Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a descendant of large mastiff type war dogs that Roman soldiers left behind in Switzerland. The "Swissy" is a large dog that weighs between 80 and 135 pounds. This breed usually measures around 23 to 29 inches at the withers. They have a short, dense coat that is easy to groom and keep clean. The topcoat is shiny and the undercoat is thick. Their coats are mostly black with tan and white markings. The toes, chest, blaze, and tip of the tail are white. Tan areas of the coat are located between the black and white markings.

This breed was almost extinct at the beginning of the twentieth century. Dr. Wilcox and Chris Walkowicz report in their Atlas of Dog Breeds that Franz Schertenleib found a specimen of the breed on an isolated farm in Switzerland. He entered that dog in a show in 1908. Franz wanted the opinion of an experienced judge named Dr. Albert Heim. When Dr. Heim saw the dog, he liked what he saw and convinced dog fanciers to search for more specimens on farms to start a breeding program. The breed was saved from extinction.

In 1910, the Swiss dog registry accepted the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. In the beginning of the twentieth century, smooth coated Saint Bernards were likely crossbred with Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs to increase the gene pool and size of the breed. In 1968, specimens of the breed were brought to the United States. The American Kennel Club recognized the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog in 1985.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is happiest when working and spending time with their owners. They make excellent farm dogs. This breed will gladly help you do whatever work needs to be done. These powerful dogs are capable of holding or moving livestock. They are naturally protective and make excellent watchdogs. They are not aggressive towards strangers or other animals, but will let you know when something does not seem right by barking and holding their ground. This dog is confident and friendly. They are not shy or afraid of strangers.

Pulling comes naturally to the Swissy. They love to pull carts and sleds. This is a powerful breed that is often entered in pulling contests. They can pull as much as 3000 pounds. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs need to be taught what the word “pull” means and not to pull when they are being walked around the neighborhood on a leash.

Obedience training and socializing the Swissy at an early age will help eliminate unwanted behavior, like pulling or chasing small animals. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is slow to mature and takes a while to housetrain. They are not completely mature until they are about 4 or 5 years old. Providing a doggy door will help speed up the house training process and protect your floors from accidents.

Although the Swissy has a sweet disposition and loves children, this breed is very strong and should be owned by someone who has the time and energy to train and exercise their dog. They do not tolerate heat and need to have shelter and a way to keep cool on hot days. This breed needs to be with people and does not enjoy being left alone in a yard all day with nothing to do.

If you are considering adding a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog to your family and want to find out if this breed is right for you, contact the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America. They will be able to tell you where you can go to meet the breed and give you a list of responsible breeders.