36. The Original Rescue Dogs Looked Quite Different From Modern Saint Bernards
As seen in the above painting of Barry der Menschenretter, the most famous Saint Bernard, the original dogs looked significantly different from the Saint Bernards of today. The originals who did most of the work in the breed’s heyday as rescue dogs were about half as big as modern ones – similar in size to a German Shepherd – had longer snouts, and shorter fur.
Modern Saint Bernards attained their ginormous size because kennel clubs and dog shows concentrated on appearance instead of the dogs’ working ability. As Saint Bernards became bigger and their fur grew longer, they became less suitable for Alpine rescue work. The extra weight caused them to plunge deeper into the snow, while the longer fur froze and weighed the dogs down even more.