Description:
Major was a stray who found himself in another shelter where his time was soon up. He is such a sweet boy that Judy just couldn't let that happen. Major is good with other dogs and cats and is housebroken. He is very friendly and mostly quiet, though he barks and plays some too. He acts a little younger than he looks and has a real nice personality. He has definitely had a hard life and has a few broken teeth to prove it. Major loves to hang out by your feet and be a companion. He will make a great addition to any family!

Major went to an event and was such a good boy! He did fine with the other dogs and all the people loved him. He is great with kids, very mellow and sweet. Major is definitely a special boy - come meet him in person and see why everyone falls in love with him!

Foster Update 5/10/13

This fine boy has recently received the name of “Major” and he does answer to that name when I call him. Major is calm and oh so very friendly. He hangs out with me and follows me about the house and sits near (or on) my feet. He is quite affectionate and seems to enjoy a good belly scratch. Major is housebroken and has had no accidents since he came here a couple of weeks ago. He is friendly with my other dogs and seems to think my cat is OK most of the time, except when she appears to be hiding or staying out of reach. That makes him curious and he barks at her then.

Major really enjoys food, so much that he is willing to eat any that he can find. So I feed him apart from the other dogs and put the cat food and people food out of his reach. There was one incident between the dogs over treats, so I keep them separated when I give out dog treats. All in all, I can’t say enough good stuff about this dog. He knows sit, lie down and shake a paw. He will make someone a fine companion. 

PRBJ treats ALL of our dogs with monthly Heartworm preventative. Heartworm positive (HW+ ) dogs, such as Major, are treated with the recommended slow kill method, using monthly HW preventative as it is gentler on the animal’s system than the more invasive, injection method. Most dogs that are Heartworm positive can lead healthy, normal lives if the disease is caught early and treatment began. There are different options to treat HW and new owners may choose to redirect their type of treatment with direction of their vet.All HW+ dogs have a HW slow treatment info sheet in their adoption folder which will be provided to new owners.

According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, this is a very ancient breed. It was founded in AD 980 by St Bernard de Menthon as a refuge for travelers through the perilous Alpine pass between Switzerland and Italy. It is descended from the Tibetan mastiff and therefore must have originated with the mastiff brought to the Alps by the Romans around the year 1000. The monks probably crossed the ancient mastiff with the Great Dane and the Great Pyrenees. Its use and popularity as a rescue dog began in the middle of the seventeenth century. The Saint Bernard was used as an avalanche and rescue dog in the snowy passes near the Hospice. More then 2,000 people have been saved by this amazing servant of mankind. The dogs search out and find the lost or injured traveler, and then lick him and lie next to him to give him warmth. Then one dog from the party heads back to the Hospice to get a full rescue team. The Saint Bernard's sense of smell is so excellent that he can find a person even under many feet of snow. This breed is also known for his ability to foretell storms and avalanches, perhaps because he may hear very low frequency sounds that are beyond our ability to hear. There are two varieties: short-haired and long-haired. The short-haired variety is more often used for mountain work because he can tolerate cold temperatures. The long-haired variety's coat tends to collect icicles. Some of the Saint Bernard's talents are search & rescue, watchdogging and carting. They are extremely gentle and friendly and very tolerant of children. The Saint Bernard is slow moving, patient, and obedient. Extremely loyal, this breed wants to please. Since this dog is so giant, be sure to socialize it very well at a young age with other people. It is highly intelligent and easy to train, however training should begin early, while the dog is still a manageable size. Bear in mind that an unruly dog of this size presents a problem for even a strong adult if it is to be exercised in public areas on a leash, so take control from the onset. The Saint Bernard is a good watchdog. Even its size is a good deterrent. They drool after they drink or eat.