The Saint Bernard is a very large mountain dog from Switzerland, kept since the 17th century at the hospice on the Great St Bernard Pass. It has been regarded as the Swiss national dog since 1887.[1]
The breed standard
The FCI standard gives a height at the withers of 70–90 cm for males and 65–80 cm for females. It sets no weight. Taller dogs are not penalised if they are balanced and move soundly.[1] There are two coat varieties, short-haired and long-haired. The main colour is white with red patches, up to an unbroken red mantle over the back and flanks, and reddish-brown brindle is permitted.[1] The temperament is described as friendly by nature, calm to lively, and watchful.[1]
Name and origin
According to the FCI, a hospice was founded by monks at the Great St Bernard Pass, 2,469 m above sea level, in the 11th century. Large mountain dogs have been kept there since the middle of the 17th century for guarding and protection, and they are documented in pictures from 1695 and in writing from 1707.[1] They soon served as companions and as rescue dogs for travellers lost in snow and fog, and the dog “Barry” became the epitome of the rescue dog. The FCI says the direct ancestors were large farm dogs of the region.[1] The Swiss Dog Stud Book began in 1884, and on 2 June 1887 the breed was officially recognised as a Swiss breed with a binding standard.[1] A study of breed relationships places the Saint Bernard in an “Alpine” group of breeds.[2] The AKC recognised it in 1885.[3]
Health and lifespan
In the Dogs Trust table of UK dogs, the Saint Bernard has a median life expectancy of 9.3 years (95% confidence interval 9.0–9.8), based on 1,129 dogs of which 509 had died.[4] The study behind the table lists the Saint Bernard among the breeds at higher risk of early death.[5] No disease figures for the Saint Bernard are given here.
Popularity
The Saint Bernard ranked 63rd on the AKC’s list of most popular breeds in 2025.[6]
Sources
- FCI breed standard 61, Saint Bernard
- Parker et al. 2017, Cell Reports 19: 697–708 (DNA relationships of 161 breeds)
- American Kennel Club, breeds by year recognized
- Dogs Trust, “Life expectancy for 155 breeds and crossbred group” table (UK; median life expectancy)
- McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14: 531 (longevity of UK companion dog breeds)
- American Kennel Club, most popular dog breeds of 2025