Saint Bernards have a short life span, usually only 8 to 10 years. Due to their breeding, St. Bernards do well in cold weather. They have a double coat, one coat short-haired and one long-haired.

5. Monks tried to improve Saint Bernards. After one particularly hard winter, the monks attempted to cross the breed with the long-haired Newfoundland to give their rescue pooches a thicker winter ...

Many people have owned or known big dogs, from the gentle giant Great Danes to the sweet-tempered, bear-sized Newfoundlands. Some of these ancient breeds were originally developed as working dogs.