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General care

We do our best to produce happy and healthy puppies. When you purchase one of our puppies it will be up to you to continue the process. How the puppy turns out will depend very much on your skill and care in his/her rearing. Here are a few general comments about caring for your St. Bernard puppy:

Forced exercise and too much rich food will ruin a puppy's skeleton.
From about one pound birthweight, these dogs can grow to 10-11 Stone in a year. Not fully mature until 3 years old, they may reach their full height at 18 months old. So the rate of growth is phenomenal!
It is best to keep pup off slippy surfaces and stairs. No jumping in and out of cars - (lift!)
He/she will get sufficient exercise pottering in the garden, at present, with occasional visits to town to socialise and be admired!
After innoculations are completed, choose a KIND obedience class, (no shouting, yanking etc) to learn basic obedience together.
You can start the process when you get home with "sits" and "stays" when you present meals.
Gradually increase the exercise, but use common sense. You wouldn't take a baby on a ten-mile hike - and it is the same with your puppy.

Grooming

Brush the coat as often as you can. Use a large 'Slicker' brush and comb. Clean ears gently (no poking). Brush teeth daily wiht 'doggie' toothpaste, from your vet (NOT HUMAN). keep feet trimmed and check for mats between toes. Rinse feet after walking on salted winter pavements (salt burns).

Weekly spray with non-toxic flea spray. I use Bob Martins Micro Shield spray. You may have to order it. Bath when needed with good dog shampoo. I use J.D.S. Insecticidal Shampoo made by Vetzyme. This can be obtained in 4 litre containers from Seven Seas Ltd Tel:01482 375234 Ext 275. Can also be obtained in smaller amounts from pet shops.

Always dry thoroughly, especially after being out in the wet. The dogs can become very rheumatic if left wet.

Please ensure that all toxic substances - i.e. antifreeze, pesticides etc, slug pellets, are kept well out of reach and that the garden is securely fenced. All chocolate, especially dark chocolate can kill a dog, as can raisins and grapes.

Puppy has been wormed three times with piperazine. Worm every 3 months, then every six months. Medicine must be obtained from your vet not pet shop. Pup must be weighed. Vet has weighing machine.

Toys

I am not in favour of large bones, unless supervised. They can bung up innards and cause blockages. Also splinter. I recommend:

Large nylon rings
Giant nylon bones with BIG ends
Nylon pulls
Medium or giant kongs (can be filled with food for fun).

Books on St Bernards

Books on the breed include:

All about the St Bernard – Beaver, TFH Publications
The Complete St Bernard – Muggleton & Wensley, Ringpress Books Ltd
The New St Bernard – Gwilliam & Gwilliam, Ringpress Books Ltd

Visits to the vet

This is important. If for any reason your dog has to have an operation, do not let the vet use the premedication sedative, ACP. St Bernards can react very badly to this and have been known to die.

Saint Bernard clubs

There are 5 St Bernard clubs in the UK that offer advice and hold open and championship shows throughout the year. The Kennel Club's St Bernard page gives contact details for the regional club secretaries. In addition, the Saint Bernard Club of America is a long-established club that promotes responsible ownership.