I love St Bernards and hopefully one will be a good fit for our family and home. Just wondering your opinion.

Main reasons we are wanting a dog include we’re starting up a mini farm here. Chickens are coming next week and goats probably mid-Summer. We need an animal to bark away predators. We’re in bear country so again, just the presence of a dog barking seems to keep them away, I have two small kids I would like a buddy for and then something happened yesterday…

Last year, we saw two pit bulls sniff around our front door, my husband yelled out the window to tell them to beat it. Turns out they headed straight to our next door neighbours and attacked their two dogs totally tearing up one them in the hip area. What makes me want to vomit is I have a four year old and a four month old baby. My four year old is starting to play further away from us in the yard. Yesterday I was home alone and one of the same (I believe) dogs came sniffing around the front door. I grabbed a pan and potato masher and opened the door screaming (so hard I hurt my throat- I was imagining I was protecting my kids in my head I guess) and banging and he kind of trotted away. My question: I want the St Bernard primarily because of their reputation of their gentleness with kids but would they be almost too gentle if crazy dogs came over? My dh assures me he fixed the gap under the gate the dog seemed to slip under but just incase we miss a gap…

[Kingsbridge Cav]

I haven't known many St Bernards but do have an opinion on the "visitors".
Next time you see one of them, bait it to keep it around until the animal control officers or humane society can pick it up to get it out of the neighborhood!
I live on a farm also, and in lake country,and we get visiting neighbor dogs, but we know them and have good relationships with our neighbors. We trust their dogs and they trust ours. When we have had strange dogs around, we call the neighbors to see if they know the dog and if not the local humane society gets a call. Often people drop off dogs on the roadside at the end of the summer when they go back to the city from their vacation wonderland. It's sad especially for the animal who never asked to be treated unfairly.
If you are concerned for your safety ad that of your family, by all means make the call.
We have more of a coyote problem here instead of bears. One breed that has worked out on two area farms is a Newfoundland. I know that some of the other neighbors say not to trust them completely because they may turn on you. I've never seen evidence of this, but it would be worth looking into this breed. Some of the things you want to watch out for when researching breeds are phrases like, "protective", "needs socialization", "loyal to one person". These can be code words for "possibly aggressive", but no author wants to turn off potential sales of a book by slighting one breed over another. Most dog breed books are positive in nature so you need to learn to read between the lines.
I think if I were looking for a dog in bear country, I'd get one that will bark a warning and then run real fast! LOL
Good luck in your search!

I owned 2 Saints growing up. I'm not sure they are the breed you are looking for. They are not real protective. I have heard Great Pyrenees are very gentle with children and also fierce protectors of the family home, the family, and all livestock who live with you. They are big enough to scare off most predators.

Oh my gosh! The St. Bernard is one of the most amazing dogs I have been introduced to. When my friend was about to drown in the pool, guess who saved her? Her St. Bernard. They are wonderful and intelligent dogs!!! OMG
They slober all over you, but that means they love you. Go out and look for a St. Bernard!!!! If you want a WONDERFUL and LOYAL companion get a St. Bernard. They are one of the best breeds I have ever met.
Best of luck finding a puppy or a dog!!!!!!
- Bijou101