info, and researching the two parent breeds will help a lot too. It is typical that even within a single litter, the puppies may look and act differently because of what each one may inherit.

While there are many differences in the two parent dogs' appearances, they are both very intelligent breeds — and that means your Saint Bernese will be as smart. Your dog should be able to learn a lot of words and the associated commands. They will also be stubborn, however, so you should learn to live with their getting what they want at times.

These dogs love activity, kids and play time. They are also very devoted, desirous of a master and need to have a regular task. If you live on a farm or a ranch, the St. Bernese can be the perfect dog for working alongside you as well as alone when needed.

One look will tell you that these dogs are strong. They need a lot of exercise to remain healthy and happy. While they are relatively calm at times, they are active dogs that need room to roam as well as long daily walks. The St. Bernese doesn't fare well with the couch-potato lifestyle.

Unlike most crossbred dogs, the St. Bernese tends to inherit many of its parent breeds' health problems as well as may develop the typical problems that all giant dogs deal with. When adopting one of these dogs, you are best advised to get all the health certifications and vet papers possible. You should also get the dog tested when they come of age for other tests. (Some health tests require the dog to be at least two years old.) Meeting the puppy's parents as well as observing the littermates helps a fair amount too.

Some issues can be mitigated or prevented with proper exercise, playtime, and diet supervision, but others may be unavoidable. The problems that a St. Bernese may encounter are:

• Bloat
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Allergies
• Eye problems
• Hip dysplasia
• Thyroid issues
• Spinal disorders
• Joint complications
• Walking difficulties
• Von Willebrand's Disease

The St. Bernese has a significantly shorter average life span than the typical giant breed or hybrid dog, and it is not unusual for them to live as short as 6 years and usually no more than ten.