The "new illustrated standard" was originally written by Sherry Ann Allen and illustrated by Phil Best. It was originally published in The Monk's Guide and The Big Dog in 1975.
The "Dr. Schweinskopf" text was written by Bill Faulk, a member of the Great Salt Lake Saint Bernard Club and editor of the Club's newsletter: The Big Dog.
"Better Puppies Through Mass Production"
April 1, 1996
Dear Entrepreneur,
Allow me to introduce myself; I am Herr Doktor Schweinskopf. Over many years I have produced thousands of puppies for Americans everywhere, true Schweinskopf-Hunds! You too can become a success, as I have, by following in my footsteps. I have enclosed a copy of a new illustrated standard for my main breed, the Saint Bernard Dog. The clique of professional breeders and show handlers always interprets the Saint Bernard standard to suit the way their dogs look anyway, then they can justify winning shows (it's all politics!). I have enclosed my interpretation ! I have also enclosed a paper detailing many of the practices that led to my success. You too can sell many, many puppies for up to $2,000 and more! Do not let those news reports of ridiculous extremes labeled "puppy mills" discourage you. Hundreds of producing bitches can be owned by you personally in conditions that frequently meet the minimum federal standards.
Sincerely,
Dr. Raoul Schweinskopf Lawrence, Kansas
Schweinskopf-Hund Kennels
Revised Illustrated Standard For the Saint Bernard Dog
Complete Profile, Standard Type Mantle Coated Saint Bernard Dog
General: Powerful, big, tall, strong, big, muscular, big, tall, with a big head, and most intelligent expression. In dogs with a dark mask the expression appears more stern, but still big. He should never appear ill-natured, but he should always appear big.
HEAD: Two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Freckles, ticking and mottling are highly desired. The massive skull is narrow and always perfectly marked. The occiput is moderately developed, compared to that of the development of the occiput of an elephant.
The supra-orbital ridge is of absolutely no value, along with the furrow.
The skin of the forehead, above the eyes, forms rather noticeable huge, gapping, drooping, mammoth wrinkles; more or less pronounced, usually more. When the dog is in action, these wrinkles really swing and give the tremendous impression of Permanently Unpressed. Too strongly developed wrinkles are highly desired.
The stop is what keeps the muzzle and the top skull from being one, neat little package, so it is best, in the interest of neatness, not to have a stop at all.
The muzzle is long, narrow, and pointed so he can sniff the ground without putting his head down. It is most important that on the muzzle there be one black nose and a variety of freckles.
The flews of the upper and lower jaw are strongly developed, loose, and baggy, and turn into a beautiful droopy sag at the lower edge.
The eyes should be brown, or any variation thereof, and positioned in the head so they can see around or over the muzzle.
Bite:- the teeth should be white. This is the only part of the body where freckles are not allowed. The undershot bite is the most desirable, thus enabling him to show the judge his teeth without opening his mouth.
There should be a roof to the mouth. The color will probably remain a mystery throughout his life.
The nose should be black and located somewhere on or about the end of the muzzle.
There should be two ears that are dark in color and lay flat against the head. Ears that stand erect are a bit unusual, but not a fault. White on the ear is a 9.9 on the Richter Scale and the most serious of faults.
This is type. The ideal longhaired Saint Bernard Dog
The coat, whether it be long or short, should be so curly that the front hairs stand up and wave at the back. When a longhaired dog is out of coat, it is perfectly permissible to show him in the short-haired classes. Longhaired and long-legged go hand in hand, as does short-haired and short legged. The only acceptable colors are fire-engine-red and burnt-toast-brown. Yellow and purple are disqualifications. One distinguishes between male and female dogs.
The height at the shoulder of the dog has to be 40 inches minimum for a bitch; 46 inches minimum for a male. Proportionately tall figure is anything over 49 inches at the elbow.
Disqualifications: Considered as disqualifications are all deviations from this standard, as for instance; upward hair growing in the space between the eyes; out at the earset; too strongly developed nostrils; not enough angle to the dewclaw, cowhocked flews, disproportionately long second thigh.
Forearm: The forearm should be long and together with the shoulder blade, form a perfect 87 degree angle. The angle at the turn of stiffle should be 93 degrees Fahrenheit. The angle of the croup should be 37 degrees on cold days, 56 degrees on warm days. These degrees are measured with a thermometer and the highest score wins a Cupie Doll. It is important that you do not confuse these degrees with those given by Universities.
Feet: The toes should be long, with absolutely no knuckle, and spread as wide apart as possible. The feet should be able to move, some of the time, without stepping on each other. Many freckles on the feet are important so he can leave a good trail in the snow.
Hindquarters: There should be two back legs, and by working together with the two front legs, they should be able to propel the body in the general direction of forward. The hocks touch so that when he sits down in the snow he makes an "X". Weak hocks are not a fault, merely a weakness.
Dewclaws are a must, as they give more girth to the lower hockular section of the rear assembly.
The action of the pastern, elbow, and shoulder; the hock, stiffle, and hip are of absolutely no importance at all. Single tracking, smingle tracking, it's all in the wrist.
Front view, standard type Saint Bernard Dog
The neck is set high, is very long and always carried erect, thus the importance of a very long muzzle. The dewlap of the throat is over developed and pendulous to give the impression of a well developed chest.
The shoulders are set well under the neck. Long muscles run the entire length of the back, from the shoulders to the thigh, thus enabling the front legs and the back legs to move somewhat harmoniously. When these muscles contract the front legs move back and the rear legs move forward. Viewed from the side, this is called "Single Tracking."
The chest reaches well below the elbows to keep him from sinking too deep in the snow.
The tail, when pulled up over the back, should reach the 16th of the spine. The tail should remain curled at all times, even while the dog is sleeping. The tail should be carried over the back and closely resembles that of a Samoyed; which, as we all know, was involved in the breeding program that produced long-haired Saint Bernards.
The real standard
Breed Standard of the Saint Bernard Dog
Shorthaired
General
Powerful, proportionately tall figure, strong and muscular in every part, with powerful head and most intelligent expression. In dogs with a dark mask the expression appears more stern, but never ill-natured.
Head
Like the whole body, very powerful and imposing. The massive skull is wide, slightly arched and the sides slope in a gentle curve into the very strongly developed, high cheek bones. Occiput only moderately developed. The supra-orbital ridge is very strongly developed and forms nearly a right angle with the long axis of the head. Deeply imbedded between the eyes and starting at the root of the muzzle, a furrow runs over the whole skull. It is strongly marked in the first half, gradually disappearing toward the base of the occiput. The lines at the sides of the head diverge considerably from the outer corner of the eyes toward the back of the head. The skin of the forehead, above the eyes, forms rather noticeable wrinkles, more or less pronounced, which converge toward the furrow. Especially when the dog is alert or at attention the wrinkles are more visible without in the least giving the impression of morosity. Too strongly developed wrinkles are not desired. The slope from the skull to the muzzle is sudden and rather steep.
The muzzle is short, does not taper, and the vertical depth at the root of the muzzle must be greater than the length of the muzzle. The bridge of the muzzle is not arched, but straight; in some dogs, occasionally, slightly broken. A rather wide, well-marked, shallow furrow runs from the root of the muzzle over the entire bridge of the muzzle to the nose. The flews of the upper jaw are strongly developed, not sharply cut, but turning in a beautiful curve into the lower edge, and slightly overhanging. The flews of the lower jaw must not be deeply pendant. The teeth should be sound and strong and should meet in either a scissors or an even bite; the scissors bite being preferable. The undershot bite, although sometimes found with good specimens, is not desirable. The overshot bite is a fault. A black roof to the mouth is desirable.
Nose (Schwamm) - Very substantial, broad, with wide open nostrils, and, like the lips, always black.
Ears - Of medium size, rather high set, with very strongly developed burr (Muschel) at the base. They stand slightly away from the head at the base, then drop with a sharp bend to the side and cling to the head without a turn. The flap is tender and forms a rounded triangle, slightly elongated toward the point, the front edge lying firmly to the head, whereas the back edge may stand somewhat away from the head, especially when the dog is at attention. Lightly set ears, which at the base immediately cling to the head, give it an oval and too little marked exterior, whereas a strongly developed base gives the skull a squarer, broader and much more expressive appearance.
Eyes - Set more to the front than the sides, are of medium size, dark brown, with intelligent, friendly expression, set moderately deep. The lower eyelids, as a rule, do not close completely and, if that is the case, form an angular wrinkle toward the inner corner of the eye. Eyelids which are too deeply pendant and show conspicuously the lachrymal glands, or a very red, thick haw, and eyes that are too light, are objectionable.
Neck
Set high, very strong and when alert or at attention is carried erect. Otherwise horizontally or slightly downward. The junction of head and neck is distinctly marked by an indentation. The nape of the neck is very muscular and rounded at the sides which makes the neck appear rather short. The dewlap of throat and neck is well pronounced: too strong development, however, is not desirable.
Shoulders
Sloping and broad, very muscular and powerful. The withers are strongly pronounced.
Chest
Very well arched, moderately deep, not reaching below the elbows.
Back
Very broad, perfectly straight as far as the haunches, from there gently sloping to the rump, and merging imperceptibly into the root of the tail.
Hindquarters
Well-developed. Legs very muscular.
Belly
Distinctly set off from the very powerful loin section, only little drawn up.
Tail
Starting broad and powerful directly from the rump is long, very heavy, ending in a powerful tip. In repose it hangs straight down, turning gently upward in the lower third only, which is not considered a fault. In a great many specimens the tail is carried with the end slightly bent and therefore hangs down in the shape of an "f". In action all dogs carry the tail more or less turned upward. However it may not be carried too erect or by any means rolled over the back. A slight curling of the tip is sooner admissible.
Upper Arms
Very powerful and extraordinarily muscular.
Lower Leg
Straight, strong.
Hind legs
Hocks of moderate angulation. Dewclaws are not desired; if present, they must not obstruct gait.
Feet
Broad, with strong toes, moderately closed, and with rather high knuckles. The so-called dewclaws which sometimes occur on the inside of the hind legs are imperfectly developed toes. They are of no use to the dog and are not taken into consideration in judging. They may be removed by surgery.
Coat
Very dense, short-haired (stockhaarig), lying smooth, tough, without however feeling rough to the touch. The thighs are slightly bushy. The tail at the root has longer and denser hair which gradually becomes shorter toward the tip. The tail appears bushy, not forming a flag.
Color
White with red or red with white, the red in its various shades; brindle patches with white markings. The colors red and brown-yellow are of entirely equal value. Necessary markings are: white chest, feet and tip of tail, noseband, collar or spot on the nape; the latter and blaze are very desirable. Never of one color or without white. Faulty are all other colors, except the favorite dark shadings on the head (mask) and ears. One distinguishes between mantle dogs and splash-coated dogs.
Height at Shoulder
Of the dog should be 271 inches minimum, of the bitch 251 inches. Female animals are of finer and more delicate build.
Considered as Faults
Are all deviations from the Standard, as for instance a swayback and a disproportionately long back, hocks too much bent, straight hindquarters, upward growing hair in spaces between the toes, out at elbows, cowhocks and weak pasterns.
Longhaired
The longhaired type completely resembles the shorthaired type except for the coat which is not shorthaired (stockhaarig) but of medium length plain to slightly wavy, never rolled or curly and not shaggy either. Usually, on the back, especially from the region of the haunches to the rump, the hair is more wavy, a condition, by the way, that is slightly indicated in the shorthaired dogs. The tail is bushy with dense hair of moderate length. Rolled or curly hair, or a flag tail, is faulty. Face and ears are covered with short and soft hair; longer hair at the base of the ear is permissible. Forelegs only slightly feathered; thighs very bushy.