At the Great St Bernard Pass, 2469 metres above sea level, monks kept large mountain dogs from the mid-17th century. According to the FCI standard, these dogs rescued travellers lost in snow and fog, and the legendary Barry became the archetypal rescue dog. Today, the St Bernard is above all a very large, very friendly family companion.
| FCI | Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain Dogs), Section 2.2 Molossoid, Mountain type, Standard No. 61, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Switzerland |
| Size (height at the withers) | males 70 to 90 cm, females 65 to 80 cm; larger dogs are not penalised if harmoniously built |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | median 9.3 years in a UK analysis of 584,734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | two varieties: short-haired double coat with dense, harsh outer hair, and long-haired with moderately long outer hair; both with abundant undercoat |
| Colours in the standard | white with red patches through to a continuous red mantle, also a broken mantle; brindled reddish brown permitted, brownish yellow tolerated; white markings on chest, feet, tail tip, muzzle band, blaze and neck |
Origins
Monks founded the hospice on the pass in the 11th century. The standard dates images of the dogs to 1695 and a written record to 1707. Their direct ancestors were large local farm dogs. In 1884, a St Bernard named Léon became the first entry in the Swiss Dog Studbook, and the breed was officially recognised in 1887. It has since been regarded as Switzerland’s national dog.
Temperament
Friendly in nature, calm to lively in temperament and watchful: the standard keeps it brief. In daily life, this is an easy-going companion who does not always appreciate their size. Lead manners and basic obedience should be established before maturity, because sheer strength will not hold an adult back.
Exercise and activity
Longer, leisurely walks are preferable to sprints and fetch games. Schedule summer walks in the cooler hours. Calm activities such as searching games suit the breed better than sports involving many jumps.
Grooming
Both varieties have abundant undercoat and shed accordingly. Brush several times weekly, daily during shedding. Check eyes regularly: the standard requires natural, firm eyelid closure and excludes outward- or inward-rolling lids (ectropion and entropion).
Health
Your time together is shorter than with many other dogs. McMillan and colleagues’ UK analysis found a median of 9.3 years and mortality risk 1.7 times that of crossbreeds. Bone tumours are a concern worth knowing: in a Swedish insurance study of around 400,000 dogs, St Bernards had the second-highest rate after Irish Wolfhounds, at 78 cases per 10,000 dog-years (Egenvall et al. 2007). Lameness that does not improve within a few days therefore needs veterinary attention. Ask breeders for the parents’ hip and elbow X-ray results.
Who is a St Bernard right for?
Calm families with space, a garden and a large car, time for grooming and a giant-sized budget: food, veterinary care and equipment all cost more.
Who should look elsewhere?
People in third-floor flats without lifts, anyone bothered by dog hair and those seeking an athletic jogging partner.
Our breed quiz shows whether a dog of this size fits your routine; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) explores it more thoroughly. For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. If your St Bernard already lives with you, our dog portraits offer a place on the wall, perhaps as a magazine-cover canvas or a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Bernese Mountain Dog: why time together is so short
- Older dog, new rules: how to give your senior their best years
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 61 St. Bernhardshund (Bernhardiner) (fci.be, version dated 03.06.2016); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Egenvall A et al., Bone tumors in a population of 400 000 insured Swedish dogs up to 10 y of age: incidence and survival, Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 2007.
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