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All About Grand-Saint-Bernard and Petit-Saint-Bernard!

PetSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:10:58 -0700

Are you following the Tour de France? Admittedly, I'm barely brushed up on the race but Tuesday's ride for Stage 16 included two major mountain passes of special importance to me - Grand-Saint-Bernard and Petit-Saint-Bernard! The greater climb is 8,100 feet (the highest pass on the tour), followed by the little one at 7,180 which is more long than steep. As history would have it, the pass gets a name from Bernard of Menthon, an 11th-century monk who established a hospice over the pass, where the slobbery breed would help travelers cross with the aid of the iconic barrels of whisky.

Nowadays, there aren't really any working dogs at the monastery but Saint Bernards still have a presence for tourism's sake. It was only fitting that the (then) leader, Alberto Contador, would pose with the Working breed before continuing up the doggie passes, the first time in over 40 years that it's been included in the cycling challenge.

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Tune In, Saturday! Animal Planet's Dogs 101

PetSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:50:06 -0700

I'm super excited for the latest episode of Animal Planet's new series, Dogs 101. Airing every Saturday at 8 p.m., each week it focuses on five new dog breeds. Featured in the first show were the Airedale, French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Chihuahua, and Poodle. What five will we meet this week? Find out in this slideshow.

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What Do You Know About Saint Bernards?

PetSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:40:13 -0700

Gentle giants, these dogs know how to drool! What else are Saint Bernards known for . . . and how much do you know? Test yourself on this big breed in this little quiz.

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Saint Bernard Puppies!

PetSugar — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:17:04 -0700

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Super Quiz Recap: What Do You Know About These Nine Breeds?

PetSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:23 -0700

Today's magical number is nine so I've gathered up my favorite trivia quizzes about popular dog breeds - from Chihuahuas to Saint Bernards (and all sizes in between), test your dog savvy and click on the links below.

What Do You Know About Boxers?	What Do You Know About Boston Terriers?	What Do You Know About Bulldogs?
What Do You Know About English Springer Spaniels?	What Do You Know About Chihuahuas?	What Do You Know About Cavalier King Charles Spaniels?
What Do You Know About Labrador Retrievers?	What Do You Know About Beagles?	What Do You Know About Saint Bernards?

Pet Peeves: How Do I Know If My Dog's Toy Is Too Small?

PetSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:10:59 -0700

Q: I was soooo excited for my new dog, I went out and bought a ton of "puppy" toys . . . but now I'm wondering if he's outgrown them since he's almost one year old now. How can I tell if his playthings are the right size?

A: Ahh, new-puppy-mom syndrome - happens to the best of us! Not sure what kind of dog you have, but if he's a larger breed that grew significantly in size, there's a chance you may need to remove some of his old toys. Also, many puppy toys have a softer consistency so his adult teeth could tear them to shreds in no time at all.

My quick and easy rule is that if your dog can fit the entire toy easily is his mouth, it's too small. If you have a small dog, you may want to use the method some parents recommend - make sure it doesn't fit inside a toilet paper tube. Regardless, stay alert and promptly discard any tiny, torn bits or other possibly choking hazards. Don't forget, the same thing rings true for multiple pet homes (Saint Bernards could easily choke on a Chihuahua-sized toy) as well as those houses with tiny kitty toys laying about.

Source: Flickr User flygraphix

To the Rescue: Bloat

PetSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:15:51 -0800

While bloat is a fairly common (even deadly) ailment, it is not another way to say a pup is overweight! Much like pharyngeal gag reflexes (aka, reverse sneezes), it has a serious scientific name: gastric torsion. This occurs when a deep-chested dog has a full tum (of food or water) and then engages in vigorous activity or exercise. Pups like this Great Dane have stomachs that are not attached to their ribcages, so when it's heavy and full (the "before"), it can flip around and block the intestinal track (the "after").

What other breeds are commonly bothered and how can you prevent this? Find out when you read more.

Help combat bloat before it happens:

Feed multiple, smaller meals throughout the day instead of one large meal.
Make sure pets rest for 45 minutes to one hour after eating before any vigorous exercise.
If you notice your pup gulps food or water, consider a "slowing bowl" like the Drink Better or DogPause.

This typically affects the Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, Saint Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Setter, Doberman Pinscher, Weimaraner, Bloodhound, and other large mixed breed dogs.

Source and Source

Pampered Pals: Droolworthy Doggie Towels

PetSugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:20:52 -0700

It's arguable what breed is the drool-iest around. One of my fave breeds, Newfies, slobbers a lot as do loveable Saint Bernards and the Great Pyrenees we see up above. Granted it's nothing a normal towel couldn't sop up, but what a great gift for a pet lover these funny towels would make. North is definitely too busy wheezing, snorting, snoring, and sneezing to drool, but he could totes use the bib style when he's slurping up his doggie "ice cream" treats. The towels are only $10 each – with a choice of nine embroidery thread colors – and just $2 extra to add your ~~culprit's~~ dog's name, too! This model isn't even sporting the funniest towels – check out all the clever sayings when you read more.