Hi Leah,
Welcome to BPO and welcome to the wonderful world of Saint Bernards.
There are many things that you should know about saint bernards. I suggest you read through the old saint bernard discussions, as well as the general board since many issues that apply to breeds like newfs
also apply to saints. The five biggest things that I feel you need to consider very very carefully before adopting a saint are these:
1. your dog will be HUGE. I mean HUGE. I know this pretty much goes with out saying for saints, but many of the saints that end up in rescue are because the original owner says 'i didn't realize he was going to get that big'
2. Your dog will shed. Alot. All year long. And you can vacuum and de-hair your clothes all you want, but your house and clothing will always b covered in hair.
3. Your saint will drool. A lot. Mostly only when it is hungry or excited, but, well, saints are easily excitable.
4. Your saint will cost a lot. Between food, vet bills, and supplements, a saint will cost more than your average dog.
5. This is the most important thing for you to realize: saints have a lot of health problems. The most prevalent is hip dysplacia. Saints have a high frequency of hip dyplasia, and it is a painful and stressful disease. The only way to reduce your likelihood of getting a saint without HD is to get a breeder who can prove to you that both of its parents are OFA certified, and even that is not a gaurantee. Saints are also known to have eye problems and elbow problems.
If you have thought carefully about all those things, and are prepared to handle them, then you are ready to get a saint puppy! Saints are wonderful dogs who are, in my experience, the sweetest and gentlest dogs on the planet.
My very best advice to you is to seek out a reputable breeder who has OFA certifications . It will help you avoid the heartbreak that comes from seeing your beloved saint in pain from HD.
Are you planing to adopt two pups from the same litter? This might make training very tough (keep in mind that saints are harder/slower to train than other dogs, and having two puppies to train at the same time will not double the work, it will triple it).
I hope that I have not scared you away from saints, because that is not my intention, but I do believe it is very very important that people realize what they are getting into before they adopt one of the loveable ol giants.
