St. Bernard (dog breed)

This article is about a dog breed. For the saint commonly referred to as st. Bernard, see Bernard of Clairvaux.

St. Bernard
Saint Bernard, male, longhaired, 14 months old
Other namesSaint Bernhardog
St. Bernhardshund
Bernhardiner
Alpine Spaniel
Common nicknamesSaint
Origin
Traits
Height Males 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in)[1]
Females 65 to 80 cm (26 to 31 in)[1]
Weight Males 64 to 82 kg (140 to 180 lb)[2]
Females 54 to 64 kg (120 to 140 lb)[2]
Life span 10 years
Kennel club standards
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The St. Bernard or Saint Bernard (UK: /ˈbɜːrnərd/, US: /bərˈnɑːrd/) is a breed of very large working dog from the Western Alps in Italy and Switzerland.[3] They were originally bred for rescue work by the hospice of the Great St Bernard Pass on the Italian-Swiss border.[4][5] The hospice, built by and named after the Alpine monk Saint Bernard of Menthon, acquired its first dogs between 1660 and 1670.[4] The breed has become famous through tales of Alpine rescues, as well as for its large size and gentle temperament.

  1. ^ a b c [1], Fédération Cynologique Internationale: Saint Bernard Breed Standard. Retrieve 9 August 2016
  2. ^ a b AKC breed standard
  3. ^ "A brief history of the St Bernard rescue dog". Smithsonian. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Saintly Bernards Rescue - History". members.petfinder.com.
  5. ^ "The St Bernard: the making of an Alpine legend". House of Switzerland. 12 May 2017.