How to Pick a Saint Bernard

By Tippy

Instructions

Step 1:
Interview the breeder. Your first question should be, “Why do you breed Saint Bernards?” Her answer should be, “To improve the breed,” or something along those lines.
Step 2:
Check the puppy’s pedigree. Each puppy born to a dog registered with the AKC (American Kennel Club) will have its own registration papers and you should ask to view the lineage of its parents for at least 6 generations.
Step 3:
Ask to see both the sire (father) and the dam (mother) of the puppy to ascertain that they are quality specimens of Saint Bernards. Familiarize yourself with the breed standard before you go. Better yet, print and take a copy with you to compare.
Step 4:
Watch how the puppies interact with each other and with people. It is imperative when picking a large breed dog that they are of sound temperament. A responsible breeder will not breed a dog with aggression problems. Ask her, specifically, about any aggression problems in the parent dogs.
Step 5:
Choose a puppy who is strong and sturdy and one that approaches you with interest. His eyes should be clear, his ears clean and pink, there should be no discharge from his nose and he should not cough. In addition, be alert for signs that the litter has diarrhea.
Step 6:
Give the puppy a kiss. Well, maybe not a kiss, but lift him up to your face and smell his breath. A healthy puppy will have that sweet telltale “puppy breath” and his gums will be pink and clean. His teeth should be white and uniform and his jaws should open and close squarely with ease.
Step 7:
Review the puppy’s health record and inoculation schedule. Before you purchase him, the breeder will have him vaccinated with his first set of shots and will provide you with a record of his health checkups. Make sure you see these.

Tips & Warnings

If you are not interested in professionally showing your dog, consider picking one from a Saint Bernard rescue. You will be giving a wonderful animal a good home.
Under no circumstances should you purchase a Saint Bernard from a puppy mill or a pet store. These puppies are often sick and come with little knowledge of their pedigree, even if they have registration papers from some obscure kennel club. Look for an AKC puppy from a reputable breeder. Do your background work.

Resources

Breed Standard for the Saint Bernard

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