Unleashing 14 Pawsome Fun Facts About Saint Bernards You'll Absolutely Love

1. Sniffin' Saints Saving Souls

Move over, Lassie, and make way for the saints of the slopes: Saint Bernards, those cuddly canines with “barrels of fun” strapped to their necks, didn’t actually carry boozy casks of brandy for cold, lost souls in the Alps. Instead, their superhero power was an uncanny sniffer that guided them to locate and rescue avalanche-bound wayfarers. One legendary Saint, Barry, even saved a whopping 40 human lives at the Hospice of St. Bernard in the early 1800s, thanks to his olfactory finesse.
Source => akc.org

2. Monastery Dogs to Alpine Heroes

Have you heard about the marvelous canine superheroes who need no cape or spandex suits? Look no further than Saint Bernards: these gentle giants have saved over 2,000 lives throughout history. Initially watchdogs at a Swiss monastery, they quickly gained fame through three centuries of daring alpine rescues, earning their title as the ultimate cuddly saviors for both young and old.
Source => hillspet.com

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=> Fun Facts about Dogs

3. Saint Bernards: Search and Rescue Masters

From canine 911 operators to expert hide-and-seek players, Saint Bernards never fail to amaze us with their life-saving abilities: These Alpine heroes, originally bred for Swiss farmers, are now renowned for their search and rescue skills, with a record of over 2,000 travelers saved and a legendary dog named Barry who single-pawedly saved 40 people.
Source => aspcapetinsurance.com

4. Barry the Legendary Life-saver

Before they became gentle giants swooshing across the Swiss Alps in spiffy brandy barrels around their necks: St. Bernards, originally known as guard dogs, evolved into snow-packing, pathfinding, savior canines, with the legendary Barry as their poster boy. This furry pioneer, though not an accountant, might have saved more than 40 lives and inspired the Barry Foundation which now breeds and trains his descendants for a career as cuddly therapy dogs.
Source => kids.britannica.com

5. Whiskered Angels of the Alps

Despite their bark being bigger than their bite, Saint Bernards are really just furry, whiskered angels-a sniff away from saving lives: These gentle giants were initially bred for search and rescue missions in the Swiss Alps, utilizing their impressive size and remarkable sense of smell to locate wayward explorers.
Source => cloud9vets.co.uk

6. Swiss Army Dogs without Brandy

Saint Bernards: all bark, no brandy! It turns out these mighty Alpine rescuers, often depicted with lifesaving barrels of booze around their necks, were actually sporting jackets packed with food and water for their snowbound beneficiaries: The trusty Saint Bernards were the Swiss Army dogs of their time, trained by monks to hone their avalanche detection skills and save over 2,000 lives in a span of 300 years – their heroics unfortunately, never included warming the insides of humans with a stiff drink.
Source => animalbehaviorcollege.com

7. St. Bernard Diet Cha-Cha

Doing the St. Bernard cha-cha with calories: Marvel at the titillating tango of adjusting the diet of these mammoth cuddle-bears as they journey through puppyhood, adulthood, and seniority! The serious scoop: Puppies mustn't grow too fast, adult St. Bernard's need 6.5-8 cups of food daily, and senior saints thrive on 6-6.5 cups, ensuring their giant paws give nothing but joy, and humorous mayhem.
Source => bubblypet.com

8. Brandy Barrel-less Heroes

Hold your horses, or rather, hold your dogs: these gentle giants may not have donned a barrel of hooch like furry St. Bernard-rellos, but as bonafide Alpine rescuers, Saint Bernards saved over 2000 lives in a span of three centuries, sans the stereotypical brandy kegs!
Source => rover.com

9. Yodeling Lifesavers of the Swiss Alps

Hold onto your lederhosen, for this tale is as warm as a Swiss mountain yodel and as heroic as a Toblerone-eating superhero: Saint Bernards have a legendary history of saving lives in the Swiss Alps, with an awe-inspiring record of over 2,000 human lives rescued throughout several centuries, proving their astounding capabilities for search and rescue missions.
Source => hillspet.com

10. Swimbuds for St. Bernards? Don't Think So!

Though Saint Bernards may have been exceptional lifeguards in Baywatch, these gentle giants are unlikely to make big waves in your local pool: Despite their impressive size and strength, Saint Bernards aren't natural swimmers and can actually struggle in water due to their heavy build, often needing to splash around cautiously in shallow waters to keep from sinking!
Source => thesprucepets.com

11. Big Hearts for Small Humans

Often mistaken for a Yeti's cuddly cousin or a living, breathing plush toy with a penchant for bear hugs, Saint Bernards have a big heart for small humans: These four-legged gentle giants are known to be exceptionally patient and affectionate with children, making them ideal family pets, though their penchant for play may be slightly overshadowed by their love for lazy lounging and taking proper precautions in warmer climates to avoid turning into a canine melting pot.
Source => dogtime.com

12. Furry Gossipy Guards of the Home

Hold onto your leashes, because these gentle giants have a little bit of a gossip streak: Saint Bernards aren't actually the strong, silent types, but they do only bark when necessary, such as alerting owners of any unusual events or protecting their territory, making them quite the vigilant and vocal watchdogs.
Source => puplore.com

13. Giant Couch Potato Canines

Couch potatoes, make way for the Saint Bernard: a gentle giant whose idea of a workout doesn't go further than a jaunt through the snow or some quality time with their humans. Seriously though: Saint Bernards may be massive, but they surprisingly don't require much exercise and can be quite the loungers themselves, preferring snowy playtime and cozying up on the couch over strenuous activities.
Source => wahlusa.com

14. Howling Saints Saving Thousands

Though Saint Bernards may never appear on "The Voice," they've certainly got a talent for howling up a storm in the Alps, saving lives with a dogged determination: These heroic hounds have a legacy of rescuing over 2,000 stranded travelers in the treacherous Alpine passes between Italy and Switzerland, with Barry der Menschenretter, the MVP of Saint Bernards, notching up an impressive 40 rescues in his lifetime, earning them the titles of Sacred Dogs, Monastery Dogs, Alpine Mastiffs, and Alpendogs before finally being branded as Saint Bernards in 1880.
Source => dailypaws.com