COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ???
I was told they die at a young age.
While it is generally true that the larger the
dog, the younger they die, most Saints live longer than people realise and,
like with humans, general health is a major contributing factor. As stated
elsewhere on this site, Saints used to live to 7 years of age but 9 or 10 is
more usual these days. 12 years is not uncommon, and a rare one has made it to 14
years of age.
What is the best age to neuter a Saint?
For both males and females 6 months is optimum.
While dogs that are neutered early can grow slightly larger, the best results
occur when each gender is desexed before they become sexually active.
I was told to let them have a litter before I
spey her.
There is no evidence to support that rationale.
It does not ‘settle the bitch down’ or effect her and there is always a risk
associated with pregnancy. Is the person who suggested this going to gain
financially if you mate your bitch?
I was told that if I neutered him before he is
fully grown, he would grow much taller.
You male will grow taller because the hormones
that stop the growth of the long bones will not be present. The difference is 1
or 2 cm and you will be avoiding the risk of your male siring unwanted puppies.
Males are much more settled if they are desexed prior to becoming hormonally
driven.
My vet said it is such a good specimen, I
should breed from them.
Unless your veterinarian has studied the breed
standard and is totally familiar with what makes a very good example of a St
Bernard – then they should not be making these sorts of comments. You must
remember that your veterinarian is in business and suggesting you should breed
your dog is potentially a financial bonus for them.
My dog is one and pushing us around.
Dogs go through the teenage stage just like any
other mammal. If you have let them away with too much up until now because it
was cute, you may have to teach them better manners by attending and seeking
instruction from a Canine Obedience Group. If you started off with your puppy
as you meant to go on, and they know basic obedience, then teaching them there
are limits, and curbing bad behaviour, will get them back on track. If you have
allowed your Saint on the bed or couch, and now they are challenging you for
them, you need to nip this in the bud quickly and remind them who is boss in a
loving, kind but firm and repetitive and consistent manner.
We need to find another home because we don’t
have the time to look after them.
Sadly our club has to rehome St Bernard’s for
various reasons and this is one of them. Maybe more thought should have gone
into the purchase of this puppy before you committed to it. Now consideration has
to be towards the fact that this is a living, loving animal who considers themselves
an important part of your family, even if you don’t see them that way. They
will be confused that you no longer want them. Use our Rescue Service rather
than passing your dog onto a ‘mate who has always wanted one.’ Our Rescue
Service is thorough in its checking process for suitable homes. It would be
disastrous for the Saint if it was shifted to multiple homes.
Yes we have a bitch and a dog but we will keep
them separate when she comes in season.
Unless you have impenetrable fences, dogs will
always find a way to get to a bitch in season. Often someone leaves a door or
gate open by mistake. The male is often waiting just for that kind of slip up.
If you are not intending to breed, spey or neuter your dog to prevent a
misalliance and a possible unintended pregnancy. Dogs have been known to break
through windows and doors to get to a bitch in full season. They are very
driven at this time. Putting one of them in
a Boarding Kennel at this time is recommended.
Is that a small St Bernard? Our neighbour had
one twice the size when I was a kid.
St Bernards have changed very little in size
over the decades. Occasionally you see one that is a bit smaller than usual,
but 95% would be within the same size range. What has changed is your
perspective from a child to adulthood. As a child everything appears so much
bigger and that steep hill you had to climb as a child, is more likely a gentle
rise now.
I want a dry mouth St Bernard.
Saints are known for their drool although over
the years the health of the mouth area has been addressed, particularly with
the introduction of USA
bloodlines. The pendulous flews that used to hold all the slobber are now a lot
smaller with a better conformation. They will drool when food is around, just
like most other breeds but most of them are no longer constantly saturated
around their mouths and under their lower jaw. A dry mouth does not exist, but
a healthier mouth does.
My vet told me my puppy needs its eyes operated
on.
At any time during the growth period, one part
of the anatomy can grow more than another. It is not uncommon to see a Saint
with what appears to be excessive wrinkling on the head as a teenager, or any
other time until they become full sized. The head of a Saint does not finish
growing until at least three years of age and an incredibly small percentage of
Saints would not have ‘grown into their skin’ by the time they are full sized.
Dogs that are operated on to ‘correct’ their eyes before they are adults, often
end up with a pronounced squinted look and problems can arise later from the
eyes being too tight.
Is my Saint too fat or too thin?
During their development
and adulthood, your dog should have a good covering over their ribs but you
should easily be able to feel the ribs. If their skin rolls when they walk,
chances are you have them too heavy. If the backbone is pronounced, feed them
more food.
What should we expect at different
stage of our Saints development and what is considered age appropriate?
8 weeks to 5 months old - Very
cute, always playful, sleeps a lot, starting to get ‘nippy’ towards the end of
this time.
5 months to 9 months – Very
playful, can be a bit destructive or naughty if not given enough entertainment
or attention. They will go through gangly stage as they grow. Towards the end
of this time they will be starting to assert themselves.
9 months – 18 months – The teenage
stage, growth up will slow down and more growth out will occur. In this period
you might be challenged and need to show your Saint the boundaries. Males will
become hormonally driven in this period and most bitches will come into season
or experience their first heat.
18 months – 3 years – Your Saint
becomes fully grown and if you have raised them correctly, what will emerge is
a beautiful well balanced, intelligent, loving and soulful dog.
3 years -7 years – Adulthood, enjoy
this magnificent breed.
7 years to ? – These are considered
the senior years and your Saint may slow down a bit and prefer their bed for a
bit longer.
When it
comes to the end of your Saints life, don’t abandon them at the vet or with a
stranger. They will need you to tell them how loved they have been and to hold
them for reassurance. They have never abandoned you in your time of need, do
not abandon them in theirs.
How much do they eat? No you don’t
have to own a butchers shop, but they will eat more than you think for the
first 18months and less than you think as an adult.
As an adult, a Saint will eat not
as much as most people imagine, but this varies from dog to dog as it does with
people. The maintenance diet for a Saint is 4-5 cups of a premium dog food such
as Royal Canin Giant Breed Adult, spread between two or three meals daily. Top
that up with your leftovers vegetables, eggs, plus a handful of larger biscuits
(Tux Energy) or some dog roll or chicken necks, beef heart etc, your pan
scrapings or vegetable water and that is a good maintenance diet for an adult,
depending on their level of exercise.
As a puppy, until 18 months at
least, the growing Saint needs a lot of food and nutrients to grow to 100 times
their birth weight. Feed a premium diet such as Royal Canin Puppy changing them
to Royal Canin Junior at about 9 months.
Refer to the feeding guide on the
food bag, and again top their diet up with healthy extras such as unsweetened
yoghurt, cottage cheese, eggs etc (refer to the article on feeding).
Do they like the
snow?
Most Saints LOVE to
play in the snow and despite being many generations from their Hospice
forebears, they are excited and instinctive in snow. They should, however not
be left outside, continually, in these conditions. Remember the snow dogs were
smooth coated and the snow was found to sit on a rough coat weighing a dog down
and potentially freezing them to death.
Do Smooth Coated Saints shed less than Rough Coated Saints?
Although you hear people say that smooth coated Saints shed less than their Rough Coated counterparts, both accepted coat types have the same number of hair follicles so therefore shed the same amount of both top coat, including guard hair, and undercoat.