Should I get a St Bernard? Questions

Discussion in 'St. Bernard' started by Dalmatianchloe, May 21, 2015.

  1. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    Azz likes this.

    Should I get a St Bernard?

    We moved to a lovely two bedroom bungalow months ago it has a massive front and back garden and as it is a village with plenty of fields which isn't spoilt by cattle on it, so now that we have moved to a lovely big sized bungalow with a big garden and a rural retreat we are looking to get our third dog and a St Bernard springs to mind I have a 14 year old daughter so she is old enough to respect dogs and we have two other dogs who are well behaved around dogs but we also now have a little mini farm which consists of two horses a Connemara and a Shetland, pigs, sheep, chickens and two dairy cows that we recently purchased off the local farmer! would a St Bernard be able to live with other dogs? and how would it react to our farm animals as we take our other two down to the farm and we wouldn't want to leave the new dog behind and would it be able to cope with country living?
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  3. Azz

    Azz Adminstrator

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    Sounds like the perfect home Sharon! :D

    Can you think of any reasons why it might not be a good fit?
  4. 6JRT's

    6JRT's Member

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    They take a lot of looking after specially their coats, unless you have owned or your family as owned them before I would say NO
  5. LMost

    LMost Member

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    Get ready for a lot of grooming.
    They would do fine in that type of environment.

    There are a shorter coated and long coat Saints. Both are a good bit of grooming require, long haired are a lot of grooming required. If your ready for that I'd say yes.
  6. Bulldogs4Life

    Bulldogs4Life Member

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    I'd go for the short coat.

    Why would you say no 6JRTs? If people only ever owned breeds that they owned before they'd never have any dog at all.
  7. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    I have had dogs with longer coats before so grooming wouldn't be a problem and I cant think of any reasons why I shouldn't have one to be honest so I will look at breeders
  8. 6JRT's

    6JRT's Member

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    Very simple Dalmatianchloe in her own words have a little farm which has chickens pigs horses sheep & cows as well as 2 other dogs, an St Bernard needs 1 to 2 hours walk each day to keep the Saint Bernard in good mental and physical condition (once they are fully grown) & with the "little Farm" that Dalmatianchloe has there will not be enough hours in the day plus many St Bernards have quiet a lot of health issues: heart problems, skin problems, hip dysplasia, tumors and extropion—a folding outward of the eyelid rim, usually on the lower lid. they also known to have twisted stomachs & are prone to wobbler syndrome.
    A working Collie would be far better as the 3rd dog
  9. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    well I wouldn't consider collies as it was a collie that attacked my friends horse while she was out hacking and caused some nasty injuries on her legs I don't think I would trust it with our horses but If anyone does recommend any more breeds then please do say
  10. GsdSlave

    GsdSlave Member

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    A working collie would need far more than 1-2 hrs exercise every day plus they have to be kept stimulated/ kept busy doing things.

    @ Dalmatianchloe As for recommending a breed it all depends what you want from the dog, (companion, sport ect:
  11. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    simply just as a companion
  12. Bulldogs4Life

    Bulldogs4Life Member

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    I think those are important considerations but not a flat out "No". Before people get a dog they should consider grooming, exercise requirements and health. Shouldn't her individual abilities be considered? I know a farmer with 5 Saints. They seem to be great dogs and do just fine on a farm. On my "little farm" I added a Cane Corso they require to have good socialization, training and exercise. Some health problems include allergies, heart problems, hip dysplasia, "bloat" (maybe what you ate saying as twisting of the stomach), entropion/ectropion none of which my dog has. I assume there are good breeders of St Bernards out there? When I got my Caucasian Ovcharka I'd never had a dog before that required real grooming and they can also have similar health problems. Researching and deciding on a new breed is a responsibility but one can find that they can look for a reputable breeder and make the efforts needed in ownership.

    A flock guardian type might be a consideration except that a lot are not accepting of strangers. You might also consider a Newfoundland. I've not a lot of experience with them but have heard owners describe them as the gentle giant type.
  13. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    I will do more research on the Newfoundland i saw them at crufts but didn't really take much notice so thank you
  14. Janet

    Janet Member

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    If you want a big dog, how about a Leonberger? My dogs, including my tiny Chihuahua, regularly play with one and it has a superb temperament.

    Not that I've got anything against St Bernards.
  15. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    I have added a leonberger to my list already i absolutely love them dogs apparently they have fab temperaments and i do have a Chihuahua which is even better not forgetting spotty dog Chloe!
  16. Janet

    Janet Member

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    There are two in this town - the one I see regularly on my dog walk, and another which I see being walked around town. It is a real head-turner - lots of people stop and make a fuss of it, and like the other one it seems to have a superb temperament.

    I can't imagine how gorgeous the puppies must be!
  17. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    i know they are just gorgeous!! i am doing some research already and even though the average price of puppies can be £1200 they are worth the amount you pay i guess!!
  18. Pork1epe1

    Pork1epe1 Member

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    You might also consider a Great Pyrenees or as I've always known them Pyrenean Mountain Dog. I owned one many years ago ... she was an absolute sweetheart, very gentle, great with the kids and my other dog a Springer Spaniel and easy to train. Very suitable for life on a farm, but you do need a secure enclosed garden to keep them in when your not with them as they're prone to wander.
  19. LMost

    LMost Member

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    The biggest health issues with a Saint are HD,ED, Eyes and Bloat.
    Skin is generally improper grooming, hearts fairly rare as is wobblers.
    Between the 1 my parents had and the 2 I've owned.
    1 hd issues, and died at 12yrs of kidney issues.
    1 died at 10yrs of gunshot, never had any health issues.
    1 developed cancer around 9yrs and was PTS about 2 months later just before 10yrs. Went from a small mass to riddled with cancer in a very short period, and in 2 months went from very active to could not get up.

    First 2 where farm breed with no real pedigree, 1 with cancer was from what I learned later was a BYB and was CKC registered.

    Ones I mainly know a fairly healthy, but yes you can get ones that are train wrecks but that's any breed really.

    Oh and at a year your walking a Saint 60 mins a day. In a farm environment doubt you would need a lot more.

    Biggest thing I would advise would be getting pet insurance for it.
  20. Dalmatianchloe

    Dalmatianchloe New Member

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    I will look into the Pyrenean mountain dog and I have petplan insurance for our other two dogs already so the third wouldn't be any different
  21. Jackie

    Jackie Member

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    A working collie is going to need more exercise than any St Bernard , not to mention the coat, your say she should not get a St Bernard because of the "little farm" (which will probably be far bigger than most people garden) and it getting dirty, most collies also have heavy coat, so cant see why you would think a collie is OK, but a ST Bernard is not:017:

    If the poster wishes to get a St Bernard and has looked into the breed, then she should go with what she wants......most St Bernard`s I know do not need 2 hrs exercise a day, living on a farm pottering, around outside with a good walk each day will be fine for this giant breed, a collie on the other hand will need copious amounts of exercise and stimulation to keep it sane.

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