History of Saint Bernard breed

Saint Bernard, originally bred for rescue, is a descendant of the Tibetan mastiffs taken by the Romans to the Alps about 1000AD. More than 2,000 people have been saved by the Saint Bernards. They worked in teams to look for lost or injured travelers. The dogs lick them to get their circulation going and one dog lies beside the man to give them warmth. Another dog gets a human rescue and led them back to the lost traveler. This breed’s sense of smell can be used even if the person is under feet of snow. The family of St. Bernard shared history with Sennenhunds or Swiss Mountain Dogs. These are huge farm dogs and the dairymen of the Swiss Alps. Saint Bernard dog is known internationally today as one of the Molossoid breeds. Its name derived from traveler’s hospice on the often untrustworthy St. Bernard Pass in the Western Alps between Italy and Switzerland where the name was passed to the dogs in the area. St. Bernard wasn’t commonly used until mid 19th century.