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Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 16

Two St Bernard pups have been imported from England by Mr and Mrs A. G. L. Steele, of Kaiapoi, who plan to import two more dogs and start breeding from them.

The photograph shows Mrs Steele with the pups. Although St Bernards are popular in England because they are good with children and effective guard dogs, Mrs Steele knows of only two other St Bernards in New Zealand.

The two pups imported by the Steeles are four-month-old bitches and are undergoing a quarantine period of one month. At present they are fed three meals a day, one of cereal and the other two of meat, but when fully grown they will eat about 31b of meat each a day.

Two male St Bernards will be imported in two or three months to complete the breeding stock. Breeding will begin in about 12 months and each bitch might have six to ten pups in a litter.

The pups are expected to sell for $3OO to $4OO each.

St Bernards are wellknown for their size — the sire of one of the male dogs stands 4ft high at the head and weighs 14 stone.

St Bernards often give the appearance of being rather “sleepy” and this is aptly portrayed by the dog, H. G. Wells, in the television programme, “Father, Dear Father.”