St Bernard Lab Mix, the Labernard’s Traits, Facts and Care Tips

Buck weighs 78 lbs, and he still knocks my coffee off the side table with one swing of his tail. A St Bernard Lab mix can weigh twice that. So before anything else, picture a Lab’s tail on a dog the size of a small sofa.

The St Bernard Lab mix, often called a Labernard, is a cross between a Saint Bernard and a Labrador Retriever. Most grow into big or giant dogs, and they’re, roughly 80 to 180 lbs, with a gentle, people-loving temperament. The things I’d plan for are the size, the drool and the joints, plus a shorter lifespan than a regular Lab.

What is a Labernard?

A Labernard is a first-generation or multigeneration cross of a Saint Bernard and a Labrador Retriever with roots in Newfoundland. It’s a designer mix, not a recognized breed, so no club sets a standard for its size, coat or color.

Image credit: love4saints / Instagram

Here are the quick facts I’d want before meeting one:

These mix ranges are my estimates, built from the AKC standards for both parents. With a cross this lopsided in size, one puppy can end up near the Lab end and its littermate near the Saint end.

Where the St Bernard Lab mix comes from

Nobody’s got a clear record of the first Labernard. It most likely came from accidental farm litters first, then from the designer-dog boom of the last few decades.

The Saint Bernard side has a famous story. Monks at the hospice on the Great St. Bernard Pass, high in the Swiss Alps, kept big dogs from around the late 1600s, and the dogs learned to find travelers lost in snow. The AKC Saint Bernard profile credits the most famous of them, a dog named Barry, with saving more than 40 lives. The brandy barrel around the neck is a painter’s invention, by the way. It wasn’t standard kit.

The Lab’s story is quieter, but it’s just as practical. Its ancestors helped fishermen in Newfoundland haul nets and fetch fish, and British breeders later shaped it into a gun dog. Today it’s a common guide, service and detection dog.

So you get two working breeds that both helped people for a living. I think that’s why most Labernards are so keen to be near their family.

Size and appearance

This is the section that decides it for most families. A Labernard is a big dog at minimum and a giant dog at most. It usually stands 24 to 30 inches tall, which puts it in the large to giant dog category alongside other heavy Lab mixes.

I’ve laid the parents side by side with the AKC numbers:

Look at that weight gap. A Saint Bernard male can weigh more than two Labs, and that’s before dinner. Males of the mix are usually heavier than females, and big dogs grow slowly, so many Labernards don’t fill out until about 2 years old.

Coat and colors

The coat comes in two main types, and you won’t know which one you’re getting until the puppy’s a few months old. Some Labernards get the Lab’s short, dense double coat. Others get a longer, thicker coat closer to the Saint Bernard’s rough coat, with feathering on the legs and tail. Plenty land in between.

Colors vary just as much. Expect solid black, yellow or chocolate from the Lab side, and red and white, mahogany or brindle patches with a white chest, blaze and feet from the Saint. Many Labernards wear a mask of darker fur around the eyes, a classic Saint Bernard marking. Lab-leaning pups usually stick to the three standard Labrador colors.

The drool question

I’d be lying if I skipped this. The AKC gives the Saint Bernard its top drooling score, 5 out of 5. Labernards with loose lips and heavy jowls drool, especially after a drink, after a meal and on warm days. Lab-leaning dogs with tighter lips drool far less. If you meet a puppy’s Saint parent and it has a towel-worthy jowl, assume your pup might too.

Labernard temperament and personality

Most Labernards are calm, sweet and patient. They’re not busy dogs. Both parents are famously good-natured, and the mix usually inherits that easygoing core. They want to be in the room with you, ideally leaning on your legs.

This is how the parents compare on what matters at home:

I like what that table says about noise. Labernards are rarely yappy, but they’ll give a deep bark when someone’s at the door, and that bark alone puts off most visitors with bad intentions. They aren’t true guard dogs, though, and they won’t pretend to be. Most would rather lean on a stranger than bite one.

With children, this mix is usually gentle and patient. The real risk is size: a happy 140 lb dog can flatten a toddler with a tail wag or a turn in a hallway. I’d always supervise young kids and teach them not to climb on the dog. Other pets usually do fine when introductions are slow and calm, and a Labernard raised with a cat often treats it as one of the family. You can read more about Labrador temperament if your puppy leans Lab.

Training a Labernard

Start on day one, because manners matter more with every pound. A 15 lb puppy jumping on you is cute. A 150 lb adult doing the same thing is a trip to urgent care.

Labernards are smart and usually eager, but the Saint side can bring a slow, stubborn streak. Some dogs simply lie down when they’re done with a lesson, and you can’t drag a giant dog anywhere. That’s why I’d use positive reinforcement only: small treats, praise and short sessions of 5 to 10 minutes.

Here’s the order I’d train in:

1. Crate training and short alone time, from the first week.
2. Sit, down and stay, practiced at doors, gates and the car.
3. Loose-leash walking with a front-clip harness, long before the dog outweighs you.
4. “Off” and four-paws-on-the-floor greetings.
5. “Leave it”, because counters are at nose height for a dog this tall.
6. Recall, on a long line at first.

Socialization is the other half. Introduce your puppy to calm people, kids, other dogs, car rides and vet visits early, and keep every experience short and positive. A fearful giant dog is much harder to live with than a fearful small one.

From my experience with Buck, food solves most training problems with a retriever. It works with a Labernard too, but count those treats into the daily food so the dog stays lean.

Exercise needs

Labernards need daily exercise, but they don’t need marathon sessions. I’d aim for about 45 to 60 minutes a day for a healthy adult, split into two or three walks plus some play. Low-impact activity is the goal, because big joints and long runs don’t mix.

Giant dogs grow slowly, and their growth plates stay open longer than a Lab’s do. That’s why I wouldn’t take a Labernard puppy jogging or let it leap out of the truck.

Swimming is the best exercise for this mix if it likes water. Buck chases dock bumpers in freezing weather, and many Lab mixes are the same. It works the muscles without pounding the elbows and hips.

Heat is the other big issue. Saint Bernards were built for snow, and a heavy dog with a thick coat overheats fast. On warm days, walk at dawn or dusk, bring water, and stop if your dog’s panting hard, lagging or looking for shade. Heatstroke is an emergency: get your dog to a vet straight away.

Labernard health and lifespan

Expect a lifespan of about 8 to 12 years. That’s shorter than I’d like. The AKC lists 8 to 10 years for the Saint Bernard and 11 to 13 for the Lab, and size is the main reason for the gap. Giant dogs simply age faster.

These are the conditions I’d watch for:

Bloat is the one I’d learn about before the puppy comes home. Deep-chested giant breeds are among the most at risk of gastric dilatation-volvulus, where the stomach fills with gas and can twist. The American College of Veterinary Surgeons calls it a life-threatening emergency. A swollen belly plus unproductive retching means go to an emergency vet now, day or night. Ask your vet whether a preventive gastropexy at spay or neuter time makes sense for your dog.

Joint care starts early too. Buck developed mild elbow osteoarthritis at 8 and got stiff in his front left leg after long autumn hikes. Daily joint supplements with glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3s brought back his morning bounce in about three weeks. I’m not a vet, and a dog twice his size needs its own plan, so talk to yours before adding any supplement.

Ask any breeder for health testing on both parents: OFA or PennHIP hip and elbow results, a heart exam, an eye exam, and a PRA DNA test for the Lab parent.

Feeding a Labernard

Puppies need a large or giant-breed puppy formula. These foods control calcium and calories so the puppy grows at a steady pace, and fast growth is one of the things that strains developing hips and elbows. I’d keep a Labernard puppy lean rather than chubby, even if relatives tell you it looks thin.

For adults, start with the food label for your dog’s weight and adjust by body condition. Here’s what I’d keep in mind:

• Feed two or three smaller meals a day, never one huge one (it helps with bloat risk)
• Wait about an hour after meals before exercise
• Count training treats, which add up fast
• Check the ribs and waist every two weeks
• Ask your vet before adding fish oil, joint supplements or probiotics

Labs often carry a gene variant linked to bigger appetites, and many Lab mixes inherit the begging. Managing calories to prevent obesity matters even more on a 150 lb frame, because every extra pound loads those joints. Buck taught me how quietly weight creeps on: he gained on the same portions around age six, and a higher-protein, lower-calorie food split into three meals got him back to 78 lbs in about four months.

Grooming and shedding

Both coat types shed, and the longer Saint-style coat’s the worse of the two. Expect hair on the floor all year and two heavy sheds in spring and fall. My grooming kit for a Labernard would look like this:

• A slicker brush for longer coats, or a rubber curry brush for short ones
• An undercoat rake or deshedding tool for spring and fall
• Ear cleaner and cotton pads
• A face towel for drool
• Nail clippers or a grinder

Brush two or three times a week, and daily during a coat blow. Spring shedding at my house fills about two grocery bags of undercoat in one afternoon with Buck, and a Labernard with the thicker coat could easily beat that. Check the ears weekly, wipe the jowls after meals, and brush teeth a few times a week.

Living with a giant dog

The size touches everything, and it isn’t just the walks. Before you commit, I’d check these honestly:

• A car that fits a 150 lb dog, plus a ramp (lifting one isn’t realistic)
• Floors with some grip, because giant dogs slip on smooth wood
• Room for an XXL crate
• A budget for giant-dog food, meds and boarding, which all cost more by weight
• Someone at home for much of the day

Medication is priced by weight, and so is anesthesia, so a routine dental or surgery costs more than it would for a Lab. I’d look at pet insurance before the puppy comes home, while there are no pre-existing conditions to exclude.

Is a St Bernard Lab mix right for you?

Based on my research and the owners I’ve talked to, the happy Labernard homes share space, patience and a relaxed view of drool. My honest version:

A Labernard is a good fit if:

• You’d like a calm, gentle family dog that’s happy to lie at your feet all evening
• There’s room for a giant dog
• Moderate daily walks suit you better than long runs
• A bit of drool on the couch doesn’t bother you

Skip it if:

• You live in a small apartment or a hot climate without air conditioning
• Holding a strong, heavy dog on a leash isn’t realistic for you
• A spotless house matters to you
• You want a dog likely to live past 12

Finding a Labernard

I’d start with rescues. Saint Bernard rescues and Lab rescues both take in mixes, and large dogs end up in shelters when owners underestimate the size. An adult rescue also lets you see its final size and drool level before you commit.

If you buy a puppy, choose the breeder carefully. A good breeder will:

• Show OFA or PennHIP hip and elbow results for both parents
• Share heart and eye exam results, plus a PRA test for the Lab
• Let you meet the mother and see where the puppies live
• Talk openly about bloat and lifespan
• Ask about your home, yard and schedule
• Take the dog back at any age if it doesn’t work out

Walk away from anyone selling giant-mix puppies with no health results. You’ll find another litter.

FAQ

My final word

A Labernard is a lot of dog, in every sense: more food, more drool, more hair and more love leaning against your knees. If you’ve got the space and the patience, I think you’ll end up with one of the gentlest giants on your street. Keep a towel by the door.