Maria Allen
Saint Bernard is a large breed of dog. She is known for her brown and white coat color. The male dogs are between 70 and 90 centimeters tall and can weigh 75 to 85 kilograms. The females are slightly smaller and lighter.
Despite being so large, Saint Bernard is a friendly, calm dog. But to be happy, he needs a lot of exercises. You also have to do something with him. Therefore, he mostly lives in the countryside where he can live on the farm and has plenty of space.
Saint Bernards hail from Switzerland and are the national dog of that country. They got their name from a monastery on the Großer Sankt Bernhard, a pass in the Alps. They are known to have previously saved people in the mountains from dying in an avalanche. An avalanche occurs when a lot of snow begins to slide. People can suffocate and freeze to death in it.
Rescue dogs are still often used today. But they are not St. Bernards, but other breeds. They are not only sent into avalanches but also into collapsed houses. That’s why smaller dogs have an advantage. There is no substitute for your sensitive nose. Today, however, there are also technical devices that can be used for search work. Dogs and technology complement each other well.
What stories are there about Saint Bernards?
When they were deployed, the dogs allegedly wore a small barrel around their necks containing alcohol for the rescued people. But the story with the barrel is probably just made up. Such a barrel would rather hinder the dog. In addition, hypothermic people should not drink alcohol at all.
A St. Bernard named Barry became well-known as an avalanche dog. About 200 years ago he lived with the monks on the Great St. Bernard and is said to have saved 40 people from death. Another well-known St. Bernard appears in the film A Dog Named Beethoven.