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13 Dogs That Are Similar to Saint Bernards (With Pictures)

Emma Braby Profile Picture

By Emma Braby

Saint Bernard sitting in meadow

The Saint Bernard is a larger-than-life dog in more ways than one. Not only is his personality playful and charming, but he is also a big, BIG boy. He weighs between 120 and 180 pounds and measures up to 30 inches tall.

His sheer size and power lent him to his first job searching for and locating injured travelers in the treacherous Swiss Alps. He has a long shaggy coat that sports white, brown, and black colors. He is closely related to the four Swiss Mountain dog breeds, but being the national dog of Switzerland, he is by far the most well-known and distinctive Swiss dog breed.

Although he is uniquely gorgeous, are there any other dogs out there that look like the St. Bernard? We have looked through the hundreds of dogs breeds to find the ones that look a little, and a lot, like the St. Bernard. So, let’s take a look at who else shares his handsome face.

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The 13 Dogs That Look Like Saint Bernards

1. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Image Credit: Needpix

This guy is another one of the Swiss breeds, but he is less dad-bod and more muscular than the St Bernard. Weighing up to 140 pounds, he has a short to medium-length coat and is much less drooly. He is powerful and can pull a lot of weight, so if you need a job doing, he’s got you covered. He is typically sweet and friendly, until you mess with his family, that is.


2. Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dog
Image Credit: Pikrepo

The Bernese Mountain dog is also one of the Swiss mountain breeds. He is also less heavy than the St. Bernard but shares the same coat and colorings. His face is less droopy and more smiley, but he can still weigh up to 115 pounds. He is also good-natured and calm, and very similar in many ways to the St. Bernard.


3. Appenzeller Sennenhund

Appenzeller Sennenhund
Image Credit: otsphoto, Shutterstock

The Appenzeller Sennunhund is the most agile, energetic, and playful of the Swiss breeds. So if you like the traditional Swiss look but you are seeking an active playmate, this guy might just be the one for you. He also makes an excellent watchdog, but his high intelligence and drive mean he can be quite a needy and intense dog.


4. Entlebucher Mountain Dog

Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Image Credit: Vince Scherer from Pixabay

The Entlebucher (pronounced ent-leh-boo-cur) Mountain Dog is known as the laughing dog of the Swiss Alps because he is very talkative and barky. He is the smallest and fastest of the Swiss breeds, still weighing up to 65 pounds, and is happiest when herding cattle. He looks a lot like a St. Bernard crossed with a Beagle.


5. Caucasian Ovcharka

Caucasian Shepherd dog
Image Credit: Jagodka, Shutterstock

Also known as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, this dog breed is a colossal canine. He weighs up to 170 pounds and he has the fluffiest jacket on this list. If you aren’t a fan of dog hair, you should avoid this guy at all costs. If you don’t mind a little hair or doggy drool, he makes up for it in kindness with his loved ones.


6. Tornjak Dog

Tornjak
Image Credit: Tornjak, Shutterstock

The Tornjak is a rare breed in America, and we bet our bottom dollar that you’ll be the only Tornjak owner in your neighborhood. He is also known as the Croatian Shepherd dog, and he looks a little bit like a St. Bernard mixed with a Border Collie. Despite his cute and fluffy exterior, he is a formidable pooch when his family is in danger but super cuddly when everything is under control.


7. Great Pyrenees Dog

Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog
Image Credit: Trong Nguyen, Shutterstock

The Great Pyrenees is a big cuddly teddy bear dog. Typically weighing upwards of 100 pounds, this guy shares the same giant dog traits similar to the St. Bernard. He is described as smart, patient and calm, and makes a vigilant guard dog. Despite his size, he is majestic and graceful and loves to spend time relaxing with his family.


8. Tibetan Mastiff Dog

Tibetan Mastiff
Image Credit: Tatyana Kuznetsova, Shutterstock

The Tibetan Mastiff is another dog on the big boy list. He is reserved with strangers but kind and gentle with his loved ones. He enjoys a leisurely walk every day, nothing too tiresome, but his dense coat needs a lot of attention with daily grooming. His coat colors tend to be darker in color, with much less white than the St. Bernard.


9. Leonberger Dog

Leonberger
Image Credit: sesheta, Pixabay

The Leonberger is another beast of a pooch who continues with the gentle giant theme. He is less protective than the other breeds on this list, and he has always been a favorite amongst royalty. He is super sweet, gentle, and a real big softy. He favors the little humans in his family pack and loves to take a dip in the local lake. This breed sports a black face and a big, bushy lion’s mane.


10. Newfoundland Dog

Newfoundland in the river
Image Credit: rzoze19, Shutterstock

The Newfie looks a lot like the St. Bernard, particularly when he sports the multicolored coat. He is so similar in appearance and personality that the monks in the Swiss Alps mated the Newfie and the St. Bernard in the hope of giving their puppies warmer coats. This experiment failed, but many St. Bernards today have Newfie blood. He is sweet-natured and loves to chill with his family.


11. Spanish Mastiff

spanish mastiff
Image Credit: LFRabanedo, Shutterstock

The Spanish Mastiff is another relatively unknown canine in America and he is still yet to be fully recognized by the American Kennel Club. He weighs anywhere up to 200 pounds in weight, and you can be sure that he will protect your family and home. His coat is shaggy, and he sometimes sports coat colors similar to the Saint Bernard.


12. Estrella Mountain Dog

The Estrella Mountain Dog is similar to the Spanish Mastiff, except hailing from Portugal. He is commonly used as a Portuguese police dog or in marine rescue. He is sweet and affectionate with his family, but he will choose one member as his main master and their bond is very special. His coat is typically dark with red and brown hues, and his face is always darker than his body.


13. English Mastiff

English Mastiff
Image Credit: Waldemar Dabrowski, Shutterstock

If you love the big goofy St. Bernard appearance but you are not a fan of shaggy coats, the English Mastiff might be a great alternative. He is another gentle giant, but he is much easier to care for when it comes to his grooming schedule thanks to his short coat. He is a dominant dog, but he can be shy and he prefers the company of his loved ones.

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Conclusion

The St. Bernard is a hardworking and powerful breed who is thought to have saved 2,000 lives in the treacherous Swiss Alps. Nowadays, he is commonly found living his best life relaxing with his family.

However gorgeous this breed is, it is not always for everyone. So, if you fancy welcoming a gentle giant into your home but something a little different, you have plenty of dogs that look like St. Bernards in the list above.

See also:


Featured Image Credit: rokopix, Shutterstock

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