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Mayslick, KY 41055 606 584 5374 BLOODSTOCK7@HALLELUJAHSTBERNARDS.COM |
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THIS 1695 PAINTING OF A HOSPICE DOG BY "NEAPOLITAN SALVATOR ROSE" STILL HANGS IN THE HOSPICE TO THIS DAY. A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE HOSPICE OF SAINT BERNARD AND ITS DOGS THE FAMOUS HOSPICE THAT GAVE THE SAINT BERNARD DOG ITS NAME WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1050 A.D. BY THE ARCHDEACON, BERNARD, WHO WAS LATER KNOWN AS SAINT BERNARD OF MENTHON. THE HOSPICE WAS BUILT AT AN ALTITUDE OF MORE THAN 8000 FEET IN THE SWISS ALPS. IT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A SHELTER FOR TRAVELERS CROSSING FROM ITALY TO SWITZERLAND BY LAND. IN 1139 A.D. A PAMPHLET "THE PILGRIM'S GUIDE OF SAINT IAGO DI COMPOSTELA" WAS PRINTED IN FRANCE. THE HOSPICE WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE THREE GREAT HOSPICES OF THE WORLD. IN 1555 A.D. A FIRE DESTROYED THE ROOFS AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE UPPER WALLS OF THE HOSPICE. IN 1626 A.D. A SKETCH OF THE HOSPICE WAS MADE SHOWING A CRENELLED BARRIER BLOCKING THE PASS FROM THE SWISS SIDE AND CONNECTED TO THE HOSPICE BUILDINGS. IN 1695 A.D. "NEAPOLITAN SALVATOR ROSE" PAINTED PORTRAITS OF TWO HOSPICE DOGS. THEY STILL HANG IN THE HOSPICE TO THIS DAY. ONE OF THOSE PORTRAITS IS REPRODUCED ABOVE. IT RECORDS THE PROTOTYPE SAINT BERNARD. WRITTEN RECORDS FROM 1707 ARE THE OLDEST THAT HAVE SURVIVED DESCRIBING THE SAINT BERNARD AS A TRAINED RESCUE DOG. A TRAVEL DESCRIPTION WRITTEN IN 1774 BY THE GENEVE PAINTER, BOURRIT REFERS TO THE RESCUE WORK DONE BY THE MONKS AND THEIR DOGS AS A FACT THAT "HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME." THE 1787 RECORDS OF THE HOSPICE REVEAL THAT THE DOGS PROTECTED THE HOSPICE FROM A GANG OF BURGLARS.
ONE OF THE MONASTERY DOGS THAT SAVED MANY PEOPLE FROM THE DANGER OF SNOW AND ICE PHOTO FROM 1952 BOOK BY DENLINGER ,"THE COMPLETE SAINT BERNARD" THE RESCUE WORK OF THE DOGS HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN DESCRIBED AND PRAISED BY TRAVELERS. "THE DOGS LEAVE THE HOSPICE IN GROUPS, THEY SEARCH, FIND AND REPORT IN GROUPS, AND MANY OF THEM MAY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE SAME NUMBER OF RESCUES (40) AS OLD BARRY DID." THE HOSPICE AND ITS SAINT BERNARD DOGS WHERE WARMLY PRAISED IN 1800 BY NAPOLEON'S SOLDIERS WHEN THEY CROSSED THE ALPS AND VISITED THERE. MANY EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE BEEN RELATED BY THE MONKS RECALL UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THIS MOUNTAIN. DURING THE WINTER, SNOW CAN REACH A DEPTH OF THIRTY FEET. TREACHEROUS WINDS CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. AVALANCHES ARE COMMON.
THE AMAZING HOSPICE DOGS, NOW KNOWN AS SAINT BERNARDS, WERE ABLE TO SENSE STORMS IN ADVANCE AND BECAME RESTLESS WANTING TO GO OUTSIDE ABOUT TWENTY TO FORTY MINUTES BEFORE THE STORM HIT. THEY ALSO SEEMED TO SENSE AVALANCHES SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE THEY OCCURRED. EQUALLY AMAZING WAS THEIR UNCANNY ABILITY TO SCENT PEOPLE BURIED UNDER FIVE TO SEVEN FEET OF SNOW. THEY HAD AN UNERRING SENSE OF DIRECTION AND FOUND THEIR WAY THROUGH THE HEAVY FOGS AS WELL AS SHIFTING BLOWING SNOWS. THEY WERE LARGE STRONG DOGS, UNTIRING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SAVE LIVES. MANY THOUSANDS OF TRAVELERS OVER THE CENTURIES OWE THEIR LIVES TO THESE WONDERFUL DOGS. "BARRY OF 1815" IS THE MOST FAMOUS HAVING SAVED OVER FORTY LIVES. THERE WERE LIKELY SCORES OF OTHER DOGS OVER THE CENTURIES WHO WERE EQUALLY ADEPT BUT WHOSE BRAVE DEEDS WENT UNRECORDED BY ALL BUT "GOD", THEIR CREATOR AND SUSTAINER.
PHOTO OF A PUPPY FROM THE HOSPICE-(1952 BOOK, "THE COMPLETE SAINT BERNARD", BY DENLINGE ***************************************************************** SAINT BERNARD PUPPIES FOR SALE OCCASIONALLY. WE TAKE RESERVATIONS AFTER EACH SUCCESSFUL MATING. CALL OR EMAIL ANYTIME TO BE PUT ON OUR NOTIFICATION LIST.
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