History of two large dogs - Saint
Bernards and Great Danes
Large dogs are often the favorite pet
choices for active people and families with kids. Saint Bernards and
Great Danes are among the most popular large dogs. Saint Bernards and
Great Danes both have an interesting history and even some myths
attached to their names, as you'll see.
 Saint Bernards
Saint Bernards are named after St.
Bernard of Montjou, who founded a monastery of the same name in the
Swiss Alps around 1050 A.D. A scientist called Keller bred these large
dogs from a stock of Roman Molossian canines, who themselves were
descendants of Tibetan Mastiffs.
Saint Bernards were originally used to
guard the monastery. Interestingly, there are also accounts of the
large dogs being used by an inventive cook to turn the spits that made
the food the monks ate. As there was a mountain pass below the
buildings that many travelers used, the animals also helped feed weary
passersby. This is part of how the legend of Saint Bernards helping
lost hikers originated, but they never really wore the wooden barrels
around their necks. That's a myth.
 Great Danes
Great Danes are the official German
national dog (since 1880). They probably have their origins in
pre-Roman times. Large dogs resembling them are drawn on the walls of
some Egyptian tombs, and Assyrians as far back as 600 B.C. may have used
them as hunting companions.
Experts agree that Great Danes
definitely were their own distinct breed by the 17th century,
when an engraving was made showing the large dogs taking part in boar
hunts in Denmark.
Once a fierce hunting dog, Great Danes
today are very docile and playful. One of the common misconceptions
about these large dogs is that they require a big house and yard to run
in. In fact, a Dane is likely to be content in fairly tight confines.
And they can be destructive in large yards, especially when the master
isn't around to supervise.
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