Hello everybody! I’m back!
I am SO excited about Christmas, aren’t you? It’s my favorite holiday of the year! And since December is a cold winter month, I chose to write about a dog that is well-suited for cold weather… the Saint Bernard!
Saint Bernards are known for their work as search-and-rescue dogs. A long time ago in the Swiss Alps, when travelers got buried in avalanches in the mountains, Saint Bernards and monks would go out to search for the lost person. Once they found the missing person, the dogs would lick the traveler’s face, laying on top of them to keep them warm, while some of the other dogs would go back to the hospice to let people know about the missing person. Then the dogs would guide the search party to the missing person. These dogs were able to sense avalanches before they started!
There was one famous Saint Bernard during that time named Barry. He saved over forty lives! Saint Bernards have a very keen sense of smell, which is why they are still used as search-and-rescue dogs today. But lots of different dog breeds are also used as search-and-rescue dogs, not just Saint Bernards.
The Saint Bernard is a big dog, weighing 200 pounds as an adult. Their markings are red and white, with dark brown patches on their faces. There are two types of Saint Bernards, long haired ones and short haired ones. Saint Bernards can be very useful during the winter months–they make great blankets!
Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this Dog of the Month.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
-Zariya
Top photo credit: willow via photopin (license)
Featured & Bottom photo credit: having a splodge via photopin (license)
I am a home-schooled outdoor explorer, pianist, author, reader, passionate about all dogs and other animals. I aspire to become a future veterinarian and join a dog sled team.