Saint Bernard St. Bernard, English Setter [Mix]

All the beauty, loyalty, and people-focus of a St. Bernard, but without the drool or the size! Champ is a solid 68 lbs and is not going to get any bigger, unless you feed him McDonalds. He seems to have gotten all the good traits of a St. Bernard—such as the traffic-stopping mahogany-and-chestnut coat with white appointments, friendly disposition, and keen nose. Yet he shows none drooling and slobber associated with most “Saints,” even when he is excited.

A best guess at what Champ is mixed with would be English Setter. He has very pronounced spotting on his legs and feet (very decorative!) and has been known to “set” when he detects birds in the tall grass in his foster’s yard. He also watches birds in flight, which is not very common for non-hunting-breed dogs. Having hunting bird genes would also account for his enthusiasm for chasing rabbits. He might be inclined to chase outdoor cats, but he is very friendly and well-behaved with his foster’s indoor cats. He has been known to play-bow to them in an effort to entice them to frolic.

Champ’s on-leash obedience is impressive. He heels closely and attentively, and automatically sits when his handler stops. When Champ takes a trip to the local Home Depot, he always gets multiple compliments on his good behavior. Plus, he swoons at all the petting and attention he seems to attract. It is hard for anyone to walk past and not pat his earnest head and stroke his lush coat. That’s right, folks: He’s a babe magnet.

Champ needs a master, not just an owner. Because he is quite smart (don’t let the “Aww, shucks” demeanor fool you!!) and very people-savvy, Champ occasionally gets it into his head that he might be capable of running the household. For this reason, he needs a dog-savvy person who gives off leadership vibes, rather than an indulgent person who lets him take the inch that then leads to taking the mile. Champ has done very well in his foster home for his no-nonsense foster Mom, but has been known to take some advantage of his old softy foster Dad when the opportunity arises. But he takes discipline easily and without any hard feelings. He is just a delightful dog, and he probably hears “Good dog!” 20 times a day, because he IS indeed a good dog.

Champ’s energy level is high and needs to be kept in mind. He loves to wrestle with his foster “sisters,” but also gets adequate exercise from long, energetic walks. Since his leash manners are so good, he is a joy to walk, and would probably also be a good jogging partner. Champ also likes things that exercise his mind, so taking a car ride to the store and going through his obedience paces there is another way of satisfying his needs.

Champ is not a dog park or PetsMart kind of guy because he has little tolerance for male dogs. He will talk trash to other males even from a distance, if allowed to. (His fosters do not allow this.) However, he looooves the girls, and would probably do well in a home with one or several females, though he would also do fine as an only dog if he still got plenty of exercise.

1. Get petted
2. Ride in the car
3. Play with girl dogs
4. Get brushed
5. Eat

1. He knows how to dance the Time Warp, and he does Riverdance steps (for food)
2. He is a Libra (just watch him try to decide on a spot to “go” in)
3. His is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records under “Cutest front feet”
4. Though he comes from West Virginia, he has not trace of an accent
5. He is a babe magnet. But we already told you that.