Great Pyrenees vs Saint Bernard
Side by side
Great Pyrenees
Saint Bernard
Adult weight
55–75 kg (121–165 lb)1
Males 64–82 kg (140–180 lb); females 54–64 kg (120–140 lb) (breed club figure)2
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
No sourced figure
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
No sourced figure
Inward-rolling eyelid (far more likely); Outward-drooping eyelid (far more likely)7
Class
Watchdog
Companion
Which suits you
Lifespan
In UK vet records the Great Pyrenees lives longer: a median of 10.9 years, against 9.3 for the Saint Bernard.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Saint Bernard, and a modest amount with the Great Pyrenees.
Temperament
They differ most on voice (Great Pyrenees: very vocal; Saint Bernard: quiet) and on affection (Great Pyrenees: affectionate on its own terms; Saint Bernard: a lap or leaning dog).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 65 kg (143 lb) for the Great Pyrenees and 66 kg (145 lb) for the Saint Bernard.
Alike
Both are rated the same on sensitivity: hardy, takes a busy home in its stride.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Great Pyrenees
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
Calm and patient with its own household, it is also independent, watchful and reserved with strangers, and known for barking at night.
Saint Bernard
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
In temperament it is calm, gentle and good-natured, playful with its household and watchful towards strangers without being quick to aggression.
Breed traits
Day to day
Great Pyrenees
Saint Bernard
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Easy-going, simple routines
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Great Pyrenees
Saint Bernard
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Great Pyrenees
Saint Bernard
Sensitivity
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Differs
Very vocal
Quiet
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 67 kg.
Great Pyrenees
Saint Bernard
More comparisons
Compare the Great Pyrenees with
Sources
- 1The Kennel Club. Great Pyrenees breed standard. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Saint Bernard breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 9Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 10American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
Parts of this page were written by AI ·