|
**See also these articles on
assessing for temperament:
The William Campbell Test
Sirius Puppy Aptitude Test
The Saint can be a difficult breed to
understand and assess, for those who aren't "breed-specific" in their dealings
with these dogs. Their size alone can be incredibly intimidating -- throw in a
boisterous, puppy-like attitude (these guys don't "mature" until around the age
of 3 years, if then!), and even barks that are offered with the best of
intentions may be misinterpreted as aggression. Throw in that stark black mask that
so many of the breed tend to sport, and they can be quite imposing. My main goal, in
writing this article, is to provide those who don't deal with this breed regularly with an
instrument they can use to help assess the individual Saint for good temperament and
adoptability -- you can print out a check-list, or
fill out an on-line assessment form, to make this
process easier.
First and foremost: it goes (almost) without
saying that NO SAINT that has a history of biting, or
growling at humans should be offered for adopion!
Due to the poor breeding practices of so
many, it is crucial to adhere to this policy! Poor
breeding has instilled in some of these dogs the genetic tendency toward aggressive
behavior -- this is not normal inter-dog dominance -- it's outright aggression -- sometimes directed toward
humans. Even if the dog only dislikes men, or men with beards, or other dogs -- the
responsibility is too great! These dogs can become enormous -- and enormously
strong! In a fit of rage, they can be a tragedy just looking to happen. If a
dog is suspected of this tendency, the best course of action by all concerned is
to have as little contact with the dog as is possible, and call your nearest Saint Rescue
for help in evaluating.
When in doubt, contact Saint Bernard Rescue for help!!
Dealing with an owner-surrender:
- First, find out why they are surrendering the dog
(don't be surprised if you get excuses like "he got too big", "we're having
a baby", "he eats too much", "don't have the time to mess with
him", "house too small", "he sheds", "he drools", etc.)
- Watch how they interact with the dog -- are they sorry to
let him go? are they careful of touching him? do they quickly "hand him
over", and move away? do they act "wary" of him? Or, are they
hesitant to relinquish the leash, touching the dog as though they don't want to let him
go?
- Find out if he's been obedience trained -- to any
degree. Ask the owner to demonstrate (bear in mind that if the behaviors haven't
been generalized to a strange place or other people, even a well-trained dog can look
puzzled.) Saints are normally quite eager to please everybody --
just make sure he understands what is wanted.
- Find out to what degree the dog has been socialized -- have
them tell stories about where they've taken the dog to accomplish this (socialization is
in the eye of the beholder). What kind of homelife did the dog have (were there
other dogs, cats, children?) and how did he deal with them?
- Find out if the dog was kept as an inside or outside dog
(this will tell you whether he's been taught basic manners -- including housetraining,
etc.)
- Find out what things the dog enjoys doing -- what toys he
particularly likes, was he allowed on the furniture, where did he sleep, etc.
For the most part, these dogs are just puppies, trapped in
that big body. They can stand calmly, once they get over the initial excitement of a
new person, but they have a tendency toward exuberant behavior -- no matter the age.
This can make them appear to be difficult to handle, but with a little common sense,
tolerance, and firm, gentle guidance, they are a joy to be around!
Stray Saints:
The size and appearance of a stray Saint can be overwhelming. Having a muddy,
matted, 160-pound Saint bounding toward you can be reminiscent of Cujo. DO NOT
RUN!! (even though he's probably just happy to see you, he'll chase you, and
perhaps knock you down!) Stand still, turn sideways, and look toward the ground --
watch him, in your peripheral
vision. This stance is submissive, so if he's going to
be a "tough case", it's your best bet for safety. Chances are, though,
that he's so happy to see you that all you'll get for all that heart-pounding fear is a
thorough face-licking.
Allow the dog to sniff you, and offer your hand for him to
"get your scent". If this is met with enthusiasm (many of these guys
commence "leaning" at this point -- pushing against you, to try to initiate
petting), stroke his chest area -- stroking this area has a calming effect on nearly all
dogs. From this point, he's yours.
You do not need to "trap" or "corner" a
Saint in order to catch him. Under normal circumstances, they'll come right to you,
and sniff you out -- to see if you have any food or other dogs in your pockets.
If You Find a Stray Saint:
Contact your local animal shelter or humane
society -- then contact Saint
Bernard Rescue. Run an add in your local paper. We'll try to find
his owner. Barring the instance of finding the owner:
- If he looks clean and well-cared-for, bring
him in and confine him to a single room, away from any family pets -- you may want to have
him vet-checked, before introducing him to your home. I use a Dutch door, across the
doorway to my pantry. This allows the Rescued dog access to the kennel, and also
partial access to my home -- where they're able to hear the "happy noises" from
the family and family pets.
- Feed him -- an adult Saint gets 2 to 3 cups
of high-quality dry kibble, soaked for 15 minutes with warm water, twice daily.
Elevate his food bowl so that he doesn't have to bend his neck to eat (use a cardboard
box, turned upside-down). Bear in mind that stressful conditions have been shown
to contribute to bloat -- it's very important that the dog's food be soaked, and bowls
elevated.
- Fill out an on-line
assessment form -- I will use the information from it to try to re-home the dog.
- Every day, confine all your pets to another
room, and let the Rescued dog out for an hour or two, into the house. Use this time
to clean the kennel, work with him on manners and obedience
training, grooming, etc.
This time out of the kennel allows him to "get the scent" of any other animals
you may have, and allows you time to become his "alpha" figure. This period of desensitization is crucial -- at the end of 3 or 4 days, your other animals will be
more inclined to accept this dog as though he's always been in your home -- when he's put
back in the kennel, and your dogs let out, they in turn will "get his scent".
Initially, a Saint may be just a little shy,
approaching submissively, but happily. He will "warm up" quickly, and then
become excited -- especially if you're offering good things -- like treats
or petting.
These are the qualities to look for in an adoptable Saint:
- you should be able to easily handle all
parts of his body, without his resentment. Some dogs will pull their feet
away (normal reaction), but they don't growl -- for the most part, these dogs view
grooming and handling as second only to ice cream or pizza! Once they figure out
that you're only offering the good things -- to them, it's all good -- you'll have a rough
time keeping him on his feet. They spend alot of time on their backs, trying to
induce you to rub the belly.
- he should be happy to meet/greet everybody.
There may be some initial barking, when someone different approaches his kennel or
other confined territory, but it has the quality of "come and see me!" to it,
rather than that of "you're too close -- stay away!!"
- I use "head
collars" as training tools with
these big guys. I have yet to have one truly fight my putting either one of these or
a muzzle on them (I only use a muzzle when introducing them to other people's dogs
initially -- and only if there is a chance that they haven't been socialized to other
dogs, as in the case of a stray dog). In the event that one of them should fight the
head collar, I do have a prong collar on stand-by. The prong collar doesn't provide
as much control, but it would allow me to desensitize to the head collar.
Regardless, there should be no growling or snapping.
- inter-dog dominance is normal in any breed.
This differs from aggression, in that aggression is usually announced by a low, gutteral
growling, then a lunge for the throat. Dominance is usually indicated by short
growls, squaring of the body, staring, attempts to mount, and possibly grabbing by the
scruff -- sometimes throwing the other dog to the floor, and laying on him.
- Allow the dog access to as many closely supervised
situations as you are comfortable with. Take him in the car, for walks in the park, to
playgrounds (always on-leash!) If the dog is happy to see children -- most are -- allow
closely supervised contact. Any adoptable Saint should treat children as an enjoyable,
happy experience. They seem to understand a child's way, and will go out of their way to
befriend children. The pups can be a little much for children to deal with -- remember
that they don't understand how big they are! The adults are just as happy to provide
pillow space while watching TV, as they are to go for walks. A Saint with a desirable
temperament will not growl at children! They should be considered to be more tolerant of a
child's way than most adult humans are.
If you need help in assessing the temperament of
one of these dogs, contact your local Saint Bernard Rescue person, or
you can e-mail me -- I'm happy to help!
Thinking of Breeding Your Dog?
Breed-Specific
Information
Saints Available
for Adoption
Support for
Adopters
Saint Adoption
Application
You
Can Help the Rescue Effort
|