Is a clean house possible if you live with a Saint Bernard?

Question

I have tried to St. Bernard-proof our small house for about 11 years. The picture shows Chloe, who passed away about 3 years ago. Brigid is now 2 1/2 years and is not as regal and self contained as Chloe. After her passing I tried to reclaim my home but Brigid is a force to be reckoned with. She's just learned that her head can be used as an opposable thumb. Using doors we were able to keep her out of the living room and dining room. We do not believe in caging our children. The worst part is the slime on my kitchen cupboards.
I am anxious to hear your thoughts about my husband's 156 pound baby who is not as cute as the 2nd picture depicts. Saints are loveable dogs and only want to be give you big sloppy wet kisses, but the cleanliness of the home is not her first priority. Help!

is a clean house possible if you live with a saint bernard

I am anxious to hear your thoughts about my husband's 156 pound baby who is not as cute as the 2nd picture depicts. Saints are loveable dogs and only want to be give you big sloppy wet kisses, but the cleanliness of the home is not her first priority. Help!

Laurie · Answer

Hi Karen - my first question is about Chloe. Is one of her eyes blue? It sure looks like it. My St. Bernard, Lula, has one blue eye! I don't that is too common in Saint land. I happen to be a Saint lover and can very much empathize with you! The amount of fur that is shed is quite overwhelming. I have now gotten rid of all carpet in the house and have hardwoods and plank tile all over. As for the 'slobber', I would buy Magic Erasers in bulk and use them freely and often! I also wipe Lula's mouth after she drinks.....to prevent the water from dripping all over the floor. She is not a big drooler thankfully, unlike my other 2. I do have a handy device that I had rigged up on the coat closet door that keeps Lula either out of the LR/DR or out of the Kitchen/Keeping Room. Here is a photo. You can get the rosette from Home Depot in the lumber dept. and the wrought iron piece I believe was in the dept. where they sell fence latches. Anyway, it works beautifully for me as you can see Lula comfortably resting on her new tile floor in the next room! Good Luck!

Carole · Answer

Child proof gadgets for your doors, cupboards and fridge if that is a problem might help but as for the slobber? I guess all part of owning such a large dog with the floppy jowls. If you can put a towel under her water bowl it might help a little but as for your cupboards? Training her to keep her muzzle off the kitchen cupboards might help prevention being better than cure. We get a lot of hair from our Labrador (one of the worst breeds for shedding hair) and only tiled floors and regular hoovering seems to keep that down. Good luck! A friend of mine owned two Boxers and they drooled a lot of sticky slobber everywhere too.

Nola Baker-Ramirez · Answer

Don't feel like the Lone Stranger. ANY breed of large dogs inside is messy! The slobber, the constant shedding, muddy footprints, etc! I just figured that the constant cleaning, sweeping, dusting, and vacuuming that is required is just the price one has to pay for having these loving, faithful, four-legged children! I have two. Believe me, I'm going to be following this post for hints!!!

Karen Adcock · Answer

Nola, I believe there is no magical answer, but hope springs eternal
Karen

Jennie · Answer

I have what's known as a dry mouth Saint, she still drools, but only when she is outside panting or when she is awaiting a treat and we take too long. My Rottie by far outdrools her. We had a ' regular mouth' Saint before and I had to stock up on Kleenex like crazy. But we love big dogs, so got to accept the consequences. Cloe is beautiful. 
Picture attached of my Jackie.

Anne Alexander · Answer

Hi Karen, I love you and your husband... and I love Your Baby...I too have a little girl, but with a different  problem... her potty habits, she is a Princess I.G. (Italian Greyhound, difficult to potty train... that might explain some of it... but to know a dog is to love them... I have had all breeds, and I have wonderful memories with them all...and problems with all....I use a lot of Walmart Wipies...Good luck...
Anne Alexander, Ash Fork, AZ

OhSally · Answer

My100 pound German Shepherd is the shedding-est dog on the planet, I swear. I can groom him with a Furminator and remove 2 grocery bags of hair, then smooth his coat with a curry comb attached to my vacuum cleaner which fills a vacuum bag and as soon as I am finished and run my hand down his back to pet him, my hand is covered in dog hair! It's a wonder he isn't bald!

I've finally just accepted that, because he's such a wonderful addition to our family, I will just have to vacuum the floors at least once every day to keep up with the Chihuahua-sized 'dust bunnies' that collect in every corner of my house within 10 minutes of my vacuuming! I guess you need to stock up on wipes to help control the drool, and get the childproofing gadgets as Carole suggested and enjoy the good parts of having a fur baby!

Nola Baker-Ramirez · Answer

I prefer the loving, faithful, furry, 4 legged companions over a lot of people I know! To me, they're well worth the extra cleaning - and OhSallly, I hear what you're saying. The absolute love of my life was my 148 lb yellow lab! Yep! 148 lbs! His size was a fluke of his breed, but he was calendar picture perfect, beautiful, handsome, smart and loving...but sweeping and vacuuming, dusting, and mopping everyday was a must. I, too, could not understand why he wasn't bald! After being blessed for 15 wonderful years with him, he died this past January. I miss him so much and would gladly do all the extra work everyday for the next 15 years if I could...even better yet - if I could do it over, I'd be a little less obsessive-compulsive about my housework and spend more time just enjoying and playing with him. I've learned (finally, at the age of 60) that my children do not remember how clean I kept the house through the years....they remember the time I played leap frog down the hall with them one rainy day....yes, hope springs eternal, Karen!

Sally · Answer

Hi Karen,  have you considered a trainer for your baby?  Maybe you can house proof the dog instead of dog proofing the house.  As for the drooling, I don't know, maybe you can talk to a vet.  I love my dogs more than life and put up with toys and treats scattered about like I have two year olds instead of pets. Lol.

Justfixit · Answer

While I was reading your story, I was thinking, eeeeyuuuuu, drooling. Then I saw her cute smiling face in the 2nd pic and forgot all about it. LOL

Happy Days Hometalker · Answer

Enjoy your dogs and your life ! Take all carpet out of your home, replace with easy to clean tile. Have  slip covers made for all furniture.  Part of your daily kitchen routine, wipe down the kitchen cabinets, at least the lower ones.  Soon you wont even notice, it will be routine

Linda VanPelt · Answer

Can anyone suggest what to was the chin and jowl area on a St. Bernard? I have tried dog shampoo and Dawn. Still discolored from the drool.

Johnavallance82 · Answer

Be more vigalent, she is still young!

Tracey · Answer

I can totally relate, I have twin Boerboels and poor Zeus can’t seem to keep his tongue or slobber inside his mouth 🐶

Is a clean house possible if you live with a Saint Bernard?

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Is a clean house possible if you live with a Saint Bernard?

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