Gentle Swiss Giants with Ram Mind and Sensitive Heart / Day

Always praised thanks to the spectacular exterior and friendly, cheerful nature, San Bernard is one of the largest dog species. For those fascinated by cozy four -legged giants, meetings with San Bernars are in all a high dose of joy therapy. These are dogs that soothe with their presence alone, and they love everyone. The guest alone has to put the towel on the knees when such peace will want to put his mighty head gently on his lap.

We visit the San Bernard Kennel Vainglory Verde Amber Owner Lana Kunce in Indrani parish, Lubana side. « These dogs will work well with anyone who can work with the dog, » says Lana. In her 15 -year breeder practice, she has « brought out » seven shots of San Bernard, a total of 40 puppies, with her dogs, with her dogs, has made significant success in the exhibitions and recognizes this breed as her own. Currently, Lan’s home is home to three San Bernard girls – Gwen, Gloria and Bonnie.

Swiss national dog

The birthplace of San Bernar is Switzerland, where these dogs even have a museum. The name of the breed is formed from St. The name of the Bernard Monastery in the Swiss Alps, where the 11th century. On the Great St. Bernard transitions 2469 m above sea level monks founded a shelter to give shelter to travelers and pilgrims. The official drawings of the monastery show that since the 17th century. The middle of the guard and the satellites have been kept in large mountain dogs, they have been able to feel the approaching of the avalanche and, thanks to the outstanding smell of smell, to find lost travelers in the mountains in the snowstorm or in the mist. In various languages, the oral narratives of Napoleon’s soldiers crossing in 1800 and the transition -crossed San Bernar, who rescued the lives of many people from the « White Death ». The most famous of these was a dog Barry, who rescued at least 40 people in the mountains – his fame has spread throughout Europe at that time.

The direct ancestors of San Bernard were widespread in the region of large peasant dogs, which, in some generations, based on a certain ideal dog type, was created as the one we know today. Heinrich Schumacher from Holligen at Bern was the first to issue documents of origin to his dogs in 1867. In 1884, a Swiss Dog Patook was created, as the first recorded San Bernard named Leon. The same year, a Swiss San Bernard Club was founded in Basel and has since been a Swiss national dog breed.

Its first representative in Latvia was registered in the first half of the 1970s. At that time, San Bernari gained popularity very quickly – thanks to it, as well as well -organized breeding, in 1978 at that time, 71 San Bernard was registered at the Joint San Bernard and the Newfoundland Club, but had to wait three years in the queue for this breed. In 1989, 120 Sanbernars were already registered and a separate breed club was established. Currently breed breeders continue to work with these dogs at the Central San Bernard and Leonberger Club of Latvia. Lana Kunce has observed that now only a few representatives of this breed are participating in exhibitions in Latvia, and only one puppy has remained in Latvia, the rest have gone to the new hosts to Finland, Sweden, Germany. « I think people’s busyness and also the big dog is one of the reasons for the fall in demand, » says Lana.

The dream of each breeder

Lana’s first San Bernard entered the year 1997. « We came with my family to live here – my husband’s parents in Indrani parish’s chokes. The old and the new road connected near the yard, the cars were driving, people went. The kids were still young, and I didn’t feel really safe. I thought I needed a big dog, but not a guardian. Lana found a puppy from Moscow through the ads. At that time, there was no great understanding of the specifics of the breed. « I just decided that if I have a big dog, I had to learn to lead the dog. The nearest dog school was in Valmiera with cynologist Inguna Tihomirova, and I started going there twice a week after working with the dog. Lana was determined to be responsible for the dog and also entered the club. She vividly remembers her first exhibition: « In the ring in her class we were two competitors with San Bernars. Of course, I wanted to win, be the first, but failed.

Lana’s current dog girls – five -year -old Gwen, two -year -old Gloria and one -and -a -half -year -old Bonnie brought from Germany – are the champions of the Baltic States, but the greatest pride for the hostess for Unju, who is already in other hunting fields. The success of this dog is reminiscent of Lana’s home with a glamorous diploma with a glamorous rosette – at the World Exhibition in Finland in 115 San Bernard in 2015 BEST IN SHOW the title. « The best exhibition dog! It’s the dream of every breeder, the greatest honor and pride. Unfortunately, unjust did not live a long life, only eight years. It’s the hardest thing to go out for a dog who was a family member. In my opinion, the only minus for this big dog breed – San Bernard’s life expectancy is seven to ten years, » the breeder admits.

Teachers and therapists

By profession, Lana is a pedagogue, works at Madona City Secondary School, teaches design and technology subjects, and was once the principal of Meirani Kalpaks Elementary School for 20 years. « Dogs are my hobby, my relaxation that gets on weekends when I go to exhibitions. I like to be among the dogs, I like the exhibition atmosphere, then I feel completely relaxed. I can grow – I am also a canister therapist, and except for the young bonus, Gwen, which has also been given to every four -legged canister therapist. To the Dzelzava Special Elementary School, I led canister therapy classes, then I really watched how very dogs can be tired – after six seven hours of working with short pauses, they sleep in the car and not hear them at home that day. « 

Lana is pleased to organize reading classes for children at Madona City High School next school year Read with a dogthis practice has been taken over from Valmiera canisterapists. The teacher justifies: « The dog is a good motivator, and the easiest thing to do is to motivate children in primary school, because it causes positive emotions. The kids are already breathing when they see San Bernard. And the children also need to teach the dog. But the San Bernard Sea is exaggerated: « As with all dogs with big, strong lips, saliva drain, but not as pronounced as shown in the famous movie about Beethoven. »

Learn to talk to the dog

Asked about everyday life with gentle giants with a height of 90 cm in height and 80 and more, Lana admits: « They are family -friendly, balanced, peaceful dogs walking around the house. At night, dogs sleep in sofas. Lana also has four other Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, including canister therapists, then at night everyone enters two sofas. « When her daughter was seven, she started participating in exhibitions like a dog haendler, but San Bernard was too big for a young child. We took our first cavalry, then Ursins, who is now 13th. The daughter has already grown up and has now chosen Vandeja’s small, aspeller basset as her breed. Spaniels are still in the care of Lana: « I will not take on San Bernard’s lap while sitting on the couch in front of the TV, but the Cavalry power. Although San Bernari ever tries to fall on his lap. »

The San Bernars have no problem in relationships with species brothers or young children in the family. Snow these dogs like it, and you can also get rid of sleds when Lana wants to entertain the grandchildren. True, from an early age, the puppy must specify which family is the key. Sanbernars mature around the age of three, and the dog in adulthood is unlikely to succeed in force positions. Lana laughs, remembering how her first San Bernard’s dog school’s first lesson, the trainer has put his firm hands on her feet and pulled it to all the participants to demonstrate that the four -legged must still be accompanied by the landlord. « The dog has to prove his place in a young age, because the situations are very good at evaluating and sometimes pretending to be unheard of the owner. When choosing Sanbernar, they need to take more space at home. Potential hosts Lana often ask – oh horror, how buckets a day such a dog eats? « Laughing answers – a decent man eats more. Any puppy has to be well fed until the age of one, disrupting the funds for full food. In adulthood, my dogs basically eat professional dry food – 800 g to a kilogram a day, in any case cost more. »

The training process does not wait for blind obedience from Sanbernar, and this will not be a big censor at a dog school. « You have to go to the Basic Dobery School to understand how to properly guide the dog. San Bernard may be learning everything more slowly, but if he is doing the animal, he understands everything very well. But in general, I first learned to talk to the dog at the dog school. The trainer encouraged me, » I have to overcome myself and talk to me, but the more the result of the dog and the dog, I leave the « classroom on the class, » are the main ones, « I have a sensitive dogs, I have a restlessness, we talk to me.