Dog's Name & Age
Calico, 11 years
In a Word, My Saint Bernard Is…
THE best dog I've ever had, bar none!
Best Characteristics of the Breed
St Bernards are intelligent, happy dogs, very loyal and empathetic!
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
Their intelligence often exceeds their owners' expectations!
When, Where and How I Got My Saint Bernard
I purchased Calico from a reputable breeder at the age of 4 months. She was originally a pick-of-litter pup, to be kept as a show dog, but an eye infection that wouldn't clear up caused her to lose that eye, ending her show career before it was ever started.
However, Callie became the perfect dog for my needs as a companion and Mobility Assistance Service Dog! She served me faithfully from the age of 9 months until her retirement, due to arthritis, at the age of 9 years, and has graced my home with her loving presence ever since.
Callie turned 11 years old in March; I wish I could have another 11 with her!
I'd Describe My Dog As…
Loving; loyal; exuberant; desiring to please; intelligent beyond belief; happy-go-lucky; empathetic... A Champion of a dog, in ways beyond my ability to explain!
A wonderfully loving companion, easily trained, but sometimes too smart for her own good! Callie super-bonded to me, and, as a Service Dog, spent all her time in my presence. Consequently, she doesn't take well to separation, becoming very anxious if I'm gone for more than a few hours. However, she has never been destructive, once past the puppy chewing stage (when we lost a set of wooden steps in about 15 minutes! Do NOT forget that these dogs are powerhouses, even though they tend towards being laid-back!), and has always excelled at obedience. This is a dog that I honestly believe understands ~every word~ I say!
Calico showed her protection/rescue instincts very soon after I brought her home at the age of 4 months: she became most upset at her silly new person, who didn't seem to realize how dangerous bathtubs were, and so attempted to "Rescue" me from a bath! We did, eventually, get that straightened out, and--while never a fan of having one herself--Callie did get to the point where she would step into the tub for me, so that I could bathe her. Good thing, since 115 pound me couldn't possibly use force against this 150 pound bundle of fur!
As a Service Dog (trained by myself), Calico got me up out of a wheelchair. She attended me everywhere I went, for many years: Dr appointments; grocery shopping; a few nights in the hospital. We rode in taxi's, on buses and trains, and also took our first plane trip together, all the way from the east coat to WA state! During Callie's younger years, she and I did informational presentations about Service Dogs, being special favorites at our county library, as well as giving presentations at our local Kennel Club.
Callie loves all things "Baby", from human babies and children to any small animal. Any time I need to explain to her that she should be especially gentle, I simply tell her that something is a "Baby"--whether it is or not!--and she takes care not to move rapidly or be too rough. She has watched baby Guinea Pigs, just hours old, and my pet Ringneck Parrot has walked up and down on her back with nary a flinch from her. And, while she ~will~ chase stray cats, if they stop running, she immediately loses interest, and goes back to what she was doing before!
Advice
- 1) My biggest, most obvious suggestion to those considering a Saint, is for them to be *sure* that they're willing and able to expend the time and effort to train their dog... while it is YOUNG! You can expect a St Bernard puppy to grow at the rate of approximately 10 pounds per month for the first year, and will eventually, by the time it reaches the age of 2-3 years and is fully grown, be a dog weighing between 120 pounds (for smaller females) and 200 pounds (for larger males). Training at an age when the puppy is malleable, as well as ~movable~, is essential!
- 2) St's shed a LOT;
- 3) St's drool a LOT.
