Dog Breed Guide

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Profile

Size

Extra Large

Country of origin

Switzerland

Origin

Ancient

Bred for

Herding, Draft work, Watchdog

Height

male 65 - 72cm (26 - 28in), female 60 - 68cm (24 - 27in)

Weight

male 52 - 64kg (115 - 141lb), female 39 - 50kg (86 - 110lb)

Life span

8 - 11 years

It has the same black, white and rust coloring as the Bernese Mountain Dog, but its coat is short and its body is larger and more powerfully built. It is considered the largest and oldest of Switzerland's four Sennenhund breeds.

Calm, loyal to its family and gentle with children, the Swissy is also an alert watchdog that reacts to strangers and noises with plenty of barking. It is extremely strong, so it should learn to walk without pulling from a young age.

It matures slowly and takes two to three years to become an adult in body and mind. It does poorly in heat, and bloat, joint problems and epilepsy are concerns. Although the coat is short, the undercoat is dense and sheds heavily during shedding season.

Good to know

In Switzerland it was long an all-round worker for butchers, cattle drovers and farmers. Because it drove cattle, guarded the house and pulled heavy carts, it is said to have been called "the poor man's horse." Mechanization in the 19th century took away its jobs, however, and by the early 20th century it had almost disappeared.

The turning point came in 1908. At a show marking the 25th anniversary of the Swiss Kennel Club, the Bernese fancier Franz Schertenleib entered a large short-haired dog he had found deep in the mountains. The judge, Professor Albert Heim, recognized it as an old type of Sennenhund that was close to being lost and called on people across the country to look for similar dogs. The breed was revived from the few dogs that were found.

The American Kennel Club admitted it to its Miscellaneous class in 1985 and granted full recognition only in 1995.