St Bernard

[Bigeye74]

My mate has decided its dog time. He wants a really big dog that slobbers. General laziness is an advantage. He wants a St Bernard are there any other mutts that fit the bill? (I'd still go for a Boerboel but guarding breeds don't float his boat).

[wiggal]

My fellas sister has a St Bernard, and although he is a lovely boy, the slobber is really bad!
I would seriously advise your mate not to gt a dog just because its big & slobbers! Bruno is not yet a year old and weighs more then I do, if he wants a cuddle, you dont have a choice!
He is also anything but lazy, which means that due to his size he is very hard work!

[fredpuli47]

Leonberger? Newfoundland?Watch out if he's near water, especially if it's a Newfie! Both breeds like lazing around but get one within a dog's sniff of a pond, lake, river or stream and watch him go! Both breeds need exercise (don't get me wrong: they won't appreciate doing nothing all day) but are hardly hyper about it. There are more frenetic breeds!

[ytrewq]

We have a St.bernard, he is just over 2 and weighs 16 stone. He is lazy and after a walk he will sleep for the rest of the day. St.bernards have difficulty getting in and out of cars, Chester has a ramp which we have to take with us. They don't do stairs, ours has never been upstairs in our house. Vets bills are enormous with giant breeds. They generally have a shorter life span than smaller breeds. Not only do they slobber but they really shed hair bad and will make you house smell, so you will spend alot of your day cleaning floors and walls!!

[andrea81]

My dog is very lazy, but he's a mungrel! Why not try a rehoming centre and ask for a particularly lazy dog?

[lankeela]

ytrewq, thats one of the best answers I have seen on here for a long time. Honest, and from someone who actually knows the breed from personal experience.

I would add that even 'lazy' breeds need exercising, and I would dispute that the Leonberger is in that category, I know people who do Working Trials and Agility with theirs.
What about a Mastiff, they slobber and are a very big breed, but at the above poster said, all giant breeds cost more at the vets, more to feed, more to pick up(!|) and live less. As well as being expensive to start with.

Ask Gravitate, Boxers can do their share of slobbering too!

[Bigeye74]

Fred, thanks for the point on the newfoundland. We live on a small island surrounded by tidal waters. This is stinking mud for most of the time and to be avoided. Thankyou all !!!

[Maggoty]

What about a bulldog?? Doesn't slobber much admittedly but they aren't called the lazy mans dog for nothing!!

You take a bulldog for a walk and carry him back!

Ditto the comments re Newfies - they are brilliant. However with the water thing - tried to go swimming in Denmark and Bamser (the newfie) kept on trying to save me. Their life expectancy is only 6 years old tho - prob same for the St Bernard. Thats what put us off getting a Newfie - ended up with a deranged/hyper/nutty Labradoodle

if you want slobber - go for a Mastiff, Neopolitans are nice so are Bull mastiffs, tho prob too small for your mate.

Ali

[Bigeye74]

I think the St Bernard is the thing. The giant breed is the prime attraction, slobber second. F'knows why. He's off up north to check some breeders out as we speak.

[ytrewq]

Good luck with the search for your saint. My post about Chester sounded abit negative, just posting about the down side, but its some things that people don't always think about. Chester is a great dog and our second st.bernard, they are a great breed. Go to a good breeder, expect to to between 900-1000 pounds for a good puppy. Get good insurance cover, I say this through experience. Puppies shouldn't be walked for the first six months, but you can still take them somewhere in the car to meet other dogs and people. And when you do start going out with the dog be prepared to be stopped and pointed at whereever you go, and have the same questions and "funny" comments over and over again. If I had a pound for every time I was asked where his barrel was or who takes who for a walk I would be rich.

[kita1]

Their nose/mouth is also a perfect height for the cooker and work surfaces - so watch out with any food preparation!!

ytrewq - I also wish I had a pound for everytime I had those comments, and the one about 'where's the saddle' or 'you should be riding that'.

Also it is enormous fun trying to walk a male dog when there is a bitch in season around! I have been known to tie my boy to a fence and ring my other half to come and get him - no way am I walking through the streets with a dog his size constantly jumping up and trying to sh*g me!!!!

[ytrewq]

Also I wouldn't want to feed you and He'll eat you for breakfast when a child or smaller dog is around. Thats not a dog is a horse is another one that always had me in stitches.....