This is probably the last time the owners let their Bernie up the stairs. Listen to the laughter between the owners when they realize that the only way to get their St. Bernard down the steep stairs is to carry him down. The Saint Bernard’s name is Maniek, and weighs 160 pounds at this filming. Maniek is probably thinking, “No bloody way am I going down those stairs head first!” Smart! And this is exactly the trait of a St. Bernard.
It is estimated that 2000 lives have been saved during the 3 centuries that St. Bernards helped monks at the St. Bernard Pass (between Switzerland and Italy). The monks discovered that the highly developed sense of smell in Bernies help them locate travellers who were freezing and helpless. Thank YOU, St. Bernards!
Characteristics of a St. Bernard
Today it’s easier to use a helicopter for these rescues. So we welcome St. Bernards into our home as companion, playmate for our children and guardian, and as show dogs.
AKC suggests that before you decide to bring home one of these wonderful dogs, know that they drool, shed, and possibly outweigh you. Case in point–the dog in this video. If you like a very tidy home, and don’t want to constantly vacuum or get hair on your furniture, keep looking for another dog.
Train Saint Bernards when they are puppies
Even though he may look manageable in size when he comes home as a puppy, start training him immediately. Train him not to jump on people (because one day, he’s going to be eye-level with your visitors if he stands on his hind legs to greet them.) Train them to be cautious near the young children so he doesn’t knock them over accidentally.
Be careful of the puppies’ joints when they exercise
And as they get larger, they’ll figure out that it is easy to steal food off the dinner table. That’s why training them as a puppy is so important. Many local clubs offer kindergarten classes for puppies. Do not force a puppy to exercise until he’s full grown because that weight on joints that are not fully developed can cause injury. It’s best to have St. Bernards in the country or suburbs where they can have space to stretch out. You can read more about Bernies here.
Article source: AKC
