The
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
is a member of the Working Group.
They are a Draft and Drover breed.
They are a striking, tri-colored,
large, powerful, & confident dog
of sturdy appearance. They are a heavy-boned
and well-muscled dog which, in spite
of its size and weight, is agile enough
to perform the all-purpose farm duties
of the mountainous regions of its
origin
Today
( aka the Swissy ) is primarily a family dog,
though the working dog aptitude remains strong.
Swissys love their people and thrive on being
around all family members. They can be great with
children but they are not the right breed for
every type of family.
As
with any breed, when understanding
the Swissy you must look at it's original
historical function. In Swiss Alps during
the 1st century BC, the Northern Roman Legion
soldiers brought with them large, mastiff
type dogs. After their invasions these dogs
were later left behind in various regions
of the area. These dogs evolved into the
four Swiss Sennenhund Breeds: the Appenzeller,
the Entelbucher, the Bernese and the largest
of the four, the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund,
now known as the Greater Swiss Mountain
Dog. For over 2000 years these dogs have
lived in the Alps,working side by side with
their farmers as both helpers and companions.The
breed was also used as a guard type dog
and also worked as a herder of livestock
when needed. Swissies were also called upon
from the Swiss Army during wartime as they
were strong and able workers ready to transport
supplies and armaments to inaccesible mountain
regions. In more modern times the Swissy
has been part of the search and rescue efforts
of the Swiss Army.
Both
type and character is very
important for this Working Draft Breed.
The GSMD should be a bold leader with confidence.
He should be neither be nervous or aggressive.
" He is alert, vigilant, calm, intelligent
and caring." He thrives on a close
relationship with other creatures, especially
his family. Above all the Swissy is a Draft
Dog and should be of the substance and soundness
necessary to perform these functions.Since
this breed has the heritage of a strong,
bold, guard type worker they are not the
breed for every type of owner.They require
the correct type of training, socialization,plenty
of excercise,time, guidance and a sense
of "working" with their owners.
The Swissy was originally bred to pull heavy
loads and today can still pull upwards of
3000 pounds ! (This means that they can
and will pull you down in the blink of an
eye ) Proper leash training is VERY important
from an early age as is proper socializing
Absolutely NO photos can be
copied, borrowed, used, reproduced or taken from this web site w/o the owners
permission
As
with any breed, when understanding
the Swissy you must look at it's original
historical function. In Swiss Alps during
the 1st century BC, the Northern Roman Legion
soldiers brought with them large, mastiff
type dogs. After their invasions these dogs
were later left behind in various regions
of the area. These dogs evolved into the
four Swiss Sennenhund Breeds: the Appenzeller,
the Entelbucher, the Bernese and the largest
of the four, the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund,
now known as the Greater Swiss Mountain
Dog. For over 2000 years these dogs have
lived in the Alps,working side by side with
their farmers as both helpers and companions.The
breed was also used as a guard type dog
and also worked as a herder of livestock
when needed. Swissies were also called upon
from the Swiss Army during wartime as they
were strong and able workers ready to transport
supplies and armaments to inaccesible mountain
regions. In more modern times the Swissy
has been part of the search and rescue efforts
of the Swiss Army. 
Both
type and character is very
important for this Working Draft Breed.
The GSMD should be a bold leader with confidence.
He should be neither be nervous or aggressive.
" He is alert, vigilant, calm, intelligent
and caring." He thrives on a close
relationship with other creatures, especially
his family. Above all the Swissy is a Draft
Dog and should be of the substance and soundness
necessary to perform these functions.Since
this breed has the heritage of a strong,
bold, guard type worker they are not the
breed for every type of owner.They require
the correct type of training, socialization,plenty
of excercise,time, guidance and a sense
of "working" with their owners.
The Swissy was originally bred to pull heavy
loads and today can still pull upwards of
3000 pounds ! (This means that they can
and will pull you down in the blink of an
eye ) Proper leash training is VERY important
from an early age as is proper socializing
