Skip to content
PetPrep
Get early access

Animal register · DogIn the app

Saint Bernard

St. Bernard, St. Bernhardshund, Bernhardiner

The Saint Bernard comes from Switzerland; the FCI lists it as the St. Bernard among the molossoid breeds of the mountain type. The FCI standard describes a dog that is friendly by nature, calm to lively and watchful, and recognises two varieties: short-haired, with a dense, smooth, close-lying coat, and long-haired. Dogs stand at least 70 cm and bitches at least 65 cm, up to 90 and 80 cm; the PDSA gives a weight of 54–81 kg.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to an hour of exercise a day, says the breed suits a large house with a large garden, needs grooming more than once a week, sheds and usually lives under ten years. The PDSA says Saint Bernards love being with a family and are great with people of all ages, including children, should be well socialised as puppies, need brushing at least three times a week, drool, do not do as well in the heat, and need a gap between eating and exercising. PetMD adds that these people-oriented dogs can develop separation anxiety if they are left alone for long periods.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Saint Bernard — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
giant — The Royal Kennel Club S529
Adult weight
males 54–81 kg, females 54–81 kg — PDSA S532
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S529
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S529
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S529
Lifespan
less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S529

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • family lifeS532
  • families with childrenS532
  • a large house and gardenS529

Keep in mind:

  • shorter lifespanS529
  • eyelids and eyes — check eye testsS531
  • hips and hind legs — check joint healthS531S532
  • thick coat — struggles in hot weatherS532
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS533
  • shedsS529
  • needs brushing several times a weekS529S532
  • drools — keep a cloth at handS532

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S529

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S529
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S529
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S529

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S529

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 18–24 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S529
  • Height at the withers: males 70–90 cm, females 65–80 cm — FCI S528
  • Adult weight: males 54–81 kg, females 54–81 kg — PDSA S532

Training

  • No. 65 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 61, group 2 (pinscher and schnauzer types, molossoid breeds and Swiss mountain and cattle dogs); origin: Switzerland. — FCI S527

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Saint Bernard need?

According to our sources, the Saint Bernard needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S529.

How long does a Saint Bernard live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Saint Bernard is: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S529.

How big does a Saint Bernard get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Saint Bernard, according to our sources: Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S529; Adult weight: males 54–81 kg, females 54–81 kg — PDSA S532.

How much grooming does a Saint Bernard need?

Coat and grooming of the Saint Bernard, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S529; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S529; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S529.

Who is the Saint Bernard a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Saint Bernard as a good fit for: family life — PDSA S532; families with children — PDSA S532; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S529. Keep in mind: shorter lifespan — The Royal Kennel Club S529; eyelids and eyes — check eye tests — The Royal Kennel Club S531; hips and hind legs — check joint health — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S531S532; thick coat — struggles in hot weather — PDSA S532; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S533; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S529; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S529S532; drools — keep a cloth at hand — PDSA S532.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 63 (5.3 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.7× its speed).
  • Becomes a senior in month 63 (5.3 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 3 times a week.
  • Care: checking and cleaning the ears every 2 weeks — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA, Journal of Small Animal Practice S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S529S532S533S534

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — PDSA S532
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S532
  • Eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) or outwards (ectropion) can occur in the breed; ask for eye-checked parents. — The Royal Kennel Club S531
  • Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S532
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PDSA S532

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S529
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S529
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S529

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S527FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — ST. BERNARD (61)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/ST-BERNARD-61.html
  11. S528FCI (reproduced by the World Union of Saint Bernard Clubs) — FCI-Standard N° 61 — St. Bernard, valid 04.04.2016, in the W.U.S.B. education booklet (PDF, Fondation Barry)https://www.fondation-barry.ch/files/standard-fci_en.pdf
  12. S529The Royal Kennel Club — Breeds A to Z — St. Bernardhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/st-bernard/
  13. S531The Royal Kennel Club — Breed Watch — St. Bernard - Category 3https://www.royalkennelclub.com/activities/heritage-sports/dog-showing/judging-dog-shows/breed-watch-health-and-welfare-of-show-dogs/st-bernard-category-3/
  14. S532PDSA — Saint Bernard breed informationhttps://pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/saint-bernard
  15. S533PetMD — Michelle Diener, DVM, reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM (updated Nov. 11, 2025) — Saint Bernardhttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/saint-bernard
  16. S534Journal of Small Animal Practice (2010), via ResearchGate — Adams V. J. et al. Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UK. J Small Anim Pract 51:512–524, doi:10.1111/j.1748-5827.2010.00974.xhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/47620165_Methods_and_mortality_results_of_a_health_survey_of_purebred_dogs_in_the_UK
  17. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  18. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  19. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  20. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  21. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

Ready for a pet?

Be among the first families to try PetPrep. We will email you when it is ready — nothing else.

By subscribing you agree to receive emails about PetPrep. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy