The Dogs from the Hospice

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The first dogs were probably kept at the Hospice between years 1660 and 1670. Undoubtedly, their initial purpose was that of watch dog. Around 1690, Salvatore Rosa painted two dogs from the Hospice. They are described as "Küherhunde" (cowherd's dogs) with slightly heavier heads. The first dog is splash-coated or "patched." The second dog is a "Mantelhund" (dog with a mantle) with primarily, a white head.

The first written reference to dogs at the Hospice, dates from 1703. Prior Balalu mentions that his cook, Vincent Canos, built an exercise wheel to which a dog could be harnessed. When the dog walked, a cooking spit would turn. This invention was not new and considering the number of travelers that had to be fed, it is not surprising that Canos thought of finding kitchen help. The volume of visitors through the Monastery grew such that by 1898, between 18,000 and 20,000 travelers passed through it's entrance, annually. Visitors were afforded three days free lodging with meals, which consisted primarly of meat and bread.

In 1707, a notation in the archives states: "we have lost a dog in an avalanche". In 1731, furs from dogs are mentioned as bed-side rugs. A bill from 1735 shows that the Prior paid for the repair of a dog-collar. In a note from 1787, we read that the Monastery's dogs have successfully warded off a band of brigands. These are the first written documents about dogs at the Hospice. But from where did those dogs come? Certainly, the breed did not have its origin at the Hospice.

The dogs from the Hospice are nearly always described as having exceptional size. But this must be seen as a relative size and probably was considerably smaller than that of modern Saint Bernards. Chroniclers seem to agree that the color of the Hospice dogs was typically red-brown and white. This coloration was wide-spread among farm dogs in Switzerland. Even today, when there are few red farm dogs in Switzerland, we have a saying, used to describe that which is common; "vo dämm git's meh weder rot Hüng" (there's more of that than red dogs). Thus, the red-white coloring was the singular recognizable characteristic of the Saint Bernard. Consequently many red farm dogs, whose ancestors had never seen the Hospice, were sold by enterprising farmers as true Saint Bernard dogs.

Dogs at the Monastery did not achieve great age and on several occasions, the stock vanished completely. In the "Tierbörse" from 1899, a magazine devoted to animal fanciers, we find a hint as to why the monks seemed to have troubles in their kennel. It says that "the dogs from the Great Saint Bernard do not attain the usual age, 6 to 8 years is the maximum... this is a result of the humidity in their quarters, which leads to rheumatism."

Their Rescue and Life-Saving Work

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In 1774, the painter M. J. Bourrit from Geneva, wrote about the monks and their dogs. He indicated that the contributions by dogs to rescue work on Saint Bernard Pass was well known. The archives at the monastery do not tell us when dogs were first used for rescue work. In the description of the Hospice, that was written in 1644 for the "Acta Sanctuorum", we find the Hospice's agenda with a description and enumeration of the tasks of the monks and their servants. The duties listed included keeping the pass open, yet no dogs were mentioned.

We are not certain if the note from 1707 "a dog was lost in an avalanche" refers to a dog used for rescue work. Prior Ballalu recounts that in 1700, between November 11th and May 15th, servants called "Marronier" (maron, marron = mountain guide) were assigned to accompany travelers between the Hospice and Bourg-Saint-Pierre. The Prior made no mention of dogs.

Records reveal that by 1750, marroniers were routinely accompanied by dogs. The dog's broad chests helped to clear paths for travelers. The reports about rescue work grew more numerous as reports about deadly accidents began to decline. The dog's primary purpose was to accompany the marroniers, as their excellent sense of direction proved most beneficial. The dogs possessed an uncanny ability to maneuver through heavy fog or snow-storms. The dogs were always accompanied by a monk or marronier. Only later, do we read about excursions that the dogs made on their own.

During the 200 or so years that the dogs served on the Saint Bernard Pass, approximately 2,000 people were rescued. When Napoleon and his army crossed the Alps in May 1800 around 250,000 soldiers traveled through the Pass. The marroniers and their dogs were so well organized that between 1790 and 1810, not one soldier lost his life in the freezing cold of the mountains. The last documented rescue is dated in 1897. A 12 year old boy was found nearly frozen in a crevice and was awakened by a dog.

O S. Bernardo

The St. Bernard Dog is a very large breed of dog originally bred for rescue and as a working dog. A full-grown male can weigh between 150 and 220 lb (68 and 100 kg) and the approximate height is 27.5 inches to 35.5 inches (70 to 90 cm). ^[1]

According to several resources they are one of the largest dog breeds. There are two varieties of the breed: the short-haired or smooth-coat variety and the long-haired or fluffy-coat variety.

The Saint Bernard is known for its loyalty^{[citation needed]} and vigilance^{[citation needed]} and is tolerant of both children and animals. Because of these traits, it has become a family dog. They also make good watchdogs, as their size can be startling to strangers^{[citation needed]}, though their temperament is mild.

The Origins of the Dogs

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The scientist C. Keller, derived the Saint Bernard Dog from the Roman "Molossian,", a dog supposedly descended from the Tibetan Mastiff. Marco Polo (1290) described the Tibetan Mastiff: "as large as a donkey" Surely, the breed was never quite that large. From the Tibetan highlands, the dog is said to have found it's way to Nepal and India and from there, into Babylonian and Assyrian cultures. Supposedly, Alexander the Great brought the Tibetan Mastiff to Greece, where it served as found ation stock for the Molossians.

Between 1200 and 1100 BC, the Phoenicians advanced from Cyprus, toward the west and established colonies in Sicily, Spain, France and England. In a fascinating and sharp-witted treatise, Tschudy proposed the theory that the descendants of the old Assyrian dogs existed along the old commercial roads of the Phoenicians. Tschudy suggested that the Assyrian dogs, brought to Europe by the Phoenicians, were the ancestors of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog in Spain, the Dogue de Bordeaux in France, the Mastiff in Engla nd and the Saint Bernard Dog in Switzerland.

Strebel pursued this question about the Molossians very thoroughly. After having consulted all known historical sources he came to the following conclusion: Next to the large and mostly dark colored dogs belonging to the Assyrians and Babylonians there existed a brighter and lighter dog used as a cattle dog and for hunting purposes. This breed, he concluded, must be called the Molossian.

All known Greek and Roman illustrations show the Molossian as a large, well muscled dog with erect ears, a lean head and a mane. The characteristic curled tail and darker color of the Assyrian dogs is never pictured or described by either the Greeks or the Romans. A direct relation between the Tibetan Mastiff and the Molossian is therefore very unlikely.

Even though many authors (Keller, Krämer, Tschudy, Heim and others) tried to trace the origin of the Saint Bernard Dog and the other Swiss cattle dogs to the Tibetan Mastiff via the Molossians there are absolutely no scientific facts to support this thesis; No written documents, no pictures and no osteological proof could be found to endorse these views!