Saint Bernard.

Saint Bernard. Saint Bernard, breed of working dog, which originated in Europe sometime before the Christian era, probably from a large Asian dog brought to Europe by Roman soldiers. Since the middle of the 17th century, the most important center for the breeding and employment of the dog has been the hospice of Saint Bernard of Menthon on the Great Saint Bernard Pass in the Alps, east of Mont Blanc. The dog was used by the monks of the hospice first as a watchdog and then to help rescue persons lost in snow-drifts. Since the 1600s the dogs, whose power of scent and sense of direction particularly qualify them for detecting persons buried in the snow and for leading rescuers back to the hospice during snowstorms, have saved thousands of lives. The dog received its present name in 1880. The St. Bernard is a large, powerful animal, weighing about 70 to 90 kg (about 150 to 200 lb); the male is about 69 cm (about 27 in) high at the shoulder, the female slightly smaller. The dog has a massive skull; a short muzzle; medium-sized drooping ears; brown eyes; a strong neck; broad and sloping shoulders; a broad back; and a long, heavy tail that terminates in a blunt tip. Two types of St. Bernard exist: one with a dense, smooth coat of short hair and the other with a coat of moderately long hair. The second type developed after 1830, when the breed was crossed with the Newfoundland. The St. Bernard is red and white. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.