Lovers of St Bernards are often keen to purchase a dog with the intention of being able to exhibit it in dog shows. Reputable St Bernard breeders are the best people to contact when looking for a show dog. The St Bernard was admitted to the American Kennel Club in 1885. It is a popular large breed and is in 49th position on the list of most popular dog breeds. Although it is huge and muscular, it has a gentle, stable disposition.
A show dog needs to meet the criteria listed in the breed standard otherwise it will not be successful. Correct conformation is very important as is coloring. Brindle or red with white are acceptable. The brindle and red may vary to a marked degree. There are also quite specific requirements as regards white markings. The feet, tip of the tail, nape of the neck, and chest should all have white markings. There should also be a blaze down the face. Many have an attractive dark 'mask' on the face.
Choosing a potentially successful puppy is even harder. Only puppies from near-perfect parents should be considered. Some can be screened out because of color issues. Another relatively easy characteristic to examine is the bite. St Bernards should have a scissors or even bite with preference given to the former. Pups with overshot jaws or very light eyes can e passed over. An undershot jaw is acceptable but not desirable.
Preference is always for a dog as tall as possible. However strength and mass should not be sacrificed for height. Males should be at least 27 inches and females 25 inches. Females have a finer, more delicate appearance. Sway backs, weak pasterns and very bent hocks are also considered faults as are long backs.
The back should be broad. The hindquarters are well developed and the legs very muscular. For a dog of this size, strong legs and feet are essential. There is an indentation where the head and neck join. The dewlap is prominent without being over-developed. The tail is very heavy and bushy and should on no account curl up over the back.
Most breeds of large dogs are not particularly long-lived. The coat is very dense and heavy. This, combined with the large body, makes the St Bernard prone to heat stress. It is important that the dog can always find shade and have access to water to avoid over-heating. Bloat also affects large dogs. Feed several small feeds daily instead of one large one.
More serious is cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM). This has the common name of 'wobbler' syndrome. The spinal cord is compromised causing the dog to wobble as it walks. It may have partial or complete paralysis. Other symptoms include stiffness, weakness and neck pain. A suspected cause in large dogs is growing too fast.
They are prone to several genetic disorders. Elbow and hip dysplasia are two of these. Another disorder which affects this breed is extropion. This occurs when the eyelid rim folds outward. It is the lower lid which is generally affected. Responsible St Bernard breeders will offer certificates showing the hip scores of their breeding animals. Their dogs will have been screened for any genetic diseases. Evan a perfect dog should not be bred from if there is any evidence that it will pass on genetic disorders.
A show dog needs to meet the criteria listed in the breed standard otherwise it will not be successful. Correct conformation is very important as is coloring. Brindle or red with white are acceptable. The brindle and red may vary to a marked degree. There are also quite specific requirements as regards white markings. The feet, tip of the tail, nape of the neck, and chest should all have white markings. There should also be a blaze down the face. Many have an attractive dark 'mask' on the face.
Choosing a potentially successful puppy is even harder. Only puppies from near-perfect parents should be considered. Some can be screened out because of color issues. Another relatively easy characteristic to examine is the bite. St Bernards should have a scissors or even bite with preference given to the former. Pups with overshot jaws or very light eyes can e passed over. An undershot jaw is acceptable but not desirable.
Preference is always for a dog as tall as possible. However strength and mass should not be sacrificed for height. Males should be at least 27 inches and females 25 inches. Females have a finer, more delicate appearance. Sway backs, weak pasterns and very bent hocks are also considered faults as are long backs.
The back should be broad. The hindquarters are well developed and the legs very muscular. For a dog of this size, strong legs and feet are essential. There is an indentation where the head and neck join. The dewlap is prominent without being over-developed. The tail is very heavy and bushy and should on no account curl up over the back.
Most breeds of large dogs are not particularly long-lived. The coat is very dense and heavy. This, combined with the large body, makes the St Bernard prone to heat stress. It is important that the dog can always find shade and have access to water to avoid over-heating. Bloat also affects large dogs. Feed several small feeds daily instead of one large one.
More serious is cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM). This has the common name of 'wobbler' syndrome. The spinal cord is compromised causing the dog to wobble as it walks. It may have partial or complete paralysis. Other symptoms include stiffness, weakness and neck pain. A suspected cause in large dogs is growing too fast.
They are prone to several genetic disorders. Elbow and hip dysplasia are two of these. Another disorder which affects this breed is extropion. This occurs when the eyelid rim folds outward. It is the lower lid which is generally affected. Responsible St Bernard breeders will offer certificates showing the hip scores of their breeding animals. Their dogs will have been screened for any genetic diseases. Evan a perfect dog should not be bred from if there is any evidence that it will pass on genetic disorders.
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