Not like many other breeds, a great deal of history is known about the Saint Bernard.  Most of this information is known due to the Hospice of the Grand Saint Bernard and also early breeders.  The Hospice is the birthplace of the Saint.  It is believed that the Saint Bernard came to the hospice between 1660 and 1670.  The hospice is at the highest point of the Great Saint Bernard Pass which is 8,000 feet above sea level.  This is a route taken by travelers from Switzerland to Northern Italy.  The Saint could remarkably find lost travelers buried in the snow, arouse them, and lead them back to the monastery.  Up until 1830, the only type of Saint Bernard was the smooth or short-haired kind.  The Newfoundland was then bred into the breed which created a new variety, the rough coat or long-haired Saint.  It was found that the smooth worked better in the snow due to ice and snow being stuck in the long fur of the rough coat.  

     The Swiss Kennel Club was founded in 1883.  The first Swiss dog show was held in 1871 in Bern.  Though the Saint wasn't only contained in Switzerland.  Around the 1960's, top-winning and producing American-bred dogs emerged.  Such well-known kennels as Powell, Riga, Stanridge, Harvey's, Shagg-Bark, Subira, Mardonof, Alpenhof, Dawrob, Beau Cheval, Sanctuary Woods, Prairieaire, von Mallen, Templehof, Saints Retreat, Madonna, Engler, High Chateau, and others dominated the show rings around the 60's and 70's.  The origin and history of the Saint Bernard is incredibly interesting and fascinating.  Though these are only the basics of their history, you can find many more details and amazing facts about the Saints origin.  

     Though their are many legends about the Saint Bernard, perhaps one of the most amazing is the famous Saint "Barry".  "Barry" was a Saint who lived from 1800 to 1814.  Throughout his lifetime of looking through the Swiss Alps for lost and confused travelers to save he racked up an enormous amount of lives that he is credited with saving.  He is responsible for saving forty lives.  Now he is stuffed in the Museum of Natural History at Bern in Switzerland.  He is probably the most outstanding rescue dog of all time.  He is truly a legend. 

This is a picture of two monks and their rescue dogs.  They are in the Swiss Alps, in front of the monastery.