Group: Working

Weight: male: 105-140; female: 85-110 lbs

Height: : 25.5-28.5, female: 23.5-27 inches



History

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has its origin from the farms and villages that is located in the Swiss Alps. These dogs are the biggest of the four Sennenhund Breeds. It is said that the Sennenhund breeds are ancestors of the Roman Mastiffs, which were brought to the area more than 2000 years ago. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has contributed greatly to the development of the St. Bernard. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have first been imported to the United States during 1967 – but these dogs are still very rare, even so in Switzerland.

Characteristics

These dogs are very attentive, and therefore they are wonderful watchdogs. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs is not aggressive dogs, so they will not be effective to use as a guard dog. These dogs are extremely brave, and will definitely bark when they hear noises or spot an intruder.

Temperament

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are very stable, alert and protective dogs. They are very keen, and just love to please their owners. These dogs are very devoted dogs, and also very affectionate. It is important to introduce these dogs to strangers, but they will quickly accept them if the family does the same. These dogs want to be a part of the family and be involved in the activities. They will also get along fine with any other family pets, but they may have to be taught not to chase after them.

Care

These dogs should only be brushed about once a week. This should be increased when they are shedding more heavily. In general, these dogs are only medium shedding dogs, but this does increase on a seasonal basis. Therefore these dogs will probably be not ideal for allergy sufferers. For more detailed info, take a look at the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Grooming page.

Training

This breed of dogs is a very intelligent breed. They do very well in a variety of sports, which includes obedience. It is important that the trainer is experienced in training dogs, as these dogs are very large. They are however very enthusiastic to learn. Generally, the normal training methods are sufficient to keep them interested in what is being learned.

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