[3] They were originally bred for rescue work by the hospice of the Great St Bernard Pass on the Italian-Swiss border.

The long fur they inherited would freeze in the snowy climate of the Alps, weighing them down and reducing their effectiveness as rescue dogs.

[8] During World War I St. Bernard dogs assisted the Red Cross and were used to carry supplies to troops in the Italian mountains, stationed in places inaccessible to mules and horses.

[4] The pass, the lodge, and the dogs are named for Bernard of Menthon, the 11th century Italian monk who established the station.

It is suspected that many of these large breeds were used to redevelop each other to combat the threat of their extinction after World War II, which may explain why all of them played a part in the creation of the St. Bernard as it is seen today.

[citation needed] The St. Bernard is recognised internationally by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale as a Molosser in Group 2, Section 2.

[citation needed] An annual celebration of the breed takes place on the Little Saint Bernard Pass and at the town of Rosières-Montvalzan on the French side.

[23] A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 9.3 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

[28] An American study of veterinary records found the Saint Bernard to be predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), with 2.6% of dogs having the condition compared to 0.2% for mixed-breeds.

[30] An American study reviewing over a million cases presented to 27 veterinary teaching hospitals in North America found the Saint Bernard to be the second most prediposed to canine hip dysplasia with 14.70% of dogs having the condition compared to 3.52% overall.

The Saint Bernard was also found to be predisposed towards canine cruciate ligament deficiency (CCLD) with 3.57% of dogs having the condition compared to 2.55% overall.

[31] A review of 1,934 cases of gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) found the Saint Bernard to be greatly predisposed to the condition with an odds-ratio of 4.2.

[33] A study in California found 3.76% of dogs presented had GDV[34] Known as a classic example of a gentle giant, the Saint Bernard is calm, patient, and sweet with adults, and especially children.

While generally not instinctively protective, a St. Bernard may bark at strangers, and their size makes them good deterrents against possible intruders.

[37] St. Bernards are often portrayed, especially in old live action comedies such as Swiss Miss, the TV series Topper, and classic cartoons (such as the 1938 Merrie Melodies short "Cracked Ice"), wearing small barrels of brandy around their necks.

All the oldest and most tried of them were lately buried, along with some unfortunate travellers, under a valanche [sic]; but three or four hopeful puppies were left at home in the convent, and still survive.

[citation needed] The famous St. Bernard Barry found a small boy in the snow and persuaded the child to climb on his back.