Answer: No! This is not a hypoallergenic breed as it is known to produce a fair amount of dander and shed its fur in very large amounts on a seasonal basis.
Answer: Yes! Saint Bernard is one of the best large-sized breeds to be around kids. These Giant canines are considered to be very suitable for a young child as they have a caring and gentle personality and are known to stay calm and tender whenever they are close to a small kid.
Answer: Yes! St. Bernards are very friendly and affectionate with other canines. They always remain warm and cordial with other pooches and they are always ready to meet new dogs and make them their friend. A St. Bernard’s social skills are awesome when it comes to getting to know other pooches.
Answer: Yes! Whether it is a dog or a cat, it is almost a certainty that the St. Bernard will be immensely kind and affectionate towards it. These massive canines always treat everyone with utmost respect and tenderness and thus are rightly called as the Gentle Giants of the canine world.
Answer: Although St. Bernards are very calm and friendly canines and are not known to show any kind of aggression towards anyone, they can act as decent guard dogs due to their massive size. Their stature and looks have the ability to intimidate the potential intruders and trespassers and thus these canines are considered to be pretty great guard dogs. But it is better to describe them as awesome watchdogs instead of good guard dogs, as these canines can effectively alert their owners in case of a possible threat or danger.
Answer: Yes, but only if they remain well-exercised and contented. Despite having such a large size, St. Bernards still adapt to the apartment lifestyle fairly easily. These canines love to rest and relax inside their homes and they do not need a lot of outside time to remain satisfied and pleased. Because of their size, they might struggle a bit in very small spaces, but fulfilling their not-so-high exercising needs should definitely help in keeping these canines happy.
Answer: St. Bernards are mostly known as Seasonal Shedders. They shed their fur in very large quantities in the spring and fall seasons and during this period regular brushing of the coat is highly crucial for these canines. Apart from it, these canines only shed their fur in a limited fashion.
Answer: Although St. Bernards are highly cordial and affable canines and their exercising needs are also not that high, but they still are not considered to be a great option for the novice or first-time dog owners. It requires a fair amount of experience and skill to handle and properly raise such a massive breed and that is why they are not highly recommended to inexperienced and first-time canine owners.
Answer: No! These canines are known to bark only on rare occasions. They only vocalize to alert their owners when they are guarding their property and when they want something from their owners and loved ones. Apart from it, these canines like to remain calm and quiet for most of the time.
Answer: Their exercise needs are minimal. A long slow-paced walk on a daily basis is the best way to go if you want to keep your St. Bernard contented and cheerful. A small amount of playtime is also necessary to keep these canines both physically and mentally healthy.
Answer: Saint Bernards are not the kind of canines that can stay alone for a very long time as they do require the attention of their loved ones and can suffer from separation anxiety if no one is around them for a very long time. But, if you want your Bernard to live alone for a few hours without getting frustrated, then the best way is to take him on a long walk and then leave him inside the house. Because of the long stroll, the tired St. Bernard would want to relax for a while and it will most probably happily rest and sleep for a few hours. But, leaving him all alone for very long periods on a regular basis can have adverse effects on both his mental and physical state.
Answer: Training a Saint Bernard should not be very hard for an experienced dog owner as these canines are very compliant and attentive during the training sessions and are known to listen to their owners’ commands fairly sincerely. But it is important to start their obedience training from an early age as these canines can develop a few bad habits like pulling the leash and jumping on people (affectionately) if their training program is started after they have already matured.
Answer: These canines have moderate grooming requirements. They come in two different varieties: long-haired and short-haired, but both the variants require almost the same amount of grooming to remain neat and tidy. Their coats should be brushed at least once or twice every week so as to avoid mat formation. Occasional baths will help in keeping them dirt-free and clean. Their nail should be trimmed regularly and their ears and eyes must be cleaned whenever it is necessary or at least once every week.
Answer: Poor! A Saint Bernard’s tolerance to heat and high temperature is pretty bad and due to this they are not highly recommended to the people who reside in very hot and humid places. But, if they still want to own and raise this giant canine, then it is very important to keep these pooches comfortable and away from the excessive heat of the sun and possibly inside the house during the daytime in the summer months. Their exercise sessions should also be canceled during the hotter months and during that period, they only should be taken to short walks and that too in the evenings or when the weather outside the house is pleasant. These canines are not meant to live in very hot places and thus extra care and attention from their owners are required if they are kept in such places.
Answer: Excellent! These canines were bred under harsh and cold climatic conditions and that is why they have a natural tendency to stay comfortable in cold and low-temperature areas. These canines are great for someone who resides in a snowy and wintry place.
Answer: Yes! These canines are quite smart and they can learn various commands and tricks from their owners when trained properly. Their ability to think and make appropriate decisions is also fairly good.
Answer: If Saint Bernards are properly trained and well-socialized with a lot of different people at a young age, then they are always very kind and friendly with strangers. They nicely greet the visitors that come to their house and are known to happily meet new people without any reservations.
Answer: Yes! These canines do salivate a lot. They mostly drool before and after having their meals and you should always clean their mouth after they have eaten their food. Many people are surprised by the extremely high drooling potential of these canines but if you are looking to raise this pooch, then you should always be prepared for its excessive slobbering.
Answer: Saint Bernards can be moderately expensive for some people. The cost to bring them home and then properly maintain them is surely not very low and easy on the pockets of many people. Their maintenance needs are also fairly high as they do require a good amount of high-quality feeding material to remain healthy, a moderate amount of exercise and grooming to remain fit and tidy, and a decent amount of training to become more sociable. A good, experienced and knowledgeable owner is required to properly raise a Saint Bernard and thus, this breed is not meant for everyone.
Answer: Although, their numbers and availability in India are gradually rising and becoming more and more stronger, St. Bernards are not extremely easily available in the country when compared to some other popular breeds out there. Their numbers are good in several high-profile areas like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore et cetera, but when it comes to smaller areas of the country, the availability of this breed is still not very high.
Answer: The average price of a Saint Bernard puppy in India is around ₹25,000 to ₹35,000. But there are a lot of factors that affect their price in the country and because of that, the cost of bringing a Saint Bernard puppy home can go fairly high.
Answer: This mostly depends on personal preference. Some St. Bernards like to take a dip in the pool, while others are not so keen on the water. Hence, if your St. Bernard is comfortable around a water body, then definitely take him swimming, but if he is struggling to get in the water, then swimming might not be a very good idea for your pooch.
Answer: Saint Bernards can have a lot of different colors and patterns which are as follows:
Answer: Saint Bernards have a pretty average lifespan of about 8-10 years. If taken care properly, these canines can live a bit longer, but due to their massive size, they are prone to several health-related problems which makes their lifespan not-so-great.
Answer: The most common health concerns for Saint Bernards are gastric torsion (bloat), hip and elbow dysplasia, entropion and ectropion, epilepsy and seizures, dilated cardiomyopathy and Osteosarcoma (bone cancer).