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Haven't heard that one. Interestingly, we do have a cat, and the cat was here first. So Cujo came to live with us, not just as a normal St. Bernard puppy, but as an abused, skittish, frightened 11 month old dog. Our cat, who goes by various names, Slick, Meowhead, Get Off the Damn Couch and That Fuckin' Cat (my husband is not a cat lover...which amuses me) did NOT appreciate the presence of this big dog when Cujo first arrived. Cujo was more frightened of the cat than visa-versa.
Not sure if this makes a difference, but our cat is an outdoor cat and a toughie. Double-pawed too. She regularly brings home dead rodents to show off her mad hunting skillz.
Anyway, we've had Cujo now for 7 years and she and the cat are very comfortable with each other. The cat rubs up against her alot and they often sleep on the same bed together (MINE).
As for the protectiveness, I absolutely believe that. St. Bernards are gentle by nature, but fiercely protective. She barks ferociously when the doorbell rings and if I let a stranger in, she immediately steps in between us, until I make it apparent that the person is "safe". Cujo is especially protective of me, vs. the male members of my family, to the point where my husband thinks she would definitely try to kill someone who was hurting me. Cujo and I definitely have a special bond, not to sound all gay or anything. But I don't think that's inherent to the St. Bernard breed. Dogs are by nature, protective of their owners.
I've had plenty of dogs over the years, but by far, Cujo is my favorite. Considering her auspicious beginnings, we're very fortunate that she's turned out to be such a great dog. She's very loved and spoiled (NO CRATING HERE..THANK YOU) and I think her gentle demeanor reflects it. I'd get another St. Bernard in a heartbeat.
Oh, and Cujo is a "smaller" St. Bernard - approximately 112 pounds, which is a nice size for a big dog. She doesn't slobber either. The males can get as big as 240 pounds, which I find to be too much and they tend to have those HUGE heads and they slobber unbelievably.
Hope all this babbling helps!
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