Is a Saint Bernard Dog a Good Gift?

As the owner of a beautiful Saint Bernard dog, I am only too aware of the patience and love it takes to be a responsible owner to one of these gentle giants. Although I did not get my Saint Bernard as a gift, I did receive him as a puppy, which was quite a challenge for a first time dog owner such as myself. The Saint Bernard dog, when properly trained can grow into an excellent family pet, whose first love is to spend quite time with his family. However, when these large dogs are not properly trained, they can be a challenge to say the least.

Since the movie Beethoven and it's subsequent follow-up movies came out, which are frequently shown around the holidays, children and adults alike get a hankering to add a cute little Saint Bernard puppy to their families. What a sweet picture it would be to see a furry little ball of love sitting under the Christmas tree, all gussied up in a bright red bow. As soon as the novelty wears off, the reality sets in of taking care of a huge, unruly, yet lovable over sized puppy. During the first year, Saint Bernard dogs love to chew on furniture, just like every other puppy, the only difference is that they exert more power with their jaws and can cause more damage to furniture.

It is so unfortunate for the Saint Bernard who has lovingly bonded with his new family to have to be sent back because they decided that they could not care for him. Whats worse, is that full-grown Saint Bernard dogs are harder to re-home than smaller dogs. Typically, when people go to local shelters seeking to adopt a pet dog, they tend to favor smaller type dogs. Although Saint Bernard dogs are lovable, they can be dominant and stubborn, especially intact males. In addition, Saint Bernards are extremely strong, and can be very difficult, if not dangerous to handle for the inexperienced dog owner. Walking an untrained Saint Bernard can cause significant injury to the owner if the dog decides to chase a squirrel or car. In addition, if the owner loses control of the dog and he runs into the street, he can get hit by a car.

Before giving a child a Saint Bernard dog for Christmas or any other event, people need to conduct their due diligence, and not just get one because of their "cute factor." These dogs requires lots of love and attention, and do not typically do well when their owners are away. They also shed magnificently and are prone to a multitude of health problems, including, but not limited to hip problems, arthritis, eye problems and gastrointestinal disorders. However, for the right families, Saint Bernard dogs can be an utter joy and a fantastic addition to the family. For the right reasons and for a family that will devote tons of love and care to this joyous animal, a Saint Bernard under the Christmas tree can be the greatest gift of all.