Saintpedigree

Mini Saint Bernards

Are we breeding mutts? No, we are not. We are creating a new breed, that is a Miniature version of another, existing breed. Saint Bernards have been bred from many other breeds originally. Very much in the same way as we are doing, only we are using smaller versions of the breeds that they used. We are also keeping track of pedigrees, which they did not do to begin with.

Of coarse, along the way, there are puppies that are nessessary to breed, that may not be exactly perfect? But really, there is no such thing as a "perfect" dog. They are nessessary to breed, in order to get the future breeding stock that we need, to reach our goal.

Why breed Miniature Saints? We have several reasons. Many people love the look and temperment of the Saint Bernard, but they simply do not have the room for such a large dog. Also, Saint Bernards have a very short life span, usually only 7 to 8 years. Our Miniature Saint Bernards have much longer life spans! Because Saint Bernards are such a large breed, and have been inbred and all, they also have many genetic health problems. Our Miniature Saints, because the breeds used to breed them do not have common health problems, any genetic problems within the breeds are bred out, from the other breeds used.

Because we are breeding minis, there may be a few differences with our puppies, from the large Saint Bernards, other then health and longlivity. These include no slobber, and no double coat. We do not want to breed these things in because most of our Mini Saints will become housedogs. Who wants a housedog that sheds super bad, or slobbers all over everything? We also do not really care for real droopy eyes, which often are prone to many problems.

Obviously, breeding Miniature Saint Bernards is not an easy task! However, nothing worthwhile comes easy, and we feel this is very worthwhile!

Click HERE to see the puppies!

English Shepherd Original Saint Bernards have a lot of herding breeds in them. We choose the English Shepherd because they are very gentle, protective, and have an added plus of easy trainability. They also come is the brown/sable colors, and have a tendancy to carry the typical white markings... Often having a collar, white feet & legs, white tip on the tail, and a white blaze.

Pekingese We did feel a need to ad our Peke, Bingo, to the bloodlines of our Mini Saints for several reasons. One was to ad bulk to the head. Overall body and leg thickness, which is also added with the Cocker Spaniel. A Peke helps shorten the ears, where the Cocker makes them too long. Also, Bingo's dam is brown with an excellant black mask, and Bingo himself has the correct white markings. The downfall is a slightly too short of a nose, the Peke & the Cocker have rather large eyes, and we do have to compensate for the short legs that Pekes have, with the English Shepherd. However, Pekes also form very strong bonds with their owners, and this is a trait that is a big plus!

Mastiff OK, not exactly. Original Saints were bred from "large Mastiff type dogs". It was much later, when actual real Mastiffs were really used, when the original Saints were becoming too inbred, and rare. But how do we find a smaller version of a Mastiff? Well.. It is not easy. We had to create one. Using a Pug, to keep size down, and a black mask, a Shar Pei, to ad wrinkles and droopiness, an English Shepherd again, in order to be able to eventually get the white markings, and a Cocker Spaniel again, to help more with the coloring, keep the size down, and ad bone. This is how our Miniature Mastiff, Cujo was created! Cujo here is not mature yet! But we expect great things from him! Wait until he fills out! Cujo will contribute much to the Miniature Saints! He will define the black mask, he carries long haired breeds and white markings in his bloodlines. He has the wrinkles in his face and the loose flap on his neck/throat area, and he ads that very playful nature that Saint Bernards have!

Hound Likely not? Blood Hounds were used in breeding the original Saint Bernards. They added more loose skin, size, and the droopy eyes. It stands to reason to use a Basset Hound, as a smaller version. However, we are very worried that this could make the ears too long, legs too short, and do we really want droopy eyes? Afterall, not all Saint Bernards have real droopy eyes. We did, however, create a sort of Miniature Version of a Blood Hound, using the Basset Hound, Pug, and Shar Pei... We call them "Plica Douges". Below is a picture of one of them. If we eventually feel a need to ad them to our Miniature Saints or not, is unknown at this time? Right now, we do not think it is nessessary?

Breeding Mini Saint Bernards

We began by researching how Saint Bernards were bred to begin with! This was pretty difficult, because the Monks did not keep very good records, and were not exactly letting it all be known. However, we did learn a lot, and got a very good idea!

An idea formed... Why not use breeds that are very simular to the breeds used in breeding Saint Bernards to begin with, only smaller versions of them breeds? So, that is where we have been starting!

Of coarse, all this takes time, and breeding a variety of puppies in order to get there from here! We breed these litters with the intention of creating the future breeding stock nessessary, to reach our goal. Meanwhile, we are getting VERY close!

Originally, Saint Bernards were bred from herding, hunting, and watch dogs. Such as large, Mastiff type breeds, spaniels, blood hounds, ect.. Most being typical farm dogs, many being mixed breeds.

Here is the list of breeds we are using to breed our Miniature Saint Bernards:

"Tinkerbell & Wendy", left, are 50% Saint, 25% Cocker, and 25% English Shepherd.

Johnny, right, is a Saint Bernard/Cocker Spaniel cross.

In 2009, we plan to breed Johnny to Tinkerbell & Wendy, for 50% Saint, 37 1/2% Cocker, and 12 1/2% English Shepherd. They will look VERY much like Saint Bernards, in a much smaller size! Expected to mature around 18 to 20 inches tall. We reserve the right for our choice of keeper puppies. The rest will be available at about $700 each. Preborn Deposits accepted. All puppies are expected to have the right coloring.

"Roxie", "Dot", and "Luna" are Saint/Cocker crosses.

"Cujo" is our Miniature Mastiiff type! Shockerd, (English Shepherd/Cocker), + Ori Pei, (Shar Pei + Pug) cross.

Cujo carries the correct white markings, black mask, and longer coat in his bloodlines. We hope he will shorten the ears, shorten the nose, add more of a stop, (forehead), add wrinkles/droopiness, more curl to the tail, and even a smaller size, plus the more playful nature of a Saint Bernard! In short, he will put back, what was taken away, by adding Cocker, but still keep size way down!

Cujo will breed Roxie, Dot, & Luna in 2008! They will look VERY much like Saint Bernards, in a much smaller size! Expected to mature around 15 to 17 inches tall, and around 40 to 50 pounds.. We reserve the right for our choice of keeper puppies. The rest will be available at about $800 each. Preborn Deposits accepted. Any miscolored, or black puppies may be lower priced?

These puppies will be 25% actual Saint Bernard.

Need even smaller?

"Kojak" is a little Mini Saint, that will mature around 30 to 35 pounds, and about 15 inches tall. He is 50% Cocker, 25% Peke, and 25% English Shepherd.

Kojak will someday breed any small keeper females from the other breeding sets, for Mini Saints that will mature from 14 to 16 inches tall, and 25 to 35 pounds. (Around the size of a Cocker Spaniel, or slightly larger). These future planned puppies will be 12 1/2 % to 25 % actual Saint Bernard.

These puppies will all have the correct Saint coloring, (brown, black mask, and white markings), and also look like tiny Saints! They will be available from $800 to $1,200 each. Preborn deposits are accepted.