carl reitnauer
Member
Will a St Bernard pup become a good farm dog? Have a chance to get a 40lb 8 w/o old LOVER. What are the downsides,beside the food bill? anyone have one?
- Thread starter carl reitnauer
- Start date
redforlife
Well-known Member
Never had one myself. Knew some people that had them. One liked to chase cars. It was very distracting as a motorist to drive by there with a dog that size running alongside the car. Not that it would run out in front of you, but it was so distracting you would about drive the car off the road watching it. Another one liked to jump up on its owner just playing around. Which was fine. But if some kids or old people would stop by, the dog would jump up on them wanting to play and knock them over. Hard to be mean to a dog when it was just being friendly and wanting to play. Kinda makes you discusted at the owner though. All owners that I have known have complained about the feed bill. My 2 cents.
Like Redforlife said, they're pretty dufisitous (definition- dufisitous- the state of being a big dufus). They're not the dumbest dogs around, but they're in the finals. I'd opt for something a tad smaller, and a little quicker on the uptake. And the volume of slobber emitted can be truly breathtaking. And stomach-turning.
Michael Soldan
Well-known Member
A friend had one and on a wintery day when you drove into the yard,that dog would greet you,grab you by the wrist and lead you up to the back door..rescue bred into them! They are big and yes they slobber,I think there are more economical dogs to own in terms of pounds of feed per day.
Went to one farm on a collection call; 2 big St.Bernards came to greet me. They were very friendly and just wanted some petting.
Went to a different farm in a different state for the same purpose. The man came out on the balcony and hollered at me to stay in the car until his wife got their 2 St.Bernards into the garage - as they would both attack anyone that came in the place.
Apparently they are not all gentle giants.
Went to a different farm in a different state for the same purpose. The man came out on the balcony and hollered at me to stay in the car until his wife got their 2 St.Bernards into the garage - as they would both attack anyone that came in the place.
Apparently they are not all gentle giants.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Worked for a guy who had one at lunchtime it was one bite of sandwich for the dog then one bite for the man all the same sandwich lots of slobber. Gross.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
I've owned a couple big ole lovable things but they can have a protective side about them and they do eat right much my Great Pyrenees are about the same size and eat about 1/2 what the Saint Bernards ate.
Great Pyrenees make good farm dogs BTW.
Great Pyrenees make good farm dogs BTW.
Mark - IN.
Well-known Member
Carl,
Personally, I think that you came to the wrong place to ask, because its like asking whats the best tractor. Some will like what you like, some, well...
You know what I think? Good luck with your new dog. Treat it well and take good care of it, and I'm certain that it will love you more than you will ever it, and it will be just as loyal as any. I'm not a small dog person, but thy too have their places. Give me a big ol' moose, like a golden, lab, pyranese, st. bernard, or a mastiff like we have now. Not one of ours have been thorobreds, each has been a scrapper. Many of ours wandered up hungry, dirty, beat down looking for a home and affection.
Much good luck with your new dog there Carl, and remember...never ask who makes the best tractor and what it is, because each answer is both right and wrong, and aint going to change a thing after the smoke clears. Enjoy your new dog.
Mark
Personally, I think that you came to the wrong place to ask, because its like asking whats the best tractor. Some will like what you like, some, well...
You know what I think? Good luck with your new dog. Treat it well and take good care of it, and I'm certain that it will love you more than you will ever it, and it will be just as loyal as any. I'm not a small dog person, but thy too have their places. Give me a big ol' moose, like a golden, lab, pyranese, st. bernard, or a mastiff like we have now. Not one of ours have been thorobreds, each has been a scrapper. Many of ours wandered up hungry, dirty, beat down looking for a home and affection.
Much good luck with your new dog there Carl, and remember...never ask who makes the best tractor and what it is, because each answer is both right and wrong, and aint going to change a thing after the smoke clears. Enjoy your new dog.
Mark
old popper
Well-known Member
St. Bernards are either very gentle,....or very mean. I don't think there is an "inbetween".
Dean Olson
Well-known Member
Been there, done that, not impressed. The slobber factor was a deal killer. Hard headed and barely trainable with the occasional mean streak towards strangers. I will not tolerate a biting dog. Strangers to that dog was not necessarily a stranger to me. This is my opinion based on having 1 and growing up next door to a Saint Bernard breeder.
MUCH happier with my Pyrenees. They seem to be close in intelligence to my labs I had as far as training.
My Pyrenees is good with the livestock, and so far isn't killing chickens, couldn't say that about my labs. . She will steal eggs if given a chance. Very smart and was an easy train. She is well mannered enough to be in the house on very limited occasion. She is a barker which is fine for alerting us and keeping strangers at bay. So far never tried to bite any one.
MUCH happier with my Pyrenees. They seem to be close in intelligence to my labs I had as far as training.
My Pyrenees is good with the livestock, and so far isn't killing chickens, couldn't say that about my labs. . She will steal eggs if given a chance. Very smart and was an easy train. She is well mannered enough to be in the house on very limited occasion. She is a barker which is fine for alerting us and keeping strangers at bay. So far never tried to bite any one.
I have a mutt that looks 75 or 80% St. Bernard.
He does not have an evil bone in his body. Stubborn as a mule though, he will do what he is told,but he makes darn sure I know the only reason he is doing it, is because he has to.
There is drooling, every bird and mouse nest around is lined with his hair. Nice dog but useless.
He does not have an evil bone in his body. Stubborn as a mule though, he will do what he is told,but he makes darn sure I know the only reason he is doing it, is because he has to.
There is drooling, every bird and mouse nest around is lined with his hair. Nice dog but useless.
I worked with a guy who had a St. Bernard. His dog was mean - you didn't want to have your arm on the sill of your truck window when you drove in his lane. That dog could, and would, reach your arm and bite it. He almost got me once, but I'm a quick learner in those situations, so he never got another chance. My son's father-in-law also had one, and it was also mean, but that was what the owner wanted. Good luck with your dog - yours may turn out to be a sweetheart.
SparepartsTN
Member
I had two, male and female wandered in to my place and stayed, about two years old, near starved before I found them. Big friendly monsters, lost the female after about four years, now I can't remember the name of what killed her, he is still here after eight years. I keep him in a pen with 300 feet of fence around him, take him out for walks in the fields when I have the energy, he heads for the pond to soak. I never put a leash or collar on them, never tried to leave. I have seven other dogs from 14 lbs to the Saint at about 110 lbs, seven strays, one rescued. Good points: Big enough to keep bad people away, friendly enough not to bite, barks when he hears strange noises, not my smartest dog but not the dumbest either. He doesn't eat much more than the sixty pound female Australian Sheppard he lives with. Bad points: does slobber some but uses my pant legs as a napkin :-(, needs to be brushed to keep the thick hair from clumping. Like most any dog, if you are the pack leader and treat them decent they will respond well, good luck with your new friend.
I'll second that on the irish setters. Friends of mine had one - probably the most useless animal I ever met before or since.
A close second was our st bernard when I was a kid.
All I remember was him eating all my toys and ripping the clothes off of my friends when they visited.
And when I say eating my toys - I don't mean chewing - I mean eating.
Ate my #$)%(#$ ice station zebra disk gun (that's what I called it - I think it was a 'zebra' brand - not really having anything to do with the movie)
Springs and all. I'll never forget that. It didn't take him long.
He probably died with at least three GI Joes in his belly.
A close second was our st bernard when I was a kid.
All I remember was him eating all my toys and ripping the clothes off of my friends when they visited.
And when I say eating my toys - I don't mean chewing - I mean eating.
Ate my #$)%(#$ ice station zebra disk gun (that's what I called it - I think it was a 'zebra' brand - not really having anything to do with the movie)
Springs and all. I'll never forget that. It didn't take him long.
He probably died with at least three GI Joes in his belly.
It depends on the dog , how it was raised in the begining. Those early weeks make a big difference. Was the dog socialized? How are the dogs parents? Ive trained dogs since 1976 and was the trainer for IDOC k9 for 26yrs. Every dog is different. It best to own a dog that suits yours needs.kids, grandkids, St.B, take up alot of room especially in a car lol etc.....a big dog will knock kids, people around just playing. As for a family dog, its hard to beat a good lab. . Research St.B.on line. Good luck
Part of it with both the St B and Irish is where they come from. You get a St B from parents the you can see, that you can watch interact with people that acts liek you want and you have a lot better chance of not getting an aggressive dog. Get one from a pet store or puppy mill, all bets are off. Same for the Irish, get a pet store/puppy mill dog and you'll likely have a brain dead moron that bites. Find a field bred Red Setter (I think that's what they call the field bred Irish Setters) and you may well have an old style Irish like from the 40's. Go to a reputable breeder or people you know if you want a decent dog.
As far a farm dog, no I don't think a St B is a great choice. Pyrenees have been mentioned. We have 3. Smart, loveable dogs that don't eat all that much. 2 of our live with the sheep 24/7/365. The problem is if a fence goes down. Within 4 hours we'll be getting calls that our dogs showed up 5 miles away or they show up 24 hours later at the barn after covering a huge area crisscrossed with roads. I worry greatly they'll get hit and I really dislike my dogs not being where I want them. They wander and they aren't great on coming when called. I hate people who inflict their dogs on other people. So if you're fenced, they make a good dog. Ours are not aggressive towards people, but you don't want to be anything that might be a coyote!
A better choice might be an old style Lab, Shepherd or Collie if you can find one. Something with a bit of territorial instinct, a moderate barker at the unusual and something that likes being around the house/barn. But there is no certainty in any breed.
As far a farm dog, no I don't think a St B is a great choice. Pyrenees have been mentioned. We have 3. Smart, loveable dogs that don't eat all that much. 2 of our live with the sheep 24/7/365. The problem is if a fence goes down. Within 4 hours we'll be getting calls that our dogs showed up 5 miles away or they show up 24 hours later at the barn after covering a huge area crisscrossed with roads. I worry greatly they'll get hit and I really dislike my dogs not being where I want them. They wander and they aren't great on coming when called. I hate people who inflict their dogs on other people. So if you're fenced, they make a good dog. Ours are not aggressive towards people, but you don't want to be anything that might be a coyote!
A better choice might be an old style Lab, Shepherd or Collie if you can find one. Something with a bit of territorial instinct, a moderate barker at the unusual and something that likes being around the house/barn. But there is no certainty in any breed.
DaninKansas
Member
We had a St Bernard crossed with a German Shepherd - best farm dog we ever had. Big lazy acting dog that didn't jump all over you and played well with the children. I remember my little brother riding him like a was a pony when he was 3-4 years old.
He did the typical bark at strange cars thing when people came into the farm yard - no more than any other dog - but people had a HUGE amount of respect when it was coming from a 140 pound animal. His size (and bark) scared a lot of people so he never actually bit anyone that I know of - if he took a chunk out of someone in the middle of the night I don't know about then he was just doing his job.
He did the typical bark at strange cars thing when people came into the farm yard - no more than any other dog - but people had a HUGE amount of respect when it was coming from a 140 pound animal. His size (and bark) scared a lot of people so he never actually bit anyone that I know of - if he took a chunk out of someone in the middle of the night I don't know about then he was just doing his job.
I've never seen an ugly or mean St. Bernard.My biggest concern with any large breed of dog is their life span.Seems to me most don't make it much past eight years.As far as Irish Setters are concerned,I've had two and both were great dogs,fun to have around.Total bums but fun anyway.Get lost on the end of the leash? I'd be looking for a new vet.
Neither of the two dogs I mentioned would make great farm dogs, I don't think. A Beagle would make a better farm dog! Now there is a bum.If I were you I'd be takeing a trip to the local pound fo a look around.I've had a few pound hounds and all were great dogs.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
My sister had a St Bernard -Collie cross named Bow. My sister went to college and while the dog was chums with anyone , Bow seemed to bond with myself. Even though I was home only on weekends.
Dog was an outstanding mouser, ratter, ground hog killer and skunk shredder. She would even herd cattle with fair success.
While Mrs B&D and myself were away on our honeymoon, Bow was off her feed. When we pulled into the yard bow raced out to meet us. We gave her a good petting and turned to unload the vehicle. Seconds later we seen Bow laying limp and suffering on the lawn. We took her straight away to the vet but she died on the way.
That dog waited until I got home to die.
Two weeks ago I went back to the hill she and other dogs were buried on, I still miss those dogs.
I miss the dog "Blue" after her too and she did the same thing as well. At age 13 that Border collie-blue healer-sheppard cross was lethargic. I came home for the weekend and she died shortly there after.
Dog was an outstanding mouser, ratter, ground hog killer and skunk shredder. She would even herd cattle with fair success.
While Mrs B&D and myself were away on our honeymoon, Bow was off her feed. When we pulled into the yard bow raced out to meet us. We gave her a good petting and turned to unload the vehicle. Seconds later we seen Bow laying limp and suffering on the lawn. We took her straight away to the vet but she died on the way.
That dog waited until I got home to die.
Two weeks ago I went back to the hill she and other dogs were buried on, I still miss those dogs.
I miss the dog "Blue" after her too and she did the same thing as well. At age 13 that Border collie-blue healer-sheppard cross was lethargic. I came home for the weekend and she died shortly there after.
T in NE
Well-known Member
- Location
- Cambridge, Nebraska
I've read that purebred dalmations are so inbred that they literally can get lost at the end of a leash.
We lucked out with our Dalmation. Wife bought Taz for my son when he was about 6 and the re-release of "101 Dalmations" came out. Came out of the pet store at the mall. Sheer luck that we got a great dog. What a big baby though. Trimming toe nails involved howling and hysterics on the dogs part! :roll: Sad day when we put the old guy down, and I'm not one to get real soft over a dog.
(quoted from post at 12:53:53 05/24/14) Bret4207 why do you mean by You hate people who inflict their dogs on other people? Dogs that are used as bomb/ drug dectection , tracking , building search vehicle searches stopping contraband entering correctional faculties etc...If you hate people like me its your right, john
I mean I hate people who turn their dogs loose on the surrounding neighborhood to run deer and livestock, crap in your yard, pee on your tractors, terrorize little old ladies, stuff like that.
Retired Trooper, NYSP, 20 plus years.
Bret4207 , sorry I took it wrong, I agree . They move to the country & the first thing they do is get a dog and turn it loose. A guy down the road from me stopped by to tell me he's new out hereand that his dog will probably run down here. After I explained I would call animal control .not one problem lol.
Carl,
The veterinarian we used to take our dogs to was a farm doctor who spent more time with cows and horses than pets.
He was scared of Saints - said he always carried a billy club when he went to a farm that had a Saint because they were too unpredictable.
I always thought he was just paranoid, but from some of the comments in this thread, he might not have been too far off.
I've always thought they were pretty cool dogs, but I never had to live with one, either.
Myron
The veterinarian we used to take our dogs to was a farm doctor who spent more time with cows and horses than pets.
He was scared of Saints - said he always carried a billy club when he went to a farm that had a Saint because they were too unpredictable.
I always thought he was just paranoid, but from some of the comments in this thread, he might not have been too far off.
I've always thought they were pretty cool dogs, but I never had to live with one, either.
Myron
Guy down the road has St B's. His pigs got out the other day and a Trooper got the call. Went to the house to notify him and his St B went after the Trooper. I understand he emptied a whole can of pepper spray in the dogs face and only just avoided having to shoot the dog. Sad part is the guy who owns the St B thinks it's "cool" to have a big mean down running loose. The dog is going to get shot sooner or later.
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