The Saint Bernard Dog Top Dog Facts About the SAINT BERNARD

The Saint Bernard is a breed of large working dogs. Descended from molosser type mountain dogs brought to the Swiss Alps by the ancient Romans, these dogs were originally used in hunting, to draw carts, and as guard dogs. In the late 1600s, some of these dogs arrived at the St. Bernard Hospice, a lodge for people traveling between Switzerland and Italy. The monks there found that these dogs had a natural gift for search and rescue. Used in these parts with little influence from any outside breeds for many years, a series of severe winters, disease and inbreeding brought down their numbers drastically in the early 1800s. To preserve the breed, the remaining dogs were crossed with Newfoundlands between 1830 and 1850. These dogs first came to England around the same time, with the name St. Bernard becoming common by the late-1800s. The working dogs used at St. Bernard Hospice had been smaller dogs, but kennel clubs and dog shows emphasized appearance over working ability, and the larger dog that we know today as the St. Bernard was developed.