Popular Saint (St.) Bernards that may come to mind right now might include Beethoven from the movie series with the same name, and Cujo, the terrifying, ferocious, rabid beast on the Stephen King movie. Fact is, the St Bernard breed dates back to the 1700s when they helped monks get through the snowy pass of St. Bernard Pass in the Alps. In short, these rescuing hounds helped stranded travelers make it safely through the mountains.

Other interesting tidbits about St. Bernard dogs follow for your enjoyment.

1) Known as a breed in the Working Group, according to the American Kennel Club, these dogs average 160 pounds. They measure an average of 27 inches from the shoulders down.

2) Although these dogs used to have short hair, they now may either have short or long hair, as they have been bred to have both as well as to be larger than the original dogs.

3) Saint Bernards are most often gentle with children. But not all are. So before you bring one home, check and see if it's tempered for youngsters. And beware around those who are very young, as these large dogs can accidentally knock over small children and you don't want anyone getting hurt. For example, you might use pet gates to block off play areas until the children grow larger.

4) Needless to say with this size dog, apartment living is not preferred. Large fenced in backyards are best to allow for plenty of exercise room. And don't forget to have plenty of pet cleanup supplies on hand for cleaning up your backyard and for walks.

5) Check out local pet training workshops and trainers as soon as you can so that your Saint Bernard will use good behaviors at home and around others.

6) These large guys need plenty of good food, too, so make sure your budget will allow for large-sized dog food purchases, treat, too, of course. And don't' forget about grooming tools. You will want to brush them regularly and keep nails trim.

So if you need a little rescuing, even if just in the puppy-love department, a Saint Bernard may be just what you need. Hopefully size doesn't matter. If so, just think: more to love!