Golden Saint

100-200 lbs
30-36"
United States
Golden Retriever
Saint Bernard

The Golden Saint is a mix between the Golden Retriever and the Saint Bernard. Truly the definition of a “gentle giant”, the Golden Saint has the size of the Saint Bernard with a wonderful combination of loving and even tempered traits from both the Saint Bernard and the Golden Retriever. Maintaining the looks of both parent breeds, the Golden Saint is a large dog with a strong body, almond shaped eyes, and long, dense fur. Coloring can range from yellow, black, chocolate, white, brindle, speckled, spotted, and merle. Despite his large size, this breed may be well suited for an apartment or smaller home and they make the perfect companion regardless of your level of experience. With a gentle and calm disposition, the Golden Saint lives by his name! He is easy to train, gets along well with everyone, and makes the perfect snuggling companion on long winter nights. Despite the fact that his large size doesn’t make him extremely athletic, the Golden Saint does still require quite a bit of exercise due to both parent breeds being working dogs. Keep in mind that he will also shed quite often, so while he is low maintenance, a lot of brushing will be required. Overall, if you are looking for a large, loyal, easy going, friendly dog who is great with kids the Golden Saint may be the perfect fit for you. 

purpose Purpose
Companion and Working Animal
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Golden Retriever and Saint Bernard

Golden Saint Health

Average Size
Male Golden Saint size stats
Height: 30-36 inches Weight: 100-220 lbs
Female Golden Saint size stats
Height: 30-36 inches Weight: 100-200 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Retinal Dysplasia
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis
Minor Concerns
  • Entropion
  • Ectropion
  • Cherry Eye
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy
  • Cataracts
  • Eye Abnormalities
  • Dermoid Sinus
  • Diabetes
  • Von Willebrand's Disease
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Portosystemic Shunt
  • Microphthalmia
  • Histiocytosis
  • Corneal Dystrophy
  • Cutaneous Asthenia
Occasional Tests
  • Elbow
  • Blood Test
  • Hip X-Rays
  • Heart
  • Dna For Vwd
  • (Dna Test For Pra)
  • Thyroid Tests
  • Eye Examination
  • Physical Examination

Golden Saint Breed History

The Golden Saint is a relatively new hybrid breed that, unfortunately, doesn’t have a well-developed origin story yet. Despite this fact, we do know a lot about his parent breeds, the Golden Retriever and the Saint Bernard. Because of these back stories, we can get an idea of what the Golden Saint’s personality, appearance, and popularity may someday develop into.  First, the Golden Retriever was developed in the 18th century by Lord Tweedmouth of Scotland. The idea was to create the perfect model of a retriever with qualities such as, a great nose, high intelligence, and an eager to please attitude solely focused on the master. The Golden Retriever has been a favorite of many individuals ever since his existence began. His even tempered personality and bright, loving eyes can melt any heart without trying too hard. The Golden was recognized by the American Kennel Club in the year 1925 and is now the 3rd most popular dog breed around. They are used primarily for hunting, show, and companionship.  It is now time to look at the gentle giant side of the Golden Saint; the Saint Bernard. While this large dog never actually wore a keg of brandy around his neck, as depicted in some cartoons and movies) he did indeed offer support to stranded travelers up in the Swiss Alps. He was first created to be a farm dog by those who lived in the Alps, but eventually the Saint Bernard was gifted to the Monks of the Swiss Hospice in 1670. The large dogs first acted as guards for the monks against bandits, but when the monks realized the large dog had a keen sense of smell, they began to breed the Saint Bernards to aid in finding lost travelers up in the mountains. Through careful breeding the dogs became larger, with thicker and more waterproofed hair to keep them well protected against the dangers of the mountains. Hundreds of years later, with their excellent rescue skills proceeding them, the Saint Bernard made its way into the United States during the 1800’s and slowly grew to become one of the most popular breeds around. Today these dogs are used as companions, show animals, and work dogs all over the world. When combining these two unique parent breeds, we end up with a large, gentle, and beautiful dog that has a heart of gold. The Golden Saint makes a wonderful family dog due to his calm nature and easy trainability. Although his size may be large, with careful training and plenty of chances to go outside for some fresh air, the Golden Saint can live in any size home and any area without any problem at all. 

Golden Saint Breed Appearance

Because the Golden Saint is a hybrid mix between two different dogs, his appearance and personality can vary greatly even within the same litter. Despite this fact, the typical Golden Saint will have the body type of the Saint Bernard while maintaining the facial features of the Golden Retriever. His coat is very long and thick, being waterproof against all kinds of weather. This means that he will shed often and tends to do better in colder weather; too hot of environment will cause him to overheat very easily. This breeds ears are loose and folded, framing a strong jaw and stout muzzle. The eyes are almond shaped and full of intelligence; typically, being a light to dark brown color. Although this breed may be quite large, he will usually resemble a Golden Retriever more than a Saint Bernard. 

Eye Color Possibilities
hazel Golden Saint eyes
Hazel
brown Golden Saint eyes
Brown
amber Golden Saint eyes
Amber
Nose Color Possibilities
black Golden Saint nose
Black
brown Golden Saint nose
Brown
isabella Golden Saint nose
Isabella
Coat Color Possibilities
pied Golden Saint coat
Pied
brown Golden Saint coat
Brown
brindle Golden Saint coat
Brindle
cream Golden Saint coat
Cream
red Golden Saint coat
Red
white Golden Saint coat
White
black Golden Saint coat
Black
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Golden Saint straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Golden Saint Breed Maintenance

Although the Golden Saint does tend to shed quite often, this is a low maintenance breed that only needs brushing to keep the shedding down and remain tangle free. Brush your Golden Saint at least 3 times a week to remove any loose hair and dirt that may be lying on the body. Bathing only needs to occur every few months or so, as this breed does not have a bad doggy odor. Keep in mind that it is very important to thoroughly dry your dog’s ears after bathing or swimming, as moisture can easily get trapped in the folded over ears of the Golden Saint. When extra moisture is left behind, ear infections and irritation can occur. Besides bathing and brushing, be sure to clip your dog’s nails every few weeks in order to keep the paws healthy and snag free.

Brushes for Golden Saint
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Comb
Comb
Deshedder
Deshedder
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Golden Saint requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Golden Saint Temperament

Golden Saint takes after both of his parent breeds in the best of ways. He is gentle, obedient, eager to please, calm, and very loyal. Due to this breeds intelligence and easy-going manner, he is very easy to train; making him an excellent choice for any new dog owner. On top of this, neither the Golden Retriever or the Saint Bernard are big barkers, meaning that your Golden Saint shouldn’t be either. However, just like the Saint Bernard is good watch dog, the Golden Saint will protect your home by alerting you with a bark if anything suspicious occurs. Despite the large size of this breed, he is not aggressive and is very gentle with both children and other pets. Early training and socialization is still very important, as it is for any dog, to teach good manners and behaviors at all times. If you are looking for a great companion dog that is also an easy going, dependable work dog the Golden Saint may be the perfect fit for you.

Golden Saint Activity Requirements

When it comes to mixing dog breeds, you never can be sure exactly what personality you may be getting. With the Golden Saint, however, you can bet that the result will be a calm and even tempered dog that is relatively low energy for his size. While the Golden Saint is a very large dog, he doesn’t have much of the athleticism of the Golden Retriever, so just a couple 30-40 minutes of exercise should be enough to keep him happy and contented. A few examples of physical activities you can do with your Golden Saint may be a very long walk, playing fetch in the yard, and training. By using mental stimulation as well as physical, you will actually tire out your dog much faster. Training is a very important element to any dog’s exercise routine that shouldn’t be overlooked. Because the Golden Saint is a bigger dog, he would prefer space to move around freely; so apartments may not be the best choice. However, this being said, the Golden Saint has a wonderful personality for any size of home so if you have the dedication to take him to parks for exercise, an apartment will work just fine!

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Minutes of Activity Per Day
40 minutes
activity minutes

Golden Saint Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
4 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$2.75 - $3.00
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$80.00 - $90.00
food bag monthly cost

Golden Saint Owner Experiences

Tili
4 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Play keep away
Fetch
Road trip
We saved her from the pound (in reality she saved me) she is very loyal and loving, she loves to ride ANYWHERE, she will literally dance for a beef stick, very protective over small children, plays fetch like a pro, LOVES to snuggle in moms lap - doesn’t realize she weighs 140lbs! Gets very sad when left alone or without her people, and last but not least- she is the BESTEST girl!
2 years ago
Cooper
3 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
I love my coopie, he sheds a lot and has quite an attitude but he’s an amazing dog. He would hug for hours if he could.
2 years, 8 months ago
Mopar
One Year
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Mopar is the most loving,loyal,affectionate dog we have ever owned,very smart,human like in many ways,always wants to be involved with everything we are doing
6 years, 8 months ago
Nikki
1 Year
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Shake
Fetch
Walk
Nikki is a true gentle giant. She is extremely affectionate with our whole family and would prefer “hugging” us (literally) to any other activity! She’s very smart and good with my little boy and our chihuahua. She’s been the perfect dog for our family!
6 years, 6 months ago
Hamburger
10 Months
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Our Golden Saints name is Hamburger. He is the best so, so sweet with my 3 year old and he loves to cuddle!! He is only 10 Months old and weighs 75lbs. He is truly a gentle giant!
6 years, 2 months ago
Chewbacca
10 Years
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
playing with grandkids
Walk
Wrestle
We got him as a pound rescue when he was 3. he is now 10 ish, and every bit a part of the family as the kids. SUPER over protective of kids. (No wrestling, or he WILL defend them!) Barks only to alert us of visitors. Sheds something fierce. Has a wierd habit of chewing holes in shirt sleeves and pant legs of ONLY those he considers part of the family.. Its now considered a badge of honor to have a "Chewy hole". Im a 6 foot 1 250 pound US Marine. Chewy is the perfect dog for me in size, temperament, and protective attitude and ability.
5 years, 11 months ago
Nala
2 Years
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
We foster pregnant dogs until their puppies are 8 weeks old and motherless puppies. Nala has been the most gentle, caring, attentive, playful foster mom that there ever could be. She takes the puppies on as her own and even has cared for them more that their actual mom did. She is truly a blessing!
5 years, 11 months ago
Bear
9 Months
2 People
House
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
We got him as a rescue. He is big, beautiful and friendly! Very good with other dogs and cats.
5 years, 9 months ago
Jersey
2 Months
5 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
sit
Taking her to the park
Give a paw
Going on drives
going on walks
She is really easy to potty train but she is way to hyper to teach tricks. She is really yappy and doesn’t listen too well. She is really picky with treats. She sheds a lot. She’s a beautiful puppy and she is going to be a huge dog. She has the colour of a golden retriever, as of right now she’s short haired, she looks like a golden retriever but she has the size of a Saint Bernard.
5 years, 6 months ago
Rain
2 Months
5 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Run
He's slight slow and slight witty
5 years, 2 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd