St Bernard Dog

St Bernard Dog Breed information.

The St. Bernard

" Behold this creature's form and state, Which Nature therefore did create, That to the world might be expressed What mien there can be in a beast ; And that we in this shape may find A lion of another kind. For this heroic beast does seem In majesty to rival him."

The history of the St. Bernard dog in this country would not be complete without reference being made to the noble work that he has done in Switzerland, his native land : how the Hospice St. Bernard kept a considerable number of dogs which were trained to go over the mountains with small barrels round their necks, containing restoratives, in the event of their coming across any poor travellers who had either lost their way, or had been overcome by the cold. We have been told that these intelligent creatures saved many lives in this way, the subjects of their deliverance often being found entirely buried in the snow. In such cases they were, however, generally too late to rescue the unfortunate victims, whose bodies were placed in the morgue at the Hospice, where they may be seen undecayed, although they may have rested there several years.

The stuffed skin of the dog Barry, who rescued no fewer than forty wanderers who had lost their way crossing the Alps, is to be seen at the Museum at Berne. The poor dog died in harness when fifteen years old. It is stated that he was shot when in the act of going to the aid of a benighted wayfarer, who mistook him for a wolf.

Handsome as the St. Bernard is, with his attractive colour and markings, he is a cross-bred dog. From the records of old writers it is to be gathered that to refill the kennels at the Hospice which had been rendered vacant from the combined catastrophes of distemper and the fall of an avalanche, which had swept away nearly ah their hounds, the Monks were compelled to have recourse to a cross with the Newfoundland and the Pyrenean sheepdog, the latter not unlike the St. Bernard in appearance. Then, again, there is no doubt whatever, that at some time the Bloodhound has been introduced, and it is known for a certainty that almost all the most celebrated St. Bernards in England at the present time are closely allied to the Mastiff.

The result of all this intermixture of different breeds has been the production of an exceedingly fine race of dogs, which form one of the most attractive features at our dog shows, and are individually excellent guards and companions. As a companion, the St. Bernard cannot be surpassed, when a large dog is required for the purpose. Most docile in temperament and disposition, he is admirably suited as the associate of a lady or a child. Well does the writer remember a once well-known champion, who, when quite a puppy, used to carry his little girl's basket to a coppice hard by and bring it home again when it was filled with violets. The St. Bernard is sensitive to a degree, and seldom forgets an insult, which he resents with dignity. Specimens of the breed have occasionally been seen that are savage, but when this is the case ill-treatment of some sort has assuredly been the provoking cause.

The dogs at the Hospice of St. Bernard are small in comparison with those that are seen in England belonging to the same race. The Holy Fathers were more particular about their markings than great size. The body colour should be brindle or orange tawny, with white markings ; the muzzle white, with a line running up between the eyes, and over the skull, joining at the back the white collar that encircles the neck down to the front of the shoulders. The colour round the eyes and on the ears should be of a darker shade in the red ; in the centre of the white line at the occiput there should be a spot of colour. These markings are said to represent the stole, chasuble and scapular which form part of the vestments worn by the Monks ; but it is seldom that the markings are so clearly defined ; they are more often white, with brindle or orange patches on the body, with evenlymarked heads.

In England St. Bernards are either distinctly rough in coat or smooth, but the generality of the Hospice dogs are broken in coat, neither rough nor smooth, having a texture between the two extremes. The properties, however, of the rough and smooth are the same, so that the two varieties are often bred together, and, as a rule, both textures of coat will be the result of the alliance. The late M. Schumacher, a great authority on the breed in Switzerland, averred that dogs with very rough coats were found to be of no use for work on the Alps, as their thick covering became so loaded with snow and their feet so clogged that they succumbed under the weight and perished. On that account they were discarded by the Monks.

In connection with the origin of the St. Bernard, M. Schumacher wrote in a letter to Mr. J. C. Macdona, who was the first to introduce the breed into Great Britain in any numbers : " According to the tradition of the Holy Fathers of the Great Saint Bernard, their race descends from the crossing of a bitch (a Bulldog species) of Denmark and a Mastiff (Shepherd's dog) of the Pyrenees. The descendants of the crossing, who have inherited from the Danish dog its extraordinary size and bodily strength, and from the Pyrenean Mastiff the intelligence, the exquisite sense of smell, and, at the same time, the faithfulness and sagacity which characterise them, have acquired in the space of five centuries so glorious a notoriety throughout Europe that they well merit the name of a distinct race for themselves." From the same authority we learn that it is something like six hundred years since the

Continent and made them take a part in his attractive entertainment ; but the associations of the St. Bernard with the noble deeds recorded in history were not then so widely known, and these two dogs passed the St. Bernard came into existence. It was not, however, till competitive exhibitions for dogs had been for some years established that the St. Bernard gained a footing in Great Britain.

A few specimens had been imported from the Hospice before Mr. Gumming Macdona (then the Rev. Gumming Macdona) introduced us to the celebrated Tell, who, with others of the breed brought from Switzerland, formed the foundation of his magnificent kennel at West Kirby, in Cheshire. Albert Smith, whom some few that are now alive will remember as an amusing lecturer, brought a pair from the Hospice when returning from a visit to the away without having created any particular enthusiasm.

Later on, at a dog show at Cremorne held in 1863, two St. Bernards were exhibited, each of whom rejoiced in the name of Monk, and were, respectively, the property of the Rev. A. N. Bate and Mr. W. H. Stone. These dogs were exhibited without pedigrees, but were said to have been bred at the Hospice of St. Bernard. Three years later, at the National Show at Birmingham, a separate class was provided for the saintly breed, and Mr. Gumming Macdona was first and second with Tell and Bernard. This led to an immediate popularity of the St. Bernard. Tell was the hero of the shows at which he appeared, and his owner was recognised as being the introducer into this country of the magnificent variety of the canine race that now holds such a prominent position as a show dog.

The names of Tell and Bernard have been handed down to fame, the former as the progenitor of a long line of rough-coated offspring ; the latter as one of the founders of the Shefford Kennel, of which more anon. Mr. Macdona continued his successful career both as an exhibitor and breeder. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales (now Queen Alexandra) graciously accepted a beautifully-marked dog puppy, which was named Hope, and which eventually won first prize at the Crystal Palace. Moltke was another rough-coated dog of fine quality, which annexed a long list of prizes for Mr. Macdona, and proved an excellent stud dog; whilst Alp, Hedwig, and their daughter, Hospice, are names to conjure with. Following Mr. Macdona, the next fancier to devote his attention to St. Bernards was Mr. J. H. Murchison well-known as a prominent exhibitor of Fox-terriers who, from the kennels of M. Schumacher, obtained the noted rough-coated sire Thor, and the smooth-coated Jura. Thor was defective in head, and, therefore, not a high-class show dog, but he was destined to produce the finest litter that so far had ever been bred. Mr. Murchison also owned the smooth-coated Monarque, one of the grandest dogs of his variety. Monarque was first shown by Mr. Macdona at Laycock's Dairy Yard, Islington, in 1869, when he won the chief prize, Victor and Jungfrau being second and third. Jungfrau was a sister by an earlier litter to Bernie, of whom more will presently be heard. At the same show Mr. Macdona was first and third in the rough-coated division with Tell and Hedwig, this pair being divided by Sir Charles Isham's Leo, who was an immense white dog with brindle markings imported from Switzerland, and who afterwards became celebrated as a sire. He was parent of several winners and an ancestor, too, of the great Plinlimmon.

It was at about this time that my own famous kennel of St. Bernards at Shefford in Bedfordshire was started. I had been presented with a smooth-coated bitch puppy by the late Mr. T. J. Hooper, of Biggleswade, who, from Bernardine, a bitch that he brought from Switzerland, had bred Jungfrau, already referred to, and the puppy in question from an alliance with Mr. Macdona's Bernard. This puppy, afterwards named Bernie, was allowed to run about at its own sweet will, until she was three years old, when it occurred to me that as St. Bernards were then becoming popular, I might turn her to good account. But how to make a start was the question, and where to find a sire not too far from home. The Birmingham Show was just over. The Field said that Leo had run Tell very close for first in the champion class. Leo was the property of Sir Charles Isham, of Lamport Hall, Northamptonshire, which county adjoins Bedfordshire.

Here was the opportunity, but some difficulty was experienced, as Leo had not commenced his public career at stud. Matters were however, arranged by the intervention of friends, and the remuneration of a guinea was to be presented to an Orphan Asylum. In due course a family of fourteen arrived, Bernie having selected a standing in a stable for her nursery. She herself was nearly self-coloured a red brindle with only a very narrow line of white on her face ; the whelps seemed to be all colours, one a white, another a black. Ignorant of the correct colour of St. Bernards, I consulted my groom, who had taken the journey to Lamport Hall, and was relieved of my anxiety when I heard that the white puppy was somewhat like Leo. The order was, pick out the six biggest and put the other eight into a bucket they cannot all be kept ! Fortunately, the black and also the white puppy were amongst the six biggest. The former lived to be the rough-coated champion Monk, who was rich mahogany brindle with white markings, and the latter, Champion Abbess, who was smooth-coated. Monk won ten championships at the Kennel Club's shows, besides many others at less important exhibitions. From him I bred Grosvenor, who was a champion before he was eighteen months old, and he also sired many other winners, but it was from Abbess that the bulk of the Shefford winners were bred. From an alliance with Thor came the rough-among the puppies exhibited was the late Mr. Du Maurier's Chang, who was so often afterwards seen in his owner's charming drawings in Punch.

The defeat of Chang led to a caricature of the owner of Augusta being inserted in Punch, and an amusing coated Champion Hector and the smoothcoated Champion The Shah, the best dogs of their day ; Dagmar, a very handsome, rough-coated bitch, and Abbess II., both big winners, and four others. Then she threw Champion Othman to Moltke, Champion Mab (sold as a puppy to Mr. J. C. Tinker), and Augusta, who, amongst her wins, was first in a class of thirty-three dogs and bitches at the Kennel Club show at the Alexandra Palace, two of her litter sisters being second and third. On this occasion all the first and second prizes, except one second, in the five classes given, were won by Bernie's children and grandchildren.

Article in The Pall Mall Gazette from the pen of Mr. Du Maurier.

Two incidents in connection with Abbess and Augusta are worth recording as showing that the instinct to save life is inherent in the breed. On seeing a little Fox-terrier puppy that had fallen into a tanpit ineffectually struggling to get out, Abbess pushed her way through a group of dogs, and. Carefully taking the puppy in her mouth, placed it in safety and then returned to the other dogs ! On another occasion the stable in which was Augusta with two puppies became flooded from an overflow of the river in the night. On the following morning the puppies, about Liela, a magnificent brindle and white a month old, were found safe in the manbitch, bred by Mr. R. Thornton, of Ger, with Augusta standing up to her Sydenham, and another, were, with the middle in water. Exception of Rector, the first St. Bernards

Another guinea's worth from Bernie produced a litter of seventeen, making thirtyone puppies in less than twelve months. The bucket was not brought into requisition this time. Nature was allowed to take its course, and the survival of the fittest resulted in nine being reared, in which there were again several winners, amongst them being Queen Bertha, who was the foundation of Mr. W. A. Joyce's kennel at Tulse Hill.

The late Mr. S. W. Smith, of Leeds, took up the breed in the late 'seventies. He owned a big winner in Barry. This dog won something like one hundred and fifty first prizes at the small shows in the North of England. But Mr. Smith had a much better dog in Duke of Leeds, who, with that were exported to America, 800 being the price given for the three. Previously, however, Rector, a son of Champion Monk, had been sold to Mr. J. K. Emmett, the American actor, who exhibited him on the boards of his theatre.

The popularity of the St. Bernard had now been well established, and the Rev. Arthur Carter, who had always shown a partiality for the breed, set about with a few others to establish the St. Bernard Club, to look after the interests of the race. This was in 1882, and in the following year the first show, confined to St. Bernards only, was held in the Duke of Wellington's Riding School at Kensington, when an excellent entry was obtained. Mr. Cumming Macdona, who had been appointed the President of the Club, was the judge, and the special prize for the best dog in the show was won by Mr. J. F. Smith's Leonard, a white and brindle rough-coated dog with a magnificent head and good action. Mr. J. F. Smith also owned a very fine rough-coated dog in Ch. Save, a son of Ch. Othman, and many others of the best St. Bernards in England were at one time or another in his hands ; amongst them the celebrated smooth-coated Champions Guide and San Peur, who had been imported from the Swiss kennel belonging to Mr. H. H. Dur, by Mr. H. I. Betterton. When these two dogs came over San Peur was in whelp, and Watch, the pup that she threw, proved a better dog than Guide ; in fact, Watch was probably the best smoothcoated St. Bernard ever seen in England. He, like many of the dogs of the breed that we owned about that time, went to America, the price paid for him being said to be between eleven and twelve hundred pounds.

Mr. Betterton also imported Keeper, another grand young smooth of great quality, but rather small.

The first giant St. Bernard that appeared upon the scene was Plinlimmon, whom the Rev. Arthur Carter purchased in the North of England when quite a puppy. Plinlimmon, who was descended from Hector, created quite a sensation when he made his debut in public, as he was much the largest St. Bernard that had ever been seen. He had not, however, the quality of many that had appeared before him, and he had not the fine head and expression that are such desirable features in a St. Bernard. He, nevertheless, changed hands several times. The Rev. A. Carter sold him for 500 ; Mr. Hedley Chapman gave nearly double that sum for him ; afterwards Mr. J. F. Smith had him, and he was finally sold by Mr. S.

W. Smith to the American actor, Mr. Emmett, and was, like Rector, put upon the stage. Plinlimmon was only one of many dogs that Mr. S. W. Smith sent to the United States during the time that the boom for St. Bernards in the Far West was at its height. Princess Florence, a splendid rough-coated bitch by Marvel, with Le Prince, also crossed the water, but the demand soon after ceased when it was found that the climate of each, and the trophy presented by Mr. Halsey of even more value. These special prizes are competed for at the Club's annual shows, one for the best dog in the show (rough or smooth), and the other for the best bitch, these two winners then* competing together for the Halsey Trophy. Later on Mr. Norris Elye became President of the Club ; he was a prominent breeder of St. Bernards, and owned, amongst others, Alta Bella and Bellegarde, two excellent specimens of the breed, the former one of the finest bitches of her day.

It was at this period that the great celebrity, Sir Bedivere, was whelped. He was bred by Mr. T. D. Green, who selected him from the litter when a pup because he was the most prettily marked, and before he exhibited him for the first time, when ten months old, had not America was not suited to the breed. The the slightest idea that he owned the most extremely hot weather in the summer typical St. Bernard that had ever been was fatal to them, very few of the highbred in England, where he was never depriced dogs and bitches that were sent out living more than a couple of years. Prinfeated. Mr. Green refused 1,500 for him at home, but, after taking some five huncess Florence, who was owned in turn by dred pounds in stud fees, sold him to Dr. Inman and Mr. Hedley Chapman, was the largest bitch that had so far been bred, her reputed weight being upwards of 200 Ibs. She was one of the few that managed to live, and come back to England. After passing through some troublous times the St. Bernard Club was reconstituted, and has gone on swimmingly ever since. The Club owns the most valuable challenge cups of all the specialist Clubs. In addition to several minor cups, it has two America for 1,300 ; he weighed upwards of 200 Ibs., and stood 33 inches at the shoulder. Sir Bedivere was orange and white in colour, and was beautifully proportioned, with perfect action all round.

In the years that followed many fine dogs were bred, both of the rough and smoothcoated variety, and the type was greatly improved. Mr. Thomas Shilcock, of Birmingham, got together a strong kennel ; Mr. T. Duerdin Dutton had some high-class silver cups of the value of 100 guineas specimens at Cobham Peggotty, a most typical rough bitch, bred from the Guide strain, winning for him a number of prizes and amongst other successful breeders and exhibitors were Mr. R. T. Thornton, Mr.

A. J. Gosling, Mr. J. W. Rutherglen, Mr. G. W.-Marsden, who is now the President of the St. Bernard Club ; Mr. H. G. Sweet whose magnificent dog, Hesper, was the sire of Miss Gresham's Minstrel Boy Mr. T. Thorburn, Mrs. Jones, Captain Hargreaves, and Mr.

J. Royle, of Manchester, who gave 470 for Lord Hatherton, a dog that was catalogued at the Birmingham Show at 200, and after being claimed by two or three anxious purchasers, was sold by auction at the sum mentioned.

Then came a lull in the popularity of the breed until Dr. Inman, in partnership with Mr. B. W a 1 m s 1 e y, established a kennel first at Barford, near Bath, and then at the Priory, at Bowden, in Cheshire, where they succeeded in breeding the finest kennel of St. Bernards that has ever been seen in the world. Dr. Inman had for several years owned good dogs, and set about the work on scientific principles. He, in conjunction with Mr. Walmsley, purchased the smooth-coated Kenilworth from Mr. Loft, bred that dog's produce with a brindle Mastiff of high repute, and then crossed back to his St. Bernards with the most successful results. Dr. Inman was instrumental in forming the National St. Bernard Club, which, like the older society, was soon well supported with members, and now has at its disposal a good collection of valuable challenge cups. The dogs bred at Bowden carried all before them in the show ring, and were continually in request for stud purposes, improving the breed to a remarkable extent.

At the disposal of Messrs. Inman and Walmsley's kennel, there were such admirable dogs as the rough-coated Wolfram from whom were bred Tannhauser, Narcissus, Leontes and Klingsor the smooth-coated dogs, the King's Son and The Viking ; the rough-coated bitch, Judith Inman, and the smooth Viola, the last-named the finest specimen of her sex that has probably ever been seen. These dogs and bitches, with several others, were dispersed all over England, with the exception of Klingsor who went to South Africa.

Mr. J. W. Proctor, of Mobberley, purchased Tannhauser and Viola, but they are, unfortunately, both dead, as also are Narcissus and Wolfram. Messrs. Scott and Kostin, who bought Leontes and The Viking, with Judith Inman, have been more fortunate, as the two first-named are both alive at this time of writing, the former one of the best rough-coated dogs before the public. The King's Son, who was a great favourite with the late Dr. Inman, remained at home, and his bones are probably to be found beneath the sod in some quiet corner in the grounds of Bowden Priory.

Almost all the best St. Bernards in Great Britain at the present time have been bred or are descended from the Bowden Dogs. Mrs. Lawson, of Swansea, has been very successful in breeding with the strain, This lady owned Cinq Mars, who is now the property of Mrs. Parker, for whom he has been doing a large amount of winning. Mrs. Parker also has in her possession Chrysantheme and Queen Isabel, two of the best of their variety ; whilst other successful breeders and exhibitors are Mr. H. Stockin, Mr. D. W. Davies, Mr. G. Sinclairthe owner of Lord Montgomery, the Champion at the Crystal Palace and Edinburgh in 1906 Mr. James Redwood, Miss L. J. Vere, Mr. E. H. Walbrook, Mr. W. H. Bennett, Mrs. Duncan King, Mrs. Jagger whose famous dog, Florentius, died at ten years of age while these lines were being written Mr. J. S. W. Harding, Colonel Williamson, and Mr. J. Muir.

Description of St.Bernards Appearance

The following is the description of the St. Bernard as drawn up by the members of the St. Bernard Club :

Head. The head should be large and massive, the circumference of the skull being more than double the length of the head from nose to occiput. From stop to tip of nose should be moderately short ; full below the eye and square at the

muzzle ; there should be great depth from the eye to the lower jaw, and the lips should be deep throughout, but not too pendulous. From the nose to the stop should be straight, and the stop abrupt and well denned. The skull should be broad and rounded at the top, but not domed, with somewhat prominent brow.

Ears. The ears should be of medium size, lying close to the cheek, but strong at the base and not heavily feathered.

Eyes. The eyes should be rather small and deep set, dark in colour and not too close together ; the lower eyelid should droop, so as to show a fair amount of haw.

Nose. The nose should be large and black, with well developed nostrils. The teeth should be level.

Expression. The expression should betoken benevolence, dignity, and intelligence.

Neck. The neck should be lengthy, muscular, and slightly arched, with dewlap developed, and the shoulders broad and sloping, well up at the withers.

General Description of Body. The chest should be wide and deep, and the back level as far as the haunches, slightly arched over the loins ; the ribs should be well rounded and carried well back ; the loin wide and very muscular.

Tail. The tail should be set on rather high, long, and in the long-coated variety bushy ; carried low when in repose, and when excited or in motion slightly above the line of the back.

Legs. The forelegs should be perfectly straight, strong in bone, and of good length ; and the hindlegs very muscular. The feet large, compact, with well-arched toes.

Size. A dog should be at least 30 inches in height at the shoulder, and a bitch 27 inches (the taller the better, provided the symmetry is maintained) ; thoroughly well proportioned, and of great substance. The general outline should suggest great power and capability of endurance.

Coat. In the long-coated variety the coat should be dense and flat ; rather fuller round the neck ; the thighs feathered but not too heavily. In the short-coated variety, the coat should be dense, hard, flat, and short, slightly feathered on thighs and tail.

Colour and Markings. The colour should be red, orange, various shades of brindle (the richer colour the better), or white with patches on body of one of the above named colours. The markings should be as follows : white muzzle, white blaze up face, white collar round neck ; white chest, forelegs, feet, and end of tail ; black shadings on face and ears. If the blaze be wide and runs through to the collar, a spot of the body colour on the top of the head is desirable.

Objectionable Points:

• Ill temper
• Split nose
• Unlevel mouth and
• Cankered teeth
• Snipy muzzle
• Light and staring eyes
• Cheek bumps
• Wedge head
• Flat skull
• Wall eyes. Domed skull. Badly set or heavilyfeathered ears. Too much peak.

Short neck.

Curly coat.

Curled tail.

Flat sides.

Hollow back.

Roach back.

Ring tail.

Open feet or hare feet.

Cow hocks.

Straight hocks.

Self-coloured (a selfcoloured dog is one that has no black shadings or white markings).

Disqualifying Points for St. Bernard:

Dudley, liver, flesh-colour, Black, black and tan,

black and white, black, tan, and white, and all white.

Cured nose. Fawn, if whole coloured or with black shadings only.

The weight of a dog should be from 170 Ibs. To 210 Ibs. ; of a bitch 160 Ibs. To 190 Ibs.

During the past twenty-five years St. Bernards have been bred in this country very much taller and heavier than they were in the days of Tell, Hope, Moltke, Monk, Hector, and Othman. Not one of these measured over 32 inches in height, or scaled over 180 Ibs., but the increased height and greater weight of the more modern production have been obtained by forcing them as puppies and by fattening them to such an extent that they have been injured in constitution, and in many cases converted into cripples behind. The prizewinning rough-coated St. Bernard as he is seen to-day is a purely manufactured animal, handsome in appearance certainly, but so cumbersome that he is scarcely able to raise a trot, let alone do any tracking in the snow. Usefulness, however, is not a consideration with breeders, who have reared the dog to meet the exigencies of the show ring. There is still much left to be desired, and there is room for considerable improvement, as only a few of the more modern dogs of the breed approach the standard drawn up by the Clubs that are interested in their welfare.

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