i live in florida and i want a st bernard?
is florida a good place for a st bernard?
Dogs - 8 Answers
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1 :
I dont think it really matters where a st. benard lives. Go ahead
2 :
why not? There are lots of st b`s there. check out the link from petfinder these are all st b`s in florida. Hope you find one. http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi?animal=Dog&breed=Saint+Bernard+St.+Bernard&preview=1&exact=1
3 :
As long as it has proper shade, plenty of water, and does not live outside on hot and humid days, I think it will be fine.
4 :
Florida may or may not be a good place to raise/own a Saint. That will greatly depend on you and your dedication to your dog. Like most large or giant breeds, Saint Bernard's do NOT do well in warm and especially warm/humid weather. They can quickly get heat exhaustion which causes strain on vital organs like the heart and lungs. You would have to be VERY careful with your Saint. Indoors in Air Conditioning during the warm parts of the day and outdoors when it is cooler outside. I wake up at 5am to walk my dogs before it gets warm and then walk them again after 7:30pm when it cools down again. Your Saint should NEVER be left outside for more than 5 minutes at a time in the heat. You need to be careful about watching them very closely. An overheated dog can become a dead dog very quickly. The heart can enlarge from working so hard and actually cut off blood supply. I live in CT where it certainly is NOT as warm as Florida in the summer (on most days!) and we had an owner rush their Saint into our office. She had her saint outside in 95 degree weather for 15 minutes, they Saint was hot and started to gulp down water (a lot of water very quickly) and started to bloat. It was very scary. Also, many people assume that shaving their Saint will help them get cool. That could not be more false. It is important to keep the undercoat brushed out, but never ever shave your Saint! They need their coats to keep cool. With that said I would like to give you my two cents about this breed! Saints are great dogs!! Not only do I own one, but I foster several a year. They are wonderful dogs and hold a very special place in my heart. I work with and am a member of the Saint Bernard Club of New England and our local breed club. I am very active in the rescue and rehoming of Saints. Saints are awesome dogs, I really cannot say enough good things about them, however they have many health issues (genetic) and do not have a long life expectancy because of their size (like any large breed). They also need to go to obediance classes because of their size and strengh (and the breed tends to be quite difficult to train). That cute little 18 pound puppy will most likely reach anywhere from 120-170 pounds in the first year. They are VERY strong and need to know polite manners. I also tell people you absolutely need a sense of humor when you own a Saint!! Not only do they LOVE to get dirty, LOVE to get wet, LOVE to dig, and DROOL, but they will also push your buttons to see how far they can get you to go. They are very intelligent, so they can be challneging to train. Instead of just listening to the command you give, they actually think about it before doing it... so you need a patient and firm hand :) The key is being consistant and establishing pack roles from early on. Also, like any large breed... more expensive to feed, more expensive vet bills, more expensive flea/tick and heartworm prevention, and more exercise!!! My Saint and a few of my foster Saints are on TWO heartworm preventatives and TWO flea/tick topicals a MONTH because of their size!! It REALLY adds up... and quick! And like I mentioned... vet bills are a lot more expensive for a large dog! For example, one of my fosters was just diagnosed with a UTI and I spent $304.00 on Clavamox (antibiotic) because she is so big. For ONE visit! Not even including the exam, urinalysis, and culture and sensitivity test!! The only advice I can give you is to find your local Saint breed club and go to different events. See as many Saints as you can, talk to as many owners as you can, and PLEASE do a lot of research to find a responsible and reputable breeder. Ask a TON of questions, ask for references and actually call!! Educate yourself!! You would hate to purchase a Saint puppy from a mill/broker/backyard breeder and end up having to pay $2500 for hip surgery by the age of one. I have seen this time and time again with this breed at my work. The breed is notorious for hip and elbow dysplasia. Make sure the breeder is affliated with the AKC AND the Saint Bernard Club of America (they are quite strict with breeder regulations). You will pay anywhere from $1,300-3,000 for a well-bred Saint from a reputable breeder. I suggest you check out www.petfinder.com to adopt a rescue Saint in need! Good luck in your search!
5 :
YEH I THINK HE WOULD DO FINE IN FLORIDA. MY COUSIN FOUND A ST. BENARD THAT WAS BOUT TO BE PUT DOWN AND GOT THE DOG FOR $50$. SO LOOK AROUND VETERNARIAN AREAS AND SHELTERS. TRY LOOKING FOR ONE ON PERFINDER.COM GOOD LUCK!
6 :
Get one if you want it, but you will have to do some extra things for your dogs comfort. If you plan to keep him inside, be sure he has PLENTY of water available and an a c to keep him cool. If he will be an outside dog, try giving him a fan. He can sit beside it and cool off. Dogs like that can get really hot, so be sure that you keep him comfortable in a hot place like Florida.
7 :
There are quite a bit of St. Bernards in shelters near you. http://search.petfinder.com/search/search.cgi?pet.Animal=Dog&pet.Breed=St.+Bernard&pet.Age=&pet.Size=&pet.Sex=&location=FL
8 :
any where is ok...... but make sure u keep them cooled down alot because they are bigger and have a lot of hair saint bernards are GREAT DOGS..love those dogs soo much great choice
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