Cane di San Bernardo - Comment to the Breed Standard

Front limbs

Profile of the Correct Alignment
1) An imaginary vertical line drawn from the tip of the shoulder to the round must touch the tip of the toes.

2) An imaginary vertical line that intersects the centre of the elbow articulation should divide the limb into two almost equal parts (the front part being larger) and touch the round just behind the feet.

Front View of the Correct Allignment
1) An imaginary vertical line drawn from the top of the shoulders to the round must divide, into two almost equal parts, the forearms, carpus, metacarpus, and the feet.

2) The lenght of the front limb at the elbow is equal to half the height of the dog at the withers.


Proper angularities		Proper angularities in the skeleton


Angularities in the american variety		Trunk protruding forward, straight shoulder blade, hind lifted upwards, hollowed rump, too wide tibio-metatarsal angle (5 faults)

Shoulder

The shoulder is long, oblique, and extremely mascular. It must be adherent to the thorax but free in its movements. Its length, measured from the scapular-humeral articulation to the top of the withers, corresponds to 26% of the dog's height. Tha angle made by the scapula and an imaginary horizontal line is around 45°. The tip ends of each scapula, in relation to the vertical plane of the body, are somewhat distant one from the other. When they are too close together, it is to be penalized.
As previously mentioned regarding the withers, one encounters fairly often is the straight shoulder which, associated with an overly angulated arm, negatively modifies the construction of movements. The straight shoulder is to be penalised. Also penalised is the shoulder that is short, little muscular, and appears binding during the movement.

Arm

The upper arm is long, strong, with exceptional bone and muscle development. Its lenght is equals 32% of the dog's height at the withers. Tha angle formed by the arm and an imanginary horizontal line measures 60°. Tha scapular-humeral angle is approximately 105°. To be penalised is the arm overly angulated or too straight, frail, short, and little muscular.

Forearms

The elbow is long and prominent. Like the upper arm, it must be on a plane strictly parallel to that median to the body. This is a indispensable condition to have correct alignment in as much as out-turned elbows (opened) frequently produce toed-in situations, while elbows turned inward (closed) produce southpaws. Both of these deviations are to be penalised, particularly the latter.
The tip of the elbow is located on an imaginary vertical line drawn from the caudal corner of the scapula to the ground. The forearm is perfectly vertical, very strong, well muscled and with enormous, compacts bones. Its lenght (slightly greater than that of the upper arm) and its perimeter, measured just below the elbow, correspond, respectively, to 33% and 39% of the dog's height at the withers.
To be banished in the Saunt Bernard are forearms too thin, short and frail. To be penalised are forearms deviating from the alignment and knuckled. The latter is always a sign of rickets.

Carpus

The carpus is sharp, wide, thick and vertical like the forearm. In puppies and young dogs up to one year (even longer in males) it is hypertrophic with notable bony swellings. This is not, however, to be ascribed to rickets. In the adult, forward curving or spunginess is to be penalised.
Sometimes the carpus is shifted forward further than the vertical line (arrembatura) or knuckled backward. More frequently, there is an inward turning and consequently the metacarpus and the feet are carried outward (southpaws); or there is an outward turning of the carpus with the metacarpus and the feet turning inward (toed-in dog). All of these deviations are to be penalised, especially southpaws.

Metacarpus

The size of the metacarpus is somewhat less than that of the forearm. It is robust, little angulated, and not very long. As seen from the front, it follows the perpendicular line of the forearm and the carpus. When viewed in profile, it is only slightly outstretched and forms a 75° angle with the ground. Its lenght is equal to 8% of dog's height at the withers. If the metacarpus is excessively long and bent the dog is referred to as being "long jointed".
This defect (penalised in the adult) is very common in young dogs up to one year. It almost always disappears when the dog reaches maturity. If the metacarpus also is short, and therefore also straight, the dog is referred to as "short-jointed" or "straight in the metacarpus". Such a defect is not serious, considering the function of the Saint Bernard.

Foot

  The foot is round, wide, with very well arched and snug toes (catfoot). The following defects can be penalised: long feet (hare feet), flat feet, splayed or poorly arched feet, feet turned inward or feet turned outward. Splayed feet decry sluggishness and the trait is hereditary. Altogether, the most common deviation in the alignment of the front limbs in the Saint Bernard are the following:

Profile view:
a) total deviation of the limb.
  1) Dog thrown forward (an imaginery vertical line falls distant from the tip of the foot). The opposite defect (dog's limb extended in the front: a vertical line falls on the top of the foot) is rare in the Saint Bernard.

b) Partial deviation of the limb.
  2) Long jointed dog (metacarpus too long and bent).

Front view:
a) Total deviation of the limb.
  1) Dog closed in the front (limbs converging downwards to the inside of the vertical line).
  2) Dog open in the front (limbs diverging downward, therefore outside of the vertical line).
  3) Dog with lyre shaped forearm (arched).

b) Partial deviation of the limb.
  1) Dog left-footed (the forearm is on the vertical line but the limb at the body of the foot turns outward).
  2) Dog pigeon-toed (the forearms follows the vertical line but the limb at the body of the foot turns inward).


Proper front	Narrow front (fault)	Wide front (fault)	Wide hocks (fault)	Toed-in dog (fault)	Southpaws (fault)

Top

Back limbs

Profile view of the Correct Allignment:
A vertical line passing from the end of the buttocks to the ground must touch the tip of the toes. The metacarpus is always vertical.

Rear view of the Correct Allignment:
A vertical line passing from the tip-end of the buttocks to the ground divides the limbs into two equal parts.

Thigh

The thigh is long, wide, convex and with well developed muscles. Its perimeter, measured at the loin, is not less than 70% of the dog's height at the withers. The complex rump, pelvic, buttock, and thigh musculature must be extremely strong. Deficient muscular development of this region deprives the posterior of its ability to function and, in young dogs, favours subluxation of the coxo-femoral joint.
The suggestion made by some dogs clubs to select the lighter puppies, with the result of obtaining dogs free of such malformations, is not applicable to the Saint Bernard because in this breed the more developed, heavier puppies are always chosen. Instead, it is appropriate to use breeding stock that have a thigh circumference as wide as possible. The lenght of the thigh is around 33% of the dog's height at the withers. Its outer face, from one side to the other, must exceed 25% of this height. Its direction, with respect to the horizon, is as much oblique at the top as at the bottom, and as much so from behind as in front. To be banished is the short, flat thigh or one with atrophic muscles. To be penalised is the thigh that is too straight or too angulated.
The buttocks are somewhat long, that is, well descending, very muscular and prominent at its end. Subjects with a poorly muscular buttocks have flat thighs and a weak posterior.

Legs

The leg is long and massive, with exceptional bone and muscle. Free of subcutaneous cellar tissue, the leg furrow is well evidenced. Its lenghts corresponds to 33% of the dogs at the withers. Its slope against a horizontal line is around 60°. Frail, short legs are to be banished. Legs overly oblique or too straight are to be penalised.

Hocks

The hock is a very important region not only for his supporting function, but also because it is the mainspring of posterior propulsion. In the Saint Bernard the hock must be wide, exceptionally thick, sharp, very strong, and with prominent, well evidenced bones. The tip of the hock is marked, showing sharply the continuation of the leg furrow.
The standard gives us no data concerning the tibia-metatarsus angle. It says only, "the hocks are moderately angulated". Such a statement pushes breeders to obtain hocks too straight and, therefore, dogs tending to have an upright, erect position. In the author's opinion, it would be more correct to say "meanly angulated", intending, therefore, a tibial-metatarsal joint with a weavering hock during movement. Dogs with an erect posterior can have quite an inversion in the hock angulation. This defect, once rather frequent but rarely seen nowadays, is severly penalised.
The height of the hook (from the sole of the foot) correspnds to 27% of the dog's height at the withers. To be penalised is the hock excessively high, narrow, too thick, and with an angle too closed or too open.

Metatarsus

The metatarsus is sharp, very thick, robust and not very long. It is always positioned perpendicular to the ground, wether viewed from the side or from the back. It is to be penalized if too long, frail or misaligned.
On the inner face are single or double dewclaws which, at times assume great dimensions. The single dewclaw or fifth toe, should be eliminated as it obstrucks gait. in fact such a vestigial toe, when the nail is not kept trimmed, becomes a real weapon. It can injure the opposing leg or become embedded in the soft tissue of the leg itself, causing infection.
Regarding double dewclaws, the author does not share the opinion of those who belive it necessary to prevent the dog from sinking in the snow. In fact, this exra toe, always unsteady and mobile, is brusquely pushed upwards and tends to luxate when the dog sinks into semi-frozen snow.

Foot

The rear feet are slightly less rounded than those of the front and the toes are less arched. Feet somewhat turned toward do not constitute a defect if the metatarsus is properly aligned. Defects are the same as those for the front feet.
Leaving out the numerous variations, the most common variations of the rear limb alibnment in the Saint Bernard are the following:

Profile view:
a) Total deviation of the limb.
1) Dog gathered up toward the back (or tucked up under himself posteriorly). The foot placement is just in front of an imaginary vertical line. The back limbs are shifted under the trunk. The rump is hollow.

2) The foot placement is just in front of an imaginary vertical line. The back limbs are shifted under the trunk. The leg is almost always perpendicular. The hock is straight (or open). The rump is hollow.

3) The dog is extended in the back or thrown out in the rear. The foot placement is behind a vertical line, without touching it. Therefore the rear limbs are shifted backward. The rump is horizontal.

b) Partial deviation of the limb.
1) Narrow hock: the deviation begins at the hock and the tarsus. The metatarsus and the foot are oblique in front.
2) Wide hock: fault opposite to n. 1.

Rear view:
a) Total deviation of the limb.
1) Dog narrow in the rear (limbs converging downward, therefore to the inside of the vertical line).
2) Dog wide in the rear (limbs divergind downward, therefore to the outside of the vertical line).
3) Dog cow-hocked (the hocks are to the inside of a vertical line and the feet jut outward).
4) Dog toed-in (the hocks are to the outside of a vertical line and the feet turned inward).


Proper hind	Narrow hock (Fault)	Wide hock (Fault)	Cow hock (Fault)	Toed-in dog (Fault)

Top

Coat

Short-haired

The fur is somewhat short with a glossy texture. It is shiny, bright and close-fitting to the skin. It is stiff but not rough to the touch. It is very thick and colse with plenty of undercoat, especially during winter. On the trunk the lengt of the fur is of 2,5-3 cm (reaching 5 cm at the rump). It shows a slight waving on the back, loins, rump and buttocks.
On the muzzle and skull the hair is smooth, fine and no longer than 1,5 cm. It is slightly longer on the ears. It is very short on the front and side faces of the forearm, tarsus and metatarsus. It is longer on the back-side of these regions, but without fringing. Light socks are formed on the thigh. The hair is somewhat longer on the thigh than elsewhere. It reaches its maximum length (7 cm) on the tail, decreasing gradually towards the tip. The coat with fur too stiff or too soft is to be penalised.

Long-haired

The fur is of medium length, semi-glossy texture, shiny and bright, typical for snow: flat, thick, dense and close-fitting. In winter it furnishes with a rich undercoat. The length of the fur on the trunk is from 2 cm (chest) to 8 cm (rump).
It waves slightly on the back, loins, rump and buttocks. The fur on the muzzle and head is short (2 cm), smooth, fine, soft and very velvety. It is silky on the ears, slightly less short but never long. The fur on the neck is long, as on the neck, but never dense. The fur is short (2 cm) on the front and side faces of the forearm, tarsus and metatarsus. On the back-side of these regions it fringes. On the thigh it forms socks (which must not reach as far down as the hocks). The fur on the tail is longer than on any other part of the body. It reaches its maximum length (approximately 12 cm) in the centre of the tail, decreasing gradually toward the tip.
To be banished is fur of a wooly, crisp texture, tufted or flocked. To be penalized is a fur which is notably wavy, too rough, or too soft (lymphatic). The repeated breeding among long-haired for more than three generations tends to produce offspring with fur too wavy and too long. The best long-haired coat is obtained by frequent breeding long-haired and short-haired dogs.

Coat colour

The colour of the coat is white and red or red and white. White must be of exceptional whiteness, bright, shiny and pure. The required white marking are: nosebridge, collar, chest, feet and tip of the tail. If the dog does not have a white collar it cannot be penalized as long as there is a white mark near the nape of the neck.
  The red is comprised of various shades, ranging from mahogony to tawny to brilliant orange. It must always be intense, bright and warm with copper highlights. The standard states that red and yellow-brown colour are of equal value. Although it is commonly known that in the Saint Bernard a dull (drab) colour that takes vitality and quality away from the coat. The yellow-brown coats were common among exhibition subjects of the last century. They were the outcome of a combination of tawny or faded-yellow patched coats with speckled or spotted coats. As noted, the old work-prototype was often speckled. Barry himself displayed white speckling in the coloured parts. Even nowadays it happens that we observe dogs with hints at this type of coat.
  Very pleasing is the mahogony coat colour consisting of tawny fur at the base and black at the tip. Dogs with this type coat often have an abundance of black in the mask. Black shadings in the background highlight the vitality of the coat, if of a modest entity. If in excess, they over-shadow the coat and are therefore penalized.
  In the coat loaded with colour, the tone is often darker near the white boundaries on the limbs and tail. Sometimes the dark mahogony blends into grey at the merging of these points with the black and white fur.
  The size of the red markings determine three types of mantle:
  1) mantle predominantly white with sparse red markings (more or less wide). In this case red marks are at times freckled with white;
  2) mantle with red predominating and uniformly distributed, excepting the required white markings (full mantle);
mantle with red patches predominating but with veins of white spotting inside the red (torn mantle.
  In the past, mantles were frequently of type 1), whereas today types number 2) and 3) predminate. It should be noted that the widespread red markings (number 2 and 3) should as regular a design as possible.

A "Giant" of the Del Soccorso Kennel

  The mask must be symmetrical. It is dark, almost black, at the sides of the center white band. The first half of the sides are shaded in dark mahogony. In the cheeks and sides this progresses to the same colour of the mantle. This shading, similar to dark velvet must be bright (dull is not appreciated). It must create a sharp contrast with the absolute whiteness of the white band that crosses the skull longitudinally. It covers a good part of the muzzle.
  This contrast contributes to giving the dog a noble look. The shading of the mask can be localized in a small area around the eye (patch). However it is preferable that it be extended, with tones more or less dark and shady, along the sides of the entire white band on the head and muzzle. The mask completely darkened, that is with no side shadings in tones less dark, detracts from the quality of the head. The lack of dark shading in the mask can be severely penalized.
  It is preferred that the white band on the muzzle and forehead is as wide as possible. However it must never extend beyond the nasal corner of the eye. Much desired is the white band that, starting from the muzzle, continues up the head and joins in with the white collar.
  A white band that is too small, above all on the muzzle, overshadows the expression and takes nobility off the head. Strongly penalized are the dogs without the white band on the forehead and dogs with asymmetrical masks. The entirely white head is, in general, allowed. It can be pardoned, although provoking a serious loss of points, if the specimen is extra-classy. Some famous dogs with white heads obtained the maximum titles but they are exceptions.
  White marks on the ears are tolerated as long as they don't cover more than 1/3 of the outer surface of the earflap. Many subjects have dark brown or black freckling on the white parts of the muzzle and head, and tawny, red, orange,or black freckling on the white parts of the body. The freckles, always little appreciated, are tollerable on the muzzle and skull only if not dense and arranged in such a way that they don't muddy the whiteness of the white parts.
  When they are dense (heavy) they completely degrade the animal because they confer a displeasing look and deprive the dog of the indispensable nobility. Freckling on the white parts of the body always takes quality off the dog. They are absolved only when they are sparse or almost inperceptable. In any case, it should be stressed out that the white markings must be without freckling.Sometimes in subjects with a mask very dark and white markings very clean, there appear spots on the lips lacking of pigmentation. This phenomenon, which is to be penalized, occurs due to abnormal distribution of melanin (absent in the white parts and excessively concentrated in the darker parts) and from the diminution of fur around the lipcommisure, front and rim.
  Colours that are faded, liver and opaque are to be penalized. Puppies with liver markings are eliminated because such colour becomes opaque in the adult.

Top

Skin

The skin is of pinkish colour with sparse pigmentation. The nose, the eyelid rim and the lips are black. The pigment of the soles of the plantar coushins and digital pads (feet) are very dark. Even partial lack of pigmentation of the nose and eyelid rim is a very serious defect.
  The skin must be consistent, toned and well nourished in every region of the body. The derma is thick. The skin in the adult must not be overly abundant or have excessive subcutaneous cellular tissue. On the forehead the skin forms wrinkles. As stated before, they must be very slightly pronounced. They are more evident in the short-haired variety due to a less heavy coat. An excess of wrinkles and over-abundance of skin on the forehead takes the sculptured look away from the skull.
  The dewlap, an ethnic characteristic, must not be in excess. If so, it is penalized. In general, a neck too heavily laden with dewlap accompanies an exposed eye and loose skin.
  The author prefers subjects somewhat sharp that are presented with an erect head, moderately wrinkled. Thin, soft skin is to be banished.

Top

Heigth at withers

The Saint Bernard holds the maximum record in size among all canine species.
  Its enormous size, derived from heavy molossus ancestors, has always found its purpose in the breed's employment for work-tasks. As a matter of fact, through the centuries, the monks of the great Saint Bernard made constant effort of increasing stature and weigth in order to obtain subjects apt to a kind of work which is almost inconceivable for a dog.
  One should consider that in the past, the duty of these anmals consisted in locating a wayferer buried under avalanches and digging him up as extracting him from beneath the snow, and sometimes even transporting the unfortunate to the nearest shelter. The function of the Saint Bernard as a work-dog requires the Herculean strength of a giant bind to a very fine nose. It should be added that during the historical period of rescue, the dog often worked alone (not assisted by the monks) so that the rescue of one or more human lives depended only upon the strength, resistance and power of the animal.
  Nowadays we use helicopters and small mountain aircrafts, while the rescue activity of dogs is reduced to the exploration of the landslides - to spot the buried person - while the task of escavation, extraction and transport of the unfortunate is upon man. So that rescue dogs employed in the mountain can be even dogs of modest size and even of other breeds than the Saint Bernard's.
  We lovers of the classical Saint Bernard still consider him a work-dog, as the monks did. Therefore we never tire of appelling to the breeders to obtain dogs as large as possible within the correct size, heigth and weigth relation. Judges as well must be aware of the principle "the taller the better, provided that symmetry is maintained". Between two dogs physically sound and morphologically equal, preference goes always to the taller one. Specialty judges, as a rule, allow for a specification of heigth, in the evaluation of a dog being judged. It would be desirable that such a system be adopted by all judges globally. In general, the heigth is described as "very large".
  Therefore optimal in the Saint Bernard is greater than 86 cm (33 ¾") for males and 80 (31 ½") for females. "Large" is 82-86 cm (32 ¼"- 33 ½") for males and 75 - 80 cm (29 ½"-31 ½") for females. "Medium" is 78-82 cm (30 ¾"-32 ¼") for males and 70-75 cm (27 ½") for females. "Small" is 70-78 cm (27 ½"- 30 ¾") for males and 65-70 cm (25 ½"-27 ½") for females.
  The compilers of the international Standard set the minimum value for heigth, but not the maximum. This was done with the conviction that no upper limits of heigth can exist in this giant breed. It would however be desirable that the minimum set forth in the standard be raised. The author's proposal is of 78 cm (30 ¾") for males and 72 (28 1/3") for females.
  In the "golden era" of the Saint Bernard (1920-1940) one could rarely see males with less than 80 cm of heigth at withers on shows accross Switzerland, Germany and Holland. Anything but rare were the subjects greater than 90 cm (31 ½"). Actually, for a good Saint Bernard to become a champion he should never - with due exceptions - be shorter than 80-82 cm (31 ½"-32 1/3"). On the contrary, he should far exceed such a limit and reach, if possible, the maximum heigth of he Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound, but with increased volume, length of trunk and, of course, weigth.

"The giant and the little girl".
This is a subject of 103,5 cm heigth at withers and is a grandson
of the World Champ. Sando del Soccorso (Photo Pozzoni)

Top

Weight

No other breed reaches the Weigth records of the Saint Bernard. One can affirm with certainty that this is the heaviest among the species. We have often read or heard of the exceptional weigth of the Saint Bernard. The author himself has had in his kennel a subject weigthing over 110 kg.
  It should be specified however, that this unusual weight has the exclusive value of curiosity. It cannot be taken as a rule because it refers to an obese animal. Once again we reiterate that the Saint Bernard is a work-type dog. Therefore excessive fattness is functionally detrimental. Obese dogs are short of breath, lazy, listless and unable to breed naturally. In the Saint Bernard one should consider ideal the so-called athletic weight. That would be the ideal weight which allows the animal to fully express his physical potential. Such weight can be established in the adult malein a ratio of 1kg/cm of heigth at withers. For the female the weigth is reduced by 15%.
  In these brief notes we have tried to examine each morphological detail of the Saint Bernard without the pretence of offering to the reader a systematic study of the breed. For this reason, we would be grateful to those who would eventually correct our errors or perfect the topic we have so briefly discussed.
  We would like to emphasise that a champion Saint Bernard never represents the algebric sum of all the correct parts but something more and different. We must also add that, even if it seems a paradox, the greatest champions in history are not always dogs with least conformation faults; but, instead, are those subjects that, for their flashing typicalness, strike the most the sensitivity, fantasy and, why not, the artistic sense of the viewer.

Top

««« Back to the third part of the chapter