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The St Bernard dog breed was created at the hospice from cross-breeding dogs, probably those offered by families in Valais in the 1660s and 1670s. The first definite mention of the breed is in 1709.
Barry, the large and good-natured St. Bernard dog, is famous for saving the lives of lost mountaineers – this four-legged hero has always been bred here. The Saint Bernard dog lives at the hospice on Great Saint Bernhard, a shelter founded in the Middle Ages, led by Augustinian monks.
- Groups, Individual, Couples
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- 2 to 4 hours (half day)
Mar 1, 2016 · Sometime between 1660 and 1670, the monks at Great St. Bernard Hospice acquired their first St. Bernards—descendants of the mastiff style Asiatic dogs brought over by the Romans—to serve as their...
- Jess Blumberg
Since the 17th century, the Saint-Bernard dogs were bred by the monks of the Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard to help travelers caught in snowstorms. The breeding of these famous avalanche dogs with their savior instinct is now entrusted to the Barry Foundation since 2005.
- Col du Grand-St-Bernard, 1946
Jul 11, 2024 · It is said that the St Bernard is descended from dogs gifted to the monks by families from the cantons of Vaud and Valais. They were originally bred to guard and protect the hospice residents, thereby continuing on the good work of Bernard de Menthon to restore security to this mountainous region.
It has been reported that during a period of about 200 years, about 2,000 people were rescued by these dogs, the last documented recovery being in 1897 when a 12-year-old boy who had fallen in a crevice and fallen asleep was awakened by the barking of one of the dogs.
Barry lived as a rescue dog at the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass, which is situated almost 2500 metres above sea level. The hospice has been run since the 11th century by Augustinian canons.
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