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| 1. Where is the best place to buy a Saint Bernard puppy? I'm not planning to show my dog,so why spend the extra money to go to a breeder of show dogs? What kind of health guarantee should I expect? Should I ask to see the parents? |
As with any major purchase, it's your responsibility to be a wise consumer. A puppy is not only an investment in money, but in time and emotion. You want to make a wise choice. Most "show breeders" will continue to help you after you take your puppy home, they will answer your questions and assist you in raising your pup. They are interested in continuing to improve the breed and to offer quality pets to the public. Be sure the breeder is knowledgeable about the breed and his or her dogs, and willing to answer your questions. A breeder’s affiliation with a breed club is not a guarantee that the breeder is reputable, but it is a good indication that that person is devoting time and effort to the breed. A breeder should guarantee the health of his puppies subject to a veterinarian's exam within two or three days of purchase, and a more extensive health guarantee should cover genetic defects that may appear as the dog matures. By all means, ask to see the parents. Realize that most reputable breeders do not own both sire and dam, and frequently the puppy's dad is hundreds of miles away. Personality traits as well as appearance pass from parents to offspring. Ask about any health problems in the parents and grandparents. Observe for yourself!! |
| 2. Why do they cost so much? | The cost of producing a litter of Saint Bernards is quite high. In breeding a Saint Bernard, a reputable breeder has a considerable investment: in the initial purchase price of the dog, a large investment in her show career, a sizable cost for health screening (hip and elbow x-rays, thyroid testing) the cost of seeking a suitable stud dog (phone bills, travel to see the dog), shipping the bitch to the stud’s place of residence to be bred, the stud fee (more phone bills), veterinary bills involved in the breeding (brucellosis testing and, quite often, ovulation timing testing), veterinary bills incurred during the pregnancy (ultrasounds, x-rays), extra food and vitamins, veterinary bills incurred during whelping (possible C-section), care and special food for the bitch after whelping and during raising of the pups, worming and vaccination of puppies, puppy food and other incidentals. Being sure you get a healthy dog is a large and expensive responsibility for the breeder. And by the way: That responsibility becomes your responsibility—for the cost of purchase is only the beginning. |
| 3. Should I get two puppies to keep each other company, since we all work or go to school and nobody is home during the day? | No. Two puppies will bond to each other and not to their owners, particularly if left alone a lot. This means they may be difficult to train. The solution is to crate train your puppy, and have him/her spend the day there. Puppies sleep a lot, and the puppy will adjust to the family routine with plenty of attention and exercise morning and evening. It is helpful to have someone come midday to walk your puppy and play with him for a period, then crate him again. This breaks up the monotony and helps with housebreaking, since it’s so difficult for a very young puppy to go all day without relieving himself. Do consider your lifestyle carefully before getting any dog—it just may not be fair to your or the dog to bring a puppy into your life at this particular time. Wait until your schedule is more conducive to raising and training a puppy. |
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4. Should we get a new puppy for the kids since we are expecting a new baby? |
No. A puppy IS a new baby. And the adults in the household need to be able to spend time and attention helping kids get in the routine of caring for the puppy. No matter how happy everyone is about a new baby, there will inevitably be more stress in the household for a few months. This few months is the time a puppy gets the socialization that will make it a good family member the rest of its life, so you owe it a lot of responsible attention the first few months. |
| 5. How can I be sure my dog won’t have genetic problems like hip dysplasia or eye problems? | You can’t. These problems occur in many dog breeds, no matter how carefully the breedings are controlled, in much the same way that people have health problems that cannot be made to go away. The best way to lower the likelihood of this is not to buy from a pet shop, nor from a person who has produced only one or two litters. Educate yourself first on the breed, and call and visit, if possible, several breeders you can find through your local breed club and other Internet sources. Talk to them about health problems, and about how they deal with these problems in their own breeding. People who are members of local and national dog clubs have more incentive to produce healthy animals, since they keep dogs from their own breeding, and sell dogs to be shown and used in performance events. So we try harder to prevent genetic defects in our dogs than a person who simply breeds the dogs to make money. |
| 6. What is the difference between a show prospect and any other puppy? | Dogs shown in conformation are competing on many fine points of appearance that, though necessary in breeding stock to keep the dog looking like a St. Bernard, may NOT necessarily be present in all Saints. A healthy, well-bred litter typically produces a small proportion of puppies that will be competitive in conformation shows, but since these pups are considered to be the best prospects for breeding, they will be kept by the breeder or sold to persons seriously interested in breeding and thus showing. The other puppies will be equally healthy, pretty and well bred, but may have faults that would prevent them from being bred but not from living a long healthy life and competing in obedience and performance events. |
| 7. How much can I expect to pay per year for care of my Saint Bernard? | The first year of owning any dog can be expensive. You'll need fencing, a crate, leashes and collar, bowls and toys, lots of food, shots and obedience school. The next year is generally much less expensive. You still have the vet bills and of course food and toys, but much less all the same. Costs vary depending on your geographic location, and even the veterinarians in your area may have different rates (do be sure not to select your vet merely on the basis of cost—be sure you trust him or her totally with your dog’s care). |
| 8. What kind of food should I feed my puppy? How much? | Saint puppies should be fed a high quality adult maintenance food with a maximum protein level of 26% with a fat content of approximately 12%. Growth should stay consistent and the puppy should be lean. This means you should be able to feel his ribs (not prominently, but very easily under a thin layer of skin). Fat puppies may be cute, but you will be creating health problems in your dog’s future if you keep her overweight. |
| 9. How much exercise does a Saint Bernard puppy need? | Puppies should be allowed to self-limit their exercise. On his own, a puppy will usually sleep and exercise the right amount for him. Long walks and excessive amounts of imposed exercise put too much stress on developing joints and muscles and therefore are not advisable. |
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10. When should I start to train my Saint puppy?
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As soon as you get your puppy you should start to teach her what you need to make her a good pet. Dogs are always learning—it’s best to teach them what you want, rather than what happens in the environment. Find a good puppy kindergarten and enroll your pup as soon as she has sufficient vaccinations to keep her safe. Get her out and exposed to many different people and places, get her used to travel in the car, accustomed to walking quietly on the leash. Don’t stop her education after puppy class-continue both the classes and the exposure to the public for the life of the dog. More dogs are taken to the shelters because of lack of socialization than for any other reason. Don’t let this happen to your dog. |
| 11. Is it OK to keep my Saint in the house? | A Saint deserves a place in our heart and in our home. At the same time, it is very important to provide the right environment for the dog to exercise and to just be a dog. What works for you is what is best for your dog. If you want your dog to live in your house, then by all means do so. However, be sure he gets adequate exercise, outdoors, on a good supportive surface on a regular basis. Lots of interactive games with you and your dog with a ball or other toy will give the dog the exercise he needs; it also will help build your relationship with the dog. If the dog must spend a great deal of time outdoors, be sure that much of that time is spent with you. There is no point in getting a dog if it will be confined to its own quarters, away from human companionship. Saints love to be with their people. And their company is too wonderful to relegate to an isolated area away from you. |
| 12. How much does a full-grown Saint weigh? | A male Saint Bernard can weigh anywhere between l40 and l80 lbs. and a female between 120 and l40. |
| 13. Do Saint Bernards really slobber? Shed? | Oh my, yes! This is not a breed for finicky people. Slobber is as much a part of the breed as their gorgeous, big heads and sweet personalities. Just part of the territory. It is necessary to their digestive process that they have saliva; and because of the structure of their jowls and lips, some of it has to come out in our direction. It’s a fact of life with a Saint, as is the profusion of hair. In the house, a Saint will shed most of the year, with heavier periods during the late winter and summer, and they require a lot of grooming to keep this under control. The short-haired dogs are easier to care for and keep looking neat, but they shed just as much as the long-haired dogs and need regular grooming to keep their coats and skin healthy. |
| 14 - Do Saints need a lot of grooming? | Yes, but not so much as, say, an Old English Sheepdog or many terriers. They have massive bodies and thus lots of hair, so just the territory to be brushed is huge. A short-haired Saint can do with a good going over with a brush once a week, along with a nail clip and tooth-brushing. Ears should be cleaned out at the same time. A long-haired Saint Bernard requires more care; twice a week works pretty well for them. Brushing your dog is a wonderful pastime to engage in while watching TV—and makes good use of that otherwise usually nonproductive time. |
| 15 - How much do they eat? | Most adult Saints will eat approximately 40-50 pounds of quality dry food a month. Growing puppies eat proportionately more, since so much energy goes into growth. Older dogs usually eat less, because of their decreased activity. An effort should be made to keep Saints of all ages in good weight, lean and well muscled. This is an individual thing, since all dogs like all people have individual metabolic rates. |
| 16 - Are Saint Bernards easy to train? | They are extremely intelligent dogs and easy to train. They are easiest to train as young puppies, when their weight isn’t an added factor against you the trainer. This is a breed that was developed to work alone (without humans in attendance) and so has a well-developed sense of independence. Thus, it’s a good idea to learn early what motivates your particular dog and to develop those motivators so you can use them for his entire life. "Sweet firmness" is the keynote to success. It truly is difficult—and generally useless--to use bullying methods with these huge dogs, so get started early, make good friends, and you will have a willing companion for life. |
| 17 - Do they make good guard dogs? | No. And you don’t want to train your Saint to be a guard dog. Most Saints will either sleep through a burglar's break-in (though they may trip an unsuspecting burglar when he comes through a doorway), or will show the burglars to the best silver. However, most people who mean you harm do not realize the true nature of your dog, and would rather not take the chance of meeting up with your dog under unpleasant circumstances. |
| 18 - Are they good with children? | In history and legend it is hard to picture a Saint without a small child holding on to his massive neck--and with good reason. They are wonderful with children. But children need to be taught respect for the dog’s size and the Saint occasionally needs reminding as well. And you must remember—no dog should ever be left alone with small children! |
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19. What is the difference between longhaired and Shorthaired Saints? What is meant by rough coat and smooth coat? |
Saint Bernards have two distinct coat lengths. The long hair has heavy feathering on stomach, legs, and ears, and a bushy tail. The short hair also has a dense heavy coat, but no long feathery coat. Both coat types shed a lot, because Saints have a heavy fuzzy undercoat that they shed a couple of times a year. Both coat lengths may come from the same litter, depending on the coats of the parents. Longhairs require more grooming, because they can easily develop mats in their coat if not cared for properly. |
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20. Why do some Saints have black markings on their faces and some have more white? Which is correct? |
The standard for Saint Bernards calls the black mask "preferred" and the white noseband strongly desired. However, any color is acceptable, and is less important than proper structure in evaluating the dog. Dogs with much white on their heads may not be preferred for breeding, however, because the lack of color tends to be dominant, and ensuing generations may lose the preferred dark markings if parents lack head color. |
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