Saint Bernard Dog

Saint Bernard Dog (St. Bernhardshund, Bernardiner) FCI-Standard No 61

Origin:
Switzerland

Date of Publication of the valid Original Standard:
March 24, 1993

Utilization:
Companion, watch and farm dog

At the height of the Great St. Bernard Pass, 2469 m (8100 ft.) above sea level, a hospice was founded by monks in the 11th century as a refuge for travellers and pilgrims. Large mountain dogs have been kept there for watch and protection since the middle of the 17th century. The existence of such dogs has been documented in paintings and drawings dating back to 1695 and in written official documents of the Hospice since 1707.
These dogs were soon in service as companion dogs for the monks, being especially deployed as rescue dogs for travelers lost in snow and fog. Numerous chronicles, published in many languages, as well as verbal reports by the soldiers of Napoleon who transited the Great Pass with him in 1800, tell of the many lives saved by these dogs in the face of "the White Death". The fame of the St. Bernard then known as the "Barry-dog", spread throughout Europe in the 19th century, and the legendary dog "Barry" became the epitome of the rescue.
The direct ancestors of the St. Bernard were the large farm dog which were widely spread across the region, within a few generations after the establishment of the ideal type, they were bred into the present day breed. Heinrich Schumacher, from Holligen near Berne, Switzerland, was the first to document and provide pedigrees for his dogs. In February 1884 the "Schweizerische Hundestammbuch" (SHSB), the Swiss Dog Stud Book, was opened. The very first entry was the St. Bernard "Léon", and the following 28 entries were also all St. Bernards. The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded in Basle on March 15th 1884. During the International Canine Congress of June 2nd 1887, the St. Bernard was officially recognized as a Swiss breed and the breed standard was declared as binding. Since that time the St. Bernard has been a Swiss national dog.

Historical drawings, scenes showing the St. Bernard Dog at work in the vicinity of the Hospice on St. Bernard Pass

The official standard for the Saint Bernard Dog may be downloaded at the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) web site . Go to «Standards and Nomenclature», then to group 2, section 3.