The St. Bernard is a breed of very large working dog from the Italian and Swiss Alps, originally bred for rescue. The breed has become famous through tales of alpine rescues, as well as for its large size. The St. Bernard is a large dog. The largest recorded dog was 42 inches (107 cm) tall, 35 inches (89 cm) at the shoulders, and 102 inches (2.59 m) long and weighed 220 lb (100 kg),[1] The average weight of the breed is between 140 and 264 lb.