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Standard FCI

Standard Saint bernard

(F.C.I. Standard No 61, dated 24/3/93)

Translated by - Mrs. C. Saidler, Mr. Michael J. Wingeier
Country of Origin - Switzerland

Note: The Interpretation drop down boxes are the educational extension approved by the Members of the NSW Saint Bernard Club on 6th August 1996 and are not part of the FCI Standard as printed.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SURVEY
At the height of the Great St. Bernard Pass, 2469m above sea level, a hospice was founded by monks in the 11th century as a refuge for travellers and pilgrims, and large mountain dogs have been kept there for watch and protection since the middle of the 17th century. The existence of such dogs has been documented in paintings and drawings dating back to 1695 and in written official document at the hospice since 1707.

The dogs were soon in service as companion dogs and especially deployed as rescue dogs for travellers lost in snow and fog. Numerous chronicles, published in many languages, as well as verbal reports by the soldiers of Napoleon who transmitted the Great Pass with him in 1800, tell on many lives saved by these dogs in the face of "the white death". The fame of the St. Bernard, then known as the "Barry-dog" became the epitome of the rescue dog.

The direct ancestors of the Saint Bernard were the large farm dogs widely spread across the region, within a few generations after the establishment of the ideal type, were bred into the present dog breed. Heinrich Schumacher from Holligen near Bern, Switzerland, was the first to document and provide pedigrees for his dogs. In February 1884 the "Schweizerischer Hundestammbuch (SHSB)", the Swiss Dog Stud Book, was opened. The very first entry was the St. Bernard "Leon" and the following 28 entries also all St. Bernards. The Swiss St. Bernards Club was formed in Basle on 15th March 1884. During the International Canine Congress on 2nd June 1887, the St. Bernard dog was officially recognised as a Swiss breed and the breed standard was declared as binding. Since that time the St. Bernard has been a Swiss national dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
There are two varieties of the St. Bernard:-
Short Hair variety (Stockhaar, smooth coat)
the Long Hair variety (rough coat).
Both varieties are of notable size and have a balanced, sturdy, muscular body with imposing head and alert facial expression.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS
Ideal proportion for height at withers to body length (measured from the point of the shoulder to point of the ischium) - 5:6
For the ideal relationship of height at withers to depth of chest see the following sketch.

HEAD AND SKULL
General - massive and imposing.

FAULTS
Every departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault which will be assessed according to the degree of departure from the standard
o Lack of correct gender characteristics
o Unbalanced general appearance
o Strong wrinkles on head
o Excessive dewlap
o Muzzle too short or too long
o Flews of the lower jaw turning outwards
o Light eyes
o Entropion, ectropion
o Eyelids too loose
o Low set on ears
o Under or overshot bite
o Missing teeth other than PM1 (premolar 1)
o Crooked or severely turn out front legs
o Sway back or roach back
o Rump higher than withers or falling away steeply
o Poorly angulated, bowed or cow-hocked hindquarters
o Tail carried curled over the back,
o Faulty movement
o Curly coat
o Incomplete or totally absent pigment on nose,around the nose, on lips and eyelids
o Faulty markings eg white with reddish-brown ticks,
o Faults of temperament, aggressiveness, shyness

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
o Coat totally white or totally reddish-brown
o Coat of a different colour
o Wall eye, blue eye
NOTE Male animals should have two apparently normally developed testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

(เฉพาะผู้มีส่วนเกี่ยวข้องและลูกค้า The Spirit of Saintbernard)

Create Date : 12 กรกฎาคม 2551

Last Update : 1 สิงหาคม 2551 3:57:31 น.

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