Show I 1 st bernard dogs swiss heroes as life savers so universal Is the fame of the st bernard dogs that it goes without saying that they rank first among the aristocracy of Switzer lands canine world their home hoine as their name su suggests la Is the great st bernard ilos pice founded over louo 1000 years ago by bernard de Men blent thon lion a saintly priest and inhabited up to lo this day by brethren of the order of st augustine states a writer in the philadelphia inquirer winter lasts from eight to nine months in that isolated mountain region and the snow is sometimes plied piled tip lip as high as 12 32 to 15 feet blix tards are sudden and descend with such euch fury that many travelers would surely perish were it not for the vigilance and devotion of the manks and their marvelously trained dogs historic Ul records show that the hospice was without any dogs up to 1670 A D from then on the die brethren kept a few watch dogs hut bill it Is not clearly established of what breed they wore were these animals soon took delight in accompanying their masters on their matly ciany errands of mercy and were quick ly appreciated for their unerring sense of location the race which has for the last years been described as st bernards has according to a noted naturalist been gradually developed by the monks through careful breeding and training in lifesaving life saving work the short haired variety Is the original kind in 1830 some of the brethren decided to cross their dogs with Newfound lands in order to raise animals which would be protected against the inclement climate with longer hair hilr however this crossing did not affect the physical characteristics of the st bernards and only the hair became longer |