Why do some St Bernards have shorter hair?
There are two coat lengths of Saint Bernard dogs; They are either longhaired or shorthaired. The original saint rescue dogs used at the Hospice were primarily shorthaired, although longhaired St Bernards have always existed in the valleys, and occasionally were even used at the Hospice. Saints of both coat varieties have beautiful double coats, shed, and will require moderate grooming. Longhaired dogs also tend to mat behind the ears, on the chest, and in the pantaloon area if not regularly groomed. Longhaired and shorthaired varieties are of equal value. In America and many other countries world wide longhair and shorthaired dogs may be, and are often, bred together. Longhair to longhair parents will produce only longhaired puppies. A longhair to shorthair mating has the potential to produce either coat length or both in a single litter.
