When Goliath, Gunther, and Gasket lumbered into the Edmonton Humane Society in Alberta, Canada, it was impossible not to notice them. Together, the three Saint Bernard brothers weighed more than 300 pounds of fur, slobber, and love.
The shelter had to get creative just to make room. “We had to close one of our entire dog wards down so they had adequate space to stay together,” explained Jamey Blair, the shelter’s manager of animal health and protection.
But the big dogs didn’t mind one bit. Staff would often peek in to find the trio fast asleep in a giant snuggly heap. “They were all curled up in a giant pile of Saint Bernard,” Blair said. “It was so adorable — you just wanted to crawl in with them.”
From the very beginning, it was clear these brothers were inseparable. Shelter staff ran a behavior assessment, briefly separating the dogs to see how they’d cope. The result? Heartbreaking.
“They were panting, trying to escape, searching for each other, and not eating,” Blair recalled. “As soon as we put them back together, they calmed right down.”
That confirmed it: the brothers weren’t just bonded — they were family. And they would only be adopted as a set.
“The dogs are lovely, they’re absolutely delightful to be around,” Blair said. “They’re very social, loving and full of cuddles. They love playing, and seem to be good with other dogs as well from what we see in the shelter. So overall, they’re just phenomenal dogs.”
Finding one home for three enormous Saint Bernards wouldn’t be easy. But the shelter believed someone out there would be up for the challenge.
And when their story hit social media, the response was massive.
“It’s been overwhelming,” Blair said. “We’ve had more than 200 emails from interested adopters — from across the country and even internationally. We’re very confident we’ll find them the perfect home.”
Whoever is chosen will need to be ready for the realities of life with three giants. That means feeding over 300 pounds of dog every month, keeping up with grooming, and covering vet care for not one but three big pups.
But it also means three times the joy.
“They’re just phenomenal dogs,” Blair said. “They’re social, loving, playful, and full of cuddles. We’ll miss them dearly, but we can’t wait to see them go home.”
For anyone in the Edmonton area interested in adopting Goliath, Gunther, and Gasket, the Edmonton Humane Society is accepting applications. And for those outside Canada, shelters everywhere are filled with other wonderful dogs waiting for their chance at forever.
