Saint Bernards are wonderful dogs that can make a great addition to almost any family. They’re big, fluffy balls of fun; very affectionate, loving, and loyal to their humans.
However, if you’re a particularly neat person who likes to keep their house clean at all times, you should probably be looking at other breeds.
When it comes to keeping your house tidy, besides shedding, the most important question you should seek the answer to is do Saint Bernards drool.
While most people worry about the level of shedding and hair they may have to clean, slobbery breeds can mess up your floor and furniture, too.
Not to mention having the dog’s saliva all over your clothes during playtime.
Below, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Saint Bernard’s drooling, what causes it, and how to fight it.
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Do Saint Bernards Drool?
Saint Bernard not only drool, but they’re probably the most slobbery breed in the dog world.
Even people who do some previous research before getting a St. Bernard end up surprised by how much these dogs drool.
If you plan on owning one, be prepared for massive amounts of dribble all over the house.
When a Saint Bernard shakes its head, drool flies left and right, and likely, a good part of it will end up on furniture or your clothes.
As soon as they flip their heads, you’ll probably see lines of dribble wrapped around and hanging from their muzzles.
These dogs don’t need much reason to drool. They slobber in all sorts of situations.
They may drool when they are excited or stressed, when they sniff something interesting, when they’re hot, after eating or drinking, or even when they see someone else eating something they like.
Why Do Saint Bernards Drool?
Muzzle Shape And Genetics
Saint Bernards are among the breeds that are genetically predisposed to drool a lot, mainly due to the shape of their muzzle.
This group also includes Mastiffs, Bloodhounds, Bulldogs, Boxers, and several other breeds.
The good news is that excessive drooling with these breeds is natural and not a sign of potential disease.
The large and jowly cheeks and lips of Saint Bernard allow saliva to gather and drool over.
More room around the jowls means more dribble.
Their lips hang down in a similar way that most of us have experienced while visiting the dentist.
Recently, some breeders have been attempting to breed dry-mouth Saint Bernards. It’s a variety of the breed with a bit narrower and slightly longer muzzle.
Still, despite these efforts, there’s no St. Bernard that doesn’t drool.
Reaction To Hot Weather
St. Bernards are mountain dogs, originating from the Swiss Alps. So, they tend to do much better in the cold than on sunny and warm days.
When it’s too hot, Saint Bernard, like most other dogs, pants to cool themselves off and regulate body temperature.
Of course, while panting, their mouths are open, so the drool is free to flow out of their mouths.
While this is normal, watch out if your Saint Bernards dribbles way more than it would normally as it may be an early symptom of a heat stroke.
Excitement And Stress
Even though they’re a relatively calm breed, St. Bernards can easily get excited about something they like.
The sight of their owner bringing or preparing food is one of the examples of situations that stimulates them in this way.
And, this excitement, combined with the smell of something tasty often causes them to drool.
Not much different from humans when they’re about to eat something delicious. Similar to the excitement, stress can also make a St. Bernard drool.
Anxiety can lead to more serious health issues, so if you notice that your Saint Bernard drools more than normal, try to figure out the source of stress and help them.
How To Prevent Your Saint Bernard From Drooling?
While your Saint Bernard’s mouth will never be completely dry, there are some things you can do to reduce the drooling.
The action you may take depends on what situation causes the drooling.
As I already mentioned, Saint Bernards tend to drool a lot whenever they get a whiff of food being prepared for them.
This also happens when your dog watches you as you eat.
To reduce the dribble, don’t allow your St. Bernard to be in the dining room during meals.
Also, avoid preparing dog food while they are watching.
The best idea is to fill the bowl while they’re outside and call them in once their meal is ready.
The Saint Bernard’s drooling will increase on hot days as they pant more to cool off. This can particularly be an issue during car rides.
In these situations, you should do everything you can to help them keep cool. While in the car, turn on the AC or roll down the windows to create some airflow.
Also consider, putting on window shades to prevent the sun from shining directly at your St. Bernard.
When inside, place the dog’s crate or bed in the coolest part of the house with the most shade.
Use the Drool Rag
The help your Saint Bernard with the excess saliva, you should always have a rag handy to clean it off.
Keep several soft absorbent rags in the house, in your car, or carry them with you when you take the dog for a walk.
As the saliva gathers inside the dog’s mouth, don’t just casually go over it. You’ll need to wipe the inside of the lower jowls and upper lips.
This will give you at least 10 minutes before the mouth fills up again, and the dog begins to drool.
You can also have your dog wear a bandana or old towel around the neck and use it as a bib for quick cleaning.
Conclusion
Saint Bernards drool and they drool a lot, There’s no way around it.
While you can use a couple of tricks to reduce the dribble, you simply can’t stop St. Bernards from drooling.
Some people dread the thought of constantly having to clean a dog’s saliva every day. Also, excessive drooling makes the dog less suitable for allergy-prone owners.
Still, plenty of people feels that it’s a part of Saint Bernard’s charm and adds to the dog’s unique character.
Nevertheless, if you think that all the personal traits of Saint Bernard suit you and seem like a perfect fit for your family, don’t let the drooling stop you from enjoying this wonderful breed.
You’ll have to do some extra cleaning but the rewards of owning a Saint Bernards significantly outweigh the drooling issues.
