Saint Bernards

Children's Literature

In the Swiss Alps, about 1,000 years ago, a monk named Saint Bernard built a monastery. This monastery gave food and shelter to people as well as helped to rescue people in the snow. In the 1700s the monks used huge dogs to help with the rescues. These dogs were later given the name Saint Bernards. Saint Bernards are easy going, gentle, patient and good with children, however, if they become bored they will get into trouble. They are smart, loyal and very strong. Saint Bernards are the heaviest breed of dog, weighing 125 to 180 pounds. They stand about 28 inches tall, have a huge head and drool a lot. They cannot be out in hot weather as they may suffer from heatstroke. Saint Bernards eat a lot—about 2 pounds of food each day. They need plenty of water. Saint Bernards don't need a lot of exercise but do need a lot of room because of their size. They like to play with stuffed animals or chew on plastic dog bones. They like to hike in cold weather. They need to be bathed about once a month. This well written book has great pictures of this wonderful dog. With the glossary and the web site listing, more information is available about Saint Bernards. This book is one in the series of "Dog Set IV."
—Cathi White