my best friend

These good-natured giants are world renowned for their long history of life-saving. They are named for the Hospice du Saint Bernard in Switzerland, where monks originated the breed in the 1600's. Strong and long-legged, they are well suited to the cold and snowy conditions as well as helping with the work in places where horses rarely go. It is not uncommon in some places to see them in a harness pulling a child's sled or a small load of fire-wood. Their main claim to fame is due to their rescue work, but they are also excellent watchdogs and good family dogs - if your children are old enough to avoid getting pushed over by these friendly giants. A small adult will stand roughly 27 inches tall at the shoulder but can grow larger. There are two varieties of the breed, as the monks who bred the dog tried to add size and improve the dog's coat by crossing the breed with the Newfoundland Dog - this resulted in a long-haired St. Bernard. It was found that the long coated dogs were not as suitable for rescue work, so the longcoats were given away by the monks as gifts.

Colors are white with red or red with white. White markings on the chest, feet, tip of tail, head and neck are essential for show dogs. Both the regular Saint Bernard and the long-coat version require lots of space and lots of exercise. (Indoors and outdoors.) The coat needs brushing at least three times a week and the famous warm, soulful eyes need to be regularly checked and cleaned. This article was taken http://www.dogpage.us/saintbernards.htm