Saint Bernard

    Description:
    If you do not already know this about Saint Bernard's, well… they are very big dogs, however their bodies are well balanced and muscular, the spectacular thing about them is their heads though, which is impressively big and powerful looking. The skull of this dog is massive and wide, with noticeable wrinkles (but not exaggeratedly); the muzzle of this dog is short and does not narrow; the nose is wide with well marked angles and is black; the ears are highly inserted on its head, are lightweight and have a triangular shape, the extremities of the ears are rounded and the auditory canal is very developed; this dog has medium sized eyes which are inserted more towards the front of the dogs head rather than to the sides. Its eyes are somewhat deep, should have a dark brown color to them and a kind expression. The neck of this dog is highly inserted and is very strong and in this case it should have a pronounced jowl but not exaggeratedly. The chest should be moderately long and the ribs should be well chiseled. The back of this dog is very wide, strong and firm (if the dogs back is sunken inwards or is too long it is a very serious defect); the legs should be well developed and muscular, the hind legs should be moderately angled and they should not be straight; the ankles should be strong; front legs straight and the elbows should not stick out. The tail of this dog is wide, very heavy and long, the last caudal vertebrate should reach down at least to the level of the hocks and it should never stick upwards or be curled over the dog's back. The coat of this dog can either be long or short. The height of a male is between seventy to ninety centimeters; the female's height is around sixty-five to eighty six centimeters. The color of this dog is white with reddish brown spots and some have carbon color on their heads, which is a very desired look.

    Ideal owner:
    A giant Saint, the Saint Bernard is an absolute blessing if it is in the right owners hands. This is a dog that adores family life and is very happy in the company of children. Hard weather is not something that this dog cares much about, nor does it fuss about having to be outside most of the time, and at the same time it is very obedient and trustworthy inside the house. Although it is a very clean animal, it drools a lot, so don't say we didn't tell you. This dog is not normally very extroverted, it seems to be a slow and profound thinker. The Saint Bernard is a very balanced animal, an excellent guardian, and has a splendid character.

    Growth:
    The size of the liter of this breed is usually pretty big, although sometimes they can be quite small. The size of the puppies is usually a little less than one kilogram. Saint Bernard's grow at a notable rhythm, especially during the first year of life, where it can gain up to twelve and a half kilograms a month. The growth of this dog can be irregular, and this might give the dog an awkward out of proportion look. Anyone that is interested in getting this dog must first find out everything they can about this breed and must collaborate with the veterinarian during the first year of the dog's life. It has been proven that it is better to feed this dog a high quality diet in smaller portions. If a puppy is allowed to eat as it pleases, or is fed a lower quality food, it often has growth complications; the same is true if it is given an excess of supplements. The best type of system for a balanced and appropriate growth is how it was bred in first place. It is recommended to search this dog out patiently and insist on seeing health certificates that prove that this dog is free of hereditary problems. The character of this dog rarely brings about problems but it is enough with saying that you do not want this one hundred kilogram dog to have behavior problems, this dog must get well trained in order to turn into a brave, devoted and gentle companion.

    General health:
    Saint Bernard's are a giant breed that grows very rapidly and this makes them prone to a great variety of bone problems. Hip dysphasia is a very serious problem and it is very important the future owner gets one whose lineage is free of this disease. Pituitary abnormalities are frequent in part due to the fact that it is an acromegalic breed; this tends to bring about bone growth problems, excess of skin and diabetes mellitus. Bloat and cancer (especially of the bones, bone cancer) are frequent in the breed as well. Entropion and ectropion are minor problems in the breed. Hemophilia B and epilepsy are not frequent, but they do occur.

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