View Full Version : St Bernard pups?
Anyone know Or heard of a breeder locally or anybody with pups for sale?
Would like to get 1 hear they are great dogs.
hear they are great dogs
would it not be wise to do some research into the breed.
arana negra
03-Dec-08, 23:15
It would wise no in fact it would be irresponsible NOT to. I would reccommend lots of research, talking to other owners and loads of thought on suitability of you/your family/house/garden size and the size of your wallet to pay for food/vet bills. Ability/time to walk/control and train before embarking down the road of ownership of any breed.
Being one of the largest breeds, weighing up to and over 200lb and up to three foot tall, you would have to research this breed thoroughly to decide if it's right for your family's needs. I suspect they eat a fair amount, their coats would need a lot of brushing, they drool a LOT and you would need more of a poop shovel than a poop scoop if you catch my drift.
Bigger dogs are usually more expensive to keep and maintain. I'm not sure of their hereditary health problems but I'd probably be correct in assuming there are quite a few considering the size and weight of this breed. Having said all that there are supposed to be great with children and are a lovely caring soppy breed of dog.
porshiepoo
03-Dec-08, 23:28
RSPCA have just rescued 100 St Bernards from a well known kennels down south. Guess they'll be looking for homes soon enough although I believe they're trying to trace to owner of the abandoned dogs first!
Would like to get 1 hear they are great dogs.
You guys lighten up - all he said was he'd heard they're great dogs. He might have researched them and know more about St Bernards that the lot of you put together.
If so, I really and truly hope you go for a rescue, Biker. ANd all the best whatever you decide.
arana negra
04-Dec-08, 11:07
My response may have been tainted by the way the post read, and the amount of dogs abandoned because owners have no idea how to look after a dog. I have, since moving here, been shocked by seeing many dead dogs by/on roadsides and discovering the attitude of many so called owners. When we first saw the pair abandoned in our urbanisation and I was looking for ways to get them re homed I read the most horrendous stories of people getting dogs and then not realising just how big, how much they eat/need room and exercise being discarded/disposed of in ways that make me so sick/angry.
I had no intention to offend and if you have done all your research and decide you are the right kind of owner for the breed then good luck and may you all have a long happy life together.
Anyone know Or heard of a breeder locally or anybody with pups for sale?
Would like to get 1 hear they are great dogs.
did u read about the 100 st.bernards down south who were found in dreadful conditions..2 were put to sleeep.the owner was a well known breeder and she has disappeared...the dogs had no food/water for days.
i know this has nothing to do with u wanting a puppy........i had friends with 2...who suffered bad joint problems...had xrays/ops...but sadly died at a very young age.
if u do want a puppy..please insure it..it can be very costly..and their food too.
best to call scottish kennel club..they should have a list of breeders who may have puppies.
it seems the owner has been traced and arrested, she is not as squeeky clean as I thought on first appearance, it seems a few people have had unscrupulous dealings with her in the past year. Very sad. I really hope they find good homes for the dogs.
did u read about the 100 st.bernards down south who were found in dreadful conditions..2 were put to sleeep.the owner was a well known breeder and she has disappeared...the dogs had no food/water for days.
i know this has nothing to do with u wanting a puppy........i had friends with 2...who suffered bad joint problems...had xrays/ops...but sadly died at a very young age.
if u do want a puppy..please insure it..it can be very costly..and their food too.
best to call scottish kennel club..they should have a list of breeders who may have puppies.
So yet another horrendous dog-breeder story Binbob. I just wish there was some kind of regulation.
Totally agree re insurance, a must for a St Bernard.
Well thanks for the info.
I have done research i would just like some info first hand on how good they are with small children etc.
Ps i would never have a dog if a had not thought it through first.
arana negra
04-Dec-08, 19:17
I an sorry if my post offended you, dogs are a sore subject here in our house at the minute. The one we rescued earlier this year is having mobility problems and things are not looking to bright for her right now. Hoping that blood test results will give us something to work with.
I hope you have many happy days with your choosen pet and I am sure you will be a good owner.
Val
No worries.
Nothing decided yet just lookiing around and asking questions.
Bit worried about the amount of mud those paws could carry indoors!![lol]
Bit worried about the amount of mud those paws could carry indoors!![lol]
Hi Biker,
I've never had a St B. but always thought how fantastic it would be to own one but I think they'd be very high maintenance. To say nothing of housework. Went in a St. B owner's house once and it was wall-to-wall dog hair and you could hardly see out of windows for slobber. I think my attitude would be to simply lower standards and enjoy dog.
As far as huge muddy paws go, St B's can't be any worse than the average spaniel.
So yet another horrendous dog-breeder story Binbob. I just wish there was some kind of regulation.
Totally agree re insurance, a must for a St Bernard.
tilter..yes,i am afraid so.i simply can not understand why she was allowed to have sooooooooooo many dogs.surely the kennel club were aware of this and she would certainly need to have a yearly inspection for her breeding/boarding license??why was she allowed to carry on.........i will never understand these happenings.
My family had St Bernards when I was growing up. Everything that has been mentioned here is absolutely true.
They DO make good pets if you don't get the rescue dog with behaviour-problems; 14 stone of hairy, slobbery, snarly giant launching himself at smaller, lighter dogs with the view to killing them is no easy thing to contend with.
They're not that bothered about you training them, they shed a small mountain every day (guess who was chief brusher in my family) and also eat a small mountain every day and, as you may probably guess, what goes in must come out. Somewhere.
Physically their presence is absolutely huge, and the effect they have on your life is just this: they completely take it over! Sure, they're not the most demanding of dogs, nor the most active, but the size, the health-problems, the cost, the smell, the hair, the slobber, the farting... aye well, it's all size-relative. They don't do too well if they live outside and it's like sharing your home with a horse: think of the space they need for a turning circle.
They have a habit of not living too long - we managed 11 years with a short-haired rescued female. The rest made it to, I think, around the 8 mark.
Like somebody said, if you're ready to open your wallet (for god's sake, insure it - the one below dented a tractor once) and completely change your life around, go for it and make sure you do a good job of it!
We've now got a collie (Gus himself)!
Benson the St Bernard looking a little hurt because he was having his leg pulled and he knew it:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8084/bensonst4.jpg (http://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bensonst4.jpg)
GruesomeTwosome
12-Dec-08, 15:11
Gus, Oh my goodness what a wonderful reply. I would have loved to have grown up with you and all those st bernards. That reply is fantastic and gives biker an idea of what it would be like to have a dog like that. I have no experience with that breed but do have experience with large dogs and like you say, their general size is only one thing (among lots more) to consider, it affects everything they do, you do, your home, people you live with, people who visit, even if they are not active dogs, like mine.
My suggestion to you biker would best to contact any st bernard groups. Do they have a breed club? Rescue group specific to them? Thats what I did for my breed of dogs before I got my first one. They were so helpful, answered my hundred questions as did they ask me too. They may put you in touch with reputable breeders also who will no doubt talk to you as well so if you decide to go for a puppy or a rescue you will be well informed.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck x
Sapphire2803
15-Dec-08, 02:21
A friend of mine in the states has one, he has a young daughter who the dog loves and is great with, but he has knocked her down on several occasions.
The dog is almost out of puppy-hood now and their garage is filled with chewed furniture, he has chewed the hoover cord and several pairs of shoes. He tried to eat the Christmas tree too. :lol:
But, he's soooooooooo gorgeous :D
porshiepoo
15-Dec-08, 11:11
Most certainly the one thing you have to be wary about with the Giant breeds is the life span. 11 years is great for a St Bernard, but I don't think it's the average.
I've always had Danes and my last one died 2 days before his 5th birthday - that's no age.
They also leave a huge huge hole when they're gone. I know any dog of any size is sadly missed when they're gone, however I personally find it so much worse with these big breeds. They're personalities are often as large as their body and when they're no longer taking up the entire sofa there is no distracting from it, it's sooooo obvious!
Having said that, I will always have giant breeds. I'm hoping to get another Dane very soon but am also interested in St Bernards and RBT's.
GruesomeTwosome
17-Dec-08, 13:45
Couldnt agree with you more porshiepoo. Big dogs, big everything. I have two the same age, only 3 weeks between them. I initially wanted a puppy when my bitch was 2 and 1/2 but instead rescued a dog desparately needing a home and now cant help thinking when they reach that inevatable time in their lives they could both go at the same time which brings me to tears thinking about it. The sheer physical size will make them undoubtably missed without considering the emotional loss.
teenybash
17-Dec-08, 23:47
This reminds me so much of my 11 stone giant who was a cross Newfoundland, found in the most herrendous condition. Digestion was wrecked through starvation and had to be kept on a simple diet of small amounts throughout the day for the rest of his life. He was around 6/7 years old when he came to me and I had him for another 11 years...........lotsa love, commonsense and listening to your dog can work miracles..............
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