Gentle Giant: Saint Bernard was once a hospice dog but is now a giant companion
Photo by Pipistrula Foter.com CC BY NC SA |
The gentle and quiet Saint Bernard may not have had an
official name until the 1880s, but it's now one of the most popular giant dog
breeds. The Saint's droopy face has drooled its way into the hearts of pet owners worldwide.
Saint Bernard is the dog definition of a gentle giant.
On average this decedent of the Mastiff weighs 110 pounds- but both males and
females have been known to weigh in at 200 pounds. Hazel's mother, a purebred Saint Bernard names Noisette, which means Hazelnut in French weighed around 150lbs. This gigantic pet belongs to
the working group of dogs and like its Bernese Mountain Dog neighbor, it was used for draft work in the past. Saint Bernard is most known for
its work as a search and rescue dog. It has a sacred past- which is how the
breed finally got its official name in 1880.