My first advice to anyone who say's they want a Saint Bernard is to tell them they are not a breed for everyone. First off, they are BIG ... VERY BIG. They are classified as a Giant Breed. A male St.. Bernard can be 30" at the shoulders and weigh over 180 lbs. The average height for a fe ... ok I'll use the word ... bitch  is 28" and 140 lbs.

They start out as cute little puppies, but quickly grow. They are larger than most other dogs by the age of 6 months. If they are not trained from an early age they quickly  become an unruly problem. On more than one occasion, well meaning people have told me that they had a Saint Bernard but had to get rid of it because it got to big. I have so far been able to restrain myself from choking them on the spot.

Besides being giants, they drool. There is no such thing as a dry mouth Saint Bernard. They all drool.  People ask me about " the drooling problem" ,I tell them it's a feature and part of the Saint Bernard fun. If you have any issues with drool then a Saint is not for you. They drool because of the structure of their lips and mouths.

They shed ... a lot, tumbles weeds of fur. Hardwood floors may begin to look like they are covered with plush carpet. You can brush a small dog off them, daily...for several weeks when they are blowing their coats.

The life-span of Giant Breed dogs can be relatively short. A Saint may live to be 11 or 12 but more likely will live between eight and ten years. You will out live your faithful friend.  You will experience grief.

They need exercise. Not as much as a lab or other hunting dogs, but they do need a good walk every day unless they have a large yard to romp in. There are also above average sanitary issues to deal with.

Well if I haven't sent you screaming from this web page, I will say that every good thing you've heard about a Saint is true. They are gentle giants. They are very serene, The are good with children. They are protective. They are smart, want to please and are pretty easily trained. They are very loyal and get very attached to their people. They love to have fun. They are not very demanding of attention and are content to just hang out with you. They respond very well, and gently to being " loved on" . They are big love dogs.

So what do you do? Get to know the breed. Go to Dog Shows, talk to breeders, handlers and people that own them. IF you decide that a saint is right for you, buy a puppy from a reputable breeder.  Learn about different breeders.  How long have they been showing.  How many litters a year do they have.  Beware of ones that are willing to sell you a puppy to quickly.  Ask the breeder questions about longevity, diseases and aggression in their lines.  No line is perfect, you just want to have some ideas what you may be in-store for.  A reputable breeder will provide a heath guarantee.  While this will not protect you from heartache if your puppy does become ill, it does show that the breeder will be there if a problem should arise.

Do not buy a puppy from a pet store.  Beware of puppy mills.

Look into rescue,  you might be able to test drive one by providing a foster home for a saint in rescue.

There are also rescues not associated with the SBCA. My Friend Connie Tedforth, who helped me find Opie 5 years ago runs the Saint Bernard Rescue Of the Greater Southwest.

For more information check out this FAQ on Saints.