The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-10-30
st. Bernard Dogs.

| very OIO one lnUeeu Ill us HItlVc OWIt
zerland. The monks of the order of St
Bernard, when they first settled in thcil
monastery to carry on there their work
of self.denying mercy, found that they
could hardly 60 on with it unless they
could find some band of efficient help
ers; accordingly they began to search
out and train certain large, powerful
dogs of the country. Experience soon
proved that the worthy fathers had
chosen their friends Alright; constant
companionship with men developed in
the dogs an intelligence which fell little
short of reason; firm but gentle dis
cipline showed him to be capable of the
most complete self-restraint; he exhib-
tied vast capacity for attaching him
self to individuals; his perfect temper
made him safe and trustworthy guar
dian for woman or a child. Thus
year after year the st. Bernard lived on
in his mountain home doing noble work
there.
The chief reason, perhaps, why he has
so quickly made his way in general So
ciety is his singular aptitude for family
life. In spite OF his immense size, he is,
most essentially, a house pet: he is a
born gentleman in all his tastes and
habits; Il very little training will give
him the most perfect manners; his
heavy body renders him not at ali averse
to sedentaIy hours OF doing and medi.
tation upon hearth-rug; his fine
placid temper makes him an excellent
children's playfellow. He is also, by
nature, friend of man and a lover of
mans company; that is what enables
him to do, with such generous frce-will,
his work Of mercy among the mountain
SHOWS; and that IS what causes him, in
domestic life, to be never so happy as
when he is sitting in room filled with
people, or lying close to his masters
side. His extreme sociability is, indeed,
at times, somewhat IF a trial to his
neighbors, for if for any casual reason
he is !banShed from the house for a
while to shed or stables, his loud and
prolonged lamentations and his angry,
impatient barks cause the air for no
small distance round to be filled with
any thing but sweet harmonies. ftt
There are two distinct breeds of St.
Bernard dogs-the rough and the
smooth. The monks prefer the smooth,
because in their mountain excursions the
movements Of these short haired dogs
are, Of course, less impeded by con.
geaicd ice and snow hanging about them
in stiffening clots aud humps than those
of their, thicker-coa,ed brethren; but in
other countries they enjoy about equal
popularity. There is certainly a great
charm tor the touch of master or mis-
tress in passing the hand through a
rough St. Demands coat: rough though
it is called, it is like lingering a vast
mass Of the richest and finest silk. On
the other hand, if he is taken ont for a
winter country walk, he comes home
with dress Of plastered mud that his
smooth relation would never have to
wear. '''tA' Il; ! Fl 9" ''.. ~ /
A st. Bernard dog should be from
twenty-eight to thirly.one inches high.
and should measure in length, from
muzzle to tip of.tail, some six feet; his
color should be a tawny orange mixed
with white. ] In the smooth breed h
white collar round the neck is regarded
as mark of good family and pure blood.
In the rough breed the orange should be |
of a very deep hue. The points vi a real
st. Bernard are immense, very strong,
wide paws, huge limbs, deep lips, a
broad head, large dropping ears, brown
eyes, which, though not very big and
full, atone for their want of size by their
depth OF thoughtful Intelligence, and
long curling tail, which is always in ac-
tive, laxative movement, and which,
when its owner is in high spirits, imper.
lis greatly the safety OF glass and china
on bracket or side-board. To these
marks of aristocracy are added, by some
people knowing in the breed, dew-claws
on the hind feet, but judges differ as to
these latter are or are not indis-
pcnsably necessary. For a dog OF his
size and strength, the St. Bernard needs
careful feeding; if overcrammed, or al
lowed to oyercram himself, which he
will do, like all the canine fam ly, he is
liable to bad attacks of indigestion.