Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest of the four Swiss Sennenhund breeds — a big, tricolour draught and drover's dog with a steady temperament.

History

It worked the farms of the Swiss Alps as a general-purpose dog — driving cattle, guarding the yard and pulling loaded carts — and is thought to be the oldest and largest of the Sennenhund types, with roots in the mastiffs of antiquity. It came close to dying out before a twentieth-century revival.

Temperament

The breed is known for being calm, loyal and good-natured — a gentle giant that is devoted to its family and makes an alert, confident watchdog. Its size calls for early, gentle training.

Care and training

It needs moderate exercise and room to move, with care not to over-work a growing giant, and it takes well to steady, reward-based training. The short double coat sheds and needs regular brushing.

Health

Known tendencies include hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, a bleeding disorder and epilepsy in some lines, and like the big breeds it lives a shorter life on average. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.